|
 ‘To
everything there is a season…’ Solomon’s wise observation explains the
connection between Sword and
its historical roots. The best comparison between
Sword and it predecessor magazines Prophecy
Today and Prophecy Today
international is ‘the
same, but different’. The core emphasis on the unchanging Word of God
remains the same. What is different, in essence, is the day –
Sword is published to address
the needs of a new season.
In a sense, the terrorist attack on New York and
other American Cities that is infamously called ‘9/11’ was a hinge point
in prophetic history. This confirmed rather than initiated major changes
in our understanding of the role of Prophecy Today for the
present day…
In 1984, a very clear move of the prophetic Spirit of God had inspired
Dr Clifford Hill and supporters of his ministry to launch Prophecy
Today. The magazine was quickly established as a unique prophetic
voice – not least in its role as a ‘watchman’ to the nation. The balance
between a Biblical understanding of God’s dealings with nations and a
keen grasp of sociological and political trends and their implications
for Britain’s future produced some twenty years of consistent warnings
of judgment. Only repentance in church and nation would stay the hand of
God. To the Church in particular came the solemn word from 2 Chronicles
7:14 ‘if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves
and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I
hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land’.
 Around
the time of the millennium we started to look seriously at the future of
the magazine. The editorial board unanimously began to reach the
conclusion that our purpose would change. We felt that over the years
the world had continued to slide into a worse and worse state, and that
the Church had overall not heeded the call to repent and become a
distinct voice in society.
We slowly realized that God's judgment was imminent, and that
consequently our role would no longer be primarily to warn, but to help
God’s people represent and serve God rightly at such a time.
These thoughts were most clearly formulated at an editorial meeting in
London on September 10th, 2001. The following day, the world changed and
we knew that our ministry had as well.
In 2004 big changes occurred at Prophecy Today. The first was the
consolidation of the new editorial vision under our editor, Rev David
Andrew – to help God’s people live in a land under judgment, through his
unchanging Word. Judgment deepens the darkness over a nation. There is
no better time for the true light to shine – and this is the calling of
God’s people!
 Consequently,
a major period of re-orientation began for Prophecy Today.
Emphasis now began to fall perceptibly on the condition of the Church –
and specifically the condition of the Church’s FAITH – for the light
from God’s people can never be brighter than the faith that supports it.
Key writers still keep readers up to date with the state of the nations
(legislative changes, political developments, sociological trends,
statistical analysis), but critical input is now aimed at strengthening
the faith of believers through systematic and thematic Bible teaching,
reports of remarkable faith in the persecuted churches, and accounts of
key historical figures and their influence on sound doctrine and
practice. All contributing ministries now have a ‘prophetic edge’ and as
‘he who prophesies builds up the church’, this is the primary aim of
every column inch.
We were aware of God’s purpose in this ‘reorientation’ of content, but
it took some time before we became clear that He was calling for a
completely fresh start – and a new name – to encourage believers to take
a fresh look at a ‘new magazine for a new day’. Prophecy Today
was published for a season. That season called for informed and
Biblically based warning of a probable judgment that is now reality.
This ‘new day’ for which
Sword is published is a season in which God’s
people have a special and deeply challenging role: to be lights in a
dark place, shining ‘like stars in the universe’ as we ‘hold out the
world of life’. The leading edge of judgment is God’s mercy who takes no
delight in the death of the wicked’, but who ‘wills all men to be saved
and come to a knowledge of the truth’. Of course, ‘without holiness,
no-one will see the Lord’ – so the condition of the Church in a time of
judgment is crucial if people are to find God’s mercy. For this new
season, we believe firmly that the nations need a prophetic church
far more urgently than they need a prophetic magazine. It is as a
contribution to this that
Sword is published as the successor magazine to
Prophecy Today and Prophecy Today
international.
| 