We will be blown away

Many years ago the Lord pulled me out of church and told me to stop reading books. I had quite a few books at the time. I sold my set of The Pulpit Commentary and gave away the rest of my books. The Lord also told me to start using the New American Standard Bible, so I bought one. He let me know beyond a doubt that I was to do my best to unlearn what I had learned up to then. He wanted me to start fresh and learn directly from Him.

(A couple of years prior to this a brother had a remarkable experience in which he was given several different words for several different people. I think he received this in a vision. His word for me was that God had placed a Golden Thread of Healing in me to mend the hurts of all mankind and that I was to seek not the counsel of men but to listen only to God because He was the Golden Needle that pulled the Golden Thread. So, when the Lord let me know I was to empty my mind of all I thought I knew, I remembered this word and knew it was the Lord who was dealing with me.)

After a few months of reading nothing but the Bible the Lord started dealing with me through visions and revelations. The first vision came one afternoon when I was on my knees in the middle of our living room floor. In the blink of an eye, our ceiling and roof opened and I saw Joseph standing and looking out over a sea of Israelites; there were more than the eye could see. Joseph appeared to be weeping. Someone (I don’t know if it was the Lord or an angel of the Lord) told me all these people were cut off from the Kingdom of their God so that all other races could partake of God’s grace and mercy. My heart was broken immediately and I began to weep, and, as soon as I did, I realized that someone was weeping with me; I thought it was Joseph but it was the Lord our God. He was weeping for His loved ones who were left out of the Kingdom for our sake.

I’m weeping now. Just the thought of this makes me weep. The experience was so real, so deep, and so very sad. God was weeping over His beloved Israel. He loves them so much. I didn’t feel His tears but I felt His heart. His heart was grieving beyond words, beyond thoughts, beyond relief. We wept together for several minutes and then I was told about Joseph.

“Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a spring; its branches run over a wall.” (Gen 49:22). “For He Himself (Jesus) is our peace, who made both groups into one (Jews and Gentiles) and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity,” (Ephesians 2:14-16). The branches of Joseph have run over a wall.

As I was seeing and hearing these things, different aspects of His Mystery kept unfolding and unfolding and unfolding. I heard about Joseph, Benjamin, Ephraim, Manasseh, and Dan. I heard about apostles receiving by giving and of Paul doing his share in filling up that which is lacking in Christ’s afflictions. After a while, my ability to comprehend began to fade. I was still seeing and hearing things but reached a point where I could no longer comprehend them. I stayed there for a long time, kneeling before the Lord of Glory, watching His Mystery go on and on and on. Soon these things surpassed my ability to see (even with my spiritual eyes) and disappeared into the heavens.

Oh, my friends, we are so fortunate to be a part of His plan, to work together with Him, and to be called His children. Oh, what a God we serve. It’s no wonder the Jews wouldn’t speak His name. When we get to heaven we’re going to be so amazed at the awesomeness of our Father! so amazed! Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now we know in part, but then we shall know fully just as we have been fully known. And, beloved, we will be blown away. You can take that to the bank.

I’m so sorry, I have to stop now. I’m weeping again. And I have more to say about this one vision, however, I’m not sure I should. I don’t want to confuse anybody or bring up questions that don’t need to be asked. I will leave you with this:

Revelations 7 speaks of the 144,000 from the tribes of Israel. Take notice that Dan is left out and Manasseh is a part of the twelve. If you will look up the meanings of the names of Joseph, Benjamin, Ephraim, Manasseh, and Dan, perhaps the Lord will give you a glimpse of this Mystery. (From Him and through Him and to Him are all things. I’ve seen this with my own eyes.)

I feel free to say this – Dan is there for it says in Genesis 49:16, “Dan shall judge his people, as one of the tribes of Israel.” Plus, the word ‘Benjamin’ means son of the right hand; Ephraim was the son of the right hand, Genesis 48:14-19. Israel put Ephraim before Manasseh, verse 20, and said his descendants shall become a multitude of nations, verse 19.

Ephraim is not in Revelation 7 because he represents a multitude of nations. His father, Joseph, became a fruitful bough whose branches ran over a wall, corresponding to Jesus who made both groups into one (Jews and Gentiles) and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall, by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace, and might reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by it having put to death the enmity. Ephraim represents the Gentiles, a multitude of nations. This is the mystery of God; every word testifies and bears witness of Jesus.

Another thing I learned in this vision: Paul was born before his time, for being from the tribe of Benjamin he was not supposed to come in until the fullness of the Gentiles had come in. This is why his conversion was so traumatic. “And Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing…” (Acts 9:8). His eyes were open but he couldn’t see. He didn’t have the eyes that were needed to see because his heart had been hardened.

This is so wonderful — our Father, in His infinite wisdom, chose a Jew whose heart had been hardened (hardened so that we might receive mercy and become partakers of the promises) to carry the promises to us. Behold what manner of love our Father has bestowed upon us. Oh, my beloved friends, the Lord’s thoughts and ways are so far above us, so very far.

I testify to you that the Father wept for Paul until the day he could see, and to this day He weeps for those Jews who still have scales over their eyes for the sake of the Gentiles. May the latter rain come quickly and bring in the remaining Gentiles, so that all Israel may be saved, and that times of refreshing may come from the Presence of the Lord, and the restoration of all things may come to pass. Oh, my goodness, it’s going to be so wonderful.

“For just as you once were disobedient to God, but now have been shown mercy because of their disobedience, so these also now have been disobedient, in order that because of the mercy shown to you they also may now be shown mercy. For God has shut up all in disobedience that He might show mercy to all. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways. For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:30-36)

There are many other things I saw and heard in this vision but can’t speak of now. May God bless the chosen ones, of which we are a part.

Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant

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Published by Jon David Banks