Our prophetic story for today comes from the book of 1 Chronicles where over 300,000 fighting men of Israel were joining up with David to make him the new king. Chapter 12 lists the tribes of Israel and how many fighting men from each tribe joined up. One tribe that stands out is the tribe of Issachar. “From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.” These leaders were special in that this is the only time this was mentioned. They were not only prepared for battle, they “understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.” They were prophetic warriors. Two hundred quality leaders who were well-versed in what was going on around them, and what God wanted to do.

This is something we hold in high regard here at the Catch: Understanding the signs of the times and seeking what God wants us to do. We are a product of the Jesus Movement and the Jesus Movement was a product of the unique times of the 1960s and what was going on in the culture. The baby boom generation was coming of age and young people were trying to find themselves in the middle of the turbulent ‘60s — the assassination of two Kennedys and a King, the birth of a drug culture, a war in Vietnam, and an explosion of creativity and rebellion in popular music, to name just a few. So Jesus and the countercultural gospel fit right in. Jesus even seemed like a hippie to many in light of the signs of the times.

Today the signs of the times are radically different. Today in America, Christians are no longer countercultural, they are part of a large subculture that has gained political strength and opted for power and control in regards to social issues instead of the Spirit. And you rarely hear about Jesus anymore at least in the public square. You hear Christians this and Christians that, but no Jesus. If there is to be another move of the Spirit today, it will most likely happen outside the walls of the subculture and it will be all about Jesus and the Holy Spirit and nothing about politics, and it will be led by GenY and the younger Millennials. And guess who will inspire them and help encourage them along? Those who remember what it is to have everything be about Jesus — those who experienced or were influenced by the Jesus Movement of 50 years ago.

So our job, understanding the signs of the times, is to keep the focus on Christ — on what He said and taught (the Sermon on the Mount) and on what He did and accomplished through the cross and resurrection which gained forgiveness and life everlasting for all who believe.

For more on this topic, join us on “Between the Answers” with John & Marti by clicking below.