WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO FOLLOW THE VISION?
Vision is a spiritual phenomenon. God gives visions to people to make their lives focused and to help them succeed in the purpose He gave them. One can see a vision both with open physical eyes, and with eyes closed, when their spiritual vision is operating. God, Who created the universe and runs it, gives visions to people who know and acknowledge Him – people who took a leadership position, the priests who serve Him so that mankind can live according to His will, because God’s will is “good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:2).
The Lord can give a vision to anyone, but not everyone is ready to receive the vision and go with it. There are people who think that their wisdom, experience and aesthetical perception are enough to manage a country or the Church in a proper way. Solomon, who was wise, also fell in this trap. Rumors about his wisdom went to the neighboring countries. He truly was a wise man. People were amazed at his judgments and works (1 Kgs. 10:3-5), but in the last years of his life, Solomon wrote, “‘Vanity of vanities,’ says the Preacher, ‘All is vanity.’” (Ec. 12:8).
Why was he so disappointed? Actually, everyone gets disappointed with life, regardless of their wealth, reputation or fame, if all of it has been built upon the demands of their self. Leaning on his own wisdom, Solomon had not even bothered himself to inquire the will of the Lord Who gave him that wisdom. Praise God that at the end of his life, the king who had 300 wives and 700 concubines, understood that “Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised” (Pr. 31:30). And Solomon not only understood, but also reminded people the following truth: “Walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes; but know that for all these God will bring you into judgment” (Ec. 11:9).
King David who was considered “a man after God’s heart” was tempted to decide himself how to move the Ark of the Covenant. He thought that he did a great honor to God by giving orders for a new cart to be made for it. David took the Ark of the Covenant from the house of Abinadab accompanied by thirty thousand noblemen, with playing on harps, stringed instruments, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals, and with dances. However, while they were going, “Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God” (2 Sam. 6:6-7). Terrified, David sent the Ark of the Covenant to the home of Obed Edom from Gath.
In several months, David, in obedience to the Word of God, prepared a place for the Ark of the Covenant and took it there in accordance to God’s instructions: “And David called for Zadok and Abiathar the priests… He said to them, ‘…sanctify yourselves, you and your brethren, that you may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel to the place I have prepared for it. For because you did not do it the first time, the Lord our God broke out against us, because we did not consult Him about the proper order’” (1 Ch. 15:11-13).
Sometimes a vision received from the Lord must be kept secret for a while, because if you reveal it ahead of time, you can create difficulties for its fulfilment. Before his crucifixion, Jesus Christ went up a mountain with Peter, James and John. There He was transfigured: “…His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. …a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!’ …Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, ‘Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead’” (Mt. 17:1-9). If the disciples told about this, they would certainly create obstacles to the crucifixion of Jesus.
When the Lord gives a vision, He mobilizes the right people:
“There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius… About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, ‘Cornelius!’ And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, ‘What is it, lord?’ So, he said to him, ‘Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa, and send for Simon whose surname is Peter. He is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the sea. He will tell you what you must do’” (Ac. 10:1-8).
“The next day… Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth… Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate. And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there. While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, ‘Behold, three men are seeking you. Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them’” (Ac. 10:9-20).
Acts 10 clearly shows that the Lord spoke through vision with both Cornelius and Peter to show His desire to bring the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ to the Gentiles. This was an amazing incident for both the disciples and the Gentiles.
Because of sin, the Lord’s vision can become unclear to those who once used to see and interpret visions: “Pause and wonder! … They are drunk, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with intoxicating drink. For the Lord has poured out on you the spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, namely, the prophets; and He has covered your heads, namely, the seers. The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, ‘Read this, please.’ And he says, ‘I cannot, for it is sealed’” (Is. 29:9-11).
The Lord can take His vision from a country, Church or certain individuals at all because of evil, disobedience and other sins: “Disaster will come upon disaster, and rumor will be upon rumor. Then they will seek a vision from a prophet; but the law will perish from the priest, and counsel from the elders. ‘The king will mourn, the prince will be clothed with desolation, and the hands of the common people will tremble. I will do to them according to their way, and according to what they deserve I will judge them; then they shall know that I am the Lord!’” (Ez. 7:26-27).
Each person must be extremely careful, because there are people who want to lead godly people astray from the true path through false visions. As a basis for each vision, there must be a Scripture revealing God’s will: “They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord!’ But the Lord has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed” (Ez. 13:6).
A vision given by God will be certainly fulfilled at the appointed time: “Write the vision
And make it plain on tablets, that he may run who reads it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time; but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry” (Hab. 2:2-3).
In Part One, I gave my testimony about God’s inexhaustible love and faithfulness and how the vision that seemed impossible was fulfilled at the right time.