Why am I convinced of this? Because there is an undeniable part of this city's past that has profound repercussions for its near future. Let me take you back to the Wars of Religion in France. From 1562-98 and again from 1685-1787, the Roman Catholic monarchy attempted to snuff out the presence of all Protestants in the country. Many thousands fled to Switzerland and other European countries. Other less-fortunate, multiplied thousands were either systematically hunted down and executed or captured and sent to die slow, difficult deaths. Those not immediately killed ended up suffering a more drawn-out death, men condemned for life as galley slaves on ships and women sentenced to languish in unbelievably squalid tower prisons. Louis XIV himself proudly boasted that out of a Huguenot population of 800,000 to 900,000, only 1,000 to 1,500 had remained in France.
The Grenoble Parliament played a particularly notorious role in terrorizing the lives of these Protestants, known as Huguenots. Innocent families from all over France, many with young children, in attempting to flee to Geneva, were caught at the borders of the Savoie region just north of Grenoble. They were brought to this city, their children permanently stripped from them and sent to monasteries, while they themselves were thrown in the local, over-crowded prison to await condemnation to various horrible fates. Here is just a sampling of the carnage:
*1524 - Pierre de Sébiville, a Lutheran pastor in Grenoble, was burned at the stake for preaching the Gospel.
*1525 - Pastor Ginin was arrested and takren to prison at Grenoble, where his legs were bound and he was thrown into the Isere river.
*1575 - Montbrun, leader of Prostestant resistance, was captured, shot and beheaded by the Grenoble Parliament.
*1685 - 3 families from Bresse were brought to Grenoble. Their children were taken from them while the men's heads were cut off and put on posts in front of their houses.
*1686 - Jaque Bouillane a new convert was strangled at Place de Breuil, thrown in the fire and his ashes scattered in the wind
*1745 - Pastor Roger, 80 years old, was hung in Grenoble. On his way to the scaffold he sang aloud the 51st Psalm. His body was displayed for 24 hours, and later dragged through the streets and thrown in the Isere river for preaching in Protestant assemblies
The blood of the martyrs was sown in the soil of Grenoble. And yet, the percentage of evangelical believers rests at less than 1% of the population. Jesus' promise has always been that if a seed falls to the ground and dies, it produces many seeds. The martyrs of Revelation 6:10 will cry out from their honored place in heaven in the last days, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”. We are believing for a last days avenging of the blood of the saints martyred in Grenoble and all over the south of France. Not in judgment and condemnation, but in an outpouring of His grace before Jesus returns. We envision a widespread move of God's Spirit in Grenoble that sees many miracles, conviction of sin, restoration of broken lives, and healing of communities that results in many thousands and thousands turning to Christ. All as God honors His word and the price paid by so many thousands of faithful, innocent believers. God's memory is long and is faithfulness endures to thousands of generations
In 1925, over a million people from around the world came to Grenoble to attend an International Exposition of Hydroelectric power. The method of harnessing power was invented in this region and the nations flocked here to learn about this new source of renewable energy. Again in 1968, the nations converged on Grenoble, this time to see the spectacle of the Winter Olympic Games. It is our prayer that Grenoble once again sees a great influx of nations coming to participate in something powerful, dynamic and attractive, but this time we believe it is going to be another source of power - the power of God displayed among his people, resulting in miraculous reconciliations with God and among men. A pure, true last days revival. Maybe one day, people will ask us about Grenoble, "Hey, isn't that the place where there is an explosion of God's presence?" And this time, the smile will be ours.
