To Empower the Beast
Bob Neumann
September 18,1998
I was standing in that place of relativeness that Isaiah called the valley of Vision. When I was aware of this fact I saw a figure who was waiting for me, so to speak. As before HE was dressed in traveling attire, a heavy full cloak with a hood. Unlike the times I have seen my MASTER, the LORD OF HOSTS dressed this way, I too seemed to be wearing the same hooded cloak.
As I came to HIM HE nodded HIS HEAD and turned and walked with me just at and behind HIS left shoulder. We walked quickly and with both purpose and intent till we seemed to enter a much wider and open area. When HE stopped, HE made a half turn toward me and calmly stated: "YOU MUST KNOW WHAT IS ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE".
HE turned HIS HEAD and looked out into the center of this space and there stood this large Texas Longhorn type 'bull'. Exactly what you would see at UTexas football games or on commercials for the stock market. It's horns were wide and came to quite impressive points. It stood still in the center of a circle of light as a 'spot light' would cause.
"THIS IS THE TRUE GOD OF AMERICA'' stated my MASTER. Slowly the 'bull' began to move and the spotlight moved with 'him', wherever the 'bull' moved the spotlight moved with 'him'. Every now and then it seemed to move suddenly and strike a pose.
''AND THAT IS HOW IT HAS BEEN'', stated the LORD, "BUT THIS IS HOW IT NOW IS...." As the 'bull' stood still the light began to move away from 'him' the 'bull' would move to get back into the light. Each time the light moved farther and the 'bull' had to move farther and faster to stay in the light. Now it seemed the 'bull' was chasing the light and never really catching it.
By this time I had a good idea that we were standing inside an arena like area and there were ''figures'' on the edges of the area but I couldn't distinguish anything besides shadow-figures.
"NOW YOU MUST SEE WHAT HAS HAPPENED AND WHAT WILL QUICKLY COME TO PASS..."
The 'bull' stood again in the center of the arena and the light was on 'him'. For the first time I noticed a large figure standing across from where we stood, staring at the 'bull'. In size and shape he was identical to MY CAPTAIN but a ''shadow-figure'' and I knew it was the 'BEAST'.
As I turned to THE LORD with questions running through my mind/spirit HE lifted HIS RIGHT HAND and everything froze, time/space/eternity, everything stopped dead so to speak.
With a casual move HE brushed back HIS HOOD and I once again looked into the FACE of my KING. With a half smile and a slight turn of HIS HEAD HE slapped me on the shoulder and explained.
"ONCE MY PEOPLE BUILT AN IMAGE OF A CALF OF GOLD TO WORSHIP. AMERICA HAS ALLOWED THAT CALF TO GROW UP AND REPRESENT ALL THAT IT WORSHIPS.'' Suddenly I felt something in my right hand and I looked and saw some coins.
"WHOSE IMAGE DO YOU SEE?", HE asked. as I looked into my hand and saw a nickel, a quarter, and a coin that looked like gold and a coin that looked like silver. All I could think was "it isn't you LORD". "THEN WHAT DOES IT SAY?" HE asked gently. I replied "IN GOD WE TRUST".
As HE turned toward the "bull'' in the light HE explained.
"MAN CAN NOT SERVE TWO MASTERS. YOUR PEOPLE CHOSE TO SERVE MAMMON AND NOT ME. THE RELIGIOUS IMAGES IN YOUR HAND DECLARE TO THE WORLD THEIR TRUST IS IN THEIR GOD. HAVE YOU NOTICED THEIR GOD?'' with that we turned and walked to the 'bull'. And 'he' began again to move. It seemed to notice our approach and ignored us. I looked and was wondering what I was supposed to be looking for. For some reason I began to stare at it's nose and couldn't figure it out. "THIS IS AN ANIMAL THAT HAS NOT BEEN TAMED. IT RUNS WHERE IT CHOOSES AND CAN NOT BE CONTROLLED''. With that I had an image of a nose ring, where you would lead a 'bull'. "THEIR GOD IS NOT CONTROLLED AS THEY WOULD LIKE IT TO BE. SO THEY WILL CHANGE IT SOON. BUT HAVE YOU NOTICED ANYTHING WRONG WITH THEIR BULL?''
Now I really had to wonder and I began to walk around it when it responded to nature and released a couple gallons of urine and a very large 'patty'. the animal had no concern where it hit when it splattered. And it stood in a good scattering of similar stuff. But with the 'deposit' I got a good look at the posterior and realized it really wasn't a bull after all. just a 'steer'.
"THE LIE GOES FAR BEYOND WHO THEIR GOD IS. BUT EVEN THEN THEIR IDOL CAN NOT EVEN DO WHAT THEY SEEK THE MOST, REPRODUCE ITSELF. THAT IS THE LIE THAT WILL BRING THE DESTRUCTION OF YOUR COUNTRY. YOU TOLD THE NATIONS AND PRINCES OF THIS WORLD IF THEY DRANK FROM YOUR CUP AND WORSHIPPED YOUR IDOL IT WOULD REPRODUCE ITSELF. BUT YOUR LEADERS KNEW THAT IT COULD NOT AND TOOK ALL THE WEALTH IT COULD FROM THOSE WHO BELIEVED THEIR LIES, DREAMS, AND VISIONS. NOW THEY WILL STRIKE AT YOU THROUGH YOUR GOD."
With that statement HE turned away and returned to our place of observation. And as it seemed appropriate I dropped the coins in the fresh patty near my feet and took my place at his side.
As easily as time stopped it began again. The 'beast' came closer to the steer. The steer shied away. It did not challenge and paw the ground like you see in bullfights, another confirmation that it was not a 'bull'. Suddenly the spotlight disappeared and the 'arena' was now seen. the shadow figures filled the arena's seats, all sizes and shapes. As I stood watching the sense of anticipation and imminence grew. All of a sudden a roar of trumpets blared a long 'musical' fanfare and as it ended the 'bull' was 'struck' and reeled backward and as the 'cheers' of the 'crowd' arose it steadied it's feet and shook it's head to 'clear the cobwebs'. We waited again. and without warning the 'trumpet fanfare' began. It was louder and lasted longer, as it ended the 'bull jerked to it's side and again the cheer rang up. Now four long deep gashes appeared on each flank and blood began to flow. Now the wait was shorter and I began to count. Again the third fanfare and cheers were louder and longer as again the 'bull' was struck backward and nearly fell off it's feet. The fourth assault left laceration across all four legs. The fifth assault pushed it's head down and as it fell to it's knees it's whole body began to tremor and shake. As it came to it's feet again blood flowed from its nostrils and pink foaming from the mouth and I thought 'mad cow disease'. The sixth assault came with no waiting period and this time it was struck backward with such force it was knocked off it's feet and slid backward in it's excrement.
This time the 'bull' struggled to get up and it was obvious a rear leg was broken. As the seventh fanfare began shadows charged out into the arena and took hold of the 'bull' and turned it on it's back and held it down. I noticed the beast come forward with a short slim sword in it's hand. And as the fanfare ended he slashed the 'bull's' neck and as the cheers went up small black critters in unbelievable numbers ran out to drink the blood. As the cheer ended the eighth fanfare began and the beast slashed the belly of the bull from top to bottom. As the disembowelment occurred the cheers began and many large critters began to feed on the entrails. The ninth fanfare and cheer came as the head was severed from the carcass as the carcass was drawn and quartered. And immediately a short tenth fanfare and cheer came as the critters ran off in four different directions each with a chunk of meat. At this point I noticed the eyes just now glaze over as the bull/steer/america finally dies after all this brutal treatment; awake and aware of all that took place.
As the scene completely vanished we turned around and this time slowly retraced our steps. As we walked THE LORD explained what I had witnessed.
''SEVEN BLOWS WILL BE GIVEN BUT TEN JUDGMENTS ARE RESERVED FOR EGYPT. SEVEN BLOWS WILL BRING DOWN THE IDOL OF AMERICA. THE FIRST TWO HAVE STUCK AND YOUR COUNTRY BLEEDS. THE FIRST WAS A BLOW THAT DROVE YOUR GOD BACKWARD, BUT IT CAME BACK A BIT. THE SECOND BLOW CUT DEEPLY INTO IT'S LOINS AND WEAKENED IT'S STRONGEST POINTS. THE THIRD BLOW WILL COME SHORTLY AND WILL STRIKE IT BACKWARD AND IT WILL NOT RECOVER IT'S LOST GROUND. THE FOURTH BLOW WILL NOW DESTROY IT'S ABILITY TO MOVE AND EVADE THE NEXT BLOW WHICH WILL BE A PESTILENCE FROM A FOE YOU DID NOT EXPECT. THAT IS THE FIFTH AND DECIDING BLOW. THE SIXTH BLOW WILL CRIPPLE YOUR IDOL AND DELIVER IT TO THE BEAST FOR DEVOURING. THE SEVENTH BLOW IS THE DEATH BLOW. YET THE EIGHTH, NINTH, AND TENTH THAT WILL STRIP, DIVIDE, AND DEVOUR WILL BE THE NOURISHMENT NEEDED TO EMPOWER THE BEAST FOR THE SHORT TIME HE HAS LEFT.''
At this point we stopped and HE faced me and once again placed the HOOD over HIS HEAD.
"THAT IS WHY I SENT YOU TO GOSHEN FOR I HAVE A REMNANT EVEN IN EGYPT. IN THE HEART OF BABYLON I CALLED TO THEM AND THOSE WHO KNOW MY VOICE HEARD AND CAME OUT. BUT IN EGYPT THEY ARE IN BONDAGE AND I SEND MY SERVANTS TO THEM TILL THE INDIGNATION IS PASSED AND THE PLAGUES HAVE FALLEN UPON THOSE WHO HAVE HARDENED THEIR HEARTS.'' ''IT'S GOING TO BE ALL RIGHT'', He laughed as he gripped my shoulder.
"YOU KNOW WHAT WILL NEED TO BE DONE AND YOU WILL DO IT. THERE ARE MANY WHO WILL FIND SAFETY IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM AND THE DARKEST OF THE NIGHT. GUARD MY SHEEP OLD DOG A LITTLE WHILE LONGER''.
and it ended.
Selah
Bob in Miami/Goshen
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