Monday, May 28, 2012

VISION OF THE DESERT

May 2, 2012

I was given a vision this morning, of a desert scene in the Middle East. There is an Egyptian man in his common attire, facing east on a chariot, and the chariot has no horse driving it. He is in front of a very large, stone-walled city that has a giant gate, like double-doors, but solid, in the middle of the wall. I get the impression the city is Jerusalem. All activity is inside the gate and the man is just outside the city, waiting. Above and to the left or north, I see two black ravens hovering in the air near the man. A giant phoenix descends over the whole scene casting a shadow over everything, wings outstretched.

I researched the meanings of several of the key elements in the vision, such as the gate, the chariot, the ravens, the phoenix, the direction east, and the wheels of the chariot. I used the Expository Bible Dictionary, the Strong's Concordance, and Peloubet;s Bible Dictionary, and some internet wikipedia meanings. This is what I learned:

scriptures quoted from KJV

Gate: The gates and gateways of eastern cities anciently held and still hold an important part, not only in the defense but in the public economy of the place. They are thus taken as representing the city itself. They were used as public resort, deliberation, administration of justice, or of audience for kings and rulers or ambassadors. There were carefully guarded, and closed at nightfall. Larger gates mentioned in scripture were two-leaved, plated with metal, closed with locks and fastened with metal bars. Sentences from the law were inscribed on and above the gates.  Metaphorically speaking, gates can be access to situations either of hope or despair, life or death in the NT, and often spoke of as ways people can gain access to the person and presence of Yaweh.

Chariot: in Hebrew (rekeb) this is a covering, or saddle. In the story of Enoch and Elisha, God's shows that His army will come on chariots of fire; a means in which God travels. The prophets allude frequently to chariots as typical of power. Ps.20:7; 104:3; Jer. 51:21; Zech. 6:1.

Raven: in Hebrew (oreb). 1King 17:4,6; Ps. 147:9; Prov:17; Luke 12:24. In Luke's reference, "consider the raven, they neither sow nor reap, they neither have storehouse or barn, and God feedeth them, how much more are ye better than the fowls?"
Greek meaning of raven:(korax)  voracity, cram, eat enough, be full, glut

Elisha was cared for by the ravens. 1Kings 17: 4,6. They are expressly mentioned as instances of God's protecting love and goodness. Job 38:41; Luke 12:24. To the fact of the raven being a common bird in Palestine, and to its habit of flying restlessly about in constant search for food to satisfy its voracious appetite, may perhaps be traced the reason for its being selected by our Lord and the inspired writers as the especial object of God's providing care. 

Phoenix: in Hebrew (chol) a firebird; death has no power over it because it didn't taste the fruit of the tree of knowledge; at the end of it's life, it burns itself and it's nest up in a fire, it renews or rebirths itself and returns to it's youth. Job 29:18-"Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply [my] days as the sand (chol).
Commentator Rabbi Rashi states "they are a symbol of a future resurrection to new life, God's prophetic symbol".

East: in Hebrew (mizrah)- eastward orientation of the temple, or east gate of the temple; the direction in which God will bring judgement on His people and nations surrounding Israel; also the direction from which God releases His people from captivity. Metaphorically, it is the direction as to the region in which sin shall be removed absolutely. It's the direction from which God brings judgement and deliverance.  Ps 103:12   As far as the east is from the west, [so] far hath he removed our transgressions from us. Eze 45:7 . It also is referred to as the point of departure for the glory cloud of Yaweh.

Wheel: in Hebrew ( galgal)  rendered "wheel" in Psalm 83:13 and "a rolling thing" in Isaiah 17:13.  "whirling dust"

I then went to the Lord in prayer and meditation, asking for an interpretation for this vision and this is what I was given.
God our Father has brought us out of Egypt, out of idolatry, fornication, and types of sin by sending His precious Son Yeshua to shed His blood for our redemption. He travels by wind and fire, hence the chariot, as He did for Elisha and Enoch. The man in the scene had no horse pulling him across the desert, away from 'Egypt', and was actually traveling in the air, not touching the ground. God is showing us that He is the one carrying us, guiding and directing us away from sin towards a relationship with Him. The man did not need anything to pull him! He is traveling east, as even though God's judgements are said to come from the east, His mercy and deliverance also come from that direction. The ravens are to show us, the man, that our needs will ALWAYS be provided, no matter what comes, or how bleak it looks, (the desert scene). The walled city on the right is Jerusalem, and we access God through the gate, His presence, but the choice is always ours, remember, the gate represents the entrance unto His tabernacle. The phoenix represents our future resurrection. The bird, metaphorically, does not die, but rebirths itself after 'dying' by fire, only to rise from the ashes to youth again. So we have the blessed assurance of the love the Father and Son have for us, and we are guaranteed all of our provisions will be provided. It is our choice to enter into His presence and allow Him to be our guide through the upcoming tribulations we will go through. If we choose Him, we choose eternal life, and a future resurrected body.

Hallelujah and praise God for a very clear picture of His eternal plan for us all!