End-Times Revivals?

2Th 2:1 Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you,
2Th 2:2 not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
2Th 2:3 Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come [i]unless[/i] [b]the [u]falling away[/u] comes first[/b], and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
2Th 2:4 who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

Mat 24:4 And Jesus answered and said to them: "[b]Take heed that no one deceives you[/b].
Mat 24:5 For [b]many[/b] will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and [b]will [u]deceive many[/u][/b].
...
Mat 24:23 Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it.
Mat 24:24 [b]For [u]false christs[/u] and [u]false prophets[/u] will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.[/b]

And one more:

Jer 51:8 [b]Babylon has suddenly fallen and been destroyed.[/b] Wail for her! Take balm for her pain; [i]Perhaps[/i] she may be healed.
Jer 51:9 [b]We would have healed Babylon, But she is [u]not healed[/u][/b]. Forsake her, and let us go everyone to his own country; For her judgment reaches to heaven and is lifted up to the skies.

KingJimmy wrote:
Ephesians 4:11-13 makes it clear the church will come to a corporate unity of the faith and fullness of the stature of Christ. If that's not revival, I don't know what is.

It is [i]revival[/i]. The question is [u]what[/u] it constitutes and [u]whether[/u]--and if yes, [i]where[/i], [i]how[/i], and [i]on what scale[/i]--such "revival" will occur in the end times? Remember what the Lord asked:

Luk 18:7 And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?
Luk 18:8 I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, [b]when the Son of Man comes, [u]will He really find faith on the earth[/u]?[/b]"

It is said that in the last days God's people will "instruct many", and Israel will also be saved, but this will be a holy remnant in the midst of apostasy, not a majority--not a large-scale, nationwide revival as we tend to think of it:

Dan 11:32 Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; [b]but [i]the people who know their God[/i] shall be [u]strong[/u], and carry out [u]great exploits[/u][/b].
Dan 11:33 [b]And those of the people who understand shall [u]instruct[/u] many[/b]; yet for many days [u]they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plundering[/u].
Dan 11:34 Now when they fall, they shall be aided with a little help; but [b]many shall join with them by intrigue[/b].
Dan 11:35 And some of those of understanding shall fall, to refine them, purify them, and make them white, until the time of the end; because it is still for the appointed time.

The Scriptures clearly warn us of a [i]falling away[/i], which will occur in the end times [u]before[/u] the Lord's imminent coming. I am afraid that sometimes, in our desire to see (more) people revived, we let our emotions prevail and forget the whole picture. We should not let our desire to see people come to know Christ eclipse the clear teaching of Scripture. That is why we have so many false "revivals" nowadays. Because people try to have it anyways, man's way.

But there also must be a "bride without blemish":

Eph 5:27 that He might present her to Himself [b]a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish[/b]

Here the apostle is talking about [b]quality, [u]not quantity[/u][/b], which is indicative of what pleases the Lord more.