Bicycle Wheels

Saturday, September 06, 2008, 7:28 a.m. – I woke to this song:

Holy Is The Lord / Chris Tomlin

We stand and lift up our hands
For the joy of the Lord is our strength
We bow down and worship Him now
How great, how awesome is He
And together we sing
Everyone sing

Holy is the Lord God Almighty
The earth is filled with His glory
Holy is the Lord God Almighty
The earth is filled with His glory
The earth is filled with His glory
It's rising up all around
It's the anthem of the Lord's renown

I woke from a dream. I know it had storms in it but that is all I could recall. So, I turned on the news to see the latest with the storms and then I went back to sleep.

Then, at 9:11 a.m. – I woke from A DREAM: There was a woman in this dream, and in relation to the woman, somehow, was a bicycle. The focus of the dream was on the two wheels in the bicycle, which appeared to symbolize two storms. END

Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening. I read Isaiah 66:1-18:

Judgment and Hope
1 This is what the LORD says:
"Heaven is my throne,
and the earth is my footstool.
Where is the house you will build for me?
Where will my resting place be?
2 Has not my hand made all these things,
and so they came into being?"
declares the LORD.
"This is the one I esteem:
he who is humble and contrite in spirit,
and trembles at my word.

3 But whoever sacrifices a bull
is like one who kills a man,
and whoever offers a lamb,
like one who breaks a dog's neck;
whoever makes a grain offering
is like one who presents pig's blood,
and whoever burns memorial incense,
like one who worships an idol.
They have chosen their own ways,
and their souls delight in their abominations;
4 so I also will choose harsh treatment for them
and will bring upon them what they dread.
For when I called, no one answered,
when I spoke, no one listened.
They did evil in my sight
and chose what displeases me."

5 Hear the word of the LORD,
you who tremble at his word:
"Your brothers who hate you,
and exclude you because of my name, have said,
'Let the LORD be glorified,
that we may see your joy!'
Yet they will be put to shame.
6 Hear that uproar from the city,
hear that noise from the temple!
It is the sound of the LORD
repaying his enemies all they deserve.
7 "Before she goes into labor,
she gives birth;
before the pains come upon her,
she delivers a son.

8 Who has ever heard of such a thing?
Who has ever seen such things?
Can a country be born in a day
or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion in labor
than she gives birth to her children.
9 Do I bring to the moment of birth
and not give delivery?" says the LORD.
"Do I close up the womb
when I bring to delivery?" says your God.
10 "Rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her,
all you who love her;
rejoice greatly with her,
all you who mourn over her.

11 For you will nurse and be satisfied
at her comforting breasts;
you will drink deeply
and delight in her overflowing abundance."
12 For this is what the LORD says:
"I will extend peace to her like a river,
and the wealth of nations like a flooding stream;
you will nurse and be carried on her arm
and dandled on her knees.
13 As a mother comforts her child,
so will I comfort you;
and you will be comforted over Jerusalem."

14 When you see this, your heart will rejoice
and you will flourish like grass;
the hand of the LORD will be made known to his servants,
but his fury will be shown to his foes.
15 See, the LORD is coming with fire,
and his chariots are like a whirlwind;
he will bring down his anger with fury,
and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For with fire and with his sword
the LORD will execute judgment upon all men,
and many will be those slain by the LORD.

17 "Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following the one in the midst of those who eat the flesh of pigs and rats and other abominable things—they will meet their end together," declares the LORD.

18 "And I, because of their actions and their imaginations, am about to come and gather all nations and tongues, and they will come and see my glory.

My Understanding: The Lord is not happy with his people overall, yet he is pleased with those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at His word. God wants people who will follow His word; who follow the truth He has revealed to them. The people of God need to obey God’s word if they want to enjoy God’s blessings.

V. 3 states that the most sacred exercises of true God-given religion are like the worst sins when they are divorced from humility of spirit (NIV Commentary). So, the Lord is unhappy with his people because of their false worship. The people’s religious sacrifices and activities were only external ritual and not from the heart.

The Lord plans harsh treatment against his people who are engaged in this false worship, and he will bring upon them what they dread. Then, we have the same words repeated here as was in 65:12 - God called, but no one answered; he spoke, but no one listened. They did evil in his sight and did what displeases him.

Then, the Lord promises vindication for his true servants who have had to endure hate and exclusion because of His Name. Those who have done the hating and the excluding of God’s servants will be put to shame. God’s restoration of his people will then happen so quickly that it will be like a woman giving birth with no labor pains. I believe we will see this in the form of revival; the rebirth of the church going into the Millennium. The hand of the Lord will be made known to His true servants.

Yet, his fury will be shown to God’s foes. This is where the bicycle enters in, I believe, and the two wheels which were like two storms. V. 15-16:

15 See, the LORD is coming with fire,
and his chariots are like a whirlwind;
he will bring down his anger with fury,
and his rebuke with flames of fire.
16 For with fire and with his sword
the LORD will execute judgment upon all men,
and many will be those slain by the LORD.

[Bible Study Resources: Zondervan NIV Study Bible; Zondervan NIV Bible Commentary; The Bible Knowledge Commentary.]