Done and won . . .

Numbers 8; Psalm 44; Song of Songs 6; Hebrews 6

Last night I had another dream about spiritual matters. This time God linked my prayers for those who don’t know Him to a wonderful glimpse of them entering His kingdom. It was a wedding where two people I love were repeating their vows. I was asked to walk the bride down the aisle. Before that, the guests arrived in groups of families. As they came in, the place where the wedding was held seemed to expand. It became so large I could not see from one side to the other.

For most of this dream it seemed I was awake. I wondered if it was a vision rather than a dream as I watched hundreds of people that I know and pray for entering the sanctuary and becoming part of God’s family. I cannot claim this as a prophecy or a promise, however it gave me great joy and encouragement.

Today’s readings are related even though it requires a big-picture view, a sense of imagery and how the OT points to the NT and to faith in Christ. First, I read this description of the role of the Levites, holy men set apart to serve the Lord and God’s people.

For they are wholly given to me from among the people of Israel. Instead of all who open the womb, the firstborn of all the people of Israel, I have taken them for myself. For all the firstborn among the people of Israel are mine, both of man and of beast. On the day that I struck down all the firstborn in the land of Egypt I consecrated them for myself, and I have taken the Levites instead of all the firstborn among the people of Israel. And I have given the Levites as a gift to Aaron and his sons from among the people of Israel, to do the service for the people of Israel at the tent of meeting and to make atonement for the people of Israel, that there may be no plague among the people of Israel when the people of Israel come near the sanctuary.” (Numbers 8:16–19)

These people were given to God and He gave them back to serve so that no one would be left outside of His care and protection. I related that to my role of praying for those who are outside of His care, those not yet redeemed and not living a life of faith in Jesus Christ. On this prayer list are many family members, friends and others who do not know God.

Part of praying like this is challenging, like a war. For me, I sometimes get hung up on my human tendency to walk by sight. When I do not see answers to prayers, I get discouraged. Sometimes that discouragement is based on visible realities. The people I pray for remain hard of heart and not interested in spiritual matters. Sometimes I am feeling the attitudes of unbelief, of disinterest and mocking around me. I sense and even hear people cursing Jesus instead of praising Him. They do not realize what He has done for them. For these observations, this prayer in the Psalms clicked in my heart.

You have made us the taunt of our neighbors, the derision and scorn of those around us. You have made us a byword among the nations, a laughingstock among the peoples. All day long my disgrace is before me, and shame has covered my face at the sound of the taunter and reviler, at the sight of the enemy and the avenger. All this has come upon us, though we have not forgotten you, and we have not been false to your covenant. Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from your way; yet you have broken us in the place of jackals and covered us with the shadow of death. If we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, would not God discover this? For he knows the secrets of the heart. Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered. Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever! Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression? For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly clings to the ground. Rise up; come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love! (Psalm 44:13–26)

My dream may have been an expression of my deepest desires. However, it strongly gave me God’s assurance that He has not forgotten, that He is hearing my prayers. Dare I say that He is also saying that all those dear people on my prayer list will be saved? I don’t know, but I feel His joy when I think that way.

APPLY: Keep praying. Keep trusting God to be hearing. This battle may rage on, yet in the eternal realm and because of Jesus, it is already done and won.

Dreams that God uses . . .

Leviticus 8; Psalm 9; Proverbs 23; 1 Thessalonians 2

This voluntary social distancing could make me even more self-centered. In efforts to avoid that, I’m praying more, calling people, and thinking about others and their struggles with this trial. However, last night I had another dream, this time not so pleasant as one yesterday. I dreamt we were still attending another church where we’d been for many years and where I led a Bible study for most of those years.

In the dream, I walked into the ladies’ washroom without being noticed and some of the women were talking about me. Their words were both false and unkind. I listened for a minute then left to sit in the sanctuary.

When the pastor came to preach, he’d changed the message from the regular Bible book series. Instead, he said the Lord laid on his heart to speak about gossip. He began talking and I woke up, glad yet feeling a bit hurt and betrayed. How odd, but God teaches me in dreams. I read the above four passages listening for His voice.

First, I was impressed by the command/obedience theme in Leviticus. “And Aaron and his sons did all the things that the Lord commanded by Moses.” (Leviticus 8:36) Several times I’ve heard a pastor say that God changed his sermon plan. In my dream, not only did the ladies from the washroom need to hear it, but I also needed to hear that when others sin against me, God will “maintain my just cause; you have sat on the throne, giving righteous judgment.” (Psalm 9:4)

David knew oppression, unfair treatment and betrayal from those who seemed his friends. He also wrote this:

“But the Lord sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness. The Lord is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O Lord, have not forsaken those who seek you.” (Psalm 9:7–10)

Proverbs had only a short item of advice for me. I’m not aware of any fools to whom it applies but it helps me remember that unkind words are not always deserved. As a Bible teacher, I need to remember that some people will be convicted by what I say. Instead of giving attention to God’s message, they will attack the messenger:

“Do not speak in the hearing of a fool, for he will despise the good sense of your words.” (Proverbs 23:9)

This did not happen to Paul regarding the people he taught at Thessalonica. He and those with him “worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.”

These people were not the fools described in Proverbs 23:9. Paul said of them,

“And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers.” (1 Thessalonians 2:9–13)

Prior to that, Paul describes his attitude in the ministry he’d been given. This is extremely good advice:

“For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.” (1 Thessalonians 2:3–8)

APPLY: Pay attention to words of ‘good sense’ and make certain that what I say also contains words of good sense, given by God for me to say. Keep my motivations pure, loving others and discerning when to speak and when to be silent. Also, use the Word of God and don’t be anxious if some attack me rather than obey Him. He can deal with their needs just as He deals with mine.