Old Dog IV
The Time of Visitation
April 15, 2000:
44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
45 And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought;
46 Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.
I had a “different” kind of “vision” today….which spurred me to put together “in due season”. I just spent a couple hours with Trey and shared it with him. I can’t blame “bad pepperoni” for this. I don’t really know what to call it…..it is that “different”…so let me tell it as best I can….
I had gone “to bed” shortly after 9am. it had been a busy night. So it could be called a “dream”. I “found” myself walking in a “MALL” wearing my usual T-shirt and jeans. Along side me walked THE GOOD SHEPHERD wearing typical “work” clothes; jeans, plaid shirt, work boots. The same JESUS I “saw” years ago in the carpenter shop when HE told me HIS NAME IS Y’SHUA. HE has not changed. We walked down the middle of the “aisle” as people flowed around us. Everyone was in a hurry or were preoccupied. We walked for a while and came to an intersection where “corridors” from all four directions merged. In the middle was a fountain and benches for people to sit. We sat down on the ledge around the fountain and just “people watched”.
Unlike some visions where I “knew” that the place was a spiritual “composite” this was “too real”. It looked like any “super mall” in America today–three, maybe four levels of shops, people of every color, age, description walked by; individuals and couples, families and groups seemed to “flow by”. I watched as groups of “young people” ambled by. They were not in as much of a hurry as most of the others, but they ignored those around them just as everyone else did. I watched boys of 13-16(?) saunter by with attitude. I watched girls who were trying to look older move in clumps from place to place. Weird hair….tattoos…piercings… make-up out of TV talkshows for male and female alike. I had this feeling about “the lost generation” when I saw an elderly couple go by with cane and walker in use. I “knew” that it was more than a generation that was lost and I looked at my friend, THE SHEPHERD as HE WATCHED humanity walk by.
And I recalled the verse that said…”JESUS WEPT” and I recalled all the grief I had “felt” with ABBA for the “lost”. We sat a good while watching and I noticed people really paid no attention to two common men. I also noticed the children “looking” at everything around them as they were pushed or dragged by. Several made eye contact and a few smiled. Something which THE LAMB returned easily. I thought, why are only children smiling? I had to think, I see few people smiling any more. You smile when you are happy or safe; when you are content or comfortable. Of course, a “smile” can be a mask, a facade to hide things, but few who passed by had anything to hide. Most were in a hurry and had “things” on their minds it would seem.
With only the “idea” of a lost people/ nation on my heart I sat and waited wondering if HE would tell me what all this meant. When HE did begin to speak it was in that quiet voice of instruction. I bet HE sounded just like this when HE ASKED the twelve to look at the “lilies of the fields”. I was hoping HE would not ask “WHO DO THEY SAY I AM”….but I was pretty close…. “ON THE TENTH DAY OF THE FIRST MONTH I RODE INTO JERUSALEM JUST AS IT WAS WRITTEN. FOR FOUR DAYS I STOOD AMONG THEM IN THE TEMPLE COURTS TEACHING AND THEY SAW I WAS WITHOUT
SPOT OR BLEMISH. WHERE WOULD I GO TODAY TO BE INSPECTED TO BE FOUND
WORTHY OF BEING SACRIFICED?” I thought about that…..and thought again. Would
HE go to “CHRISTIAN TV/ RADIO” and say “IT’S ME!”? Maybe stop by “PRAISE THE LORD” or “THE 700 CLUB”? Or would it be here in a “mall” where the people are? In my spirit I heard the cry of Isaiah……
1 Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
2 Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.
4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people.
5 Behold, thou shalt call a nation that thou knowest not, and nations that knew not thee shall run unto thee because of the Lord thy God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he hath glorified thee.
I looked at HIM with the fountain behind HIM bubbling and flowing. as I thought “setup, again” HE SMILED THAT SMILE AGAIN.
“I CAME WITH LIVING WATER AND FEW HAVE DRUNK OF ME. TELL ME IF THE “JESUS” THE SO CALLED “MEN AND WOMEN OF GOD” HAVE TAUGHT AND FED TO MY LAMBS AND SHEEP IS ANYTHING LIKE ‘I AM’?”
And I thought of the “Hollywood” JESUS’S and the “manger baby”…the LAMB on the cross…and the GLORIFIED SON….and I looked at HIM….which “JESUS” were these people looking for? I looked around at the sheer number of people walking purposefully around us, going about “their business” and I remember HIS WORDS at age 12…
49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?
50 And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them.
51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.
52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man.
“GOTCHA, DOG,”, HE SAID AS HE SMILED TOWARD ALL THOSE AROUND US. “I AM STILL HERE TO DO MY FATHER’S BUSINESS. TOO BAD MOST OF THE SERVANTS FORGOT THAT LITTLE POINT. OTHERWISE THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN
EXPECTING MY COMING. BUT LIKE BEFORE THEY HAVE MISSED THE TIME OF VISITATION. I SENT MY WORD THROUGH MANY. THEY HAD THE LAW AND THE PROPHETS AND THE GOSPELS. DID NOT CHANGE THE REALITY AROUND US. THE ”AUTHORITIES” TODAY ARE NO DIFFERENT THAN THE SCRIBES AND THE PHARISEES. MANY ARE FIRM SADDUCEES AND DO NOT KNOW IT.”
We stood up and I watched HIM stretch like any man would who sat in one place a little too long, and suddenly it was all there….HE IS REAL….and HE LAUGHED as HE TOUCHED MY SHOULDER…. “THE MESSIAH MAN TEACHES ABOUT IS A
REFLECTION OF MAN. I AM A MAN AND I AM THAT I AM. THAT IS WHY I UNDERSTAND ALL BECAUSE I NOT ONLY HAVE BEEN THERE, I STILL AM THERE
BECAUSE I STILL HAVE NEVER LEFT OR FORSAKEN ANY IN COVENANT WITH
ME. THE LOST ARE LOST BECAUSE ”MY SERVANTS” WERE REPLACED BY “THE CHURCH”. THEY SHOULD BE ONE AND THE SAME, BUT ARE NOT. SO WHAT DO I
DO, DOG? THEY HAVE IGNORED MY WARNINGS AND FORGOT MY INSTRUCTIONS. LIKEWISE FEW WILL REJOICE WHEN YOU “SHARE” THIS WORD.”
Suddenly we were standing in the “back” of a building. We were dressed in black suits with tallits and yarmulkes. We took “our seats” at the back of the congregation and watched as the TORAH SCROLLS were brought out and SHABBOT services began. I watched as the Rabbi begin the service as the couples and families “entered into” the prayer….”SHMA Y’SRAEL….”. I wondered how HE felt watching a female rabbi minister to an “unsegregated” congregation. That earned me a smile as HE LOOKED at me and held up a book in HIS HAND.
“I THINK I SAID MY WORDS SHALL NOT PASS AWAY, DOG,” HE EXPLAINED AS
HE TURNED THE PAGES AND I SAW HEBREW CHARACTERS ON THE PAGES. “IN
FACT I DO NOT SEE EVEN ONE JOT OR TITTLE DIFFERENT FROM WHEN I READ
FROM ISAIAH IN NAZARETH. WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY WOULD SAY IF I AGAIN QUOTED FROM ISAIAH 61 RIGHT NOW?”
Now that one whacked me good….and I looked up and around us. No one seemed to notice the conversation as HE CONTINUED……”WHAT MAN ESTABLISHED CHANGES WITH TIMES AND SEASONS. AS IT WAS IN JERUSALEM SO IT IS HERE.
SO IT IS WITH THE CHURCHES THAT CLAIM MY NAME BUT DO NOT FOLLOW IN MY FOOTSTEPS. I SAID THAT IN MY FATHER’S HOUSE ARE MANY CHAMBERS. MANSIONS SOME PREFER. IT IS NOT THAT BIG A DEAL UNLESS THE ”DEAL” REMOVES YOU FROM WHERE I AM. WHERE I AM IS TWO FOLD. TO DO WHAT PLEASES ABBA….AND TO DESTROY THE PLANS AND KINGDOMS OF THE ENEMY.”
”WHAT I SAID BEFORE STILL GOES, DOG, EITHER THEY ARE FOR ME OR AGAINST ME. TELL THEM THAT WORD FOR WORD. MY WORD WILL NOT CHANGE. IT IS
WRITTEN… EVERY WORD. TELL THEM THEY CAN IGNORE RHEMA AT A HEAVY
COST. TELL THEM THAT WHEN THEY IGNORE LOGOS THEY BRING UPON THEMSELVES THE WRATH OF THE LAMB. IT IS WRITTEN, SO IT WILL BE”.
At that point I “woke up”….lot of IMAGES….lot of WORD….went to THE WORD before trying to put this “on paper”…..John 7:37-53
37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)
40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, Of a truth this is the Prophet.
41 Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Shall Christ come out of Galilee?
42 Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?
43 So there was a division among the people because of him.
44 And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him.
45 Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him?
46 The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.
47 Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived?
48 Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him?
49 But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed.
50 Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,)
51 Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth?
52 They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet.
53 And every man went unto his own house. (KJV)
They did not know their “time of visitation”….
Isaiah 10:1-8
1 Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, and that write grievousness which they have prescribed;
2 To turn aside the needy from judgment, and to take away the right from the poor of my people, that widows may be their prey, and that they may rob the fatherless!
3 And what will ye do in the day of visitation, and in the desolation which shall come from far? to whom will ye flee for help? and where will ye leave your glory?
4 Without me they shall bow down under the prisoners, and they shall fall under the slain. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
5 O Assyrian, the rod of mine anger, and the staff in their hand is mine indignation.
6 I will send him against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my wrath will I give him a charge, to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
7 Howbeit he meaneth not so, neither doth his heart think so; but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.
8 For he saith, Are not my princes altogether kings? (KJV)
And “JESUS WEPT”……
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
11 Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul;
12 Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.
selah
shemuel