Old Dog IV
The Gate
May 15, 2000
Last night was one for the books. Whose books I am not so sure, but there is a strange level of humor involved. Say a side of THE LAMB few have seen because they have never followed or abided on HIS TERMS or by HIS RULES. Maybe that is the final “interpretation” of this early morning romp in THE MOST HOLY SPIRIT. Let whoever reads this decide what it means to them. I know what it means to me….that is hard and heavy enough…the second more so than the first…. So here was the ‘first’ image.
I saw a part of a city. Not a modern city at all. It was a city with a wall around it. The second image was so different that it makes this first one stand out. I was looking down at a GATE in this walled city. It was shortly after sunrise and I watched as people entered through the GATE. Large numbers of people walking with bundles and push carts, wagons and even a ”caravan” or two. All had business in the “city” and it was lively. Call it a marketplace or a ”town center”, both seem to fit. I watched as people ran to and fro through the day and as night began to fall I watched the people who had come in the morning rush to leave. This puzzled me at the time. I watched as the “guards” at the GATE close the heavy wooden Gate and place bars to secure it. In the massive GATE there was a small door. It too, was barred and closed, and in my spirit I knew it was THE EYE OF THE NEEDLE that JESUS had spoke about.
What ”caught” my attention was that numerous people were ”caught” inside the city when the GATE was closed. Now the guards were numerous and well “turned out”. All dressed in fine armor and strutted in front of the “unlucky ones” who were too late to get out. I watched as several individuals and families approached the “guards” and were either quickly turned down or just simply ignored. Occasionally a guard was approached and a ”deal” was made. Sometimes a quick move of hands occurred and the EYE OF THE NEEDLE would open and some would “escape” the city. Funny how the term “ESCAPE” was spoken in my spirit. Regrettably most of the “caught” people were turned away. Their faces told a strange story of fear and resignation as they turned back into the city.
The sun was well set when a fancy cart pulled up to the GATE and a man in very ornate armor climbed down from the wagon. I watched this “officer” order the GATE opened. It was obvious wealth did have it’s privileges as the wagon departed and the GATE was closed. Later the scene was repeated for a fairly large caravan escorted by several civilians. Obviously “elder statesman” types as the crooked guards/ watchmen bowed and scurried to open the GATE. This time there was open payoff to the politicians who gave each of the guards their “cut”.
Later I watched as slowly the guards/ watchmen “leave/ desert” their post and go into the city proper. Eventually there were only a few left when the “late escapers” began to show. First was a man with a heavy knapsack. He approached one guard and “cut a deal”. Half of what had been in the knapsack was missing by the time the EYE was opened. What caught my attention was the EYE was not rebarred. I watched the scene repeated over and over as people came and most left all their “worldly goods” to get out. Each “deal” was a story in itself. But not all the “late escapers” got to go through the EYE.
The last one I will mention is the one that seemed most “heinous”and “offensive,”but also told me how desperate things were. There was a “family” trying to ”get out”. A man, a woman, and three children. Boys or girls I could not tell…ages four to eight is a guess. The man approached guard after guard and no “deal” was cut. Obviously there was neither coin nor merchandise acceptable to buy their way out. Eventually I watched as they approached a guard for the second time. Now the woman and children also approached with the man. I watched the man speak and then the woman. I watched the guard laugh and turn his back to them. They approached another guard and the scene was repeated. Then a third guard was approached, but he did not laugh. Instead he spoke with a smile on his face. He reached out and touched the head of the largest child. I watched the woman’s eyes show utter terror as she pulled the child away. Now the guard laughed but watched them as they went to another guard. Again the scene repeated itself. But this time the woman did most of the speaking. This guard was quiet and listened as the man moved the children away. The guard reached out as the women opened the dress exposing part of her chest. And I knew “one more deal” had been cut. The guard pulled the woman to the side and opened the EYE for the man and the children. Later he opened it to the woman after his ”payment” was
”transacted”.
Now all this sickened me but I understood little of the “why” of these people so desperate to leave. And then things changed…for me. Next thing I knew I was walking toward the GATE. Armor on, shield up, and spear in hand. What had been a company of 30-40 men when the GATE was closed was maybe seven or eight when the “NIGHT WATCHMEN” arrived. I was one of the six who relieved the GATE guards. I watched as the ‘off going’ guards laughed and spoke as they too returned to the city. I thought what kind of city is this? I could have asked, “Why am I here?” but did not. Seems like this was more than a FYI scenario. I stood leaning on my spear listening to “the city” and hoping to hear THE VOICE OF THE MOST HOLY SPIRIT. Instead I heard “music” and “song”, laughter and shout of anger. In a very weird way I realized this was “just another Saturday Night in the BIG CITY”.
I watched and listened as the city slowly became quiet. I also noticed that THE NIGHT GUARD was asleep in their shadows, all comfy and content. I was thinking for some reason that “dawn” would be soon when the attack came. The first sign that we were under attack was when the GATE crashed in. The huge GATE and it’s heavy bars were rotten and shattered easily. I watched as the other Guards crawled from their corners to be overrun by the enemy. As soon as the GATE was crashed I had struck the alarm bell/ triangle thing. From around the city trumpets blew. For some idiotic reason I stood alone with spear and shield alone in the Road of THE GATE. It was a point of mixed emotions. I had no ”love” for this evil city or the Guards I was a member of. So why was I here?
Unlike before the question was asked. Especially looking at the army coming though the GATE. They were humanoid, walking on two legs, but were exactly like the shadow beings of past visions. But now in solid form. AS THE ARMY OF DARKNESS ADVANCED two things happened….I was suddenly again above the GATE watching the scene unfold….and I heard a scripture….
“In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people, And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.”
Now that was from Isaiah 28….and I realized that I had watched Isaiah 28 played out for me.
THEN….I heard HIS VOICE….”THERE ARE THOSE WHO WILL DO ANYTHING TO FLEE SODOM….EVEN NOW AS THE NIGHT ADVANCES. SOME WILL PAY A HEAVY PRICE TO ESCAPE. HAVE PITY ON THEM WHO FLEE THE WRATH TO COME, EVEN IN THIS LATE HOUR.”
And that is where the first image ended….
selah