As I have been reading the books of the prophets over a long period of time, over and over again, it is dawning to me that there is a very close connection between judgement and salvation. All the prophets are warning the people of God that judgement is coming. They are describing the result of judgement in dramatic terms as if the earth is made empty and void with no survivors. They paint a very dark future because of the severe judgement of God that will come upon the nations of the world.

But the prophets have one more thing in common!

All the prophets are proclaiming that in the day of crisis, in the day of gloom and doom, when there seems to be no hope, no future, then they tell us that God will intervene. The prophets were proclaiming that God is coming to restore. The Almighty God is a God of Restoration. He is recreating the world. He is rebuilding ruined cities and nations, people groups and families. He is making everything new.

It does not matter how severe the judgement has been. It does not matter how devastating the destruction that has come upon the earth is. It does not matter how impossible the situation is. God is a God of Restoration. He will restore his people to glory. He will fill the earth with his glory. He will bring the entire creation to a glorious consummation.

And the good news is that this glorious restoration does not belong to a distant future. God is doing his work of restoration today. He is bringing hope back to his people. He is building faith in the covenant community. He is refreshing his people in a new anointing by the Holy Spirit. He is bringing new people into his Kingdom. He is bringing healing to individuals and as well as to communities.

We will in the days to come see some awesome  acts of judgement in the world. We are in the midst of a financial crisis. We are heading for new international and national crisis. The judgement of God will become visible in many different ways in many areas of life in the world. But the judgement has a saving purpose. We will see a powerful move of the Holy Spirit take place. Restoring miracles will take place. A great harvest will be brought into the Kingdom of God.