I received a dream from the Lord the other day.
In the dream, I saw a very murky, filthy and polluted river flowing into the sea. It was full of rubbish and no life seemed to survive in that river. And then I saw huge waves, wave after wave, from the sea approaching and overwhelming the river. The sea water looked so clean and crystal clear like I've never seen before on earth. Instead of the river flowing into the sea, it was the other way round. The crystal clear sea water overturned the river water and turned the river clean and pure again.
How this works in the physical realm, or is there any scientific explanation to it, I don't know. I'm not a scientist or geologist. But it's definitely something supernatural that I saw, and that's for sure.
I then asked the Lord what this dream means, and this is what the Lord said:
"This is the time and season I have begun to rebuild, repair, heal and restore My people and My church back to My original vision and purpose for them. Like the river that I have shown, what has become impure will be turned pure again, and what has become unclean will be turned clean again. Nothing that the enemy does in this world or the Babylonian systems of this world will be able to withstand My works, as I prepare My people, pure, holy and unblemished, for what is to come, and for My coming glory."
Indeed, the Lord has begun preparing His people, His church, like the Bride being prepared - holy, unblemished, pure - for the coming of the Bridegroom.
And I want to share with you the explanation and interpretation to this dream with this life called Josiah, a truly outstanding king among all the kings of Judah those days.
Josiah's heart was tender before the Lord (see 2 Kings chapters 22 and 23). His heart was tender to the Word of God and to the Spirit of God. This is the quality the Lord is looking for in His people in this end-time as well.
The great reformation during Josiah's days was actually an example of simply returning to the Word of God, and doing whatever the Lord says.
This is also the time and season the Lord is calling us to return to the Word of God and to return to His ways, instead of bowing down to any man-made ways, or the Babylonian systems.
By the way, 'Babylonian systems' simply means systems that are man-made (instead of coming from God), and it has its origins from the word 'Babel' and 'Tower of Babel', which speaks of humans trying to build something for themselves, or trying to build their own 'empires', even though the Lord never says so, or never asks them to do so.
Back to Josiah now.
What makes Josiah so outstanding among all the kings of Judah and Israel? You see, there are other good kings too, for example, David and Hezekiah. But what makes Josiah so outstanding, so much so the Scripture says 'there was no king like him, nor after him did any arise like him'? (2 Kings 23:25)
I believe Josiah was outstanding among the many kings of Judah those days, not just because of his obedience and tender heart towards God (even though these are real reasons), but what made him outstanding was due to the fact that Josiah at that time was living in a terribly wicked and evil time. He lived in a terribly wicked and evil era when even the priests were corrupted, and there was widespread idolatry being practiced all around. In fact, there were even idols in the temple of the Lord itself! (2 Kings 23:4-5)
So, Josiah's godliness stood out like a bright light in the midst of the surrounding darkness all around him in his era. That made Josiah so outstanding. He was not afraid to be different. He was not afraid to make a change. He was not afraid to restore what God has originally planned for His people. And he did not bow down to the status quo during his days. That made him an outstanding king.
How is this life and example of Josiah relevant to our time?
This is a time for reflection. This is a time to return to His ways. What are the things (or practices) in our lives that we should do away with and clear away? In this time and season, let the Holy Spirit fill us. Let the Holy Spirit enlighten us. Let the Holy Spirit show us what are the areas in our lives, and in our church as a whole, that we should just do away with, and clear away, and return to His original vision and purpose that the Lord has for us and for His church.
God loves us. God loves His church. God loves His people. This is not a message of condemnation. This is a message of restoration. God loves us, and therefore He wants the best for us. He wants to restore. He wants to heal. He wants to repair. He wants to rebuild. And He wants His perfect will be done in His people and in His church. Amen.
Prayer: "O Lord God, as Your people, we are like the river that You have shown, and we therefore humbly surrender our lives before You, as You begin the process of rebuilding, repairing, healing and restoring us. Like the river that You have shown, what has become impure will become pure again, and what has become unclean will become clean again. You love us and You have never forgotten us, and we know that nothing the enemy does in this world will be able to stop the work that You have begun, as You prepare us - pure, holy and unblemished - for what is to come and for Your coming glory. All this we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen."
