Habakkuk 2

Then the Lord replied: "Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay."

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

The Sword of Damocles

Wednesday, September 11, 2013, 6:30 a.m. – The Lord Jesus woke me with the song “Return to Me” playing in my mind. Speak, Lord, your words to my heart.

I read Jeremiah 47, but before I got into the word, I checked the news. The top news story was a L.A. Times article concerning Obama’s speech from the White House, on the subject of Syria. So, I read the article, and several things within the article stood out to me, the first of which is how Obama had evidently said that “America can’t look the other way.” He also argued, according to the article, “that the U.S. must maintain the threat of an attack to put pressure on the Syrian government.” And then, apparently, Obama posed a question with regard to the world in which we now live: What kind of world would it be to live in if the U.S.A. “sees a dictator brazenly violate international law with poison gas and we choose to look the other way?” I find much duplicity in these statements. A few quotes from the article which jumped out at me were:

Obama's 16-minute speech presented a dual challenge for the president: building public support for his decision to launch military strikes while also explaining his eleventh-hour decision to shift gears.

“Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), chairman of the Armed Services Committee, said the goal was to eliminate the threat of Syria using chemical weapons by keeping open the possibility of force, ‘like the sword of Damocles over Assad.’" http://www.latimes.com/world/la-fg-obama-syria-20130911,0,3505376.story

This first quote, with regard to the “eleventh-hour” decision of Obama immediately brought to mind this passage of scripture in 1 John, as well as it recalled the parable in Matthew 20 about the master who hired people at various hours throughout the day, and the last ones hired were hired at the “eleventh hour,” which is symbolic for the last or final days before the return of Jesus Christ. I believe the choice of these words was intentional to give a double meaning, suggesting that these are the final days or hours before the beast rules.

Children, it is the last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour. ~ 1 Jn. 2:18

This second quote led me to search out “the sword of Damocles,” as I felt this was a significant statement, and I wanted to grasp its meaning. This is what I found:

The Damocles of the anecdote was an obsequious courtier in the court of Dionysius II of Syracuse, a 4th-century BC tyrant of Syracuse, Sicily. Pandering to his king, Damocles exclaimed that, as a great man of power and authority surrounded by magnificence, Dionysius was truly extremely fortunate. Dionysius then offered to switch places with Damocles, so that Damocles could taste that very fortune firsthand. Damocles quickly and eagerly accepted the king's proposal. Damocles sat down in the king's throne surrounded by every luxury, but Dionysius arranged that a huge sword should hang above the throne, held at the pommel only by a single hair of a horse's tail. Damocles finally begged the tyrant that he be allowed to depart because he no longer wanted to be so fortunate, realizing that with great fortune and power come also great peril and anxiety.

Dionysius had successfully conveyed a sense of the constant fear in which the great man lives. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damocles

Submissive and Compliant

This story is one of a flattering, submissive, compliant and indulgent subject of the king. He expressed to the king that he felt the king was most fortunate, so the king offered to switch places with him, yet the king arranged for a huge sword to hang above the throne, and only by a thread. Damocles finally begged the tyrant for permission to depart because he no longer wanted to be so fortunate. I find this story really interesting, and here is why.

This morning I woke from a dream. The scene was not Syria, but the White House. There was something in the dream that indicated to me that Obama was not really allowed in the White House, i.e. that he really wasn’t the president, which many people have suggested that to be the case. And, then in the dream I saw Obama and his family depart toward the east. I heard something in my mind about how DC had been spared hurricanes, and then I heard the word “Friday.” This Friday will be 9/13/13 (Friday the 13th).

Friday

Dreams are rarely to be taken literally, so I will share what I believe the Lord Jesus is showing me here in relation to this news story and in relation to prophecy of scripture regarding these last days. And, that takes me to Jeremiah 47 (ESV):

The word of the Lord that came to Jeremiah the prophet concerning the Philistines, before Pharaoh struck down Gaza.

“Thus says the Lord:
Behold, waters are rising out of the north,
    and shall become an overflowing torrent;
they shall overflow the land and all that fills it,
    the city and those who dwell in it.
Men shall cry out,
    and every inhabitant of the land shall wail.
At the noise of the stamping of the hoofs of his stallions,
    at the rushing of his chariots, at the rumbling of their wheels,
the fathers look not back to their children,
    so feeble are their hands,
because of the day that is coming to destroy
    all the Philistines,
to cut off from Tyre and Sidon
    every helper that remains.
For the Lord is destroying the Philistines,
    the remnant of the coastland of Caphtor.
Baldness has come upon Gaza;
    Ashkelon has perished.
O remnant of their valley,
    how long will you gash yourselves?
Ah, sword of the Lord!
    How long till you are quiet?
Put yourself into your scabbard;
    rest and be still!
How can it be quiet
    when the Lord has given it a charge?
Against Ashkelon and against the seashore
    he has appointed it.”

Prophecies of scripture, not unlike dreams, are often to be taken symbolically, as well, though parts are obviously literal, such as the promised judgments and restorations of God. Yet, here we have a picture of rising waters becoming an overflowing torrent, much like a hurricane. Washington D.C. has been spared so far, but no more. These rising waters are symbolic of the military forces of the beast, in reality, or of this global order that has been rising and has been consuming the nations and governments of the world. It was inevitable that our government would eventually be taken down, too. And, this is what the Lord is showing me this morning, I believe. These armies of the beast will overcome us like the rushing waters of a hurricane (a mighty torrent) and we will be destroyed.

Whether or not Obama is or was literally the president of the United States, I don’t know for sure, but what I do know is that he was not and has never been the true head, but he is and was merely a puppet - a compliant and indulgent (obedient) subject of the true king, the beast, or this global order ruled by the elite and wealthy and powerful of the world. He was only allowed to sit on the throne for a time, but soon the true king (the beast or the antichrist) will rule on the throne of this nation, and it will be “Fry Day” (judgment day) when that takes place. The number 13 is often associated with Satan, evil, bad luck, etc., and so it is appropriate that the chapter in the Bible which describes this rule of the beast should also be numbered 13 (in Revelation). So, whether or not something really big is to take place literally this Friday, I know not, but what I do know is the Lord is saying that “Fry Day” is coming to America, and it is coming to Washington, D.C., and that before it comes, our acting president will turn his back on America and he will look the other way.

This “sword,” which is hanging over our heads, is the sword intended for the king, presently the U.S. government, and is of this beast. Yet, truly it is the sword of the Lord ultimately, for he will use this beast (global rule/order) to conquer us and to send us back in time. America itself can be described as wealthy and indulgent, much like this king, and we will be dethroned and sent back to poverty, I believe. Yet, through this judgment we will gain poverty of spirit, i.e. America will be revived and many will come to faith in Jesus Christ because the church will be doing its job in spreading the true gospel of salvation. Not all will believe, but many will. It saddens me greatly that this must come at such great cost to us as a people, and to us as a nation, but we, as a nation, have not been listening to God, nor have we as the people of God, although he has sent his messages and messengers to us time and time again. So, this must take place in order to bring us back to God.

Return to Me / An Original Work / September 5, 2013

Based off Jeremiah 31; Cf. Rev. 2-3

I have loved you with an eternal love,
Which I give to you, in my faithfulness.

Keep your voice from weeping,
And your eyes from tearing.
You will be rewarded
With much fruitfulness.

There is hope for you that My family
Will return to Me; live in victory!

Though I discipline in My love for you,
My heart longs for you that you walk in truth.

Turn your thoughts to your Lord.
Choose to walk in His ways.
Turn from your sins daily.
Follow Jesus Christ.

Oh, how long will you wander in your sin?
Give your hearts to Me; be restored within.

I will satisfy ev’ry weary soul
Who repents of sin; is renewed within.

Behold, days are coming;
It will surely happen;
Though I discipline them,
They will thrive again.

I will be their One and their Only God.
They shall walk in white; be in Me, made right.



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