The Cry of the Tāngata Whenua
by Nathan Shaw
A new sound is being woven together in Aotearoa, New Zealand. This sound will capture the heart of a generation. It will bring identity, definition and destiny to the tāngata whenua—the people of the land. Dreams, visions and prophecies are powerful. It is even more powerful when God speaks through a person or a people. Rather than speak the revelation, the person or people become the revelation. In Aotearoa, three strands of revelation will be woven together to form one sound.
1. The Sound of Covenant
After speaking at a conference, and mentioning the importance of the Treaty of Waitangi, I was approached by a Māori lady. With tears in her eyes she repeated several times, “It was a covenant.” Her feeling and her grief were very deep. The sound of covenant resonated in the Spirit on February 6th, 1840. Despite many betrayals and treacheries the sound of covenant continued to resonate over the nation. Few were hearing it, but it was always there.
2. The Sound of Tears
At the same conference God showed me a vision of a bottle of tears. I inquired, “God, what is this bottle of tears?” He whispered to me, “The tears of the Māori women.” The tears in the bottle were not only tears accumulated since 1840 because of broken covenant. The tears extended back hundreds of years. There’s something about carrying a son or daughter in the womb that makes a mother feel the loss of a child’s destiny very acutely. For hundreds of years Māori women had seen the destinies of their sons and daughters cut off through death or capture. The tears had not gone unnoticed by God. In the Spirit tears have a sound, and this, regardless of whether they are silent, or accompanied by convulsive weeping.
3. The Sound of Humility
A year later I was at another conference. I had just spoken about the foundational call over New Zealanders to be both warriors and peacemakers. During the conference I found myself in conversation with a Māori lady. She described to me how profoundly impacted she had been by witnessing the humility of a Māori elder. The incident concerned a young lady whose Māori identity had not been recognized or acknowledged. The Māori elder knelt down at the young lady’s feet and with tears in his eyes asked for her forgiveness. Humility has a sound. It also has the power to restore identity.
A Dramatic Scene
Revelation chapter 5 is a dramatic scene that reveals God’s heart and intention for the nations and the earth. The scene is loaded with prophetic imagery. Three of the images mirror the three sounds described above.
Firstly, the seven-sealed scroll. The scroll contained the destinies of nations, peoples, and the earth itself. The scroll was held in the right hand of the Father who was seated on His throne. This wasn’t just any scroll. It pulsated with life, destiny and covenant.
Secondly, the weeping messenger. A strong angel proclaimed with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and loose its seals?” No one could be found. In response John wept profusely. His tears were not only his tears, they represented the tears of humanity from throughout the ages.
Thirdly, the slain Lamb. One of the elders intercepted John’s weeping, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.” John looked to see this majestic Lion, but instead saw a slain Lamb! This Lion was a Lamb. This King died on a cross. It’s the perfect picture of humility.
Covenant, tears and humility. They each have a sound. Woven together these sounds become an unstoppable force. I like to call it the roar of the Lamb. Jesus is called the Lion of the tribe of Judah only once in Revelation. In comparison, He is referred to as the Lamb about 30 times.
A Profound Destiny
A deep cry is stirring in the heart of Aotearoa. Initially the cry will be barely perceptible, but it will grow until it becomes a roar. Although the cry will originate from tāngata whenua, it will be carried by both Māori and Pākehā. In Christ the two will be as one new man (compare Ephesians 2:15). Many sounds are clamouring for our attention. A new sound is coming forth that will penetrate through the clamour, and eventually, even silence the other sounds. Aotearoa has a profound destiny that will connect the nations with God’s heart, God’s throne, and God’s earth.
© 2022 Nathan Shaw.
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