Thursday, October 23, 2008, 2:00 a.m. – I went to bed after typing up my understanding of Tuesday’s dream, The Headboard, and then I had A VISION: (As I learned in the scripture passage of Ezekiel 20, I am facing south.)
I saw a boat in the water going to my right (west) with people inside it. Then, water came up from the left (south) side of the boat and splashed the people in the boat. I felt as though I was like a camera man standing there facing the right side of the boat and the water splashed in my face, too. Then the waves were tossing and people were being thrown out of the boat and were swimming to safety. Some were clinging to the bottom of the boat and some were climbing on top of it.
What was interesting to me about all of this is that this scene looked like drawings, i.e. drawn illustrations in a history book or a missionary story book from of old. The people looked like they were African slaves. Then I saw plates and dishes that were also like something I had seen drawn in an old history book from that era.
Then I saw lots of slithering snakes and a bunch of frogs. Following that, I saw a small bird, maybe a humming bird, facing to the left (east). Then, its wings began to flap and then I saw a bird on the ground like it was dead and another bird seemed to be bent over, i.e. hovering over it.
Following this I saw an eagle soaring in the sky. It had blue feathers and it emitted or dropped something the color red (2 times) from its tail. END
Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Ezekiel 20. It is a long passage, so I am going to summarize the first section of it (vv 1-29):
Some of the elders of Israel came to Ezekiel to inquire of the Lord. The Lord refused to allow them to inquire of him. Ezekiel is then instructed of God to confront the elders of Israel with the detestable practices of their fathers. Then, the Lord took Ezekiel through the story of the history of Israel from their departure from Egypt (from the land of slavery) through their 40 years of wandering in the desert to their arrival in the Promised Land. It was the hand of the Lord that brought them out of Egypt into a land God had searched out for them; a land most beautiful.
The Lord had instructed the people to get rid of their vile images they had set before their eyes. They were to worship HIM only – he was their God. But they rebelled against God and would not listen to him. They did not get rid of their vile images nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt. So, he said he would pour out his wrath on them. But for the sake of HIS NAME, he did what would keep his name from being profaned in the eyes of the nations. Therefore, he led them out of Egypt and brought them into the desert. He gave them his decrees and made known to them his laws.
Then, this basic scenario is repeated over and over again in Israel’s history where they rebelled against God, he said he would pour out his wrath, yet for the sake of HIS NAME, he did not completely destroy them, he had pity on them and he instructed them again and again to forsake their idols and to obey HIS commands.
Then, Ezekiel is instructed this by God in vv 30-49: Judgment and Restoration
"Therefore say to the house of Israel: 'This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Will you defile yourselves the way your fathers did and lust after their vile images? 31 When you offer your gifts—the sacrifice of your sons in the fire—you continue to defile yourselves with all your idols to this day. Am I to let you inquire of me, O house of Israel? As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will not let you inquire of me.
32 " 'You say, "We want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world, who serve wood and stone." But what you have in mind will never happen. 33 As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I will rule over you with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath. 34 I will bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered—with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath. 35 I will bring you into the desert of the nations and there, face to face, I will execute judgment upon you. 36 As I judged your fathers in the desert of the land of Egypt, so I will judge you, declares the Sovereign LORD. 37 I will take note of you as you pass under my rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant. 38 I will purge you of those who revolt and rebel against me. Although I will bring them out of the land where they are living, yet they will not enter the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the LORD.
39 " 'As for you, O house of Israel, this is what the Sovereign LORD says: Go and serve your idols, every one of you! But afterward you will surely listen to me and no longer profane my holy name with your gifts and idols. 40 For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD, there in the land the entire house of Israel will serve me, and there I will accept them. There I will require your offerings and your choice gifts, along with all your holy sacrifices. 41 I will accept you as fragrant incense when I bring you out from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered, and I will show myself holy among you in the sight of the nations. 42 Then you will know that I am the LORD, when I bring you into the land of Israel, the land I had sworn with uplifted hand to give to your fathers. 43 There you will remember your conduct and all the actions by which you have defiled yourselves, and you will loathe yourselves for all the evil you have done. 44 You will know that I am the LORD, when I deal with you for my name's sake and not according to your evil ways and your corrupt practices, O house of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD.' "
Prophecy Against the South
45 The word of the LORD came to me: 46 "Son of man, set your face toward the south; preach against the south and prophesy against the forest of the southland. 47 Say to the southern forest: 'Hear the word of the LORD. This is what the Sovereign LORD says: I am about to set fire to you, and it will consume all your trees, both green and dry. The blazing flame will not be quenched, and every face from south to north will be scorched by it. 48 Everyone will see that I the LORD have kindled it; it will not be quenched.' "
49 Then I said, "Ah, Sovereign LORD! They are saying of me, 'Isn't he just telling parables?' "
My Understanding: This scripture told of Israel’s history, her rebellion against God, God’s patience with her for HIS NAME’S SAKE, her continued rebellion, his continued mercy, etc., and then of his planned judgment against her.
Then, this vision, I believe, symbolizes America’s history, depicting boats coming from the east to the west filled with African slaves. Then, the vision moved quickly through time to the period of WWII, I believe, for I saw the eagle flying over head and emitting two times something red in color that I saw as the two atomic bombs we dropped on Japan which ended the war.
This scripture passage shows how history repeated itself over and over again and God asks the question if Israel’s present leaders would repeat the sins of their fathers to which they replied that they want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world. So, God told them to go ahead and serve their idols, but afterward they would surely listen to him once he acted in judgment on them.
I believe the Lord is giving that same message to America today. So, the dream acts not only as a picture of history, but of history repeating itself. I got on the news and saw these two articles that stood out to me:
Greenspan: 'Credit tsunami' to have severe impact
Oct 23, 9:54 AM (ET)
WASHINGTON (AP) - Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan told Congress in prepared testimony Thursday that the current global financial crisis is a "once in a century credit tsunami" that policymakers did not anticipate…
http://apnews.excite.com/article/20081023/D94086500.html
People nervous now, but expect economy to improve
Oct 23, 8:00 AM (ET)
By ALAN FRAM
WASHINGTON (AP) - People are skittish about the economy's immediate future. Ask how things will be in a year and you hear a different story - and a remarkable show of optimism despite economists' widespread expectations that a serious recession is brewing… http://apnews.excite.com/article/20081023/D9406GD00.html
Then, this was the Daily Bible Verse from www.excite.com for 10/23/08: 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV): For God did not give us a spirit of timidity (fear), but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline (a sound mind).” () from KJV.
What I saw from those two articles in relation to this vision is that this boat (in my vision) with the water splashing over the sides and the boat capsized and people bailing out but yet clinging to the “bottom” of the boat parallels these two articles. The splashing of the waves is symbolic of this “credit tsunami” that is happening. And, the people clinging to the “bottom” of the boat is symbolic of people being nervous, but clinging to the stock market still for their hope – hoping the economy will improve.
But, God has the same message for America as he had for Israel: God asks the question if America’s present leaders (elders) would repeat the sins of their fathers. And, the obvious reply is that they want to be like the nations, like the peoples of the world. We can see that by the actions our government leaders are daily taking.
So, God is telling them to go ahead and serve their idols, but afterward they will surely listen to him once he acts in judgment on them.
