Australian Signs - Fire, Rain, Diamonds, Politics, a Horse and an Eagle
Several interesting events are taking place in Australia (the Great South Land of the Holy Spirit!) and I thought that Doves may be interested in what these signs may be indicating. On Monday 27 February, there was a leadership contest for Prime Minister, which Julia Gillard won. Phil commented on some aspects of this in his letter yesterday (link below). I wanted to draw attention to the winning margin of exactly 40 votes (Julia Gillard 71, Kevin Rudd 31). What is especially interesting is that this exact margin was only possible because one parliamentarian had given birth a few days earlier and couldn’t make the meeting.
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/feb2012/phil227.htm
The Number 40 - Time of Testing and Preparation?
The number 40 speaks of judgment, or a time of testing and trial. To date, Australia has weathered the economic storm quite well, but with more dark economic clouds gathering on the global horizon, and Iran on a collision course with the world, this may change. Isaiah 13:6,7 (Amplified) warns: “Wail for the day of the Lord is at hand; as destruction from the Almighty will it come. Therefore will all hands be feeble, and every man’s heart will melt.” Jesus warned in Luke 21:35 (NKJV): “For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth.” The winning margin also directs us to the wonderful promises in Isaiah 40 (Amplified), including as below:
3A voice of one who cries: Prepare in the wilderness the way of the Lord [clear away the obstacles]; make straight and smooth in the desert a highway for our God! 4Every valley shall be lifted and filled up, and every mountain and hill shall be made low. 5And the glory (majesty and splendour) of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together. 11He will feed His flock like a shepherd: He will gather the lambs in His arm, He will carry them in His bosom and will gently lead those that have their young.
29He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength. 31But those who wait for the Lord shall change and renew their strength and power; they shall lift their wings and mount up [close to God] as eagles [mount up to the sun]; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint or become tired.
The Eagle
And this is where the eagle comes in. A couple of days ago a 72 year old man was driving his car in the Northern Territory when a huge wedge-tail eagle crashed through the windscreen! A vivid reminder that God provides us with strength!
The Pink Diamond - Time for Us to Shine?
News came through in the past week that a massive pink diamond (12.76 carats) had been discovered in Australia, and is worth over $10 million. The diamond was unearthed in Rio Tinto’s Argyle diamond mine in Northern Western Australia - probably the largest stone ever discovered in Australia. The find was described as unprecedented. And the name is great: the Argyle Pink Jubilee! From a timing point of view (approaching the Queen’s 60th Diamond Jubilee), this discovery is important - the gem is similar in colour to the 24 carat Williamson Pink given to Queen Elizabeth II as a wedding gift.
This is quite amazing, but God has promised that we will shine, and even more so against the darkening sky of the world. I am thankful to Dr Ouwor for drawing my attention to Daniel 12:3 3And the teachers and those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness [shall give forth light] like the stars forever and ever. And Jesus also gave the same promise: Matthew 13:43 Then will the righteous shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Time to shine? I will follow up another day with the fire, rain and the horse (Black Caviar).
Maranatha! Denis