I had a dream recently. I didn't write anything right away becuase it takes some time to ponder these things and I'm not always sure what God wants me to do with them.
Here is the dream:
I am at a familiar place. As a child, one of my favorite places to go was my Grandparents house. It was located on a beautiful and crystal clear lake called Ginger Cove. I always felt safe and happy there. I went out to do some swimming in the lake. I dove and I found a treasure on the sandy bottom of the floor of the lake. I found gold & some jewels. I was called to shore by my Grandparents. I wanted to be able to dive again because I knew there was more treasure to be had. I marked where I was by a tree I could see on the shore. I swam ashore and stood by my Grandparents house. Meanwhile, I was looking to the spot in the lake and anxious for when I could go back and again dive for treasure.
To me, especially after thinking on this for a while the meaning seems obvious. The lake is the place of this earth. The shore, my grandparents and thier home stands for heavenly things - a place of happiness, safety and abundance - joy. The treasure I dove for must be things coming from this earth that God has allowed for me to have. Not physical things, but like in the Parables Jesus gave treasures of heaven.
Many believe that after the Rapture it will simply be a time of celebration and rest. I believe God will still be very concerned about the goings on of earth. Last time I checked, I serve him so in some way I believe we'll still be serving and connected with earth until it truly is "finished" as Jesus said as he died on the cross. What this is exactly? I don't know. I can only discern those things God allows me. I am anxious for more learning and insight - revelation is best of all.
I do find the "tree" on the shore interesting with all that I've learned and written on trees. Maybe something will happen February 2nd on Israel's Rosh Hashanah for Trees. We shall see.
Regardless, since we are so close to the end, I wanted to mention a reading and resource that I've found extremely valuable. It's a website called The Open Door. Look under Matthew 24, but I suggest reading all the writings and the website if you can. Very valuable stuff considering how near the end we are. Here is the link:
http://www.thefirstfruits.org/2ndcoming.htm
You can also find it at the Blog section of my website: www.tony4yhwh.com
Blessings,
Tony
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Thursday, January 25, 2007
More Feb 2nd - Tree Day! & Esther tie in...
Doves,
I have written a number of things regarding Israel’s “Tree Day” coming up soon – February 2nd. I have reason to believe this will be a significant day. Today looking at fivedoves, Arlene had a post that has even more information on this subject (Thanks Arlene!)
Wade Balzer has written on the Almond Rod before (Wade please chime in – I know you’ve got insight here…)
All of this is in the season of Esther still….
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/jan2007/arlene125-1.htm
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/jan2007/tonye122-1.htm
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/jan2007/tonye110-1.htm
Blessings,
Tony
More:
I know many were looking at the month of Tebeth (Tevet) as I was. The last day of this Jewish month was January 19th. It has since come and gone. The next date I’m looking at is February 2nd which is Tu B Shevat, Rosh Hashanah for trees. See my other post/blogs in regards to this which are posted at fivedoves and also my blog section of my website at www.tony4yhwh.com
I wanted to report a possible tie-in with these two dates. It’s easier sometimes to see what the Lord is saying, but harder yet to discern exactly what the outcome will be. I think this is part of what Paul was saying when he says we see a “shadow” now, but not face to face. We are still learning and like a child awkwardly fumbling through things trying to please the Father, and ultimately get to him and see His Face!
Anyway, February 2nd is exactly 2 weeks after the last day of Tebeth. I believe it’s possible that Esther is a type of “Holy Spirit”. The Holy Spirit is tied to the Church & also Esther was definitely an intercessor. Remember later in the story Esther has Mordecai take the signet ring from the King.
As I kept going over this, my thought was – what if Esther is a type of Holy Spirit intercessor and there is a delay between when she is called to be Queen to replace Vashti and God pours out his Spirit or takes action in whatever it is that he will do (still not clear exactly what that will be – Rapture, Holy Spirit, end of times???). Remember when Esther took power as Queen, Haman also took power and was the first to hold the King’s signet ring.
Look at this part of the story:
Esther 2
18 And the king gave a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.
I found this reference:
"The wedding feast might last a day (Gen. 29:22), a week (Judg. 14:12), or according to the Apocrypha even two weeks (Tob. 8:20, 10:7)."
Following the feast, the couple would live together as one.
It helps that this day coincides with Tu B Shevat, Rosh Hashanah for trees. It is a date to bear watching (that’s what Jesus commanded us to do – if we don’t’ know the day or hour, this may be so, but we are certainly commanded to WATCH!)
Hope this helps.
Blessings,
Tony
I have written a number of things regarding Israel’s “Tree Day” coming up soon – February 2nd. I have reason to believe this will be a significant day. Today looking at fivedoves, Arlene had a post that has even more information on this subject (Thanks Arlene!)
Wade Balzer has written on the Almond Rod before (Wade please chime in – I know you’ve got insight here…)
All of this is in the season of Esther still….
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/jan2007/arlene125-1.htm
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/jan2007/tonye122-1.htm
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/jan2007/tonye110-1.htm
Blessings,
Tony
More:
I know many were looking at the month of Tebeth (Tevet) as I was. The last day of this Jewish month was January 19th. It has since come and gone. The next date I’m looking at is February 2nd which is Tu B Shevat, Rosh Hashanah for trees. See my other post/blogs in regards to this which are posted at fivedoves and also my blog section of my website at www.tony4yhwh.com
I wanted to report a possible tie-in with these two dates. It’s easier sometimes to see what the Lord is saying, but harder yet to discern exactly what the outcome will be. I think this is part of what Paul was saying when he says we see a “shadow” now, but not face to face. We are still learning and like a child awkwardly fumbling through things trying to please the Father, and ultimately get to him and see His Face!
Anyway, February 2nd is exactly 2 weeks after the last day of Tebeth. I believe it’s possible that Esther is a type of “Holy Spirit”. The Holy Spirit is tied to the Church & also Esther was definitely an intercessor. Remember later in the story Esther has Mordecai take the signet ring from the King.
As I kept going over this, my thought was – what if Esther is a type of Holy Spirit intercessor and there is a delay between when she is called to be Queen to replace Vashti and God pours out his Spirit or takes action in whatever it is that he will do (still not clear exactly what that will be – Rapture, Holy Spirit, end of times???). Remember when Esther took power as Queen, Haman also took power and was the first to hold the King’s signet ring.
Look at this part of the story:
Esther 2
18 And the king gave a great banquet, Esther's banquet, for all his nobles and officials. He proclaimed a holiday throughout the provinces and distributed gifts with royal liberality.
I found this reference:
"The wedding feast might last a day (Gen. 29:22), a week (Judg. 14:12), or according to the Apocrypha even two weeks (Tob. 8:20, 10:7)."
Following the feast, the couple would live together as one.
It helps that this day coincides with Tu B Shevat, Rosh Hashanah for trees. It is a date to bear watching (that’s what Jesus commanded us to do – if we don’t’ know the day or hour, this may be so, but we are certainly commanded to WATCH!)
Hope this helps.
Blessings,
Tony
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Febrary 2nd is coming
Expect this day to be significant. February 2nd. Here are 3 reasons why:
This day is a day said to be a “rare chance” at Middle East peace.
This day is Tu B'Shevat, also known as Rosh Hashana for trees. What you say? Read my blog dated January 9, 2007. It is very, very important. http://www.tony4yhwh.com/blogs.htm
My last reason is personal. For years now I have had to fight through a custody battle for the protection of my children. Their lives have been put at risk through alcohol, etc. The initial final date for this hearing was Rosh Hashanah, it has been rescheduled many times and is now on February 2nd. I know this won’t mean much to you, but after tracking this for 7 years now, trust me it’s significant. It really has taught me deep lessons about forgiveness and also taking a hard stand for the right thing. This is how God has helped me to understand his love & forgiveness, but also justice. Not in our way or time, but his way.
Here is a portion of the news on Merkel and Rice. I’m sure you can find plenty more on your own. This comes amidst many, many storms in Europe – all significant and not coincidence.
Rice and Merkel, who holds the rotating EU presidency, told reporters before their meeting that there was a rare but tangible chance for peace in the Middle East which could have a positive influence throughout the region.
Rice and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier announced late Wednesday that representatives from the United Nations, the United States, Russia and the European Union would meet in Washington next month to discuss ways to end the Middle East conflict.
Rice said Thursday that the meeting would probably take place Feb. 2.
Picture
Merkel and Rice Take Steps to Revive Middle East Peace Talks
Blessings,
Tony
This day is a day said to be a “rare chance” at Middle East peace.
This day is Tu B'Shevat, also known as Rosh Hashana for trees. What you say? Read my blog dated January 9, 2007. It is very, very important. http://www.tony4yhwh.com/blogs.htm
My last reason is personal. For years now I have had to fight through a custody battle for the protection of my children. Their lives have been put at risk through alcohol, etc. The initial final date for this hearing was Rosh Hashanah, it has been rescheduled many times and is now on February 2nd. I know this won’t mean much to you, but after tracking this for 7 years now, trust me it’s significant. It really has taught me deep lessons about forgiveness and also taking a hard stand for the right thing. This is how God has helped me to understand his love & forgiveness, but also justice. Not in our way or time, but his way.
Here is a portion of the news on Merkel and Rice. I’m sure you can find plenty more on your own. This comes amidst many, many storms in Europe – all significant and not coincidence.
Rice and Merkel, who holds the rotating EU presidency, told reporters before their meeting that there was a rare but tangible chance for peace in the Middle East which could have a positive influence throughout the region.
Rice and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier announced late Wednesday that representatives from the United Nations, the United States, Russia and the European Union would meet in Washington next month to discuss ways to end the Middle East conflict.
Rice said Thursday that the meeting would probably take place Feb. 2.
Picture
Merkel and Rice Take Steps to Revive Middle East Peace Talks
Blessings,
Tony
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Barack Obama - be informed
Barack Obama
http://www.barackobama.com/
He just announced his intent to run for President in 2008
He has had an amazing rise to power, fame and popularity
He has a message to bridge the divide between Democrats and Republicans.
He said his name means “one who’s blessed”
He says there is no black or white. He is a child of a black father, white mother who were divorced when he was two.
He has an “Amazing ability to talk between divides”
“he gives a sense of hope”
…no differences in anything – we must all be the same and united
Attends United Church of Christ.
More info on United Church of Christ:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Church_of_Christ
The motto of the United Church of Christ comes from John 17:21: "That they may all be one.
The text displayed on the screen says "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we."
The resolution "In support of equal marriage rights for all", supported by an estimated 80% of the 884 General Synod Delegates, made the United Church of Christ General Synod the first major Christian deliberative body in the U.S. to make a statement of support for equal marriage rights for all people
The language used that asserts no distinction between same sex marriage and different sex marriage.
United Church of Christ General Synod XV also passed two resolutions concerning the conflict between Israel and Palestinians in the Middle East, calls upon Israel to remove the separation barrier between Israel and the West Bank. Opponents of the "Tear Down the Wall" resolution have noted that the wall's purpose is to prevent terrorist attacks, and that the resolution does not call for a stop to these attacks.
In 2007, the UCC will hold its General Synod 26. It will also celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the UCC.
Howard Dean and Bill Gates also attend.
[edit] Controversial "God Is Still Speaking" identity campaign
Main article: God is Still Speaking
Example from UCC media branding campaign
At the 2003 General Synod, the United Church of Christ began a campaign with "emphasis on expanding the UCC's name-brand identity through modern advertising and marketing."[15] that was formally launched Advent 2004. The campaign included coordinated program of evangelism and hospitality training for congregations paired with national and local television "brand" advertising, known as the "God is Still Speaking" campaign or "The Stillspeaking Initiative." The initiative was themed around the quote "Never place a period where God has placed a comma,"
Blessings,
Tony
http://www.barackobama.com/
He just announced his intent to run for President in 2008
He has had an amazing rise to power, fame and popularity
He has a message to bridge the divide between Democrats and Republicans.
He said his name means “one who’s blessed”
He says there is no black or white. He is a child of a black father, white mother who were divorced when he was two.
He has an “Amazing ability to talk between divides”
“he gives a sense of hope”
…no differences in anything – we must all be the same and united
Attends United Church of Christ.
More info on United Church of Christ:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Church_of_Christ
The motto of the United Church of Christ comes from John 17:21: "That they may all be one.
The text displayed on the screen says "Jesus didn't turn people away. Neither do we."
The resolution "In support of equal marriage rights for all", supported by an estimated 80% of the 884 General Synod Delegates, made the United Church of Christ General Synod the first major Christian deliberative body in the U.S. to make a statement of support for equal marriage rights for all people
The language used that asserts no distinction between same sex marriage and different sex marriage.
United Church of Christ General Synod XV also passed two resolutions concerning the conflict between Israel and Palestinians in the Middle East, calls upon Israel to remove the separation barrier between Israel and the West Bank. Opponents of the "Tear Down the Wall" resolution have noted that the wall's purpose is to prevent terrorist attacks, and that the resolution does not call for a stop to these attacks.
In 2007, the UCC will hold its General Synod 26. It will also celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the UCC.
Howard Dean and Bill Gates also attend.
[edit] Controversial "God Is Still Speaking" identity campaign
Main article: God is Still Speaking
Example from UCC media branding campaign
At the 2003 General Synod, the United Church of Christ began a campaign with "emphasis on expanding the UCC's name-brand identity through modern advertising and marketing."[15] that was formally launched Advent 2004. The campaign included coordinated program of evangelism and hospitality training for congregations paired with national and local television "brand" advertising, known as the "God is Still Speaking" campaign or "The Stillspeaking Initiative." The initiative was themed around the quote "Never place a period where God has placed a comma,"
Blessings,
Tony
Friday, January 12, 2007
Did Jesus Celebrate Purim? Esther Rapture implications…
Did Jesus Celebrate Purim? Esther Rapture implications…
John 5
The Healing at the Pool
1Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews.
There is an unnamed feast that Jesus celebrated in John chapter 5 (above). According to the website: wwww.hebrew4christians.com
“…some have rejected that the feast mentioned in John 5 was Purim because it is a minor feast…Jesus celebrated Hanukkah, so this argument is not valid. According to Lambert Dolphin’s research on this question, chronologically the only feast John could have been referring to is Purim, since it is said to have fallen on Shabbat (John 5:9), but the only feast that occurred on Shabbat between the years 25 – 35 CE was in fact Purim (in the year 28 CE). But why was it referred to as an unnamed feast? Perhaps the Spirit of God intentionally left out the name of the feast because the name of the LORD was likewise deliberately left out of the book of Esther.”
I think this website may have a great point about the “unnamed feast” relating to Esther where God is not directly mentioned. All of it does remind me of the day and hour we live in and the Rapture.
As we are following the “season of Esther” I think this is worth watching. Why? The model which precedes this is a Rapture model. If you would like to read the model please visit my website (www.tony4yhwh.com) and under prophetic read: Royal Official and Samaritan teaching. In the study you’ll notice a mention of the 7th hour which may be an allusion to time. Since we are newly in the year 2007 it’s worth noting.
This means this model happened before Purim. With Saddam having just been hanged on the gallows, the Esther movie out this year and many more things – it’s worth watching.
Blessings,
John 5
The Healing at the Pool
1Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews.
There is an unnamed feast that Jesus celebrated in John chapter 5 (above). According to the website: wwww.hebrew4christians.com
“…some have rejected that the feast mentioned in John 5 was Purim because it is a minor feast…Jesus celebrated Hanukkah, so this argument is not valid. According to Lambert Dolphin’s research on this question, chronologically the only feast John could have been referring to is Purim, since it is said to have fallen on Shabbat (John 5:9), but the only feast that occurred on Shabbat between the years 25 – 35 CE was in fact Purim (in the year 28 CE). But why was it referred to as an unnamed feast? Perhaps the Spirit of God intentionally left out the name of the feast because the name of the LORD was likewise deliberately left out of the book of Esther.”
I think this website may have a great point about the “unnamed feast” relating to Esther where God is not directly mentioned. All of it does remind me of the day and hour we live in and the Rapture.
As we are following the “season of Esther” I think this is worth watching. Why? The model which precedes this is a Rapture model. If you would like to read the model please visit my website (www.tony4yhwh.com) and under prophetic read: Royal Official and Samaritan teaching. In the study you’ll notice a mention of the 7th hour which may be an allusion to time. Since we are newly in the year 2007 it’s worth noting.
This means this model happened before Purim. With Saddam having just been hanged on the gallows, the Esther movie out this year and many more things – it’s worth watching.
Blessings,
Tuesday, January 9, 2007
The Tree of Life
Tree of Life
Proverbs 3:18
She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who hold her fast.
Trees…
Branches, roots, and fruit – can we glean anything from this?
February 2nd this year is Tu B'Shevat, also known as Rosh Hashana for trees.
It is interesting that this falls in the “Season of Esther” – the month of Tebeth until Purim. Hadassa means “Flowering Myrtle Tree”. Maybe there is something to learn here.
Myrtle Tree:
It has yellowish-white blossoms, and blooms in February or early March. The nuts are mature about October. Further proof of God’s Sovereignty and that he forms us in the womb. Hadassah is Esther’s Jewish name. Purim is of course the Jewish holiday named after Esther and Mordecai who overthrew the evil Haman and his plot against God’s people. This holiday takes place in February or March each year.
God always leaves much deep meaning for us to glean from. The “fruit” of this tree, which are nuts mature about October. The branches of this tree are used in Sukkoth. Also, they are used as wedding decorations.
Through struggles and stress, Myrtle trees form beautiful pictures in their wood. With a little imagination one can see animals, ocean scenes, mountains, or rivers. If you are lucky enough to find a piece with a pink or orange streak, you may even see a sunset.
Also, they grow in lush valleys and are nearly symmetrical and look already pruned when they in fact have not been.
Here are a couple of interesting Bible passages on Myrtle trees that are deeply prophetic. Like Esther/Hadassah, these trees represent a select people God has a special plan for:
Zechariah 1:7-17
"Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white. Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be. And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth. And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest. Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years? And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words. So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy. And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction. Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem. Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem"
Clearly the horses and riders are angelic riders, one of them probably Jesus. Since they are positioned among the Myrtle trees they are there for defense and protection. You’ve heard the saying the “fruit grows in the valley”. The Myrtle trees grow and grow their fruit in the valley. Their fruit comes full in the fall, with their blossoms corresponding to Purim or a time of war and defense. Through stress (refinement by YHWH) each develops a unique pattern (Spiritual gifting/character).
Also Isaiah 55:13
Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign.
and
When you come to the land and you plant any tree, you shall treat its fruit as forbidden; for three years it will be forbidden and not eaten. In the fourth year, all of its fruit shall be sanctified to praise the LORD. In the fifth year, you may eat its fruit. -Leviticus 19:23-25
From the Judiasm 101 website:
There are four new years... the first of Shevat is the new year for trees according to the ruling of Beit Shammai; Beit Hillel, however, places it on the fifteenth of that month. -Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 1:1
Tu B'Shevat, the 15th day of the Jewish month of Shevat, is a holiday also known as the New Year for Trees.
Jewish Year 5767 : sunset February 2, 2007 - nightfall February 3, 2007
According to www.hebrew4christians.com Tu B’Shevat marks the first day of Spring in Israel as well.
YHWH cares about trees, had rules to live by and also compared them to man. There is no doubt they have a connection to man, which we will go into further later. Israel even got them in trouble for worshipping trees. Seem silly? Well, there are lots of things that we don’t understand in our secular society now that made spiritual sense that we have lost. We will find that although these practices were idolatry much that was done long ago was not because people were some sort of “Neanderthals” and didn’t have our science, but rather it is we who have lost a deep understanding of the origins and deep truths. However, this is no excuse to worship trees.
Deuteronomy 20:19
19"When you besiege a city a long time, to make war against it in order to capture it, you shall not destroy its trees by swinging an axe against them; for you may eat from them, and you shall not cut them down. For is the tree of the field a man, that it should be besieged by you?
Again from the www.hebrew4christians website:
A story from the Talmud discusses planting trees for subsequent generations. This story represents the concept of tikkun olam – the repair of the world.
Isaiah 55:12 “…and the trees of the fields will clap their hands…”
Isaiah 60:13 “The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the juniper, the box tree and the cypress together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I shall make the place of My feet glorious.”
Who are these trees? What will this mean?
It looks like there are many types, and with many types comes many meanings. I have to go to the most prominent place I can think of regarding trees and start there:
Isaiah 61:3
To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting, so they will be called Oaks of Righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.
Jesus in his ministry, as prophetic fulfillment of himself read most of what appeared right before this verse regarding “Oaks of Righteousness”. Some translations simply say Trees vs. Oaks and I think this leaves something important out. Oak is a symbol of strength and quality and it fits the context of what this section of Isaiah is saying. Let’s read on to see what else it says about these “Oaks of Righteousness”…
What they will do (4 is the number of earth):
4Then they will (L)rebuild the ancient ruins, They will raise up the former devastations; And they will repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.
What they will possess (5 is the number of Grace):
5(M)Strangers will stand and pasture your flocks, And foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers.
What their official position is (6 is the number of man):
6But you will be called the (N)priests of the LORD; You will be spoken of as (O)ministers of our God You will eat the (P)wealth of nations, And in their riches you will boast.
Their redemption (7 is God’s number – Spiritual Perfection):
7Instead of your (Q)shame you will have a (R)double portion, And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, (S)Everlasting joy will be theirs.
Justice and a New Covenant! (8 is God’s number for new beginnings)
8For I, the LORD, (T)love justice, I hate robbery in the burnt offering; And I will faithfully give them their recompense And make an (U)everlasting covenant with them.
Their family will be blessed (9 is the last chance plague for Pharaoh, who lost his firstborn – 9 is finality)
9Then their offspring will be known among the nations, And their descendants in the midst of the peoples. All who see them will recognize them Because they are the (V)offspring whom the LORD has blessed.
Rejoicing and Marriage (10 is the number for ordinal completion)
10I will (W)rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in (X)my God; For He has (Y)clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And (Z)as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
New beginnings (11 is the number for change, redemption for the righteous and judgment for the wicked. It comes right after 10 which is ordinal completion and before 12 which is the number for earthly government)
11For as the (AA)earth brings forth its sprouts, And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up, So the Lord GOD will (AB)cause (AC)righteousness and praise To spring up before all the nations.
Let’s look at Abraham and Oaks:
Genesis 12:6
6Abram passed through the land as far as the site of (A)Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. Now the Canaanite was then in the land
Genesis 13:18
18Then Abram moved his tent and came and dwelt by the (A)oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and there he built (B)an altar to the LORD.
Genesis 14:13Then a fugitive came and told Abram the Hebrew Now he was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, and these were allies with Abram.
Genesis 18:1[ Birth of Isaac Promised ] Now the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day.
Also Jacob before God named him Israel:
Genesis 35:3-5
3and let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make (A)an altar there to God, (B)who answered me in the day of my distress and (C)has been with me wherever I have gone."
4So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods which they had and the rings which were in their ears, and Jacob hid them under the oak which was near Shechem.
5As they journeyed, there was (D)a great terror upon the cities which were around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.
And verse 10
10(O)God said to him, "Your name is Jacob; You shall no longer be called Jacob, But Israel shall be your name." Thus He called him Israel.
Oaks are mentioned multiple times with Joshua and the Promised Land…
Gideon when the Angel of the Lord appeared to him:
Judges 6:18-20
18"Please do not depart from here, until I come back to You, and bring out my offering and lay it before You." And He said, "I will remain until you return."
19Then Gideon went in and (A)prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an [a]ephah of flour; he put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, and brought them out to him under the oak and presented them.
20The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And he did so.
Also:
Anointing of Saul as King
Absalom when his hair became caught on a tree was an Oak.
If you do some reading and searching regarding Oaks in the Bible you will see both good and bad. It really started out good and Isaiah prophesies about the Oaks of Righteousness. Israel with it’s fallen human nature took something good and worshipped the created instead of the Creator.
There is a lot more to study on trees in the Bible, but this is a good start.
Blessings,
Tony
Proverbs 3:18
She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who hold her fast.
Trees…
Branches, roots, and fruit – can we glean anything from this?
February 2nd this year is Tu B'Shevat, also known as Rosh Hashana for trees.
It is interesting that this falls in the “Season of Esther” – the month of Tebeth until Purim. Hadassa means “Flowering Myrtle Tree”. Maybe there is something to learn here.
Myrtle Tree:
It has yellowish-white blossoms, and blooms in February or early March. The nuts are mature about October. Further proof of God’s Sovereignty and that he forms us in the womb. Hadassah is Esther’s Jewish name. Purim is of course the Jewish holiday named after Esther and Mordecai who overthrew the evil Haman and his plot against God’s people. This holiday takes place in February or March each year.
God always leaves much deep meaning for us to glean from. The “fruit” of this tree, which are nuts mature about October. The branches of this tree are used in Sukkoth. Also, they are used as wedding decorations.
Through struggles and stress, Myrtle trees form beautiful pictures in their wood. With a little imagination one can see animals, ocean scenes, mountains, or rivers. If you are lucky enough to find a piece with a pink or orange streak, you may even see a sunset.
Also, they grow in lush valleys and are nearly symmetrical and look already pruned when they in fact have not been.
Here are a couple of interesting Bible passages on Myrtle trees that are deeply prophetic. Like Esther/Hadassah, these trees represent a select people God has a special plan for:
Zechariah 1:7-17
"Upon the four and twentieth day of the eleventh month, which is the month Sebat, in the second year of Darius, came the word of the LORD unto Zechariah, the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, I saw by night, and behold a man riding upon a red horse, and he stood among the myrtle trees that were in the bottom; and behind him were there red horses, speckled, and white. Then said I, O my lord, what are these? And the angel that talked with me said unto me, I will shew thee what these be. And the man that stood among the myrtle trees answered and said, These are they whom the LORD hath sent to walk to and fro through the earth. And they answered the angel of the LORD that stood among the myrtle trees, and said, We have walked to and fro through the earth, and, behold, all the earth sitteth still, and is at rest. Then the angel of the LORD answered and said, O LORD of hosts, how long wilt thou not have mercy on Jerusalem and on the cities of Judah, against which thou hast had indignation these threescore and ten years? And the LORD answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable words. So the angel that communed with me said unto me, Cry thou, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; I am jealous for Jerusalem and for Zion with a great jealousy. And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that are at ease: for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction. Therefore thus saith the LORD; I am returned to Jerusalem with mercies: my house shall be built in it, saith the LORD of hosts, and a line shall be stretched forth upon Jerusalem. Cry yet, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; My cities through prosperity shall yet be spread abroad; and the LORD shall yet comfort Zion, and shall yet choose Jerusalem"
Clearly the horses and riders are angelic riders, one of them probably Jesus. Since they are positioned among the Myrtle trees they are there for defense and protection. You’ve heard the saying the “fruit grows in the valley”. The Myrtle trees grow and grow their fruit in the valley. Their fruit comes full in the fall, with their blossoms corresponding to Purim or a time of war and defense. Through stress (refinement by YHWH) each develops a unique pattern (Spiritual gifting/character).
Also Isaiah 55:13
Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign.
and
When you come to the land and you plant any tree, you shall treat its fruit as forbidden; for three years it will be forbidden and not eaten. In the fourth year, all of its fruit shall be sanctified to praise the LORD. In the fifth year, you may eat its fruit. -Leviticus 19:23-25
From the Judiasm 101 website:
There are four new years... the first of Shevat is the new year for trees according to the ruling of Beit Shammai; Beit Hillel, however, places it on the fifteenth of that month. -Mishnah Rosh Hashanah 1:1
Tu B'Shevat, the 15th day of the Jewish month of Shevat, is a holiday also known as the New Year for Trees.
Jewish Year 5767 : sunset February 2, 2007 - nightfall February 3, 2007
According to www.hebrew4christians.com Tu B’Shevat marks the first day of Spring in Israel as well.
YHWH cares about trees, had rules to live by and also compared them to man. There is no doubt they have a connection to man, which we will go into further later. Israel even got them in trouble for worshipping trees. Seem silly? Well, there are lots of things that we don’t understand in our secular society now that made spiritual sense that we have lost. We will find that although these practices were idolatry much that was done long ago was not because people were some sort of “Neanderthals” and didn’t have our science, but rather it is we who have lost a deep understanding of the origins and deep truths. However, this is no excuse to worship trees.
Deuteronomy 20:19
19"When you besiege a city a long time, to make war against it in order to capture it, you shall not destroy its trees by swinging an axe against them; for you may eat from them, and you shall not cut them down. For is the tree of the field a man, that it should be besieged by you?
Again from the www.hebrew4christians website:
A story from the Talmud discusses planting trees for subsequent generations. This story represents the concept of tikkun olam – the repair of the world.
Isaiah 55:12 “…and the trees of the fields will clap their hands…”
Isaiah 60:13 “The glory of Lebanon will come to you, the juniper, the box tree and the cypress together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I shall make the place of My feet glorious.”
Who are these trees? What will this mean?
It looks like there are many types, and with many types comes many meanings. I have to go to the most prominent place I can think of regarding trees and start there:
Isaiah 61:3
To grant those who mourn in Zion, Giving them a garland instead of ashes, The oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting, so they will be called Oaks of Righteousness, The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.
Jesus in his ministry, as prophetic fulfillment of himself read most of what appeared right before this verse regarding “Oaks of Righteousness”. Some translations simply say Trees vs. Oaks and I think this leaves something important out. Oak is a symbol of strength and quality and it fits the context of what this section of Isaiah is saying. Let’s read on to see what else it says about these “Oaks of Righteousness”…
What they will do (4 is the number of earth):
4Then they will (L)rebuild the ancient ruins, They will raise up the former devastations; And they will repair the ruined cities, The desolations of many generations.
What they will possess (5 is the number of Grace):
5(M)Strangers will stand and pasture your flocks, And foreigners will be your farmers and your vinedressers.
What their official position is (6 is the number of man):
6But you will be called the (N)priests of the LORD; You will be spoken of as (O)ministers of our God You will eat the (P)wealth of nations, And in their riches you will boast.
Their redemption (7 is God’s number – Spiritual Perfection):
7Instead of your (Q)shame you will have a (R)double portion, And instead of humiliation they will shout for joy over their portion Therefore they will possess a double portion in their land, (S)Everlasting joy will be theirs.
Justice and a New Covenant! (8 is God’s number for new beginnings)
8For I, the LORD, (T)love justice, I hate robbery in the burnt offering; And I will faithfully give them their recompense And make an (U)everlasting covenant with them.
Their family will be blessed (9 is the last chance plague for Pharaoh, who lost his firstborn – 9 is finality)
9Then their offspring will be known among the nations, And their descendants in the midst of the peoples. All who see them will recognize them Because they are the (V)offspring whom the LORD has blessed.
Rejoicing and Marriage (10 is the number for ordinal completion)
10I will (W)rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in (X)my God; For He has (Y)clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland, And (Z)as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
New beginnings (11 is the number for change, redemption for the righteous and judgment for the wicked. It comes right after 10 which is ordinal completion and before 12 which is the number for earthly government)
11For as the (AA)earth brings forth its sprouts, And as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up, So the Lord GOD will (AB)cause (AC)righteousness and praise To spring up before all the nations.
Let’s look at Abraham and Oaks:
Genesis 12:6
6Abram passed through the land as far as the site of (A)Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. Now the Canaanite was then in the land
Genesis 13:18
18Then Abram moved his tent and came and dwelt by the (A)oaks of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and there he built (B)an altar to the LORD.
Genesis 14:13Then a fugitive came and told Abram the Hebrew Now he was living by the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol and brother of Aner, and these were allies with Abram.
Genesis 18:1[ Birth of Isaac Promised ] Now the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day.
Also Jacob before God named him Israel:
Genesis 35:3-5
3and let us arise and go up to Bethel, and I will make (A)an altar there to God, (B)who answered me in the day of my distress and (C)has been with me wherever I have gone."
4So they gave to Jacob all the foreign gods which they had and the rings which were in their ears, and Jacob hid them under the oak which was near Shechem.
5As they journeyed, there was (D)a great terror upon the cities which were around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob.
And verse 10
10(O)God said to him, "Your name is Jacob; You shall no longer be called Jacob, But Israel shall be your name." Thus He called him Israel.
Oaks are mentioned multiple times with Joshua and the Promised Land…
Gideon when the Angel of the Lord appeared to him:
Judges 6:18-20
18"Please do not depart from here, until I come back to You, and bring out my offering and lay it before You." And He said, "I will remain until you return."
19Then Gideon went in and (A)prepared a young goat and unleavened bread from an [a]ephah of flour; he put the meat in a basket and the broth in a pot, and brought them out to him under the oak and presented them.
20The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread and lay them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And he did so.
Also:
Anointing of Saul as King
Absalom when his hair became caught on a tree was an Oak.
If you do some reading and searching regarding Oaks in the Bible you will see both good and bad. It really started out good and Isaiah prophesies about the Oaks of Righteousness. Israel with it’s fallen human nature took something good and worshipped the created instead of the Creator.
There is a lot more to study on trees in the Bible, but this is a good start.
Blessings,
Tony
Thursday, January 4, 2007
Bailey Colorado Trip Epilogue and 2007
Epilogue from the Bailey Colorado trip into 2007
I feel like at various times God has called me to take trips and speaks to me at these places. I live in Nebraska and when I feel like he has called me to go up to Colorado and the mountains, it is important. I have to take time after these trips to fully let it all sink in.
If you need some background, you can read my original story on my Bailey Colorado Vision on my website, under About the Author:
www.tony4yhwh.com
I really feel like there was a major theme on the trip. It certainly was not what I was expecting and also not an enjoyable, pleasant subject.
My fiancé and I have gone to Colorado several times. This would be the fourth time together. I have always had family there and she lived in the mountains for eight years. We both have a heart there for God. Most of what I can say you can certainly relate to since it’s in the news and maybe God has spoken something to confirm this in your “everyday” life (God is Sovereign and does speak to his children). If so, I’d love to hear about it and maybe we can find more by searching together. I believe it’s important to be the “body” and to have unity and communication – Jesus prayed for it, so it must be!
When we were leaving Omaha Colorado had been in the news quite a bit for two horrible snow storms. Maybe it wouldn’t be advisable to head right into the storms for vacation, but if you feel called by God and have eight children between you, you take your chance at vacation when ever possible! So off we went. Living in Nebraska I’m used to driving in weather of all types. It takes about 8 hours “normally” to get from Omaha to Denver. This trip would be anything but normal. It was raining and then I noticed the rain turning into sleet. We only got into the trip a little over 2 hours when our car hydroplaned into the ditch. Not slid mind you, but hydroplaned – we simply were not making solid contact the interstate pavement anymore. As I drove in the median (and Kellie prayed out loud and fortunately it was clear except for grass and snow) my thoughts were simply that I didn’t want to get stuck there in the middle of the night, so I kept my momentum and looked in my review mirror to see about oncoming traffic. There were lots of vehicles coming and I’m glad my initial reaction was not to jerk back onto the interstate. I got control of the car and when I saw no headlights we reentered the interstate. God save us! Thank you Jesus! We were safe and prayed together for some discernment. Kellie had remembered her dad stopping at the next town mentioned on the green interstate sign and we decided to stop there for the night. I’m glad we did since the next morning as we were leaving the sign on the front of the hotel said “No Vacancies”. I guess God stopped us in time to have a safe dry place for the night.
Little did we know what was going on in the news. I did follow the Saddam trial and knew that the hanging may take place soon, but it all seemed to be happening rather quickly. Since we both knew it was significant and God had placed us here safely for the night, we watched and discussed the spiritual and prophetic significance to it all. This was a beginning to a theme for the weekend - death.
The next morning we took off from the town and I was anxious to try and make good travel time since we had lost so much due to the storm. The roads were horrible. They were icy and I couldn’t drive over 35 miles per hour. As we drove I know I said that it looked like “a graveyard” on the interstate. Everywhere you looked there were SUV’s, cars and Semi’s tipped, stuck and twisted. It was horrible. Kearney Nebraska looked like it was coated in crystal. I drove safe and was thinking that it would take hours if we would make it at all to Denver and then we were actually headed to the mountains outside of Denver. Would we even make it? What kind of a weekend was this going to be? Maybe it was a mistake. Finally we stopped for lunch. I was exhausted and discouraged. I tried not to let on too much to Kellie, but she can read me like a book and I’m sure she knew. After a rest and a full stomach we were off to face the road again. We pulled out of North Platte and within minutes it was so much better. I was able to pick my speed up to 65 miles per hour. Finally, we were making some time. We put some praise music on and sang some hymns together. I had bought a Randy Travis CD and we both love gospel country/blue grass music. It was a lot of redone hymns and newer contemporary music – very uplifting. It felt good to praise God with all we had already been through.
The last hour into Denver we hit dense, dense fog. I couldn’t see ten feet in front of me. It was different than the ice, but just as treacherous. I drove slowly and we made our way through the city. Finally we made it to the foothills and the mountains. Guess what? This was our most clear and easiest driving the whole way. Who would have guessed? Hallelujah, we made it to Bailey Colorado. If Bailey sounds familiar you might remember seeing it on the news recently. It was the school that was hit first before the Amish community where some kids were held hostage and also killed. It was a horrible tragedy. Maybe you are already catching on to the theme of death. There’s more confirmation…
I am a huge Broncos fan and God many times has spoke into my boy heart and allowed me many joys and lessons through football. I enjoy sharing and teaching my children through the sport. Kellie and I had great tickets to the game. We got there early, soaked up the atmosphere and enjoyed the game. If the Broncos won, they would be in the playoffs – if they lost they were out. It’s fun to see games with a lot on the line. This game would be filled with drama. Jay Cutler, the Bronco’s bright new star rookie quarterback, was injured early in the game. He took many hard blows and had to leave the game with a concussion. He would later reenter the game and even lead the team on a last minute, game tying touchdown to take the team into overtime. Ultimately the Broncos lost. The Broncos season and playoff hopes were you guessed it – dead. Maybe you are not a football fan. Maybe not a Broncos fan, but let me continue…the next morning as I turned on the radio, I heard “…the most shocking news this morning is not that the Broncos were defeated and are out of the playoffs this year, but that at 2 a.m. Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was shot and killed in a limo hummer at about 2 a.m. in the morning.” Wow. I’ve followed football for a long time and there are certainly athletes that have died, but this was unexpected and certainly fit the theme I was beginning to pick up on. Believe me, this was a rare opportunity for Kellie and I to get to leave town and the last thing we wanted to ring in the New Year on this trip with was – “death”. I really had high hopes for this trip. If you reference my writings on the other trips they were all quite “rosy”. I had fully expected with 2006 coming to a close and 2007 on the horizon, that God may indeed do something amazing – maybe even the Rapture (always looking for the chariot ride, and I did notice so were all the hymn writers in some way or another).
Also, worth mentioning especially if you’ve read about the other trips is that we revisited the ranch and area that God gave me the original Bailey, Colorado vision (a land flowing with milk and honey!). We did see it and I was able to take and save pictures this time (last time I took pictures of this place in the summer and it was so, so beautiful, unfortunately they all got deleted – you guessed it, another death). The whole valley was covered with snow and ice, and while beautiful in its winter attire, it still is in a type of death before spring, which brings new life.
I’m not writing about death because it’s a popular topic for me to write about, which lets me bring up another unpopular topic – famine (which by the way leads to death in case you didn’t know it – hee hee…). Kellie and I had a joke on the trip between us. We are both “meat and potato kind of people, but I was taking it to a whole new height on this trip. I didn’t mean to but I was in a meal ordering groove and Kellie called me on it. Maybe this isn’t an advertising slogan across the country but it is here – “Beef, it’s what’s for dinner”. Anyway, it was a fun joke between us. I do bring it up though, because as I’m watching the news in Colorado now there is an epidemic and cattle are dying in the snow. Ranchers are working with the government as they take bails of hay to the cows in helicopters.
Death is a very depressing topic, but if you do study all of God’s promises there is a process. Birth (promise, vision), Death and Resurrection. I know this in my head, and it is still hard to accept in my heart. Decisions are made in the heart. Where I live here in Papillion, Nebraska the symbol for the town is the Monarch Butterfly. Papillion means butterfly. I believe God gave us the butterfly so that we would understand our purpose, development and metamorphosis in this life. At first a caterpillar is green, ugly and low to the ground with low sight and vision. A good caterpillar will eat everything around it. Then one day it’s time for the dark cocoon – a type of death. When it’s time to come out and it has truly changed on the inside of that cocoon, it begins to spread its wings. If you see a butterfly struggling and you help it break that cocoon, then you will damage it for life. It must spread its own wings, fully stretch them out and break the bondage and darkness of that cocoon, until it can fly. Once it can fly it is beautiful and has great and high vision. What an awesome living parable of our lives for Christ!
I am reminded of this passage in Revelation. We shall continue to watch and see what God has in store for us. So much is going on its hard to keep up with it all. I am so anxious for the next time God calls me on a trip!
Revelation 6
The Seals
1I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!" 2I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
3When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" 4Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword.
5When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart[a] of wheat for a day's wages,[b] and three quarts of barley for a day's wages,[c] and do not damage the oil and the wine!"
7When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" 8I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
I feel like at various times God has called me to take trips and speaks to me at these places. I live in Nebraska and when I feel like he has called me to go up to Colorado and the mountains, it is important. I have to take time after these trips to fully let it all sink in.
If you need some background, you can read my original story on my Bailey Colorado Vision on my website, under About the Author:
www.tony4yhwh.com
I really feel like there was a major theme on the trip. It certainly was not what I was expecting and also not an enjoyable, pleasant subject.
My fiancé and I have gone to Colorado several times. This would be the fourth time together. I have always had family there and she lived in the mountains for eight years. We both have a heart there for God. Most of what I can say you can certainly relate to since it’s in the news and maybe God has spoken something to confirm this in your “everyday” life (God is Sovereign and does speak to his children). If so, I’d love to hear about it and maybe we can find more by searching together. I believe it’s important to be the “body” and to have unity and communication – Jesus prayed for it, so it must be!
When we were leaving Omaha Colorado had been in the news quite a bit for two horrible snow storms. Maybe it wouldn’t be advisable to head right into the storms for vacation, but if you feel called by God and have eight children between you, you take your chance at vacation when ever possible! So off we went. Living in Nebraska I’m used to driving in weather of all types. It takes about 8 hours “normally” to get from Omaha to Denver. This trip would be anything but normal. It was raining and then I noticed the rain turning into sleet. We only got into the trip a little over 2 hours when our car hydroplaned into the ditch. Not slid mind you, but hydroplaned – we simply were not making solid contact the interstate pavement anymore. As I drove in the median (and Kellie prayed out loud and fortunately it was clear except for grass and snow) my thoughts were simply that I didn’t want to get stuck there in the middle of the night, so I kept my momentum and looked in my review mirror to see about oncoming traffic. There were lots of vehicles coming and I’m glad my initial reaction was not to jerk back onto the interstate. I got control of the car and when I saw no headlights we reentered the interstate. God save us! Thank you Jesus! We were safe and prayed together for some discernment. Kellie had remembered her dad stopping at the next town mentioned on the green interstate sign and we decided to stop there for the night. I’m glad we did since the next morning as we were leaving the sign on the front of the hotel said “No Vacancies”. I guess God stopped us in time to have a safe dry place for the night.
Little did we know what was going on in the news. I did follow the Saddam trial and knew that the hanging may take place soon, but it all seemed to be happening rather quickly. Since we both knew it was significant and God had placed us here safely for the night, we watched and discussed the spiritual and prophetic significance to it all. This was a beginning to a theme for the weekend - death.
The next morning we took off from the town and I was anxious to try and make good travel time since we had lost so much due to the storm. The roads were horrible. They were icy and I couldn’t drive over 35 miles per hour. As we drove I know I said that it looked like “a graveyard” on the interstate. Everywhere you looked there were SUV’s, cars and Semi’s tipped, stuck and twisted. It was horrible. Kearney Nebraska looked like it was coated in crystal. I drove safe and was thinking that it would take hours if we would make it at all to Denver and then we were actually headed to the mountains outside of Denver. Would we even make it? What kind of a weekend was this going to be? Maybe it was a mistake. Finally we stopped for lunch. I was exhausted and discouraged. I tried not to let on too much to Kellie, but she can read me like a book and I’m sure she knew. After a rest and a full stomach we were off to face the road again. We pulled out of North Platte and within minutes it was so much better. I was able to pick my speed up to 65 miles per hour. Finally, we were making some time. We put some praise music on and sang some hymns together. I had bought a Randy Travis CD and we both love gospel country/blue grass music. It was a lot of redone hymns and newer contemporary music – very uplifting. It felt good to praise God with all we had already been through.
The last hour into Denver we hit dense, dense fog. I couldn’t see ten feet in front of me. It was different than the ice, but just as treacherous. I drove slowly and we made our way through the city. Finally we made it to the foothills and the mountains. Guess what? This was our most clear and easiest driving the whole way. Who would have guessed? Hallelujah, we made it to Bailey Colorado. If Bailey sounds familiar you might remember seeing it on the news recently. It was the school that was hit first before the Amish community where some kids were held hostage and also killed. It was a horrible tragedy. Maybe you are already catching on to the theme of death. There’s more confirmation…
I am a huge Broncos fan and God many times has spoke into my boy heart and allowed me many joys and lessons through football. I enjoy sharing and teaching my children through the sport. Kellie and I had great tickets to the game. We got there early, soaked up the atmosphere and enjoyed the game. If the Broncos won, they would be in the playoffs – if they lost they were out. It’s fun to see games with a lot on the line. This game would be filled with drama. Jay Cutler, the Bronco’s bright new star rookie quarterback, was injured early in the game. He took many hard blows and had to leave the game with a concussion. He would later reenter the game and even lead the team on a last minute, game tying touchdown to take the team into overtime. Ultimately the Broncos lost. The Broncos season and playoff hopes were you guessed it – dead. Maybe you are not a football fan. Maybe not a Broncos fan, but let me continue…the next morning as I turned on the radio, I heard “…the most shocking news this morning is not that the Broncos were defeated and are out of the playoffs this year, but that at 2 a.m. Broncos cornerback Darrent Williams was shot and killed in a limo hummer at about 2 a.m. in the morning.” Wow. I’ve followed football for a long time and there are certainly athletes that have died, but this was unexpected and certainly fit the theme I was beginning to pick up on. Believe me, this was a rare opportunity for Kellie and I to get to leave town and the last thing we wanted to ring in the New Year on this trip with was – “death”. I really had high hopes for this trip. If you reference my writings on the other trips they were all quite “rosy”. I had fully expected with 2006 coming to a close and 2007 on the horizon, that God may indeed do something amazing – maybe even the Rapture (always looking for the chariot ride, and I did notice so were all the hymn writers in some way or another).
Also, worth mentioning especially if you’ve read about the other trips is that we revisited the ranch and area that God gave me the original Bailey, Colorado vision (a land flowing with milk and honey!). We did see it and I was able to take and save pictures this time (last time I took pictures of this place in the summer and it was so, so beautiful, unfortunately they all got deleted – you guessed it, another death). The whole valley was covered with snow and ice, and while beautiful in its winter attire, it still is in a type of death before spring, which brings new life.
I’m not writing about death because it’s a popular topic for me to write about, which lets me bring up another unpopular topic – famine (which by the way leads to death in case you didn’t know it – hee hee…). Kellie and I had a joke on the trip between us. We are both “meat and potato kind of people, but I was taking it to a whole new height on this trip. I didn’t mean to but I was in a meal ordering groove and Kellie called me on it. Maybe this isn’t an advertising slogan across the country but it is here – “Beef, it’s what’s for dinner”. Anyway, it was a fun joke between us. I do bring it up though, because as I’m watching the news in Colorado now there is an epidemic and cattle are dying in the snow. Ranchers are working with the government as they take bails of hay to the cows in helicopters.
Death is a very depressing topic, but if you do study all of God’s promises there is a process. Birth (promise, vision), Death and Resurrection. I know this in my head, and it is still hard to accept in my heart. Decisions are made in the heart. Where I live here in Papillion, Nebraska the symbol for the town is the Monarch Butterfly. Papillion means butterfly. I believe God gave us the butterfly so that we would understand our purpose, development and metamorphosis in this life. At first a caterpillar is green, ugly and low to the ground with low sight and vision. A good caterpillar will eat everything around it. Then one day it’s time for the dark cocoon – a type of death. When it’s time to come out and it has truly changed on the inside of that cocoon, it begins to spread its wings. If you see a butterfly struggling and you help it break that cocoon, then you will damage it for life. It must spread its own wings, fully stretch them out and break the bondage and darkness of that cocoon, until it can fly. Once it can fly it is beautiful and has great and high vision. What an awesome living parable of our lives for Christ!
I am reminded of this passage in Revelation. We shall continue to watch and see what God has in store for us. So much is going on its hard to keep up with it all. I am so anxious for the next time God calls me on a trip!
Revelation 6
The Seals
1I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!" 2I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.
3When the Lamb opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, "Come!" 4Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other. To him was given a large sword.
5When the Lamb opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, "Come!" I looked, and there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. 6Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, "A quart[a] of wheat for a day's wages,[b] and three quarts of barley for a day's wages,[c] and do not damage the oil and the wine!"
7When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" 8I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.
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