Excerpts from a vision by Robert I. Holmes
Posted: 2008-07-09 10:30:05
Excerpts from a vision by Robert I. Holmes
(The entire vision can be found at prophetic@revivalschool.com titled “Joel’s Army & Gideon’s Army-A Vision”) (I am only giving excerpts that I found encouraging. I do not necessarily agree with all his interpretations).
Gideon’s army
I also saw off to one side, hidden in dense undergrowth, a battalion.
This group stood quietly, waiting in the jungle. They were assembled
in a square, and they were awaiting instructions. At the head of this
smaller group was a banner which read "Gideon's army".
Then I looked and saw a single platoon, off to the side of the battalion.
It stood divided. I looked carefully at this group, feeling
at first that it represented the local body of believers I belonged
to at the time. They were standing in mud, in two ranks facing each
other. The Spirit expressly said, "Many have passed through their
ranks" and I began to realize they were (are) the prophets. These
troops were stuck in the mud, and had not moved on for some time.
GIDEON'S ARMY
The second army I saw however, portrays an altogether different
picture. Here is an army fully prepared, awaiting instruction. It is
not yet mobile. The battalion (in military terms about 10,000 men)
was labeled Gideon's army. It represents the refined, the chosen,
the remnant church. This second army is not yet marching. They are
stable, focused, balanced and awaiting instruction. They have NOT
been given their marching orders! Gideon and his men were exhorted:
"Go in this might of yours and deliver Israel... I will be with you
and you shall strike down the Midianites" (Judges 6:14,15).
As I read through the account of Gideon in Judges 6-8 several things
strike me about them. If this army is a picture of the remnant, then
it will help to see what they had, and what they did. Firstly, they
were twice refined. At first a great number of men gathered to fight
(32,000 in all). During the first purging the Lord removed those who
had the fear of man. This took their number down to 10,000. In my
vision I saw the battalion (10,000 men) labeled as Gideon's army.
This seems to indicate that the assembling battalion has already
been refined of the fear of man. The second purging Gideon's army
underwent was to remove those who trusted in their own strength.
This took their number down to 300.
I should say at this point that it is my understanding that the 'end
time' army of God, the militant church making war on the enemies of
the kingdom and taking ground for Christ will be made of many companies.
Just one of these companies is Gideon's. Others have seen and
labeled such companies as the Isaiah 57 company, the Elijah force
and the warriors of Gilead. Perhaps these are all part of the same
picture?
The next thing we notice about Gideon's army (and from now on these
things are to come to the Gideon army gathered today) is that they
were fewer in number than would be expected. Their number was so few
in fact, that the move of God could not be blamed on them! The glory
could only go to God and Israel would not be able to boast about the
strength of her right arm. This fits well with my vision, as the
assembled crowd represented only one battalion, not a whole army.
The mighty triumphs and victories destined for this group can only
be laid at the feet of Jesus.
In their first battle, Gideon moved only according to God's command.
It was at God's initiative, at His request and by His plan only. It
was interesting that as an army, they carried no swords! How could
they possibly win the battle without weapons? Their battle cry was
"a sword for the Lord and Gideon" (7:20) and the enemy "feared the
sword of Gideon"(7:13). Yet in actual fact their hands were full.
They went into battle with a shofar in one hand (trumpet) and fire
in jars in the other.
The shofar symbolises the prophetic clarion or the watchmen, used to
sound the alarm and awaken the city.(Also, added by David Nelson, this may symbolize a clear message given forth of what God wants us to say in this hour).
The fire in jars may well speak
of this very great treasure we have within us, this precious truth
about Christ which shall demonstrate his very great power: "we have
this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this
extraordinary power belongs to God and does not come from us." (2 Cor.
4:7). Likewise the secret to our warfare is also that the weapons of
our battle are not merely carnal, they are divine to the tearing
down of strongholds (2 Cor 10:4). (Also, added by David Nelson, when the jars, our flesh, are broken, only the fire of the Lord will be seen and not us).
The PROPHETIC 'STUCK-IN-THE-MUDS'.
Finally, the group I saw off to the side of Gideon's army represents,
I believe, the prophets. One important point of my vision was that
they were divided. They stood separated from each other, and in at
least two rows facing each other. The Lord said, "Many have passed
through their ranks". I am reminded of the Scripture which speaks of
the coming unity among the prophets: "your watchmen shall lift up
their voices, with their voices they shall sing together; for they
shall see eye to eye when the Lord brings back Zion" (Isa 52:8 NKJV).
It is my experience that, by and large, prophetic persons are loners.
Or at least they have a tendency to stay inward. They retract from
too much publicity. Camaraderie among prophetic groups is a rare
treasure indeed. In Australia especially, prophetic ministries tend
to be individualist, elitist and aloof. But we can trust in the
Scripture that as the Lord restores Zion, the watchmen shall gather
together in harmony and unity. This is something to be overcome in
Him. (Also, added by David Nelson, I believe too that true, gifted, prophetic people have not been completely understood or received as yet. But the prophetic will be more understood as the Lord pours out His Spirit on more people, and more prophetic words come forth from more people).
