There are many prophecies currently in circulation to do with Britain and her future in/out of the EU. Will you join with us so we can test these as a community?

The up-coming EU Referendum is drawing Christians all around the nation to think and pray about the direction in which Britain and Europe are headed. There have been a number of recent prophecies circulating churches and prayer groups, many of which call the UK to come out of the EU and give warnings about the direction in which the EU will eventually go.

It could not be more important for Christians to test these prophecies – so we are beginning a new series through which we might, as a community of faith, do this together. It also seems a pertinent time to re-print and test other significant prophecies for our nation that have been given historically.

Expecting Bias

In recent discussions within the Prophecy Today team we have noted that we should expect human bias in all contemporary prophecies, as a matter of course. Each of us is at a certain point in our biblical understanding and is still growing and this can shape the way we hear and speak out what we feel God is saying. We may also have denominational bias or be influenced by our educational background or life experiences.

There have been a number of recent prophecies about the EU circulating churches and prayer groups – it could not be more important for these to be tested.

There are times when the prophetic word is so strong that these biases are bypassed but we need not be embarrassed to put all prophecy to the test, or to question some elements of it. Sometimes we may deliver part of a prophecy accurately and then 'add a bit'. We are not the next Isaiah or Jeremiah, but part of the body of believers – a prophetic people acting together. All prophecy must be thoroughly tested and then we can be sure we really do have the word of God, as he confirms the understanding of his word to his people.

Seeing Prophecies in Context

Prophecy Today began in 1986 after major conferences in Israel where attention was drawn to Haggai's prophecy, repeated in the Book of Hebrews, concerning the shaking of the nations. We believe that this is the era we are in now and this is a prime reason for our re-publishing Prophecy Today online at this time. Though this view is still subject to testing, including by our readers, it continues to shape our work.

The outworking of this prophecy is involving much detail, and the prophecy itself fits into an overall 'end time' perspective. Among the issues for us to understand, therefore, is the UK's continuing membership of the EU – because whichever way we go, consequences will follow.

We believe we that the UK's membership in the EU needs to be understood in context of the wider fulfilment of Haggai's prophecy of a final great shaking of the nations.

Testing Prophecies: Things to Note

Testing of prophecy is best done methodically. We have chosen to begin our series by outlining three broad principles – though for a comprehensive testing, we recommend the list of 12 tests compiled by Dr Clifford Hill.¹

First, we know that sometimes God will do things unconditionally, even overriding human will (e.g. whilst steering us through a time of need), but apart from these times, most predictive prophecies (i.e. promises of blessing or judgment) are conditional. In these cases, 'if' is one of the big words of the Bible, and we would expect 'ifs' to feature within most contemporary prophecy.

Secondly, when we believe that the Lord has spoken, even if we feel strongly that it is from him, it is usually more helpful to ask others to test the prophecy using the words "I believe the Lord may be saying..." rather than as a direct word: "The Lord says...".

Thirdly, in testing prophecy for nations other than Israel, our reference point comes from Jeremiah 18. Jeremiah had been taken to the potter's house. Whilst telling Jeremiah what was to become of Judah, using the potter as a metaphor for how God could reform Judah, the following was revealed as God's promise for any nation: "If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned" (Jer 18:7) (note the ongoing nature of the prophecy and also the 'if').

In testing prophecy for nations other than Israel, our reference point comes from Jeremiah 18.

This Week: Test the 'Mother Barbara Prophecy'

Over the coming weeks we want to lay out some prominent prophecies spoken through the last century about our nation, and test them together. Take time alone in prayer and in prayer groups to do this.

This week, let us go back to reconsider a prophecy that has encouraged many Christians, especially women's prayer groups such as the Lydia Fellowship, for decades. This is the prophecy of 1911 passed on to Mother Barbara by Bishop Aristocoli shortly before his death:

Tell the women they must belong absolutely to God. They must believe in the great things that are happening that God is doing on the earth. They must prepare their souls, their children and their husbands. And they will have very much work to do for God. Oh, what a great work the women will have to do in the end time, and the men will follow them. Not one country will be without trial – do no be frightened of anything you will hear.

An evil will shortly take Russia and wherever this evil comes rivers of blood will flow. This evil will take the whole of the world and wherever it goes rivers of blood will flow because of it. It is not the Russian soul but an imposition of the Russian soul. It is not an ideology or a philosophy, but a spirit from hell.

In the last days Germany will be divided in two.

France will be just nothing.

Italy will be judged by natural disasters.

Britain will lose her empire and all her colonies and will come to almost total ruin, but will be saved through praying women.

America will feed the world, but will finally collapse.

Russia and China will destroy each other. Finally, Russia will be free and from her believers will go forth and turn many nations to God.

Let us begin to test aspects of this:

• Helpful Style: In what has come to be known as 'The Mother Barbara Prophecy', there is no claim that it is indeed a prophecy – no "thus saith the Lord" – more measured exhortation (though there is a prophetic nature to the foretelling of the future).
• Standing the Test of Time: Much has come to pass in world history which seems to verify the prophecy, especially relating to Russia and Germany, though Germany is now reunited. Now we are in the time when clarity is needed, since implications for contemporary Europe seem to be bound up in the last sections.
• Lack of Clarity: There has been tremendous encouragement for women called to prayer that through answered prayer Britain will be saved, yet what does it mean for a nation to be saved?
• Lack of Conditions: The prophecy states that Britain will be saved, but gives no conditions on such salvation.

What else do you notice about this prophecy? We encourage you to weigh it using the twelve tests of prophecy discussed previously, to assess once more this prophetic word in the light of Britain today and its relationship with the EU.

Do post your responses below for others to see, or email them in for our consideration.

Next week: Smith Wigglesworth's 1947 prophecy

References

1 Hill, C. Prophecy Past and Present: An Exploration of the Prophetic Ministry in the Bible and the Church. Copies available from the Issachar Ministries office – email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Clifford Denton traces the theme of family through Scripture, including how God instituted the family as a shadow of our relationship with him.

The theme of family is woven through the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The family is at the heart of the believing community. It should not surprise us, therefore, that one of the major areas of spiritual conflict in every generation, including our own, is the family.

If we truly had the Bible as our guide at the heart of our nation, we would never have had need to address the issue of laws that liberalise and confuse the definition of marriage and the associated confusion over gender that besets our generation. We would have a clearer view of roles and relationships of fathers, mothers and children and know God's own purposes and patterns for building society's foundations on the biblical pattern for family. As a result, we would surely find God's blessings as we seek to grow together in our communities founded on strong family relationships.

Generally speaking, though there are some major warnings to heed, the Bible teaches positively, so if we study carefully and respond positively to God's teaching we do not need to dwell too much on the negatives.

There are biblical warnings about departure from God's structure of family (including taking divorce lightly, eg Mal 2:14-15; Mark 10:5-9, and wrong relationships eg Lev 18, Rom 1:26-29) which are to be taken very seriously. Thank God that through Jesus there is a path of redemption through repentance for those who have strayed. But for this study let us concentrate on the positive aspects of the Bible's teaching on family. Like all Bible themes we can trace this theme from Genesis to Revelation, through the Torah, the Prophets, the Writings and the New Testament.

Family Before Time, and Forever

There was a family before time began, including the Father and his Son through whom all things were made (John 1). Father and Son are in perfect unity and one with the Holy Spirit. There was a community in Heaven including the Godhead and the Angels - we have enough information to know about this but not enough to form a clear picture. The principles of the family of God were embedded in Creation, however, bringing shadows of heavenly reality to earthly experience.

Genesis 1 describes how God brought the animals into partnership, male with female, and mankind was made in the image of God (Gen 1:26). So began the way that God's Creation was to be ordered, finally leading to the fulfilment described in the New Testament when the family of God will be gathered to join the family of Heaven for all eternity (John 14:2-4; Rev 19:7).

The principles of the family of God were embedded in Creation, bringing shadows of heavenly reality to earthly experience.

The First Family on Earth

When Adam was created his own wife was taken out of him to be his companion in the flesh (Gen 2:18-25). Thus began the principle of family life on earth. God began with a man and a woman who were of one flesh, separated into two distinct beings, with a central purpose of reproducing themselves and populating the world. It is no mistake that multiplication of mankind requires the most intimate of relationships, intended to be maintained in holiness and purity. The unity of our Heavenly Father and his own Son was to be modeled through our human relationships as we multiplied into families.

We are so used to the way family life has been distorted by sin and through spiritual attack that it is wise to go back and consider God's first family to regain his vision for what was intended. Adam and Eve were to live in harmony with God and bring forth godly offspring, replicating the biblical principle of family into every generation (Mal 2:15).

Noah and His Family

A family was saved at the Flood. The family of Adam had multiplied and evil began to spoil what God had intended. This is described first in terms of the community breakdown when "the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and took wives from them of whom they chose" (Gen 6:2). It is not easy to understand just what happened here - it could have been an interaction between natural and supernatural beings and/or a departure from God by those who knew him marrying with those who did not. Whatever this was, there was a breakdown of God's family on earth and this led to the judgment of the Great Flood.

Through God's grace, mankind continued with the family of Noah and representatives from the families of the animals (Gen 7). After the Flood Noah received the command to populate the earth once more (Gen 9:1). Through one family many new families would come – a fresh start.

Our Father Abraham

Another perspective on family came through Abraham. Abraham, our father of faith, is the father of a family from all nations. Israel, his physical offspring, became a nation built on family principles, just as the new covenant community should be. God's covenant (Gen 17:1-7) was framed in terms of family.

There follows in the chapters of Genesis a wonderful account of the beginning of Abraham's physical descendants. The account of Abraham's desire for a son and his relationship with Sarah his wife is a real account of God's building through family. The account of Abraham's servant finding a bride for Isaac (Gen 24) is a beautiful story that could even point to the Holy Spirit seeking out a Bride for Jesus.

The principles of the family being the base on which God was to build in both physical and spiritual ways is strongly evident here as the parallel themes continue to develop throughout the rest of the Bible.

The Theme of Family Develops

Here are some of the many references to follow up as the priority of family develops through Scripture:

• God's promise to Abraham is remembered and worked out in families (Ex 2:24-25, 12:1-11, Ex 24, 34).
• The congregation of the Lord was numbered by families (Num 1).
• Family framework is ingrained in the Ten Commandments – the family of God and the human family (Deut 5, Ex 20).
• The teaching programme of God is to be founded on what is done in the home. Children are to be taught the ways of God through family interaction. (Deut 6).
• The Sabbath and Feasts of the Lord are celebrated in a family framework within the covenant community (Lev 23).
• The nation of Israel was a nation of families and tribes (1 and 2 Chron).
• The Psalms give wonderful pictures of families blessed by God and needing God for blessing and protection (eg. Ps 127, Ps 128).
• God honours highly a wife who is in covenant partnership with her husband (Prov 31:10-31).
• The blessing of pure and intimate relationships as God intended are made evident in beautiful, uplifting ways in the Bible, but there is also a warning concerning perversion of the biblical order of man and wife (eg compare Song of Songs with Hebrews 13:4).

Family as a Basis for Our Relationship with God

When we study this theme across the scriptures we realise that there is something even more important than the order and blessings that the biblical family structures bring to life on earth. We, in a sense, through our family love, unity and interactions, rehearse relationship with God himself, within his eternal purposes.

Through family love, unity and interactions, we rehearse relationship with God himself.

God the Father compared himself with a husband to his people (eg Jer 3, Isa 54, Matt 6:6). If we have a pure understanding of family relationships on earth, we are more ready for those relationships to be transferred to God himself – intimate and pure. God hates divorce (Mal, Matt 19:4-6). If we are vulnerable to divorce in our human relationships, we may also be vulnerable to broken relationships with God. How much do hurts that come out of family upheavals lead to difficulty in forming relationships with God, and how much do loving relationships experienced in family life open the way to relationship with God!

With this sort of understanding we also realise that there are parallels to be drawn between parents teaching children in the home and God teaching his family through the power of his Holy Spirit (Prov 1-9). Step by step through the practices and interaction of the human family, we are being prepared for our place in the everlasting family of God.

Jesus is the head of his covenant community and of our individual families. Consider his sacrifice for his family (Heb 3:6). What does this teach us about our own families and the level of commitment that is expected? Purity of relationships in our family life prepares us for pure relationship with our perfect, holy heavenly Father (Eph 1:3-14, Rom 8:1-17).

If we have a pure understanding of family relationships on earth, we are more ready for those relationships to be transferred to God.

God's family is one body made up of Jews together with those saved from the Gentile world (Eph 2, Rom 4:12, Rom 11). The head of our family existed before time and so this family, consisting of those saved from this world through faith joined to him, has in a sense always existed. We are added to this one family as history proceeds.

How we should live on account of this is a constant theme of the New Testament (John 1, John 17, 1 Pet 3:1-7, 2 Pet 3:11). God honours a believer in the household (1 Cor 7, particularly 14) in his outworking of plans to extend his family through grace.

The Family of God

Our Bible study of family takes us from the first principles of family being at the heart of God's purpose for Creation and step by step brings us to the purpose of his preparation for his own covenant family drawn from all nations.

Paul the Apostle, with this understanding, exhorted believers to strengthen their families for the very purpose of preparation for membership of God's family. God gives responsibility to husbands and wives, and emphasises the importance of children submitting to their parents for the stability of the whole community and nation. The balance of husband and wife relationships as a model for relationship with God the Father and Jesus his Son was expounded by Paul in the Epistle to the Ephesians (Eph 5 and 6). Paul pointed to the unfolding mystery of this, taking us back to the first principles of Genesis 1 and pointing to eternal purposes of God.

Step by step through the practices and interaction of the human family, we are being prepared for our place in the everlasting family of God.

Order and discipline are required in Scripture, with warnings for falling away from God's model of family, but this is not the main intent. The beauty and intimacy of the relationships that family life brings is the chief theme of Scripture.

Our families are the building blocks of the covenant community, the place where we should learn of God our Father together, so that we might ourselves be part of the living parable pointing to the relationships of God with all his people.

God's relationship with us is as father to child and husband to wife. The union of the Son of God with those he bought by his sacrificial death will be in relationship with him as a bride is to a husband. The elect of the fallen family of Adam will be redeemed as the family of God. God's intention for his people is that we build our communities founded on the family with this purpose always in view.