By Day or by Night, by Faith or by Sight
By Day or by Night, by Faith or by Sight
One thing is certain; walking with the Lord is never dull. He takes one on the most amazing side journeys and imparts nuggets of understanding that are hidden from the casual observer! It is the glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of kings to search it out! Early this month, I surfaced in the middle of the night to a question, "Do you want to travel by day or by night?" I pondered which was best to choose. Then He said, "If you travel by night, I can lead you by My stars". So I chose to be led by night, knowing I needed His guidance, but I was nervous because my natural night vision is abysmal. For weeks after this, I have been chewing on this conversation...
What does this cryptic question actually mean? Travelling by day is moving forward using your own natural eyesight, own understanding, own judgement. Travelling by night means total dependence on His voice and direction and receiving input from those who are wise and shine like stars in the heavenly realm. A few days before this cryptic question, I had a dream in which I was shown a Native American group positioned in the night sky and God said something else very cryptic: "They will be the signs that guide the endtime remnant to their designated havens. Brother Big Bear and Little Bear are watching"... and the last word I heard as I surfaced was "Arcturus".
So, Beloved, fasten your seatbelts and come on a little astronomy trip! This statement by the Lord led to me researching and discovering that the Native Americans used the constellations of Ursa Major (Big Bear) and Ursa Minor (Little Bear) to determine true North. They also could see what season of the year it was by the positioning of Big Bear relative to the North Star. Ursa Major, Latin for the large bear or the Great Bear is better known as the Big Dipper - in England as the Plough. Two of the stars of the Big Dipper's bowl point to the North Star “Polaris” which was a key fix for ancient mariners. Using the height of the North Star in the sky, navigators could figure out their latitude, helping ships to travel across the oceans. During the 18th century, fleeing slaves would use the constellation as a guiding beacon to the north and hopefully, their freedom.
The North Star stays stationary in the sky because it is above the Earth's axis. So as the world spins, the other constellations move through the night, but the North Star stays steady.
The North or Polar Star, is the central star of the heavens, round which all others revolve, and is found right at the end of 'tail' of Ursa Minor. Bears do not have long tails and Bullinger relates that that the bigger and smaller constellations may have originally represented folds to shelter animals because the name of the brightest star in Ursa Major is Dubheh, which means 'a herd of animals'. In Hebrew, Dohver, is 'a fold'; and hence in Chaldee it meant 'wealth'. The Hebrew Dohveh, means 'rest or security'. But in Hebrew, there is a word very similar in sound, though not in spelling - dohv, which means 'a bear'! This might easily have been mistaken by the Greeks, and understood as a bear.
Big Bear has 7 uniformly placed bright stars, which makes me think of the menorah flames and the seven lamps of the Lord. These 7 stars are in the shape of an incense carrier, connecting to the altar of incense before the veil in the temple. Because the Lord referred to these constellations, I am going to include here Bullinger's record of the names of many of the other stars in the constellation of Ursa Major (Big Bear) because they testify of the ancient intended meaning of this set of stars which God placed so carefully in position; close to, but not as close as Ursa Minor, to the North star. I find their names startlingly prophetic for these end times:
The star h (at the end of the so-called tail of Ursa Major) is named Benet Naish (Arabic), the daughters of the assembly. It is also called Al Kaid, the assembled. The star i (in its right foot) is called Talitha. The names of other stars all give the same testimony: El Alcola (Arabic), the sheepfold (as in Psa 95:7; and 100:3); Cab'd al Asad, multitude, many assembled; Annaish, the assembled; Megrez, separated, as the flock in the fold; El Kaphrah, protected, covered (Heb. redeemed and ransomed); Dubheh Lachar (Arabic), the latter herd or flock; Helike, company of travellers; Amaza (Greek), coming and going; Calisto, the sheepfold set or appointed.
So we get the distinct impression that these two constellations represent a greater and a smaller sheepfold. I personally think the lesser sheepfold or Ursa Minor (comprising 24 stars), the Little Bear depicts the manchild (connecting to the 24 elders that circle the throne – which is depicted by the North Star, Polaris, round which all the stars in the heavens circulate and revolve). The Little Bear is the constellation or cluster of stars which are closest to true North, they are anchored there, eternally held close to the North star, like the manchild who is caught up to the throne in Rev 12.
And the Big Bear/greater sheepfold, (Big Dipper, as many call it) depicts the woman protected and cared for in the fold by Him who comes – Bootes, the Keeper of the sheepfolds. The big sheepfold/Ursa Major is the woman who is taken to the place prepared where she is kept safe for time, times and half a time. Bootes is the One who keeps us and does not slumber or sleep, and He holds a spear in His left hand and His sickle for reaping is in His right hand.
I also discovered that the Native Americans are descendants of the tribe of Gad. Gad was the tribe which was instructed by the Lord to help their brethren possess their portions of the Promised Land, even though they had already been given portions in the wilderness side of the Jordan. So Gad represents the endtime overcomers and warriors, including prophets and seers, who are endued with the Spirit of Elijah, like John the Baptist and Elisha. The tribe of Gad also asked for their portion of inheritance according to their desire and were granted it - they were the first tribe to receive and possess their allotted portion. They stand fast and steward their appointed heavenly positions, guiding the endtime company and being 'signs' or guiding pillars, releasing a spiritual sound by their very positioning, just as the natural constellations of Ursa major (Big Bear) and Ursa Minor (Little Bear) indicate where due North is and what the season or prophetic time is. They will also help those who have been slaves to the religious and world system find true north and attain freedom.
Deu 33:20 And of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlarges Gad: he dwells as a lion, and tears the arm with the crown of the head. Deu 33:21 And he provided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the LORD, and his judgments with Israel.
Native American chiefs used to take a feather from the crown of their headdresses and tear their forearms to sign a contract and seal a pact with their own blood, as is described in the verses above. The word lawgiver means 'to inscribe, to decree'. Gad executed the Lord's righteous judgments upon enemies in the Promised Land. Now let us look right back to the birth of this son of Jacob named Gad:
Gen 30:10 And Zilpah Leah's maid bare Jacob a son. Gen 30:11 And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.
Zilpah means 'to trickle as myrrh'. So Gad is the one who comes forth from the womb of myrrh, the place where the words of the Beloved Bridegroom's lips drip like myrrh (Songs 5:13), continuously feeding, building and strengthening until the appointed time of coming forth is at hand. Gad comes from a root word meaning 'to crowd, to attack, to invade'. Leah looked into the spiritual realm and saw a warrior tribe coming forth from this son. She prophesied over him that he would not live his life on the defensive but on the attack. He would be a warrior, a troop assaulting the enemy - and he would do it using the words of revelation and instruction which trickled as myrrh from the Chief Shepherd, because this was the chamber the womb of preparation he had come forth from.
Arcturus, the last word spoken to me as I woke, is a star positioned in the left knee of another constellation, Bootes, which means 'He comes'. Bullinger says:
'It is referred to in Psalm 96:13: "For He cometh, For He cometh to judge the earth; He shall judge the world in righteousness, And the people with His truth." It is probable that his ancient name was Arcturus, for this is the name of the brightest star, (in the left knee). The traditional name Arcturus derives from Ancient Greek Ἀρκτοῦρος (Arktouros) and means "Guardian of the Bear", ultimately from ἄρκτος (arktos), "bear" and οὖρος (ouros), "watcher, guardian".
'Arcturus' in Job 9 is a mistranslation by Jerome, which King James version continues. The word in Hebrew is actually 'ayish', from a root meaning 'to hasten to assemble oneself', once again a connection with the troop of Gad. (Joel 3:11 also says 'assemble yourselves together', a call to the mighty men to present themselves for battle.)
Gen 49:19 Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.
The first part of this prophecy occurred when the Native American tribes were overcome by the armies who wanted to possess their land, but the Word of God prophesies that in the endtimes, the tribe of Gad shall be overcomers and conquerors. Gad represents the ones who have been overcome and downtrodden and defeated by the enemy attack, but who will rise again and be overcomers in the time of the end. I believe this refers not only to the natural descendants of Gad but to the troop which God catches up and assembles in the heavenly realm, set in place and shining like the stars, guiding by their very positioning in the heavenly realm.
40 000 men of the tribe of Gad, armed for war, crossed over Jordan and assembled themselves in position, ready to fight for their brethren. The tribe of Gad is one that wars on behalf of others, having already been apportioned land and having built their homes in Gilead, the place of the healing balm.
Part of Gad's designated territory was Mahanaim, the place of two armies, where Jacob saw the army of angels. The army of saints on earth and the angelic army of Heaven will be working much together in these days! Mahanaim is the place where David and his household were provided a feast after fleeing from Absolom's murderous plans. Everything they needed had been made ready - even beds to rest on! And Absolom's plan to murder his own father was turned back on his own head. The pit he had dug for another became the place he fell into himself. Abba Father has prepared a place for His precious company who follow the true King, the One of the House of David. Men have been busy gathering, storing, preparing for the company that crosses over the Jordan, weary and pursued. The places of refuge are even now being made ready.
As the Lord said to me in the night, "Big Bear and Little Bear are watching..." Both the Bridal Company and the manchild company are watching, praying and waiting for the coming of the Bridegroom.
Mat 24:42 Watch therefore [give strict attention, be cautious and active], for you do not know in what kind of a day [whether a near or remote one] your Lord is coming.
Mar 13:33 Be on your guard [constantly alert], and watch and pray; for you do not know when the time will come.
Luk 21:36 Keep awake then and watch at all times [be discreet, attentive, and ready], praying that you may have the full strength and ability and be accounted worthy to escape all these things [taken together] that will take place, and to stand in the presence of the Son of Man. Luk 12:37 Blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied) are those servants whom the master finds awake and alert and watching when he comes. Truly I say to you, he will gird himself and have them recline at table and will come and serve them!
Eph 6:18 Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God's consecrated people).
The choice of travelling by day or night is the choice of being led by a pillar of cloud or a pillar of fire. Pentecost/Shavuot is coming as is the baptism of fire appointment for the endtime remnant, but first we must choose what realm we want to travel in, natural light or spiritual light. Do we want to be led by our own understanding, by our natural eyes and the light of the sun or by the pillar of fire? Do we want to be those who walk in the baptism of fire? Do we want to be able to see in the darkness that is rolling in on planet earth - because psalm 139 tells us darkness and light are the same to God. His vision is not hampered by earthly darkness? Revelation 22 tells us the city situated in heavenly places, descending out of Heaven from God, has no need of the sun or moon for light because the Lamb is her light. Hallelujah - even in darkness, light dawns for the upright in heart! His spoken word is a light to our feet and a lamp to our path.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths. We are headed into the 3 watches/years of darkness in the world system and there will not be natural light to see by, only confusion, shaking and panic. So, choose to travel by His stars, by leading and revelation light from above; by His spoken word of wisdom given through those who are wise and positioned in heavenly places, close to the centre of the heavens, His throne.
Psa 19:2 Day after day pours forth speech, and night after night shows forth knowledge. Psa 19:3 There is no speech nor spoken word [from the stars]; their voice is not heard. Psa 19:4 Yet their voice [in evidence] goes out through all the earth, their sayings to the end of the world.
Daytime is the time of much speaking but at night, knowledge is displayed by the stars and their unswerving positions. When you look at the stars at night, especially Big Bear and Little Bear, you know which way is true north, you know what season it is and what you should be doing. Paul said, "Follow me as I follow Christ". This is understanding of the times. This is direction for your compass needle.
Selah