The Drawbridge and Noah’s Ark - A Vision!
The Pentecostal church I attend in Canberra makes opportunity (each week) for the gift of prophecy, and these prophetic words are primarily for the edification, exhortation and building up (comfort) of the church, especially the local church (1 Corinthians 14:3). There are times, however, when the prophetic words go somewhat beyond these boundaries, or may have a message to the wider Church. The prophetic word the Holy Spirit gave me on 30 September 2012 (before the Feast of Tabernacles) is such a word, and I would like to share it with Doves.
Vision of a Drawbridge and Noah’s Ark
I was near a river, and there was a bridge over this river. The bridge was a drawbridge, one that could be lifted to let boats through, while stopping the traffic. There was a sign near the river that pointed to the broad way and the narrow path (the latter towards the bride), and almost everyone was going down the broad way. The bridge began to open and lift up to let a boat through - in the Spirit, I saw clearly that the boat that was about to be let through was Noah’s Ark! Then I saw people praying for their family and friends, for more time, and the bridge stopped lifting and began to come down, providing an opportunity for people to find and follow the narrow path across the river.
What this vision may mean
First, this prophetic word left me quite shaken inside - I live with a love for His appearing, but I also feel for those who are lost, including many who have drifted from the Lord. This was, I believe, a close call (and still is!) - Noah’s Ark represents God’s final judgments, particularly the Great Tribulation which will encompass the whole world. So I am grateful for faithful Doves like Renee M who send out an urgent warning, even though (as for Jonah) judgment may be delayed for a short time. Perhaps the main message from the Spirit is to pray even more earnestly for the harvest, our friends, family, our churches and our localities and nations (and other nations!).
Moveable Bridges and the Drawbridge
Although I used the term drawbridge in the prophetic word, what I saw was a moveable bridge more like a Vertical Lift Bridge (there is one like this at a coastal town near Canberra - a section of the bridge goes up vertically - great picture of the Rapture) or what is called a Bascule (part of bridge lifts, on an angle, from each side).
The drawbridge is a great reflection on Noah’s Ark, with a dual meaning. In one respect Noah’s Ark is a place of waiting for the rain and movement towards God’s mountain of rest (Ararat). In another respect, the door of the Ark is like a drawbridge - once it is taken up and locked in place by God there is a gap that no one can get over, no more narrow bridge to the place of safety in the Ark. We are right to warn of the urgency of this.
Genesis 7 paints a picture of this, including the delay - in verse one we read that the Lord told Noah and his family to “Come with your household into the Ark”. They were, apparently, ready to sail. The Noah family must have gone back out of the Ark temporarily since the rains came seven days later (on the eighth day), and we read in verse 13 that Noah and his family went (back) into the Ark on the very same day that the rains came! What is sad (and hopefully not an indicator of our time) is that no more people were saved in the additional seven days! Nevertheless the opportunity, the door of grace, was there for people to join the Noah family in the Ark!
The Closer - and It’s Closer Than You Think!
Just a final quick thought. We have a fly wire (screen) door attached to our front door. There is a closer attached. As the door closes it hesitates, but only briefly, before closing completely. We need to keep looking up - there is not much time, and our Redemption is drawing near.
Denis Maranatha!