The Call

For the past week I've been considering starting a blog to share bible inspired entries in an attempt to promote God's word and the gospel. The challenge was knowing where and how to start. Should I take the academic approach? Do a personal testimony? Dig into eschatology or prophecy? That's the thing about the bible. It's a multifaceted, multi-genre composition masterpiece with just as many ways to discuss as there are ways to understand. There are truly layers. 

I've written other posts but because I am still a fledging when it comes to knowing The Word I did not feel qualified to present my thoughts as any kind of authority on biblical matters (as well as just having paralysis from analysis). I am learning, I am a student. And I am okay with that. Sometimes I need to remind myself that even Yeshua Hamashiach (Jesus Christ) did not start his ministry until after years of learning and travel. So what changed? What was the catalyst that inspired this first official entry for The Dew of Heaven blog? Well, y'all, *in my Biggie voice* it was all a dream.

You see, prior to meeting my wife, who is a very vivid dreamer, it was not common for me to share my dreams with people. I just never really put much stock in it. I also really wasn't born-again until about 2 years ago (a story for another day). So outside of the cheap horror movie thrills I just didn't delve into the mystical world of the supernatural. Coming back to the faith and reading the story of Joseph in Egypt and learning about Daniel and Ezekiel's visions really taught me just how significant some dreams can be when the Lord our God wants to speak with us. 

It's October 2nd and after coming home from my son's cross country meet--in which he clocked his fastest time of his season thus far at 13m40s, making Varsity for the final run this Saturday--the family all winds down, stomachs full of Chick-fil-A, ready to call it a night. After getting the toddler to bed wifey and I finally get to sleep. And that's when it all goes down.

There I am under a white tent in an open field accompanied by my wife and a group of people I've never seen. We were all praying heavily as if we were vexed about something. It felt impending. Next thing I know one of the men of the group stands up in tent, grabs a horn and blows that bad boy Lord Of The Rings final battle in Middle-Earth style. When I tell you the sound of that horn was so blaringly, deafeningly loud you couldn't have told me that wasn't real audible sound waves beating my ear drums like they stole somethin'. Next thing I know I'm standing amongst a vast mountainous range with a countless multitude of people chanting "JESUS!" over and over again. The scene changes again. I'm in a courtroom and the Messiah himself enters the room but there is no trial. Instead, he starts writing on a wall in a language I could not distinguish. It almost looked paleolithic in nature (google paleo-Hebrew). I got the sense he was clarifying to me some sort of misconception as I was astonished at the revelation.

Scene shifts again to my wife, brother and I sojourning at some strangers place. For a reason unknown to me my brother had offended her and we had to leave but upon leaving I was alone. I end up in a downtown or town square-ish looking area. Not a big city but more like a suburb. While in this area I am just watching couples propose to each other. Literally marrying and giving in marriage (Matthew 24:38). I decide I need to get back home to my family and after a failed attempt at a taxi I begin walking. That is when the ground starts shaking and the concrete is splitting beneath me. I start rushing to get back to my family and all of a sudden I am awake. It's 4:10 am. I went to my living room to grab my prayer journal as it was my plan to detail this immediately as that is what I felt I needed to do. Returning to my bed with my flip phone light, a pen and my journal my wife rolls over and lays on my chest and mumbles a question about why I'm up. I tell her to sleep as I wasn't going to try to explain all that in the moment.

But I put my phone and journal down and go to sleep instead. Dawn breaks, the toddler is up and ready for cereal and cartoons. Wifey gets up to get her washed and dressed. I finally get out of bed myself to chauffer the toddler to her daycare provider. Per the usual, I turn to station 91.5. Between 9 and 9:30am the Southwest Radio program airs the "Watchman on the Wall" segment where they speak about biblical prophecy and world events and I will passively listen to the topic of the day. As I am pulling back into the parking lot of our residence I hear the hosts speaking about Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year) falling on October 3rd so I listen more intently. In explaining the holiday the host then states that Rosh Hashanah coincides with a fall feast dating back to the Torah (Old Testament for Christians). And what is the fall feast called? The Feast of Trumpets..

 

According to firmisrael.org, the Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah in Hebrew) is a day in which "He ordained to blow the shofars--ram's horns. The sound was a reminder to repent and encourage reflection. According to the Torah, on Rosh Hashanah every Jew is obliged to hear the sound of the shofar."

**Quick addendum to this definition from the website, this sacred day was not just for the Jews but for all the tribes that made up Israel.**

Anyway, when the radio stated that Yom Teruah started in the evening of October 2nd and went into October 3rd I was truly floored. Tears and all. Because how could you even run a mathematical model of the likelihood that of all the days of the year that I would have such a vivid experience in alignment with this day God ordained as sacred?! And it's not like the thematic nature of the dream was subtle in any way. God is good. Now admittedly, I was in a slight panic because I'm like "yo what's God tryna tell me?!". But a simple educational inquiry into the day of Yom Teruah made the most sense as my start. 

A day of repentance. A day to reflect on my character and areas where I can grow closer to Him and to my family. To become more aligned with His will. A day to remember Him and give praise and thanks for all that He has done for the world. But also a reminder that now is the time for us all to get right with Him and each other. To remember that He will draw near to us if we draw near to Him (James 4:8). So as He has called me, I am calling you, readers. Calling you to join me in exploring God's greatness. Discovering His word. And praising His greatness that we can confidently proclaim it to our neighbors. Welcome to my blog, The Dew of Heaven. Shalom.