Thursday 28 July 2022

Dreams, a single word, and music overnight; I have been awake since 2am, considering all that I am hearing and seeing.

1. A vivid dream of a massive earthquake somewhere, tremendous shaking, of magnitude 7.0 (very specifically). In my dream, I had been working on some sort of device or instrument to measure and record the shaking, in the horizontal, vertical and spherical dimensions.
   
2. The single word cockatrice was spoken to me, out loud.
   
3. Music, a song in my ears: “Silver Threads and Golden Needles”

After 5-6am prayer call, a quick search reveals that a magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurred in Northwestern Luzon (Philippines) on 27 July[i]. In all of 2022 to date, there is only one of that exact magnitude – it was really quite large, in all of 2022 to date there is only one larger, a 7.2 in Peru, some six weeks earlier.

Then: what is a cockatrice? I’d never heard of such a thing. In the KJV, there are four references (Isaiah 11:8, 14:29, 59:5, and Jeremiah 8:17). Strong’s Concordance says:

6848. צִפְעֹנִי tsepha` tseh’-fah; from an unused root meaning to extrude; a viper (as thrusting out the tongue, i.e., hissing): –adder, cockatrice.

And from Easton’s Bible Dictionary[ii]:

Cockatrice: the medieval name (a corruption of “crocodile”) of a fabulous serpent supposed to be produced from a cock’s egg. It is generally supposed to denote the cerastes, or “horned viper,” a very poisonous serpent about a foot long. Others think it to be the yellow viper (Daboia xanthina), one of the most dangerous vipers, from its size and its nocturnal habits ( Isaiah 11:8 ; 14:29 ; 59:5 ; Jeremiah 8:17 ; in all which the Revised Version renders the Hebrew tziph’oni by “basilisk”). In Proverbs 23:32 the Hebrew tzeph’a is rendered both in the Authorized Version and the Revised Version by “adder;” margin of Revised Version “basilisk,” and of Authorized Version “cockatrice.”

As the etymology of cockatrice dates perhaps to the 14^th century, it probably wasn’t that exact word in the original Hebrew – but whatever it was: some deadly serpent, or something even more sinister, it was pretty bad.

So, I’m pondering these things; considering, as the Lord commands me regularly, considering the earthquake and the cockatrice, and something from C.S. Lewis’ “The Last Battle” comes clearly into my consciousness. That something was wicked, non-believing people calling forth their god, Tash.

Tash, perhaps a cockatrice, comes for Rishda Tarkaan[1]
(taken directly from “The Last Battle”)

“…All at once everything came quite clear. He [King Tirian] found he was fighting the Tarkaan himself. The bonfire (what was left of it) was straight in front. He was in fact fighting in the very doorway of the stable, for it had been opened and two Calormenes were holding the door, ready to slam it shut the moment he was inside.

He remembered everything now, and he realized that the enemy had been edging him to the stable on purpose ever since the fight began. And while he was thinking this he was still fighting the Tarkaan as hard as he could.

There was a deafening noise. As when the Ape had been flung in, the earth shook and there was a blinding light. The Calormene soldiers outside screamed, “Tash, Tash!” and banged the door. If Tash wanted their own Captain, Tash must have him. They, at any rate, did not want to meet Tash.

For a moment or two Tirian did not know where he was or even who he was. Then he steadied himself, blinked, and looked around. It was not dark inside the stable, as he had expected. He was in strong light: that was why he was blinking.

He turned to look at Rishda Tarkaan, but Rishda was not looking at him. Rishda gave a great wail and pointed; then he put his hands before his face and fell flat, face downward, on the ground. Tirian looked in the direction where the Tarkaan had pointed. And then he understood.

A terrible figure was coming toward them. It was far smaller than the shape they had seen from the Tower, though still much bigger than a man, and it was the same. It had a vulture’s head and four arms. Its beak was open and its eyes blazed.

A croaking voice came from its beak. “Thou hast called me into Narnia, Rishda Tarkaan. Here I am. What hast thou to say?”

But the Tarkaan neither lifted his face from the ground nor said a word. He was shaking like a man with a bad hiccup. He was brave enough in battle: but half his courage had left him earlier that night when he first began to suspect that there might be a real Tash. The rest of it had left him now.

With a sudden jerk — like a hen stooping to pick up a worm — Tash pounced on the miserable Rishda and tucked him under the upper of his two right arms. Then Tash turned his head sidewise to fix Tirian with one of his terrible eyes: for of course, having a bird’s head, he couldn’t look at you straight.

But immediately, from behind Tash, strong and calm as the summer sea, a voice said:

“Begone, Monster, and take your lawful prey to your own place, in the name of Aslan and Aslan’s great Father the Emperor-over-the-Sea.”

The hideous creature vanished, with the Tarkaan still under its arm. And Tirian turned to see who had spoken.”

And now I was more convinced than ever that I knew what my dream and the word meant: Somewhere on this earth, somewhere, evil people were calling forth some hideous serpent from deep within the earth, and the earthquake was cracking open to release it. C. S. Lewis was more prophetic than he could have known, for the evil people of today may not be calling it “Tash”, but they are calling it forth, nevertheless. What they have failed to realize, however, is that the “lawful prey” of this foul creature will be the very ones who are calling it forth from the depths of darkness. In God’s great system of Justice, the evil sorcerers, those casting spells and incantations, will be taken by the cockatrice they intended for God’s innocent children.

[1] “The Last Battle”, C. S. Lewis, ©1956

[i] https://reliefweb.int/report/philippines/primer-27-july-2022-magnitude-mw-70-northwestern-luzon-earthquake

[ii] M.G. Easton M.A., D.D., Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Third Edition, published by Thomas Nelson, 1897. Public Domain, copy freely

Wednesday 27 July 2022

Very warm and humid, even at 5:30am, walking with Luke on the beach road. I am deep in thought, considering things like “What is righteous? What does is mean to be a ‘true’ prophet? Why are we so divided, even among believers?”

I come to a little path over the sand, leading to the sea:

And the Lord says:

            Consider your observability.

            What do you say is narrow, child? This path, or the Way to the Kingdom? I have spoken with you before of what you call ‘vast’ or ‘precise’ or ‘instant’ or …

He waits for me to answer. “Or ‘impossible’, Lord, or ‘inconceivable’, or ‘a miracle’ Lord. My senses run together, and I think of engineering and math and rules and formulas. I think of ‘narrow’ and think of ‘tolerances’ and specifications’, fit and form and function. I think of ‘elegance’, the word You are pressing on my heart, and I think of ‘grace’, and when you ask me about ‘narrow’ I think, ‘Can I fit through there?’ And if that is the gate to the Kingdom, Lord …

He rumbles, quietly.

            When I ask you, ‘Who do you say I AM?’, who will judge your answer?

“You, Lord. Only you.” My heart begins to hurt, thinking of the judgement, so much judgement, so much emphasis on getting the “right” answer. I just know these words that so many have memorized:

            “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

“I don’t know if that way is ‘narrow’ or ‘wide’, Lord. But I do know that there is a way, and Oh! How much love was poured out for me, for all of us just to have a way at all. Keep me and guide me, Lord, pointed in the right direction, navigating safely along the way, towards the way … to Your Kingdom.”

“I know that when we love You, Lord, really love you, and love each other, that somehow our loving and forgiving and obeying and listening, all those things, and more, are making us narrower. I don’t understand it, but I know it’s true. I know You’re true.”

            Childlike faith will carry you, My son, for I AM warning you: In the coming days there will be many voices proclaiming “this way, that way”, or proclaiming that I have spoken some secrets to them. Be on your guard, child, for discernment will be required of you. I repeat: Consider your observability. Consider the fog and friction of this war in all you “see” and “hear”. Consider, My child, how glorious is My Glory, for surely, child, those who Love Me will stand in Holy Fear, in awe and wonder of the Glory you will experience.

Monday 11 July 2022

Yesterday morning (during the 5am Watchstanders prayer call), I wrote from Psalm 84:

“…I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God
than dwell in the tents of the wicked…”

And then this prayer:

“Speak to me, my I AM, open my ears, my heart.
What do you want me to know, to do?
I love you, for I am yours!”

The words hindsight, insight, foresight came into focus, but nothing more.

Then this morning, when I had walked Luke in silence, and was standing in the driveway, I heard this word of admonishment, and promise:

            I have spoken this to you once before, child: You [all of us] are not on a wartime footing[i].

            More than at times before, you [all of us] are being numbed by numbers. Beware, My child, of this foul deceit, for the sleeping sickness is upon many, this powerful trance is over many … Yet:

There is a pause for me to consider that … and then He continues, loudly:

            Arise, O sleeper[ii] for I, your Lord will break the spell, silence the frequencies of evil, and lift the darkness.

[i] See His words from March 19, 2022

[ii] From Ephesians 5:14

Saturday 9 July 2022, ~0630

I had walked with Luke, praying & listening in the breeze, asking, or trying to ask:

“What do you want to say to me, Lord?”

My ears perceived the birds calling, my sandals crunching sand and gravel, the tide coming in. We were back in the truck and heading out of the parking lot when He spoke.

            You know My Word is true.

It was a question and a statement at the same time

“Oh, yes Father”

            You know My words to you are true.

“Yes, Lord.”

I had turned the truck onto the bridge and there was, I thought, a flickering in the air, in the wind moving through the open windows, something shimmering.

            Put up your sail, My child. Let My Spirit move you, power you. Do not be afraid. You know what to do. I know you and I know you are uneasy, uncertain for that moment when your boat first powers ahead, heels, rocks, swerves while your hand steers.

            Let My words out as I have told you, and you will be blessed by where it takes you. Yes, I AM answering you before you even ask.  I will show you where to go, one waypoint at a time.

From Strong’s Concordance, Greek/Hebrew Definitions

Strong’s #321: anago (pronounced an-ag’-o)

from 303 and 71; to lead up; by extension to bring out; specially, to sail away: – bring (again, forth, up again), depart, launch (forth), lead (up), loose, offer, sail, set forth, take up.

Thayer’s Greek Lexicon:

̓́anagō

1) to lead up, to lead or bring into a higher place

2) of navigators: launch out, set sail, put to sea

Part of Speech: verb

Relation: from G303 and G71

This word is used 24 times:

Matthew 4:1: “Then was Jesus led up of the spirit into the”
Luke 2:22: “law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present”
Luke 4:5: “And the devil, taking him up into a high mountain,”
Luke 8:22: “of the lake. And they launched forth.”
Luke 22:66: “the scribes came together, and led him into their council,”
Acts 7:41: “those days, and offered sacrifice unto the idol, and”
Acts 9:39: “them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and”
Acts 12:4: “intending after Easter to bring him forth to the”
Acts 13:13: “Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to”
Acts 16:11: “Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and”
Acts 16:34: “And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before”
Acts 18:21: “you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.”
Acts 20:3: “laid wait for him, as he was about to sail into Syria, he purposed”
Acts 20:13: “went before to ship, and sailed unto Assos, there intending”
Acts 21:1: “were gotten from them, and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos,”
Acts 21:2: “unto Phoenicia, we went aboard, and set forth.”
Acts 27:2: “entering into a ship of Adramyttium, we launched, meaning to sail by the coasts”
Acts 27:4: ” And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary.”
Acts 27:12: “the more part advised to depart thence also, if by any means they might”
Acts 27:21: “hearkened unto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained”
Acts 28:10: “with many honors; and when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.”
Acts 28:11: “after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered”
Romans 10:7: “the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.)”
Hebrews 13:20: “the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord”

Wednesday 6 July 2022

~130pm, cooling in the shade, somewhere in Beverly, in prayer, and the Lord whispered these words, just slightly above the volume of the background breeze:

            Become even more secure, even more powerful in the coming days.

            Stay with Me in Me as the tumblers in locks begin to fall into place. You know – because I know – because I know you – because I made you – you will hear Me, see Me, feel Me when locks open.

            I love you, your fierce warrior bride, your children so much. You (both) stay in faith, in love, in childlike obedience – and all is so very well.

            Oh yes, My child, time itself is unlocking, and more than you can know now.

            Glory is coming.

            Glory is here.

            Glory will be.

            Sing praise, for I love your voices, prepare hearts and spirits, stand strong with Me.