“Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power.” (Mark 9:1)
In context, here Jesus was teaching and foretells His death and resurrection. He then calls the crowd and his disciples to him and challenges them to take up their own cross and follow Him by giving away rather than seeking their own gain. He points them to eternity and speaks of the time that He comes in the glory of the Father with the holy angels. (Mark 8:31-38)
Looking back on this, we know from history that He has not yet returned so was most likely not speaking specifically of the great day of judgement. Rather, He was speaking of Him being the stairway and the door that gave Christians access to heavenly realms. By the death of Jesus, people would not have to experience death to experience the unseen realm.
Because of this experience of seeing heaven being brought to earth, the open heaven, and being able to experience the unseen realm as Jesus has seated us in heavenly places, we know what His Kingdom coming is like. It is like rains of refreshing. It is like torrents of love. It is like years of trauma being healed. It is like the oppressed person walking in freedom. It is like the dead coming back to life. It is like love having its way.
As Jesus returns, we do not need to fear the unknown. Rather, it feels like shelter in a storm. It feels like goodness that passes by and leaves us speechless. It feels like glory overflowing and creating hope-filled joy for those in despair. It feels like flourishing.
“You led me this far, You’ll lead me all the way home” sings in the background.
Last night I had a dream about judgment. The sky was dark and stormy everywhere I looked. There was no escaping it. Yet, as the storm came, it rolled in over select areas. There were also these areas of light. In my dream, this building (organization I think) experienced this plague that touched it. As it did, it became barren and had four vultures in the window.
There is an intersection of circumstances that line up to bring four great judgements in the Bible. In Revelation 6:7-8, there are four horses that are sent out by the four living creatures that surround the throne and carry His glory as the seals are opened. When the fourth seal is opened, the fourth living creature calls out to the fourth horse. It is a pale horse and the riders name was Death and Hades followed him. They were given authority over 1/4th of the earth to kill with four great judgements: sword (war), famine (recession), pestilence (deadly disease), and wild beasts (natural disasters).
This speaks of four judgements that intersect all in a period of time. There is war, disease, recession and natural disasters all going on at once. While I am not certain the meaning here of all the fours, I do know that 444BC was the year that Nehemiah rebuilt the broken-down wall around the temple. In such, it can represent restoration and justice. In Revelation 7:1, we see four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth while the people are sealed right before the great judgement.
Oddly enough, when I finished by book, “Holy Pursuit,” I looked down and it was exactly 44,444 words. I have always felt that 4s represent a place of intersection of His divine intervention and merciful justice. In such, I imagine if there are people and organizations that are doing wrong, such as those that robbed and swindled the free school lunches out of greed, judgement and barrenness can be a good thing. Like Jesus when he chased out the money changers who were taking advantage of the people, it brought joy to the poor who could now be invited in and were closed out previously.
One author notes in their blog, “Interestingly, the Hebrew word for "seasons" (of which there are 4) in Genesis 1:14 is moed (Strong's Concordance #H4150), which literally translated is "appointed times" (divine appointments).” [1]
In the book of Daniel, there are four beasts. The third beast had four heads. But the fourth best was ferocious. Many attribute the fourth beast to death itself. Daniel 7:7 says about this beast, “After that, as I looked on in the night vision, there was a fourth beast — fearsome, dreadful, and very powerful, with great iron teeth — that devoured and crushed, and stamped the remains with its feet. It was different from all the other beasts which had gone before it; and it had ten horns.”
It goes on to explain about this fourth beast in Daniel 7:23-24 , ‘The fourth beast means – there will be a fourth kingdom upon the earth which will be different from all the kingdoms; it will devour the whole earth, tread it down, and crush it. And the ten horns mean – from that kingdom, ten kings will arise, and after them another will arise. He will be different from the former ones, and will bring low three kings.”
It is after this fourth beast that the Lord takes dominion and that the final heavenly kingdom is established. In this way, the fours represent judgement coming to pass that ushers in the Lamb and His eternal Kingdom order.
Also interesting is that the fourth watch of the night, this was the time that Jesus came to the disciples walking on water, is the darkest time of the night until just before the dawn breaks. It is a time where light pierces this great darkness and brings the hope of a new dawn arising. This seems to correspond so well with this dark fourth time of judgement right before the dawn breaks ad Jesus comes ushering His enteral Kingdom fully in.
In some commentary, it notes that the storm and contrary winds that the disciples were experiencing in the fourth watch while they were straining at the oars, when Jesus came walking on water to help them was a satanic storm. Jesus did not calm the storm, rather, as Peter requested, He called him out to walk on the water by faith. The storm was a place where Peter was learning to keep His eyes on the Lord and walk in faith.
Often, I wake up at 4am and feel called to pray at this hour during the 4th watch as I wait, watch, and pray for the return of Christ. Apparently, I am in good company, (besides the incredible company of Jesus), as one article notes, “Brother Aidan Owen, a Benedictine monk and vocations minister at Holy Cross Monastery, in West Park, New York, regularly rises around 4 a.m. to spend time alone with God in the silence. He’s occasionally been awakened from sleep after vivid dreams and has heard God speak in the middle of the night.”[2]
I am inspired as this article notes about Provers 8:17 that it is referring to the 4am time when it says, “I love those who love me (wisdom!) and those who seek me before dawn (fourth watch of the night!) will find Me!” (paraphrased from Hebrew original) [2]
Coming back to my dream, I turned from the barren building and went down the street to my admissions office for my work that was two houses down. It was a light in the darkness. I was hoping that they would reimburse me the $9 that I had spent.
Interesting when I looked up the meaning for this and it had to do with atonement primarily. Jesus died at the 9th hour and the fast for the day of atonement starts on the 9th day of the month. Perhaps this has to do with wanting back what I gave or wanting something for what I give out sacrificially. God asks for us to give freely without grudges. Sometimes I look for a return on what I gave. I want to see fruitfulness, or I want something for myself in it.
Some years back, I gave to a ministry for some years. Thinking they were going along and continuing to do the good work they had always done; I was disappointed to get a video asking for more funds. In the video they informed me they had taken the last year off and were now needing to make up for it. I felt betrayed. They never once communicated this year long ministry break until after when they needed more money, and I thought I was investing in kingdom activity. I think it left me wounded as, while I always have had joy in giving, found after this that I have been more skeptical about being taken advantage of and lost some of the joy.
Since this time, I have been more sensitive about being treated as a donor. I have had a little bit of underlying resentment for people who treat me like my calling is to be the source of their ministry spending when they are not good stewards. I work hard for the funds that I earn and I have been sacrificial in watching spending for the joy of giving into a greater purpose. What I was hoping to hear is something more like what Jesus said to John: “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.”
Instead, sometimes I hear, “I got a new huge house, I need to fly first class, and I need to take all my friends and family out to Fugo De Chu.” Then I start thinking to myself, why don’t I just take all my friends and family out to Fugo De Chu, get a new elite car or house, and fly first class with the extra funds that I was going to give? I miss the days that I had so much joy in giving freely. And just spending more on myself doesn’t seem to make me a more joyful or satisfied person.
This brings me to another dream that I had the same night. In this dream I had come to a huge event and was looking to get a good seat. I ended up in a room that was super comfortable, and it had an open space. But the problem was that I couldn’t see anything of the event from this spot – only hear the music. While there was an incredible blue fountain and a reservoir of water to enjoy from here, I knew I wouldn’t be happy from my seat of comfort. I wanted to find higher ground.
Lord, I come back to the song that You have led us this far and You will lead us all the way home. Give us discernment to navigate these times. Help us to stay in your will and purposes. Let us be bright lights in the darkness and may all that we do and say, point to your goodness and love.
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