Volume 1 May 2000 Issue 4
Several years ago, when I was in the about the fourth or fifth grade I remember finding a cocoon. Being fascinated with my find, I broke off the branch to which it was attached and brought it to my room. I carefully placed it in a jar with rocks and water to maintain it.
Over the next several days, which turned in to weeks, I watched it. I came in one afternoon and found it partially open with a wing protruding out one side. It was vigorously moving and struggling to get out. I watched in awe as it struggled.
After a couple of hours the single wing was still the only one out, but it now appeared in full array and filled with strength. Still watching I became concerned that the rest of the body and the other wing had not come forth and escaped the cocoon that was binding it. I came up with a plan.
I went and retrieved my pocketknife from my desk and began to help the butterfly escape it prison. Ever so gently, I made the opening bigger and suddenly the butterfly was completely free of its cocoon, now sitting on the small branch. There it sat with one beautiful black and yellow wing in its full splendor, with the other looking withered and deformed. I figured it just needed time to stretch it out and let it dry in the sun coming through my window, so I left it alone and went outside.
My mom called us in for the evening meal. I came in along with my brother; we washed our hands and sat down to eat. After enjoying our dinner, I remember the butterfly in my room. I excused myself and went to see the beautiful butterfly. Much to my surprise and dismay, it still had only the one beautiful wing and the other wing still withered and deformed.
It would try to fly, but was unsuccessful. It simply spun in a rapid circle and fell to the floor. I picked it up and sat it in the window, hoping that time would solve the problem. The butterfly died a few hours later. It never gained the ability to fly so it could enjoy the process of pollinating the plants and fulfilling the designed cycle of life.
I went to my grandfather, who being a farmer, I figured would know of such things. I told him the story. The next words brought sadness to my heart; he told me that I had caused the deformity and eventual death of the butterfly.
By my cutting the cocoon to help the butterfly, I eliminated a process that God had designed to make the butterfly strong and beautiful. It was all the struggling to escape the prison that helps the wings to become fully formed and able to bring flight to the butterfly. Without the struggle, strength could not come to that second wing.
The lesson
In the Word of God, there are many parables that teach us eternal truths. Through this little story from my past, God is teaching a truth that we have forgotten. Read the scriptures that follow and allow the Holy Spirit to bring revelation to you. I believe that this teaching not only is essential to our present situation, but also speaks prophetically to us for what God has in our future and our destiny.
Hosea 10:11-12
11 And Ephraim is as an heifer that is taught, and loveth to tread out the corn; but I passed over upon her fair neck: I will make Ephraim to ride; Judah shall plow, and Jacob shall break his clods. 12 Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.
As you have seen in other newsletters, and those of you that have heard a message by me know that I see much in the words and their meanings. I firmly believe that there is no word in God's Word that is there by accident, but is there for a purpose.
Here is verse ll above amplified with definitions: "And Ephraim (speaks today of the church and means 'I shall be doubly fruitful') is like a heifer (calf) that is taught (trained or schooled in the proper functions), and loveth to tread out the corn (this usage hears brings the meaning of getting to the meat of the grain, to that which is fruitful and useful). Treading also alludes to work or something that takes effort. It goes on the say the Ephraim will ride meaning to cause to draw or obtain. Like drawing water from a well. Judah shall plow. Plowing is the first process of getting the ground ready for the planting seed that will eventually bring a harvest.
I remember as I grew up on a farm the time in the early spring when my grandfather and uncle would hook the plow to the tractor, go to the garden, and begin to breakup the ground that had sat over the winter months. This was fallow ground. Ground not productive, because it had not received seed. The plow would cut into the ground and turn the soil over. However, this left the ground in large clods, still hard and not able to receive seed. You see the plow is designed only to break up the ground so the harrow could then be brought in to bring softness to the soil because it would break up the clods. Rows could then be run and seeds planted.
Ground can only receive seed properly if it is tilled (harrowed). Otherwise, it would not have the potential to set down roots and draw nourishment from the earth to produce a harvest.
Now notice that it says that Judah shall plow. Judah we know means, "praised". The church has come into a beautiful understanding of praise and we can really get into praise. We all enjoy the times as we corporately worship and praise God. We can actually enter what we sometimes call the Holy of Holies and there seems to even be a tangible presence of the Lord in our midst. We become broken during these times and feel a joy that swells within us that is indescribable. With our hands lifted up and our voices singing forth praise unto the King of kings and the Lord of lords we exalt the mighty name of Jesus and the Godhead in all its glory.
Nevertheless, that is only one wing of the butterfly.
The Second Wing
This verse goes on to say that Jacob shall break the clods (harrow). What does this mean? Let us examine another verse of scripture.
Hosea 12:2-4
2 The LORD hath also a controversy with Judah, and will punish Jacob according to his ways; according to his doings will he recompense him. 3 He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and by his strength he had power with God: 4 Yea, he had power over the angel, and prevailed: he wept, and made supplication unto him: he found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us;
Jacob is the second son of Isaac and Rebecca. It says that Jacob took the heel of his brother Esau in the womb. Look at Gen. 25:21-26: 21 And Isaac intreated the LORD for his wife, because she was barren: and the LORD was intreated of him, and Rebecca his wife conceived. 22 And the children struggled together within her; and she said, If it be so, why am I thus? And she went to enquire of the LORD. 23 And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger. 24 And when her days to be delivered were fulfilled, behold, there were twins in her womb. 25 And the first came out red, all over like an hairy garment; and they called his name Esau. 26 And after that came his brother out, and his hand took hold on Esau's heel; and his name was called Jacob: and Isaac was threescore years old when she bare them.
Here is where we are missing the second wing. Look at verse 21, it says that Isaac intreated the Lord. Intreated means to supplicate or intercede on behalf of. The Lord is telling us that intercession is the second wing. It is this second wing that will give us full ability to be productive. We all like praise and worship and so we should. We must also learn to love intercession. I need to say here that intercession is not some special gift that is only for a few in the church. We are all called to intercession. Yes some may completely devote themselves to this and that is great and even seems to be a special gift. However, to make it an office in the church is not scriptural.
We can call a praise service and get 110% participation. We can call a night or time of prayer and intercession and you have to almost pay people to come. I believe that God is telling us that we need to come to the place where His house is truly a house of prayer. Praise only prepares the heart to go on to intercession. The church has lost the ability to travail. God is saying to us we can not go forth and I believe the candle stand will be removed from the altar unless we allow our second wing to develop.
I feel so strongly about this and the Holy Spirit is swelling within me as I am writing this to you. It is urgent and I feel so strongly that God is giving this almost as an ultimatum. Is this something new? No, God has always taught that the church should be about prayer. We have failed God in this respect.
Rebecca did not become with child until Isaac intreated God.
Look back at Gen. 25. It says that the children struggled within her. Jacob and Esau were struggling even in the womb. I believe that Rebecca went to Isaac and asked what all this movement was inside her. Isaac could not give her an answer so it says she inquired of the Lord. Another time God is showing us intercession. Rebecca interceded unto God for an answer of what was this that was happening. They did not have x-ray then to know that she was pregnant with twins and that one was struggling with the other.
Verse 23 tells us what the Lord said, "And the LORD said unto her, Two nations are in thy womb, and two manner of people shall be separated from thy bowels; and the one people shall be stronger than the other people; and the elder shall serve the younger." This was contrary to the culture. The older always received the birthright or leadership of the family. However, God is telling Rebecca that the younger will rule.
The time of delivery came and Esau came out first. He was red and hairy so they called him Esau, which actually does mean Red. As Esau was completing his exit of the birth canal and his feet came out the second child had a hold of his heel. Thus, his name "heal holder".
When it came time to receive the blessing from Isaac, Rebecca tried to aid God by fooling Isaac into giving the blessing to Jacob. It is said that Jacob stole the birthright. This is not so, how can you steel something that is already yours. Even if tradition says one thing, if God proclaims something else, who do you think is right? However, because Rebecca tried to shortcut the plan Jacob had to flee. From this we can learn that we need to continue to intercede, leave the plan up to God and not try to bring it about in our own strength.
The next lesson in this story comes when Jacob is coming home and is about ready to encounter Esau. You remember the story how that he sent gifts over to Esau hoping to soften or defuse a confrontation and that Jacob stayed on the other side of the brook.
That night Jacob is said to have wrestled with an angel. It goes on to say that Jacob prevailed. Now in true spiritual reality there is no way that Jacob could have wrestled and prevailed over an angel. What took place is that God was dealing with Jacob about some issues. Jacob had always relied upon his own self.
Let me explain it this way: when my two sons were small, they liked to wrestle with me. We would get down on the floor or out in the yard (the preferred place of my wife for us to be). We would tussle and I would hold them down one with my arms and the other usually between my legs is a scissors lock. I would hold them for a while and then I would let then prevail. They would roll over and one would pen my shoulders and the other the legs. They would call out to their mother we beat dad. They thought they had won when in actuality I really had let them win. This is what took place between Jacob and the angel. Jacob learned to wrestle (intercede) for what he wanted. When God saw that Jacob had learned, Jacob prevailed.
There are times for positive confession. However, When we need a move of God and something is blocking, it is intercession that is needed. Do you remember the story of the man who had guest that arrived late and he was out of bread? How that he went to his neighbor (a friend) to get some bread. How that he knocked on the door in the middle of the night and his friend responded that they were all in bed and not to bother him. Nevertheless, the man persisted. It was through persistence (intercession, wrestling) that he received what he wanted.
God is calling His body to intercession. If we expect to see a great move of God and if we as individuals expect to reach and fulfill our destiny to which God has called us, we must be given to intercession. Listen to what the Lord is saying, cry out to Him for our loved ones, our churches, our pastors, our nation and the other nations. Call out to Him and travail for the peoples of this planet. God is telling us that the candlestick will be removed from the altars where prayer is not a major part of the house.
There are two wings on a butterfly. One is praise the other is intercession. Praise prepares us to enter intercession. When the answer to one time of intercession comes do not fall back to using only one wing. If we do atrophy will set in and we will only go in circles. We do not want to stop praise, lets feel the same of intercession.