LOVE SONG

BREAKING THE SEAL

"Exploring the heights and depths of the Song of Songs is a pure delight for me. I have found this little book of only eight chapters to be the most enthralling revelation of the love of God ever offered to the world." - quote taken from the Preface to BREAKING THE SEAL: Insights from the Song of Solomon.

This month I am pleased to announce the publication of my second book, BREAKING THE SEAL, which is very much a companion to my first book, BECOMING THE BELOVED.

For an entire year I taught a class at our church in Texas which I called LoveSong. Each week our small group gathered to pour over the words of the book of the Song of Solomon. Verse by verse we sifted through the spiritual treasure that is buried there. We published the class as an audio podcast and were overjoyed at how well received it was by those who listened. Here are just a few of the comments we received:


~ "Truly precious Anointed teaching, thank you for making this available free by podcast." Gill

~ "This is so good I want it to go on forever Just continues to get deeper and deeper. I am telling all that the Lord brings my way about this site." Mary

~ "This is the best teaching i have ever heard on the Song of Solomon. Hurry up and post some more PLEASE." Teresa 

~ "Believable truths!!!! I am so lovesick and hungry for more and more of Him." Lisa


Then it took me almost another year to organize and hone that same material into book form. The LoveSong teaching became the "raw material" for the book. With the publication of BREAKING THE SEAL, the LoveSong project is now complete.

INSIGHTS

BREAKING THE SEAL is written much like a commentary in so much that I comment on each and every verse of the book. However, I decided to use the subtitle "Insights into the Song of Solomon" because the book is more than a commentary. It contains my own personal notes, insights, thoughts and revelations gleaned from countless hours of contemplating the Song of Solomon in prayer.

HAPAX LEGOMENA

One of the things that makes the Song of Solomon so unique is the use of unique Hebrew words which are found only one time in the Bible. These words, called "hapax legomena," are used extensively in the Song of Solomon. I believe these words appear only one time in the Bible because they describe "one time events" that will occur at the end of time. In Breaking the Seal, I have tried to identify and unlock the meaning of these words for the reader. Identifying and understanding these words is one key in unlocking the wealth of the Song of Solomon.

AWAKEN OUR HEARTS

I believe that God has given us the Song of Solomon as a means of awakening our hearts to our true identity and destiny as His eternal Bride. For that reason it is important that we read and study, sing and even pray the words of this special book of the Bible. In doing so, something happens to our hearts. BREAKING THE SEAL will help you understand the poem of Solomon like never before.

TO ORDER:

Click the image of the book to order your copy today!

Update on the "Global Sense of Dread"

A SENSE OF DREAD
In January I communicated with about five hundred subscribers to our newsletter called "The Shulamite's Tent." In it I shared about how many of the people in our church in Texas were having a similar experience which we described as a sudden "sense of dread." It would fall over us like a shroud making us feel like something terrible was about to happen. Then, as quickly as the feeling came it lifted. At first I assumed this experience was happening only to me and that it was probably an attack from demonic powers. So, I stood against it. When it persisted, however, I took the opportunity to check with our church leadership team to see if they were experiencing anything similar to this. To my surprise they were. Then we branched out and asked the general membership of our church only to discover that this "sense of dread" experience was prevalent.

THE RESPONSE
The response to my newsletter was quick and revealing. Person after person emailed to tell me that they too were having this same experience of dread and did not understand what it meant. From many parts of the world the emails kept coming for several days until it became clear that this experience was "global."  People related their personal stories of being "stopped in their tracks" with a sudden sense that something cataclysmic was looming over the horizon.

THE NEXT STEP
Our next step was to seek the Lord for wisdom in understanding this unusual experience. The consensus among those in our church was that this was NOT being sent against us as an assignment from our enemy. It was, perhaps, a prophetic warning from the Spirit of God of a future event.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
We did not want to be premature in our interpretation nor did we want to sensationalize it into something that would foster fear rather than confidence in God's people. Now, three months later, I am prepared to share with you what I think God might be communicating through this experience. I believe a significant event is indeed destined to occur in the  near future which will effect everything in our lives. I am not able to say for certainty what that event or series of events will be -  but I am prone to believe that it will include a partial economic collapse. This collapse might BE the event itself or it might be the RESULT of another significant event such as war or an attack of some sort. As I have waited upon the Lord for understanding, I feel that this event, while not bringing about a total disaster, will be significant enough to land a "body blow" to practically every person in every nation. There will be weeks of shaking follow by the emergence of a "new norm" in which people will adapt to the circumstances around them and resume a fairly normal life. However, this shaking is just a forerunner of more increasing instability to come. Some will take heed now. More will take heed after the event. But most will simply adjust without making any real long-term changes in their lives.

PREPARING
The natural question is: "What can we do to prepare?" The first thing we should do is to truly begin to connect our hearts to the heart of God by devoting ourselves to prayer and building an authentic relationship with Him. Christian conferences and concerts will simply not suffice to get us through the days ahead. We need to hear his voice if we are going to live with confidence in a world that is being shaken from top to bottom. But beyond that, I don't think it is actually possible to prepare for a long-term catastrophe. I am not one who believes in digging down into the earth and trying to store up years and years worth of food and supplies. Instead, I am preparing myself to be the Bride of Christ and I am trusting Him to take care of His own Beloved. In my opinion, the best we can do is to prepare our families for a short-term emergency - perhaps 3-4 weeks. When people are rushing the store shelves and banks, being prepared allows you to remain in the safety and security of your home until the initial panic subsides.

A WORD OF CAUTION
I hesitated in sharing what I did about preparing for calamity and I did not give detailed suggestions because I know that some people will over-focus on that and miss the really important thing - which is to begin to cultivate the heart of the Bride and prepare for the coming of the Lord. Almost on a daily basis, world events point to the imminent return of Jesus Christ. Whether it is this year or many years to come - He is awakening men and women all over the world to begin to prepare by cultivating an intimate relationship with their Bridegroom.

CONFIRMATION
I promised to update everyone on our newsletter list and this is what I have done.
I want to stress that what I have shared is NOT a "word from God." It is merely an impression of my spirit that has come from seeking the Lord. The Bible says that "in the mouth of two or more witnesses every WORD is established." Confidence or action in what I have shared should be waited upon until God confirms it to your heart through the testimony of other people.  Having said that, I am interested in hearing from anyone who might be able to add any insights into what I have shared.

Many blessings to all our friends

WHAT FACEBOOK HAS TAUGHT ME

THE FACEBOOK GENERATION

I think I might be the last person on earth to sign up for Facebook. It seems like everyone has carved out their little place in the Sun on the internet. Its a place to share everything from the mundane to things profound (although it seems that most of what is posted falls in the "mundane" category.) I suppose I signed up with Facebook with the intent of letting people know about upcoming events related to our ministry and to keep in touch with friends around the world. And, for that purpose, it has worked well for me. On the other hand, Facebook has been an eye-opening experience for me.

SLAP-IN-THE-FACEBOOK

As you know if you are a Facebook-er, your "friends" are recommended to you by the way they are connected to other friends you have. Everyone who is a "friend" of your "friend" will eventually be recommended to you as becoming a possible "friend."  So, if you are a Christian, most of the people who are recommended to you probably share that in common with you. Sometimes, I have been surprised (no - shocked!)  by some of the things that "Christians" have posted on their Facebook pages. Recently, for example, I opened my Facebook to find a very crude cartoon posted by a woman I didn't know. At some point she had either requested to become my friend or was recommended to me because we "shared" a friend. Along with the crude cartoon she had posted "OMG" and "LMFAO." The first acronym stands for "Oh My God" (an insensitivity to the sacredness of God's name and title) and the second I will leave to your imagination: Laughing My F__ A__ Off.

Instead of checking my FACEBOOK I felt I had checked my "SLAP-IN-THE-FACEBOOK."

DECEPTION

[NOTE: To protect her identity I am not using her name and I deleted her from Facebook so no one could identify her. I seek only to use her as an example of a larger problem]

I have often said that the thing about deception is that it is just so deceiving! I commented on the woman's posting of the crude cartoon and asked her if she knew the meaning of LMFAO? )  There was a slim chance that she was naive and unaware of the meaning of the well known acronym. But I found out that she was not naive as I hoped. She was playing the game of "self justification." She replied by saying it could mean many things to different people. OK, let's be intellectually honest by admitting that 99.9 percent of people who read LMFAO do not try to find an alternative meaning to that acronym. Everyone knows what it means.

I'M SORRY IF...

After rationalizing her use of "potty humor" she said "if I offended you I'm sorry." That of course is really a non-apology. It is a way of saying "I am not sorry I posted what I did but I am sorry that you are such a hillbilly that it offended you." Her additional comments went on to make light of me for daring to question her posts. So, to learn more about this person I visited her page. That's when it got really interesting. Instead of a photo of herself, she had a poster which said "I am God's Favorite Child." Along with posts about Jesus and love and bunny rabbits, there were many more posts which were laced with vile profanity and crude humor - all of which I would be embarrassed to share with anyone.

BEHOLDING THE GLORY OF GOD

To coup de grace, however, came when I checked the "info" portion of her page. It read "I am beholding the glory of God." Really. I humbly submit that over the last few years I have come to know a little about beholding the glory of a holy God. Not a lot - but a little. Enough to know that it is impossible for one to truly be "beholding the glory of God" while at the same time finding humor in the sewer of this world. A river of living water can not belch polluted water. What is in the heart eventually exits through the lips.


WHAT FACEBOOK HAS TAUGHT ME

I wish I could say that this experience was one-in-a-million. Unfortunately it is not. While some do use Faceboook in a way that is edifying and honoring to Jesus, much of what is posted on Facebook by those professing to be "Christians" is not fit for publication. Facebook has taught me that the Church is in deep trouble. Our hearts are so detached from truly beholding the "glory" that our lives are wallowing in the filth and  "gory" of what the world has to offer. Herein lies the difference between the Last Days compromised Laodicean church and the emerging Bride of Jesus: the former has made peace with sin. The latter is at war with it.

GOD'S SPECIAL SEASONS

FALL ON ME
Solomon wrote that "there is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens" (Eccl. 3:1.) The Bible also teaches that God brings things to pass in the "fullness of times." Are there special seasons when God makes Himself more accessible to us?

Many years ago I heard a pastor share about how he had noticed that almost every significant move of the Holy Spirit in his church had happened in the Fall season of the year. I also heard Perry Stone say something similar to this. I am intrigued by this because our own church experienced our first major outpouring of the Holy Spirit just as the Fall season was approaching on Labor Day, 1995. September 4th to be exact. Of course we know that Jews live their lives according to the seasons of the year. God's Feasts are called "holy convocations." These are appointed times when God meets with Israel.

But what is so special about the Fall of the year?

FOUR FULFILLED - THREE REMAIN
Of the seven appointed Feasts of the Lord, four have already been fulfilled by Jesus. He was sacrificed on Passover, buried on the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and raised from the dead on the Feast of Firstfruits. Each of these three feasts occur in the Spring. One feast happened in the Summer - the Feast of Pentecost. Just as expected, Jesus fulfilled that Feast as well by pouring the Holy Spirit upon His disciples precisely on that appointed day.

Today, three Feasts remain unfulfilled until Jesus returns and all three of those Feasts occur in the Fall of the year. They are the Feast of Trumpets which looks forward to the return of Christ for His Bride, the Day of Atonement, which is emblematic of Judgment day, and the Feast of Tabernacles, which speaks of our eternal dwelling with God.

Could it be that God is most active during the Fall of each year because that season represents the future fulfillment of everything prophetic?

THE SEASON FOR SEEKING GOD
To make things more interesting, this past September 4th, during the Labor Day weekend, our church experienced yet ANOTHER powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit coinciding with the anniversary of our first outpouring  sixteen years prior. Is this just coincidence or does this indicate a Divine pattern? According the Jewish tradition, preparations for the Fall Feasts begin with the arrival of the month of Elul. (July/August) The word Elul means "to seek" and points to the fact that when Elul arrives so does a special season of "seeking the Lord." The forty days leading up to the Feast of Trumpets are called the "days of preparation." It is a season for awakening the soul to encounter God and especially for the Bride of Christ to "make herself ready" by watching and praying for her Bridegroom's return.

The month of Elul was also a time when the king of Israel left the palace so that he could travel and inspect his fields and vineyards. If someone wanted to address the king of Israel, he had to be granted an audience. If anyone tried to enter the palace or throne room uninvited they would face certain death. But in the Fall of the year, when the "king was in the field" - the law allowed for anyone to approach him and have an audience with him. In other words, the Fall is the time when God, our King, is "in the field" and  can be easily sought and found!

THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS
 If you have read my book, Becoming the Beloved, you know that I believe that the Feast of Trumpets indicates the time when Jesus will return as the Bridegroom to take His Bride to our wedding. While current events are moving and aligning the nations according to Biblical prophecy, let me encourage you to use this special season to trim your lamp and fill it with double oil. Jesus is coming again. And this Feast of Trumpets could be our wedding day!

Conformed To The Image of Christ

"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." (Romans 8:29)

Those whose profession of faith begins and ends with a ticket to heaven have failed to grasp the truth that the Christian life is not merely a destination in life - it is the journey of life. Our destiny is to be conformed to the image of Christ. But what does that really mean?

ERASED AND REPLACED

When I was a young Christian I heard many sermons on what it meant to be conformed to the image of Christ. All of them stressed the idea that there was something deeply wrong with me that needed to be changed. The work of the Cross had indeed saved me - but the "me" it had saved was still not liked by God. Thus, the person I was needed to be replaced! And the Christian journey was God's way of changing me into someone He could love - namely His Son. In other words, God's "wonderful plan" for my life was that I would ultimately be erased and replaced! And standing in my place would be the personality and character of Jesus. While we love to romanticize what it means to be "conformed to the image of Christ" - in reality this kind of thinking amounts to the ultimate kind of rejection!


CONFORMED

There is a flaw in this kind of theology which is born out of a misunderstanding of the word "conformed." We think it means that God wants to push us out of the way to make room for His Son. But the Greek word for "conformed" is symmorphos and it means "to assume the shape or form of another object." Being conformed to the image of Christ, therefore, does not mean that we are to be replaced by Christ. It means that we are to be re-shaped so that we become complimentary and compatible to Christ.

On many cold winter mornings I have awakened to find that sometime during the night Rebecca had conformed her body to mine to help stay warm. This is the best illustration of what it means to be conformed to Christ. It means to "cleave" to Him in thought, deed, and  desire.


OTHERNESS

Christ loves us not because we are just like him; but because we are uniquely ourselves. It is our "otherness" that draws Him to us. We can never forget that the covenant we have with Christ is a marriage covenant. He is the Bridegroom and we are His Bride. Therefore, spiritually speaking Jesus is cast in the role of the masculine and we are cast in the role of the feminine. Whether we are male or female - single or married - we are all called to be the spiritual wife of Christ.

JOINED TO THE "OTHERNESS" OF OUR FLESH

In popular Christian theology, the flesh is thought to be inherently evil. We speak of being in the "flesh" and being in the "Spirit" as though one was the exact opposite of the other. Jewish theology makes no such distinction. The flesh of man is just as sacred as the soul. We know that our bodies are indeed the "temples of the Holy Spirit."  (1 Cor. 6:19,20) In the spiritual marriage covenant Christ has forged with us, the Bible says He has made Himself "one flesh with us" (Eph 5:31,32) Notice it doesn't say one "spirit" but one "flesh." It is the "otherness" or our humanity that Christ desires to share with us!

HOW DO WE CONFORM?

The question remains - "how do we conform to the image of Christ?" We become conformed to Him to the same degree we build and nurture an intimate relationship with Him. His likes become our likes. His desires become ours as well. We lay aside our own plans to embrace His vision and destiny for our lives. In short - being conformed to Him does not mean we are replaced - it means we are embraced.

The Shulamit Cave

My beloved is to me a cluster of henna blossoms from the vineyards of En Gedi. (Song 1:14)

Recently a friend of mine, Rebecca Friedlander, was in Israel to capture some video footage for an upcoming music project. While there, she visited the famed desert oasis called En Gedi and came away with a deep insight which I want to share with you this month.

En Gedi is a lush hideaway retreat located on the western shore of the Dead Sea. It is a sanctuary of awe-inspiring beauty likened to Paradise itself. In the same way the Garden of Eden was watered by four rivers, En Gedi is water-fed by four fresh springs as well.

DISCOVERED BY DAVID

David discovered the haven of En Gedi when he was fleeing from the hand of King Saul. It was at En Gedi where David cut a piece of cloth from Saul's robe:

After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” So Saul took three thousand chosen men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats. He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe. (1 Samuel 24:1-7)

THE CAVE OF THE SHULAMIT

Today, if you should visit En Gedi you would find the very cave where David cut the cloth from Saul's robe. Interestingly, that cave is called the "Shulamit Cave" or the "Lovers Cave."

Many years after the incident occurred between Saul and David, Solomon took his bride, the Shulamite, to En Gedi to camp there in their private romantic getaway. The cave, where David had concealed himself from Saul now became the "Lovers Cave" where the royal couple pitched their camp and shared their most intimate love. Today, the cave is called the "Shulamit Cave" as a memorial to the famed bride of Solomon.

THE DEEPER INSIGHT

The Bridal Revelation is a precious truth to the remnant of believers who have embraced it as their own. To us, the mystery of Christ and His bride is a profound and beautiful revelation of the love of Christ. It beckons us to pursue and cleave to God with intimate affection while leaving the lesser rewards and idolatries of this world behind. The people of the world cannot see or understand this mystery. Neither can those whose hearts and minds are blinded by a religious spirit. Saul, was indeed chosen and anointed by God yet he lacked the passion for God that coursed through the veins of David. Likewise, many believers today, feel no real hunger for intimacy with Christ and therefore fail in understanding those who do. To us, the Bridal Revelation is something of great value to cherish and prize. We have found the "Lovers Cave" and pitched our camp there. Like David and his band of men, we have gone "far back into the cave." We have gone deeper into the boundless love of the Bridegroom. But others often do not share our appreciation of the revelation. Like Saul, who used the cave as a place to relieve himself, people who are chosen and anointed by God will unwittingly defile the very things we value the most. They do so not because they have an evil intent - but simply because they don't possess the same appreciation for the things we hold dear. The same cave where Solomon and the Shulamite chose to share their most intimate love was seen by Saul as nothing more than a toilet.

EYES TO SEE

In the Song of Solomon chapter 5, the Shulamite speaks to her friends and says:

Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you — if you find my beloved, what will you tell him? Tell him I am faint with love. (Song 5:8)

To which the Daughters of Jerusalem reply:

How is your beloved better than others, most beautiful of women? How is your beloved better than others, that you so charge us? (Song 5:9)

The words "most beautiful of women" is used by the Daughters of Jerusalem as an insult. It is like saying "you think you are so much better (beautiful) than us."

The Daughters of Jerusalem represent believers who are distinct from the Bride. They believe but have no eyes to see the deeper revelation of the qualities which the Bride sees in her Bridegroom.

Often I hear from people who say they have few people they can share their heart and thoughts with concerning the Bridal Revelation. When they try to speak to their friends about the things that mean so much to them, they are often misunderstood or even mocked. David's encounter with Saul in the Lovers Cave should teach us that not everyone is going to see the things we see or value the things we value. As the Bride, we must seek to cultivate a heart of humility toward those who unwittingly defile the things which are most precious to us. It grieved David that he so much as cut a corner from the robe of Saul. And so we should ask for grace to bear the reproach of being misunderstood.

Three Prophetic Signs

This month I want to point to some important events that all seem to speak to the fact that we are drawing closer to the coming of our Bridegroom. One way God speaks to mankind is through significant events of nature. He gives us signs in the heavens and on earth and we must seek to understand the meaning of those events by decoding the information that God has encoded into the event. Recently three such events caught my attention.

The Extreme Super Moon

On March 19, the moon will draw more closely to the earth than it has in the past 18 years. Astronomers refer to such close encounters with the moon as a "super moon." This particular super-moon will be even more super than ever because it will swing around the earth precisely as it becomes a full moon. Therefore, astronomers are calling this rare upcoming phenomena an "extreme super moon." Some sky watchers believe the lunar effect could inflict massive damage on the Earth. Some are already blaming the earthquake in Japan on the powerful influence of the moon as it comes close to our planet. It will reach its perigee (the closest point to the earth during its orbit) on March 19 - coinciding with the Feast of Purim (Feast of Esther.)

The moon is a representation of the Bride of Messiah. In the Song of Solomon 6:10 she is called "fair as the moon." The book of Esther is a parable that reveals the nature and destiny of the End-Time Bride. Esther is a bride with two names - one Jewish and one Gentile. The Bride of Jesus is comprised of both believing Jews and Gentiles. She is chosen to replace Vashti (who represents the compromised Church.) After Vashti refused to prepare herself and display her beauty before the King's court - the King elevated Esther to her place and throne. The whole story of Esther is about the Last Days. Haman represents the Antichrist, seeking to destroy the Jews one last time. Esther is the Bride of Jesus who is taken out of the world, to serve as a "face-to-face" intercessor for the Jews as they, along with the Church, go through the Great Tribulation (called the "time of Jacob's trouble.)Could the extreme super moon appearing precisely on the Feast of Esther point to the emergence of the Bride of Jesus in these Last Days and the profound effect she will have upon the world?

Elenin

A second sign that is about to be displayed in the heavens is the close encounter of the comet named, Elenin. This comet was discovered by Leonid (Lion of Strength) Elenin of Moscow, Russia on December 10, 2010. "El" is a Hebrew name for God and "enin" means "hear our prayers" in ancient Aramaic. So, the full name of the comet interpreted is: "Lion of Strength, God, hear our prayers"

Elenin should become bright enough to be seen by hobbyist astronomers in the North American region in September and October. What is most interesting about this Comet is that it makes its closest swing past the earth on yet another Jewish feast day - the Feast of Trumpets. For those of you who have read my book, Becoming the Beloved, you know that the Feast of Trumpets marks the approximate timing of the Rapture of the Bride.

Sendai

Perhaps the most interesting of these three signs is found - not in the heavens - but on earth. In February of 2011, the first major earthquake struck Christ Church, New Zealand. New Zealand is literally the "uttermost part of the earth" since you can travel no farther away in distance from Jerusalem than New Zealand. Was God speaking through this natural event? I find it interesting that the epicenter was in Christ Church since the Bible says that "judgment must begin at the house of God." (1 Peter 4:17)

The second major earthquake came just days ago when a 9.0 quake struck Sendai, Japan. The meaning of "Sendai" is "the evening of the seventh." You will recall that when God created the heavens and earth he declared that the "evening and the morning" comprised the day. Still today, Jews count the beginning of the day at sunset - not sunrise. So, could God be speaking through this natural event to tell us that we are transitioning from the 6th (final) day of human history into the 7th (the Messianic Age?) The eschatology of many Jewish scholars points to the belief that the world is, indeed, standing at the threshold of the end.

Arise, Bride of Messiah!

In my previous blog, I said that 2011 would prove to be a year filled with signs in the heavens and the earth and these are but a few examples of what is to come. But, the signs themselves are not what is most important. What is most important is what we do in light of what God is saying. It is time for the Bride of Jesus to arise to her royal calling "for such a time as this" (Esther 4:13.)

The Royal Wedding

A PRINCE AND A PRINCESS

All over the world, people are expectantly awaiting the royal marriage of Prince William and his fiance', Kate Middleton. Thirty years ago Prince William's, mother, Diana married Prince Charles in a spectacular royal wedding that captured the attention of the whole world. Sadly, the beauty and pomp of that wedding was a prelude to a marriage filled with pain, divorce, and tragedy.

DAVID'S VISION OF A ROYAL WEDDING

In Psalm 45, King David is given a magnificent vision of the ultimate "royal wedding" of Jesus and His Bride. He can hardly contain himself as he attempts to describe what God allowed him to see. It is a ceremony that far exceeds the glory of anything on earth. I recently read where the upcoming wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton will be broadcast to the whole world using 3D technology. Good try - but nothing can compare to the higher dimension of pomp and glory that David was allowed to see. It was a union brimming with romance, crowned with majesty, and the fulfillment of the greatest desire of God's heart. Unlike Princess Diana's marriage which quickly tarnished, the marriage of the Bride will endure forever. And the glory of the marriage itself, will far eclipse that of the ceremony.

A PREFACE TO THE SONG OF SONGS

Psalm 45 is actually a beautiful preface and serves as an introduction to the Song of Songs. Although it provides us a Messianic vision of the marriage of the Lamb, it was also a vision of the wedding of Solomon to the Shulamite maiden. David even dedicated the psalm to his future daughter-in-law. The superscription to the psalm reads "To the Shoshannim" which is the Hebrew word for "lily." In the second chapter of the Song of Songs, the Shulamite refers to herself by this very name when she says:

I am a rose of Sharon, A lily (Shoshannim) of the valleys. (SoS 2:1)


DAVID'S VISION OF THE BRIDEGROOM

You are the most excellent of men...Gird your sword on your side, you mighty one; clothe yourself with splendor and majesty.In your majesty ride forth victoriously...let the nations fall beneath your feet...Your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy. All your robes are fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia; (excerpts from Psalm 45)

By reading David's vision in Psalm 45, we are given a description of the Bridegroom as he steps forth to take the hand of his Bride. He is called the "most excellent of men." His battle sword is girded to his thigh and He is dressed in His full military regalia. It was the custom in ancient Jewish weddings that the Bridegroom and all the men in his wedding party carry their swords in the wedding procession. This looks forward to the time when every enemy will be vanquished and the nations are laid low beneath Messiah's feet. The wedding garments of King Jesus will be drenched in myrrh, aloes, and cassia. Myrrh and aloes were brought by Nicodemus (John 19:39)to be used as embalming spices upon the body of Jesus. Cassia is one of the ingredients of the holy anointing oil used in the Temple. Symbolically, these oils together represent the priestly and eternal work of the Cross. In the age to come, our Bridegroom will wear the fragrance of His everlasting love - the scent of the Cross - and it is called the "oil of joy."

"for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)

The "joy" that is His reward for going to the Cross - is His Bride!

DAVID'S VISION OF THE BRIDE

David's vision reveals that the Bridegroom could have chosen His bride from a host of the daughters Jerusalem.

"Daughters of kings are among your honored women"(Psalm 45:9)


But He chose only one - the Shulamite - to marry:

"...upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir" (same verse).


The gold of Ophir was the most refined and valuable gold available in those days. Gold speaks of the nature of God. The Bride of Jesus has "put on the Lord Jesus Christ." She is adorned with His very nature. Her garment is interwoven with threads of gold indicating a weaving process. Our lives are not cut from a single bolt of material. Life is not about the "big things" that happen to us. Our lives are woven by daily experiences - each one affording us the opportunity to be transformed into the image of Christ.

In embroidered garments she is led to the king; her virgin companions follow her.(Psalm 45:14)

This beautiful Queen arrives in a procession of countless maidens. The horizon is filled with her entourage with the Bride herself leading the procession. At last, the Shulamite takes her place at the King's right hand. (45:9) The whole kingdom rejoices as the royal couple enters the king's palace joined arm in arm. (45:14-15)

ARE YOU PREPARING?

This wedding is the climactic moment of all Creation. It is the singular event in which the purposes of God reach their fulfillment. Every believer who has heard the call (45:10) to prepare themselves (Rev. 19:7) for this event will be there. All those who long for His appearing with great joy and expectancy will be there. These are the wise maidens of Jesus' parable (Matthew 25) who prepare themselves for the wedding event. The foolish maidens are those who assume they are the Bride but fail to fill their lamps (hearts) with sufficient oil. While most believers are content merely to escape hell, the Bride remains discontent until she united with the Lover of her soul.

DOVE MIGRATION IN ISRAEL

In the parable of the Wise and Foolish Maidens, both groups of maidens possessed oil. Only the wise had extra - or (literally) double oil. Since the Bride is often referred to by Solomon as his "dove," I researched the doves of Israel and discovered an amazing fact. When it comes time for their flight of migration (Rapture) they do certain thing to prepare themselves for the journey. One of the things they do is to literally double their food intake. This stores extra fat (OIL) beneath their wings which they can convert into energy when taking flight. Beloved, nature itself teaches us what it means to have "extra oil." While much of the Church remains disinterested in the idea of the imminent return of Jesus, those who comprise the Bridal company are being drawn into the secret place of prayer - to feast on the love of their Bridegroom and store up the oil that intimate relationship affords. When the day of our "migration" from this world to the next arrives - we will have "made ourselves ready."

2010: The End-Time Bride Matures

In case you were wondering when the world would end - it is official now. The exact date is October 21, 2011 - at least according to a certain group of believers who are bringing their message to the world via billboards and other forms of media. But wait - I thought the Mayan calendar predicts the demise of the earth on December 21, 2012? And in Australia, there is a religious leader telling his followers to flee to the South Pacific island of Vanuatu to save them from the end of the world.

So, when will it happen? To where should we flee and how can we prepare?

BIRTH PANGS OF MESSIAH

While we often think of the end of the world as a sudden cataclysmic event, the Bible actually describes it as a progressive series of events which grow more intense until everything finally comes crashing down. These escalating events are compared to the human birthing process. The Jews call the time right before the Messiah appears the "days of the chevlei Mashiach" which means the "birth pangs of the Messiah" (Sanhedrin 98a; Ketubot, Bereshit Rabbah 42:4)

In Matthew 24:8 Jesus, Himself described the progressive process of the end of the world in the same way. He called it the "beginning of sorrows." The Greek word for "sorrows" means "birth pangs." They are the first signs that the world is beginning to unravel. They begin as subtle signs that things are not the way they have always been. As I write this, unusual animal deaths are being reported all over the world. Thousands of blackbirds mysteriously fell from the sky in Arkansas. The first reason the experts gave was that they were frightened by fireworks. But then, thousands more fell to earth in Louisiana, Kentucky, and Texas. Then hundreds more crashed to the ground dead in Sweden and over eight hundred crashed to their death in Italy. At the same time, thousands of fish suddenly died and their carcasses clogged a river in Florida while over 100,000 drumfish filled the Arkansas river. Over two million fish suddenly died in Chesapeake Bay and a carpet of snapper fish floated up on a New Zealand beach. Finally in the United Kingdom, 40,000 crabs mysteriously died and drifted to shore. All of these unexplainable events happened within the span of a few days. Does God have our attention yet?

SIGNS IN THE HEAVENS

In my book, Becoming the Beloved, I write about Pastor Mark Biltz and his discovery of upcoming cosmic phenomena of "blood moons" occurring in 2014 and 2015. What makes these blood moons unique is that they form what is called a "tetrad." A tetrad is when four consecutive lunar eclipses all happen to be total eclipses, Tetrads happen rarely but Pastor Biltz noticed something interesting about the upcoming tetrads as well as tetrads of the past.

* The first Tetrad on record happened in 1493-1494 during the Jewish Dispersion when Jews were being driven from nation to nation and scattered across the whole world.

* The second Tetrad happened in 1949-1950 during which Israel was becoming a Nation again.

* The third Tetrad came in 1967-1968 and marked the 6th Day War when Israel gained control of Jerusalem after almost 2,000 years of Gentile occupation.

* Now, the fourth Tetrad of 2014-2015 is upon us. What will it's appearing portend?

The greatest sign that we are now living at the edge of the end of the age, is the fact that Israel once again exists as a sovereign nation, as foretold by her prophets (Jer.30:1-3.) Never before in history has a nation been dismantled and scattered to the four corners of the earth only to be re-gathered and reconstituted again. These signs in the heavens are pointing the eyes of the world toward Israel as the door to the Gentiles is closing and the door of His favor is returning to her.

ISHMAEL ARISING

The 9th century Rabbi Eliezer prophesied that just before the coming of Messiah, the spirit of "Ishmael" would arise in power to terrorize the whole world. (see Pirkei d'Rabbi Eliezer.) According to the Jewish commentary called the Yalkut, right before Messiah comes, the king of Persia (modern day Iran) will possess a weapon with which he will terrorize the whole world. Does this sound familiar? Iran's current President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, is obsessed on developing nuclear weapons and the whole world holds it's collective breath in horror at the possibility that he will reach his goal. Also, according to Jewish religious lore, an evil Messiah called by the mystery name, Armilus, will appear to save the day by diffusing the terror of Ishmael. He does so by negotiating a a peace treaty for the Middle East. Armilus is clearly a reference to who we, as followers of Jesus, call the Antichrist. This false peace will not hold together, however. The Bible declares that "...when they shall say, "peace and safety" then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman and they will not escape (1 Thess. 5:3.) The peace treaty of Antichrist will signal the end of the period called the "birth pangs of Messiah" and will set the clock for the countdown of the final seven years of the earth.

SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED?

Personally I don't believe the world will end on October 21, 2011 or on December 21, 2012 because I think the Bible clearly teaches that Jesus will comes for His Bride right before or just as the Tribulation is beginning. He will keep His promise to spare his Beloved from "the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth" (Rev.3:10). Ironically, however, this kind of date setting and end-of-the-world prognostication is itself a sign that we are living in the Last Days! Jesus warned of false prophets arising in the end to deceive many people.

Matthew 24:11 And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

HOW CAN WE KNOW?

With all of these events swirling around us, how can we forge a reliable path toward the future and what is to come without fear and dread? Where is a sure prophetic word we can rely upon?

When the Bridal Revelation first came to me in 2002 it was a revelation of how we could experience true intimacy and affection with Christ in the place of prayer. Later, the revelation grew to include an understanding of the Bride's unique place in the events of the Last Days. Now, I am coming to see that the next phase in the Bride's maturity is an understanding that she is called to become a clear and sure prophetic voice for the days ahead. Indeed, it is the Spirit and the Bride who say "Come" (Rev 22:17.)

LOOKING AHEAD

In this, my final offering for 2010, I want to share with you some of what I am sensing prophetically for the coming year and beyond.

1) Global Fear

Beginning now and extending all the way through 2012 great fear that the end of the world is upon us will spread around the world. Amazingly, much of the Church will be caught up in the panic right along with unbelievers. When the various dates which have been set for the end to occur come and go without incident, the fear and panic people felt will largely give way to a spirit of scoffing and mockery. After that, no one will dare speak of the "end of the world" for fear of being laughed to scorn. In other words, the world will settle into a false sense of security while in reality, the end of the world is indeed growing ominously nearer as the "birth pangs" intensify. The only way we can prepare for something as cataclysmic as the end of the world is to prepare our hearts before God. Jesus is not returning for a Bride who is hunkered down in a cave eating army rations and overcome with fear like everyone else. His Bride will face the future with joyful expectancy and confidence! Remember Jesus said that "when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." (Luke 21:28) Do fish dying and birds crashing to earth spark fear and panic in your heart? It shouldn't. These birth pangs are simply signs that our wedding day is near! In the days to come, the Bride will be distinguished from the Church by her mood of calm in the face of global panic.

2) Signs in heavens and earth

There will be an increase in unusual signs on earth and in the heavens too. On earth, earthquakes and other natural disasters will increase greatly. This is to be expected. Earthquakes, heat waves, floods, volcanoes, typhoons, snow blizzards, mudslides and droughts killed at least a quarter of a million people this year alone making 2010 one of the deadliest years ever. But remember, these are birth pangs which steadily intensify so look for more death and destruction around the globe from natural disasters in 2011 and beyond. However, I believe we will also witness an increase in unusual signs in nature such as the mass deaths of the birds and fish we are seeing right now.

In the heavens, look for unusual "wonders" in the form of strange cloud formations over cities and fireballs streaking through night skies taking astronomers by surprise and leaving them without explanations. Strange lights may also appear over cities adding to the fear of an apocalypse.

3) Judgment in the Church

As the judgment of the earth grows near, we must brace ourselves because for God's judgment to be righteous it must begin at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17.) A purification process has already begun in the Church. 2010 saw many things exposed in the Body of Christ but even more will be exposed this year and every year to follow. I have a sense that a wave of exposure will be coming soon specifically to prophetic and apostolic ministries. The Bible says the church is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets. God will shake the Church to her foundations in the months to come. Meanwhile, the Bride who is hidden within the church will become more devoted to a holy lifestyle of communing prayer, intimate worship, and moral purity. She is the pearl of great price being secretly formed inside of the unclean oyster (church.)

4) Growth of the Bridal Revelation

2011 will witness the beginning of an expansion of the Bridal Revelation. Some will seize upon the revelation as just another "teaching" or platform for their ministry - but others will carry the message with pure hands and purer hearts. Pray to have discernment.

5) Emergence of a more sure prophetic word through the Bride of Christ.

In 2011, a more accurate prophetic voice will begin to emerge from those who comprise the Bridal Company. As confidence in the former prophetic ministries is shaken by scandal, the Bride's voice will begin to be more clearly discerned as she speaks with humility, boldness, and razor-sharp accuracy. The Bride in the Song of Solomon hailed from the village of Shunem which was located in the region of land allocated to the prophetic tribe of Issachar. Issachar had an understanding of the "times and seasons" and "knew what God's people should do." (1 Chronicles 12:32) The Lord has shown me that growth in the prophetic gift is the next phase in the Bride's preparation as she continues to mature. She will understand the timing of what God is doing and will be able to offer guidance and confidence to those who hear her above the voices of fear.

Is God A Good Kisser?

I am aware that the very question will offend some people. But according to the main character of the Song of Songs, God is indeed a good kisser! She says:

Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine. (Song of Solomon 1:2KJV)

Of course she was speaking of King Solomon's romantic prowess; but long ago both Jewish and Christian scholars alike came to understand that the Song of Songs is much more than a mere love poem. It is a deeply spiritual and prophetic allegory in which the passionate affections of Messiah for His bride are revealed. Viewed through this lens, the Song displays a side of God's love not often considered - His romantic side!

As an allegory, Jesus Christ is represented in the character of King Solomon. His love interest, called the “Shulamite,” represents the spiritual Bride of Christ. With this in mind, it stands to reason that the “kisses” of Solomon represent the spiritual affections of Jesus which belong to those brave souls who dare to desire them for their own. Sadly, I’m afraid, the vast majority of Christendom knows little or nothing of this "kissy-feely" side of God and in fact often rejects it. But I've discovered that it is true!

Our Song
Most couples in love can identify with a certain love song. When they hear it played it instantly evokes their feelings of love for each other. It becomes “their song.” I believe that is exactly what the Song of Songs is meant to be to every believer. When read and contemplated, it can evoke deep emotional longings in our heart for God. Unfortunately, however, the Song has long been neglected by much of the church because it seems oddly out of place in the Bible. With its sizzling (albeit metaphoric) depictions of Solomon and his bride’s lovemaking, it does seem a bit difficult to understand what God had in mind when He tucked the little book of eight chapters in among the other Scriptures. In fact, the book was almost excluded from the Jewish canon of Scripture precisely because of its blushingly erotic tenor.

Today, a renewed interest in the Song of Songs is presently sweeping through the Church. As one would expect, while many are re-discovering the forgotten romantic side of God within its verses, there are others who are aghast that believers would even dare to think of Christ as a passionate lover. But it begs the question - if the Bible presents Jesus as our Bridegroom, should we not be willing to accept Him in that role? And what bridegroom and bride do not seek to delight themselves with passionate kisses? Indeed, a bridegroom who possessed no interest in consummating his love with his bride would be deemed dysfunctional would he not? I think our discomfort with the idea of a "romantic Jesus" really reveals our own dysfunction with issues of intimacy.

The Far Distance
When I was a young boy, I was riding my bicycle in front of the house where I lived one evening. The sun had breathed its last and my friends had all made their way home one-by-one in answer to their mother's call to end their play. Once left alone, I laid my bike on its side and stretched myself across the cool, green grass. With my hands clasped behind my head, I gazed up into a cloudless night sky and experienced my first encounter with God. The Hebrew word olam means "in the far distance." This word is often used to describe the concept of eternity or to express the grandeur of the universe. It is meant to convey to man a sense of Divine awe, mystery, and one's connectedness to it all. Looking back, I realize now that what I felt that starry night was my first brush with the mystery and romance of God. It was my first "olam moment" when the "far distance" that separated me from God came very close. I felt inexplicably drawn somewhere and to Someone. I wanted to run as hard and as fast as I could into the arms of the Mystery who was standing behind the night sky of His Creation. But as suddenly as my "olam moment" appeared it slipped away again as my own mother's voice called me inside.

Fast Forward
Almost five decades later I found myself at a crossroad. Being in the ministry for almost half of my life had left me spiritually fragile and dangerously brittle. I needed a break and so I removed myself from preaching and teaching for a full year in order to seek the Lord for a renewal of my soul. It was during that time that I experienced another "olam moment." This time it came as I began to read the Song of Songs. As I read each verse, the sense of mystery I had felt that night so long ago came within my reach. The unknowable was making Himself known. This was the call to divine romance my heart had always yearned for. And this time I knew to Whom I needed to run. I think all of us have our own "olam moments" throughout our lives. These are moments when God draws unexpectedly and intimately close and beckons us to run away with Him. In the Song, the bridegroom comes to his bride and entices her with these words:

My lover spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves." (Song of Songs 2:10-12 NIV)

Nothing speaks romance like the cooing of doves! In the same way God called Abram to leave everything and everyone he knew in order to find his destiny in God, there is a season in our own journey with God when He comes to each one of us and calls us away from the safety of what is known to run away with Him. The word "arise" is a unique Hebrew word. It is the word quwm
and it was the specific word used by the High Priest when he commanded the Levites to take the Ark upon their shoulders to move it along their journey. The word was also used as a supplication for the Lord to return to the Ark as His place of rest. In Psalm 132:8 we read the command:

Arise (quwm), O LORD, to Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength.

The Ark of the Covenant is a type of the Bride of Jesus. She is the place where the weight of His glory rests. The word for glory in Hebrew is kabod and it means “to feel the weight.” A wife can know her husband’s presence in many ways, but only when they make love does she feel the “weight” of his presence upon her. It is not widely known, but Jews around the world incorporate lovemaking into their celebration of the Sabbath because lovemaking is considered the ultimate expression of God’s rest. When Solomon spoke to his bride, he was beckoning her to come and become his place of intimate rest. The same invitation is ours today if we will arise and answer the call of this Divine romance.

The Theology of Romance
C. S. Lewis wrote: "A romantic theologian does not mean one who is romantic about theology, but one who is "theological about romance." Today, Christian believers all over the world are awakening to a "theology of romance." It is no longer enough to dutifully "believe in beliefs." The passionless, emotionless, orderly type of Christianity the world has witnessed in the past is being replaced by the Gospel set on fire with the untamed flame of divine romance! Believers around the world are coming alive to the revelation that God not only loves them - He is IN love with them! Men and women alike are discovering their identity beyond being merely a "sinner saved by grace." They are arising to the realization that they are God's beloved - His chosen Bride.

Amongst the seemingly dry theology of the Bible from beginning to end lies a consistent theme of burning passion and breathtaking romance! God is not only a God of compassion. He is also a God of passion. In addition to the Song of Songs, the love stories of Isaac and Rebecca, Ruth and Boaz, Esther and the King are but a few of the stories brimming with romance which serve to reveal the deepest longings of God's own heart to possess a Bride. We should remember that mankind's story does not begin with Adam's fall from grace. That part of the narrative is preceded by a happier story - the story of a wedding. In fact it was the first "garden wedding" and it took place in Eden. The Father formed a beautiful bride for His son, Adam. The final book of the Bible portrays a similar event called the Marriage of the Lamb. All of human history will reach a breathtaking climactic moment when the Father will present His Son, Jesus with His own beautiful Bride. Yes, the world began with romance and it will end with romance!

A Generation of Lovers
I believe that from among our generation God is calling for His Bride to "arise" and run away with Him. We have entered into that special period of time the Song calls the "season of the cooing of the doves" in which God's romantic nature is finally being revealed in all it's glorious passion just when we need it the most. As the deep spiritual darkness spoken of by the prophet Isaiah (60:2) threatens to overshadow our world from every direction, the most blazing demonstration of God's love is beginning to burst onto the scene. The Song calls this final revelation of God's love the "most vehement flame" (Song 8:6.) Indeed, God has saved the best for last!

Is Jesus At The Door?

Mark 13 29 Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door.

This past Sunday a member of our church in Texas commented that he had a real sense of urgency that Jesus was standing right at the door ready to return. He was describing the expectancy that he felt in his heart for the Lord's return. I think many of God's people are sensing the same thing this year.

The truth is, at this time of the year - every year - Jesus IS right at the door! Whenever the Feast of Trumpets approaches, the possibility that Jesus will return for His Bride and the Feast will be fulfilled becomes very real.

THE FEAST OF TRUMPETS AND THE NEW MOON

In my book, Becoming the Beloved, I lay out the various reasons why the Feast of Trumpets signals the time when the Bride of Christ will experience her Rapture into heaven. In my previous post I talked about how the ancient Jews could not begin to celebrate the Feast of Trumpets until the new moon was sighted and confirmed by two eye-witnesses. Two Jewish priests were assigned to the task by the leader of the Sanhedrin who was affectionately called the Av Beit Din or the "father" of the house. Once the priests reported the arrival of the new moon to the Av Beit Din then only the "father" knew the "secret" of when he would give the order to blow the trumpet so that the Feast of Trumpets could commence.

THE EASTERN GATE OF JERUSALEM

The Eastern Gate of the Temple is of special interest at this time of year because the Bible states that Messiah will enter the Temple through the Eastern Gate at the time of the new moon. When God’s glory left the Temple during the days of Ezekiel, it departed by way of the Eastern Gate (see Ezek. 10:19, 11:23). His glory returned on the day when Jesus walked into the Temple as the Messiah, fulfilling the word of the prophet Malachi: “...the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple...” (Mal. 3:1)

However, the glory departed once again when Israel rejected Jesus as their Messiah and the Gate was shut once more. Ezekiel spoke of this when he said:

Then He brought me back by the way of the outer gate of the sanctuary, which faces the east; and it was shut. The LORD said to me, “This gate shall be shut; it shall not be opened, and no one shall enter by it, for the LORD God of Israel has entered by it; therefore it shall be shut” (44:1,2; see also 46:12).

Since the days of Jesus the Eastern Gate has been shut by virtue of the fact that the Temple and the gate were destroyed in 70AD.

NO TEMPLE - NO GATE

Ezek 46:1 "Thus says the Lord GOD: The gate of the inner court that faces east shall be shut on the six working days; but on the sabbath day it shall be opened and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened.

When the Temple of the Jews was still in existence, there were two times when the Eastern Gate was to be opened. It was opened every Sabbath and every new moon (Feast of Trumpets.) The Jews call the Sabbath a "she" and every Sabbath day is referred to as the "welcoming of the bride." In fact everything about the Sabbath and the Sabbath meal speaks of the bride of Christ. The Sabbath bread, for example, is called the "challah " which means "the bride's meal." It is made by twisting two loaves of bread together to form what is called "the lover's embrace." Beloved, every Sabbath is a dress rehearsal of the Marriage Supper of the Lamb!

The Eastern Gate was also opened every Feast of Trumpets as a sign that Jerusalem was prepared and ready to welcome and receive the return of her Messiah.

Presently, there is no Temple and therefore there is no Eastern Gate - at least on earth.

But the physical Temple on earth was a mere shadow of the real Temple which exists in the heavenlies. That Temple still stands! And every Feast of Trumpets the Eastern Gate of that Temple is opened creating the possibility that Jesus will return!

1 TISHRI

The Days of Elul (the days of the Bride's preparation) are now winding to a close. Soon the Feast of Trumpets will arrive. This year the Feast begins on September 8. However, only the Father really knows the exact day the Feast will begin. And only the Father knows if this Feast of Trumpets will be THE Feast day when Jesus steps over the threshold of heaven and returns for His Bride. Rest assured, however, that in a few days the Eastern Gate in heaven will open and Jesus will be near - even at the door! Will this be the year and will this be the Feast of Trumpets when our Bridegroom comes? I encourage you to spend the next week watching and praying along with Rebecca and I as we say "Come, Lord Jesus!"

Toward a More Sure Prophetic Word

I have prayed and pondered long and hard before posting this message because I know it will prove controversial and invite criticism. However, we are living at a time like no other and certain things must be addressed.

In Matthew 24, when Jesus' disciples asked for a sign which would clearly indicate that they were living in the Last Days, one of the signs He told them to look for was the rise of false prophets and false prophecy within their circle of fellowship.

Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"
[Jesus answered] ...many false prophets shall arise, and shall lead many astray" (Matthew 24:3,11 NIV)

Prophecy is a powerful gift of the Holy Spirit. I have personally seen how it can instantly bring comfort, healing, or liberation when it is accurate and ministered through a person of humility and integrity. Unfortunately, I have also witnessed how damaging the gift can be when it is ministered through someone who is more in tune with their own perceived giftedness in ministry or their position as a prophet than they are with the heartbeat of God.

A Personal Experience

Not long ago I was in a large, exciting meeting in Dallas where a man esteemed to be a prophet with a national and international following introduced the main speaker and welcomed him to the city. In doing so, he called the man to the platform and then prophesied and declared wonderful things pertaining to him and his ministry. He gave specifics concerning how many cities this man would travel to and how, when he reached the final city on this tour, revival would fall in America. Not only did these things not come to pass, but within a mere few weeks, the man's life and ministry began to unravel when it was revealed that he had been involved in adultery which soon led to his divorce. Afterward, he married his former mistress. What an unholy mess it was. But even more disturbing was the fact that the "prophet" and his "prophecy" were never questioned afterward. There was no explanation, apology, humility, or accountability. He was simply off to the next conference to deliver more prophetic words with his faithful band of followers in tow.

Consider this:

“And if you say in your heart, 'How shall we know the word which the LORD has not spoken?--when a prophet speaks in the name of the LORD, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him” Deuteronomy 18:21-22

I am not saying that those who claim the position of prophet or those who prophesy should be instantly mistrusted or held to an impossible standard of perfection. The gift of prophesy - at it's very best - is like looking through a foggy window where we only see a part of the whole picture. (Read 1 Cor. 13:12) In the Old Testament, prophets were killed if what they said did not come to pass. But we should also consider that when Jonah's stern denunciation of Ninevah failed - that did not mean he was a false prophet. It meant that God had chosen to show mercy to the city because of their change of heart. Grace dictates that a softer approach should be granted prophets in our midst today. Being human, they might speak presumptuously at times. If they acknowledge their error with a spirit of humility there is room for growth in character. As a pastor, I know there are things I taught at one time that I would never teach again because I have grown in revelation. Shouldn't prophets be given that same grace to grow in wisdom and stature? I think so.

But what of those prophets who speak presumptuously or predict things that never come to pass and never address their error?

As I write this I am reminded of another well known American prophet who went out on a limb and prophesied that John McCain would win the last election. Not only was he wrong about that, but he has left a trail littered with false prophesies posted on the internet. Yet, his ministry thrives and none of his ardent supporters ever ask for any accountability regarding his words.

The Need For A More Sure Word of Prophecy

Beloved, it is dangerous to disregard the warning of Jesus that false prophets would arise in the Last Days. We should lovingly begin to put prophecy to the test because in the days to come we will need to know how to recognize authentic prophecy as well as God's true prophets so that we can navigate the turbulent times that are ahead.

I believe that one of the hallmarks of the emerging Bride of Christ will be that she will be able to offer a more sure and trustworthy word of prophecy. The woman, Abishag, (1 Kings 1) is an Old Testament type of the Bride of Jesus. She was called the Shunnemite because she hailed from the village of Shunem which was given to the tribe of Issachar. Issachar was a prophetic tribe and several important things concerning this tribe help us understand how to recognize authentic prophets and prophetic ministry.

Where True Prophets Pitch Their Tent

First, Issachar camped in a cluster along with Judah and Zabulon east of the Tabernacle entrance. In other words, they dwelt closer to the entrance of the Tabernacle than the other tribes. The first criteria of a sure prophetic voice is that their priority is not found in ministry but in living close to God. A trustworthy prophet "camps" with Judah (praise) and Zabulon (God has gifted me). In other words, their gifting thrives in the environment of their personal relationship with God.

Regarding Judah - the next time you attend a meeting where a prophet is ministering watch him or her during the worship portion of the service. Are they fully engaged in worshiping God with everyone else or do they make a last minute appearance right before they are to be introduced? Are they on their feet actively engaged in loving God through abandoned worship or are they busy looking over their notes?

In regard to Zabulon it is said that they were "willing to lay down their very lives" for the sake of Israel (Judges 5:18). Does the prophet you admire exhibit a sacrificial Christ-like character or do they look more like a celebrity?

Bridging the Two Sheepfolds

When Jacob blessed Issachar he said that he would be like a burden bearing animal, laying down between two sheepfolds. (Genesis 49:14-15) The second criteria of a sure prophetic voice is that he or she possesses a true desire to serve and not be served. They carry the "burden" of the Lord in intercession. The two sheepfolds represent both Israel and the Church. It is troubling, that many of the well-known prophetic ministries today are immersed in Replacement and/or Dominion Theology which teaches that the Church has effectively taken the place of and become "spiritual Israel." They fail to see that Israel and the Jews still have a specific calling and destiny with God and that the Church must build a bridge to Israel in the Last Days. It is not possible to outline here the error of Replacement and Dominion theology, but every Christian should educate themselves in this regard.

The Gifting

Finally, it was also said of the men of Issachar that they " understood the times and knew what Israel should do." (1 Chronicles 12:32) In other words, they were gifted with the ability to discern the signs of the times and give accurate, reliable direction to God's people. I believe, the Bride of Christ is being raised up today to become, among other things, a sure prophetic voice for these prophetic times.

A New Breed of Prophets

I do not consider myself a prophet. Only occasionally does that gift operate in my life. But a year before hurricane, Katrina made landfall in New Orleans, God spoke to me and another member of the Leadership Team at our church about what was going to happen and how it would be God's judgment on New Orleans for the "multitude of her sorceries." While I saw a vision of the overwhelming magnitude of the devastation, the other member of our team was given a dream about how the survivors in Louisiana would be so great that many of them would have to be relocated to Texas. She saw them being brought on trains, buses, and in cars and housed in churches and community buildings. Because, this was new to us, we wrote everything down, dated it, sealed it up in an envelope, and mailed it to ourselves. Then I shared the vision and dream with our church a full year before it happened. At the time, the magnitude of the vision and dream seem improbable. But a year later, in August of 2005, I was in the home of a friend in New Zealand where I had been teaching at a conference when my wife called and alerted me to the news of the developing storm. We turned on the television and I shared with my friend what was about to happen. We literally sat in front of the television and watched what we had seen a year before come to pass before our eyes. Even though I was out of the country, my wife was able to take the sealed envelope, open it before our church and read and remind them that God had already told us the future before it happened. It was an experience that both humbled and excited us.

Since then, God has continued to share a few things with us pertaining to the future. However, He has not released us to do anything with it - other than to grow and become more confident in how to hear God's sure voice. We feel that this gift is in a stage of development. I am sharing this story to say that I believe that the revelation of the Bride of Christ is also giving birth to a new, more accurate prophetic gift to the Body of Christ. I believe a new breed of prophets is being developed right now and I am interested in hearing from any of you who might confirm what I have shared in this blog entry. Enter your post here or email me your thoughts today at mark@shulamiteministries.org

Pray, Beloved! Pray

By now it is likely you have seen the night-vision images of Israeli commandos rappelling from helicopters onto a ship carrying what they described as humanitarian supplies to Gaza early Monday morning. The Israelis expected only minimal resistance from the pro-Palestinian activists on board but soon found they had underestimated the threat. Immediately the commandos were set upon with iron pipes, knives, pepper spray and other weapons. One of the Israelis was even beaten and thrown over-board. It was an unexpected reaction from self-described "peace activists." The confrontation ended with nine activists killed and many more wounded including seven Israeli soldiers.

Immediately a flurry of countries trampled over each other in their effort to condemn the actions of the Israelis and label them the "aggressors" even though video clearly shows they were surrounded and unmercifully attacked as they reached the deck of the ship. Before the confrontation, the Israeli officials repeatedly offered to allow the vessel to unload their cargo in the port of Ashdod to be shipped overland to the Gaza Strip. This would allow the Israelis to inspect the shipment for weapons. The "love boat" refused those offers making it appear that the whole spectacle was designed to provoke Israel into a possible war.
What resulted was a widespread international calls for Israel to abandon its embargo of Gaza and a mass condemnation of Israel. What many people do not understand is that Israel has always allowed food, medicine, fuel and other necessary staples to be shipped into Gaza. The only items that are restricted are those that can be used to construct weaponry. Because of the embargo, Hamas has had to smuggle arms through the Egyptian border and would love for the embargo to end.

A NUDGE TO WAR

As I write, a second flotilla is headed for the Gaza blockade in an effort to nudge Israel to war. The serious nature of this kind of provocation can not be emphasized enough. Within hours the world could literally be choosing sides for or against Israel in a military conflict. On Monday, Egypt reacted to the news event by opening its border with Gaza to allow supplies to flow unhindered and unchecked. That means weapons are now flowing freely into the hands of terrorist on the Gaza Strip.

ISRAEL: GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN GUILTY

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pointed out that, since this incident, Hamas is now smuggling thousands of Iranian rockets, missiles and other weapons into Gaza. Many of them have the capabilities of reaching deep into Israel - including all the way to Jerusalem.

"This wasn't a love boat", he said, " this was a hate boat.....[and] I regret to say that for many in the international community no evidence is needed. Israel is guilty until proven guilty."

WHERE ARE ISRAEL'S FRIENDS?

Sadly, Israel waits to hear voices of solid support from her few friends in the world including the United States. Instead, they hear only carefully parsed words from cowardly politicians. In March, North Korea sank a South Korean boat killing over 40 people. It was a clear act of unprovoked aggression. Did the world react with shouts of denunciation? No. Just barely a whisper could be heard.
But when Israel defends herself against avowed terrorists the whole world turns on her. Why this extreme hatred for the Jews? It can only be understood as being something more than anti-Semitism. The hatred of the world against the Jews is nothing less than satanic in nature. It is a spiritual hatred fomented by ancient evil. In Iran, a Hitler-esque dictator calls for the mass genocide of the Jews and no one blinks an eye! Is he isolated by the nations of the world for calling for the destruction of Israel? No. He is invited to stand before them at the United Nations and make his case! He denies the holocaust of Hitler while plotting his own annihilation of the Jews!

ISRAEL NEEDS YOU

This "peace boat" incident has served to expose the world-wide hatred that exists against Israel. It was there all along, but now it has been flushed out of it's dark hole.

As Christians, living in these Last Days, we must understand that we are walking a close parallel path with the Jews which is destined to intersect. It will happen when they say "Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord!" A great spiritual awakening awaits the Jews and has already begun. They are the recipients of the last harvest cycle of the earth - called the "gleanings." In 1990 less than 2,000 Jews living in Israel proclaimed faith in Yeshua. Today, over 15,000 do so and that number is growing daily especially among the young people! Now, is a crucial time for the Jews. As war is threatening to break out, they need a break-through! They need our prayers, our financial aid, and our uncompromised friendship.

THE NEXT 72 HOURS

We must not underestimate the importance of the events unfolding in the news. Forces are trying to bait Israel into all out war. Her enemies have seen the initial reaction of this recent event and now they know that it is possible to galvanize the world against Israel. Jerusalem is becoming a "cup of trembling" for all nations. If our nation, the United States, decides to align with Israel's enemies she runs the risk of coming under God's judgment. I believe that within the next 72 hours we will either find ourselves involved in a Middle East conflict or a war will be diverted by God's mercy. Prayer is our only hope. So, pray Beloved! Pray!

The End Of The World

God is speaking; but are we listening?

THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES
Jesus once denounced the religious Pharisees and Sadducees for their ability to accurately predict the next day's weather while remaining dull to the spiritual "signs of the times" happening all around them. MATTHEW 116:1-3

RECENT SIGNS
Jesus characterized the Last Days as a time when natural disasters would increase in both in number and scope. Certainly that is happening today. We are witnessing major shifts of the earth's tectonic plates almost on a weekly basis. Approximately 230,000 people lost their lives in the 7.0 Haitian earthquake this year. It is now listed as one of the top 10 disasters of all time! It was soon followed by an even larger quake (8.8 magnitude) in Chili. That was followed by yet another 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Japan. Prior to these disasters, the Indonesia tsunami which struck the day after Christmas in 1994 also took approximately 230,000 lives. Four years later an earthquake struck China taking 69,000 lives. Besides the loss of human life, the financial disaster and the money and manpower needed for relief efforts that follow such events is staggering. And the Bible predicts that these catastrophes are only the "beginning of sorrows."

MOST RECENTLY
On our recent trip to the United Kingdom, we had to cancel our conference in Ireland because all flights were grounded at Heathrow airport due to an ash cloud that spewed into the atmosphere following a volcanic eruption in Iceland. That one event totally paralyzed travel throughout Europe. The airlines lost billions of dollars in revenue and the overall financial loss to the world economy has yet to be fully felt. Could this also be a "sign of the times?" Consider the words of Joel 2:30:

And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.

GOD SPEAKS PLAINLY
Interestingly, the day after the Obama administration announced a change in America's foreign policy regarding Israel and her right to build settlements in her own land, a British Petroleum oil rig disaster occurred in the Gulf of Mexico which now threatens to potentially become the greatest man-made disaster in American history. A total collapse of the fishing industry along the Gulf shore states is predicted if the oil spill is not abated. While it may sometimes be difficult to discern the prophetic meaning of the events such as I have described, occasionally God speaks in a way that is plain and easy to understand. Such is this latest oil disaster. When the crude oil began to reach the Louisiana coastline, the first place it washed ashore was at Venice, Louisiana. If you look up Venice, Louisiana on Wikipedia you will find the following description:

"Venice is an unincorporated community in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is 75 miles south of New Orleans on the west bank of the Mississippi River... It is the last community down the Mississippi accessible by automobile... This has earned the town the nickname, "The end of the world".

The Mystery of the Fourth Word

The very first words of the Bible contain what Jewish scholars call the "Fourth Word". Below I have shown the verse "In the beginning God created the heavens and earth" written in Hebrew.

בְּרֵאשִׁית, בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים, אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ.

To find the Fourth Word in this sentence, you must count from right to left since the Hebrew language reads in the opposite direction of English.

The fourth word appears as - אֵת

It is formed by two letters "Aleph" and "Tov" which are the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet. This two-letter word is considered a mystery by the Jews because it has no real meaning in the context of the sentence.

Literally the English translation of the Hebrew reads:

In the beginning God (AZ) created the heavens and the earth.

A unique aspect of the Hebrew alphabet is that each letter has a corresponding pictograph similar to Egyptian hieroglyphics. The pictograph for the letter "Aleph" is the image of an ox and it represents strength or leadership. The pictograph for the letter "Tov" is the image of a cross. So, in essence, the mysterious Fourth Word speaks of the "Leader of the Cross".

But, there can be no doubt what the true meaning of the mysterious Fourth Word.
Four times in the book of Revelation Jesus Christ referred to Himself as the "Alpha and Omega" or the "Aleph and Tov!"

God, who declares the end of things from the beginning certainly did so when He inserted the Fourth Word into the very first sentence of the Bible.

"In the beginning God (The Alpha and Omega, Jesus Christ, The Leader of the Cross) created the heavens and the earth."

The Oyster and the Pearl

When Jesus taught in parables, he used imagery and language common to Jewish culture. In Matthew 13:33, for instance, He said the kingdom of heaven was like leaven (yeast) which a woman hid in a lump of dough. I’ve often heard teachers say that the lump of dough represents the world and the leaven represents the Gospel which will ultimately influence and permeate the whole world. From a Jewish perspective, that interpretation is utterly unthinkable! Jews always likened leaven to sin and moral corruption. It was never used to illustrate something good or noble. During the Passover they were commanded to rid the house of every trace of leaven and the bread they ate had to be baked without yeast. Likewise, Jesus warned his disciples against the “leaven of the Pharisees.” The Apostle Paul also likened leaven to moral corruption.(1 Cor.5 and Galatians 5) A loaf of bread was often used as a symbol of fellowship. The shewbread in the Tabernacle, for example, was comprised of 12 loaves arranged together on one table to represent the 12 tribes of Israel in fellowship with one another. What then was Jesus saying when he taught this parable to his disciples? He was telling them that from the very inception of the Church (loaf) the woman (the enemy of the church) has been influencing the people of God to live morally corrupt lives. In the book of Revelation the woman is called Jezebel.(Rev. 2:20) She is accepted in the church. So subtle is her diabolical influence, she is even esteemed as a great, anointed prophetess while she leads God’s people into idolatry and sexual sin. The woman is also called The Mother of Harlots (Rev. 17:5), and The Great Whore (Rev. 19:2). In Ephesians 2:2, the Apostle Paul wrote that the spirit of corruption “operates in the children of disobedience.” So for two thousand years, the woman has been working unseen to influence the Church and lead her into idolatry and sexual sin. Today, adultery - both natural and spiritual - is rampant in the church. Not long ago, a high profile internationally known evangelist began a relationship with his babysitter. That relationship ultimately led him to divorce his wife so that he could marry his mistress. After only a year and a half he has been "restored" to ministry. Yes, Jesus foretold the moral corruption that would overtake His Church!

But that is not the whole story. Jesus told two more parables which actually relate to one another. The first was about a man who found a treasure in a field. Upon finding it, he hid it again and then purchased the field. The treasure would have to wait to be revealed. The Greek word “treasure” is the word "thesaurus" which refers to a receptacle. The word also means a “coffin.” The Jewish disciples who heard this parable had no problem identifying who the treasure was. They knew that God had called Israel to be his special treasure.

Exodus 19:5 “Now therefore, if you will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then you shall be a peculiar TREASURE unto me above all people.”

Psalm 135:4 “For the LORD has chosen Jacob to Himself, and Israel for his peculiar TREASURE.”

When Israel rejected Jesus as their Messiah, they received a spirit of “slumber” (Romans 8:11). They have become spiritually dead so-to-speak and, being dead, they have in essence been put into a coffin (thesaurus) and buried away for a season. They have become God's "hidden" treasure! But at the end of the age, God will experience the joy of having His buried treasure revealed once more. The Apostle Paul said that the future restoration of Israel would be tantamount to raising them from the dead:

Romans 8:15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

But that is still not the whole story because God has yet another treasure!

The next parable that Jesus told was about a merchant seeking beautiful pearls. Jesus began by saying, ‘the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls” (Matthew 13:45) How horrified those Jewish disciples must have been to hear the precious kingdom of heaven described as something originating from an oyster! We must remember that oysters were ceremonially unclean for Jews. Jesus could just as well have said that the kingdom of heaven was like a man looking for a good pig to make his prize possession! To Jews, both images were equally repugnant. But, Jesus was referring to another treasure - this one comprised of Gentile believers (who were considered unclean to Jews).

The treasure found and then hidden again in the field are the Jews who have been temporarily hidden away. The unclean oyster represents the Gentile church.

Then what of the pearl the merchant sought? Well, the parable says that the merchant found ONE pearl of superlative value and sold all he possessed to obtain it. Beloved, the oyster is the Church, but the pearl is God’s Bride! In Song of Songs chapter 8, Solomon says that his bride is the ONE and ONLY ONE he loves.

Song of Songs 8:8-9 There are 60 queens and 80 concubines, and virgins without number. But my dove, my UNDEFILED and PERFECT ONE stands alone [ above them all] she is the ONLY ONE of her mother, she is the CHOICE ONE of her who bore her.

The Church has been influenced by the enemy from the very beginning. It is both loved and prized by God but also defiled because of the leaven that is working within it. Nevertheless, the Church is fulfilling God’s ultimate purpose by producing for Him a pure, devoted Bride within itself. Like the hidden treasure that the Jews are to God, the Bride is also a hidden treasure.

Three things are unique to the pearl:

1) It is the only jewel that is the product of a living organism. The Church is a living organism.

2) A pearl is formed from constant irritation. A single grain of sand becomes lodged in the oyster which causes the oyster to coat the sand until it forms into a jewel. The pure, devoted Bride of Christ is an irritant to the compromised Church. The history of Bridal theology is filled with men and women who were persecuted by the very Church that produced them!

3) A pearl must ultimately be removed from its place of origin in order to seen and valued as the beautiful jewel it is. Likewise, at the end of the age, the Bride of Christ is being called away from the lukewarm Church to “make herself ready” for the return of her Bridegroom. The moment is fast approaching when Christ will say to His Bride ” “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues (Rev. 18)

Beloved, this is not a message against the Church. I am a pastor of a church. I love the church because Christ loves the church. But I also realize that the Church is not the Bride. Today, while the Church flounders in self-indulgence and impurity, the Bride - God’s Pearl - is being called to distinguish herself by singleness of devotion and moral excellence. So, which will we be? The oyster or the pearl?

Leave Me Alone

As the Song of Solomon begins, the Shulamite is clearly infatuated with her Beloved. She dreams of what it would be like to be held and kissed by him (1:1-4). But she is also painfully aware of how the harsh reality of life has robbed her of her original beauty. She says of herself, "I am dark yet lovely" (1:5). Overworked and burned out, she says, "they made me keeper of the vineyards, but my own vineyard I have not kept.” (1:6) Like the Shulamite, we too can often become so busy with the noble work of ministry and serving others that we are left with little time and energy to devote to personal prayer and to building an intimate relationship with Christ.  In essence, we allow ourselves to be commandeered in order to tend the vineyards of others while our own souls languish with little care.

It is not always easy to balance the demands of ministry against God's call for us to draw away with Him to pray. But we must begin to view the health of our own vineyard as the most important call of God upon our lives - second to nothing else. In the Song of Solomon, the Bride says to her Bridegroom,

Let us go early to the vineyards 
to see if the vines have budded, 
if their blossoms have opened, 
and if the pomegranates are in bloom
there I will give you my love. (7:12)

The vineyard is the place where we enjoy intimate love with our Bridegroom.  But if our vineyard is unkept and neglected it robs us of the love that Christ longs to give us. In Chapter 2 of the Song, as the heart of the Shulamite matures, she finds a place of rest and nourishment as she reclines in the orchard beneath the shade of her Beloved. Her heart is satisfied with the fruit of His love. It is precisely at this moment when the King turns his attention to the Daughters of Jerusalem and tells them:

"do not stir up nor awaken love until she pleases.” (2:7)        

While His Bride is lingering in the experience of her Bridegroom's love, He speaks to her friends (who represent our fellow believer) and says to them, “Leave her alone.” Why this peculiar demand on behalf of His Bride? Because He wants to savor the time He has with His Beloved. They are too often far and in-between. He wants nothing - not even the work of ministry - to invade this sacred place of intimate communion.  

We are constantly seeking validation through what we can do for God - rather than finding our value in just being loved by Him. But our Bridegroom is serious about this! “Leave her alone! Don’t try to stir her up out of this place,” is His command to those who would try to over-burden His Bride with the work of their vineyards.    

You will recall the story on Mary of Bethany in the New Testament. She brought a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped them clean with her hair until the entire house was filled with the sweet fragrance of her worship. But those who witnessed her act of devotion denounced her extravagant offering as a waste.      

But Jesus told them, “Let her alone”  (John 12:1-7)      

Lurking inside of all of us is a little voice that urges us to involve ourselves in anything and everything but devotional prayer and worship. We must fight the tendency to exalt works above the secret place of intimacy. We, who comprise the emerging Bride of Christ today understand the primacy of the call to spend time with our Beloved in prayer. Even if other things go lacking, we know that every moment we spend with Him is never wasted time.  And so to those who would seek to draw us away from our time with Him we say, "Leave us alone."