Early one morning this past week while trying to clear the fog with my morning cup of coffee, I remembered the dream which I had a few hours prior. I am not one normally given to dreams, but it seems over the past year I am beginning to have them with increased frequency and with significant messages revealed in their understanding. After pondering the dream, I continued my Bible reading in the book of Micah. A short time later my wife stumbled in the living room with her coffee in hand, and I shared the dream.
I saw myself examining the floor joists under a house. The beams did not look solid, but they were still in the right locations and attached to the underside of the sub-flooring. I began to poke at some of them and as I did the wood just crumbled away; they were completely rotten, deteriorated and incapable of holding any significant weight or pressure. As I came out of the crawl space I had to shinny on all fours and somewhat contort myself to come up. It was difficult to get in or out of the crawlspace.
When I was out, I looked up to see the homeowner (hoping for a good report). I said, “You have to go down and see; you must look for yourself”. With much persuasion he finally agreed.
That was the dream.
As my wife and I were considering the dream, I went back to reading in Micah. Within the next verse or two I read this.
The people of Beth-Ezel mourn, for their house has no support. Micah 1:11b (NLT)1
Woah, the Lord now had my attention. It seems Beth-ezel was a border town in southern Judah between Israeli and Philistine territory. And the name means an “adjoining house” almost like when a son in ancient Israel would take a wife and build a wing onto the father’s home for his own family. Oh Lord, I think I understand now.
Many Christians (grafted into Gods’ household) do not for the most part have a solid foundation; our supporting beams have deteriorated and as the pressure and weight of the world increases on our lives; many will not stand under the coming storm. Everything we’ve built will collapse because the foundation is not solid and tested. The crawlspace was difficult to get in and out of. In other words, the people of God will not examine their foundations – we do not want to go there. But it seems imperative that we must consider what our faith is built on and “strengthen that which remains”.
This is what the Lord says:
“Stop at the crossroads and look around. Ask for the old, godly way, and walk in it. Travel its path, and you will find rest for your souls. But you reply, ‘No, that’s not the road we want!’ (Jeremiah 6:16)
“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it will not collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my teaching and does not obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. (Mathew 7:24)
Questions to consider:
- What is the foundation of my faith?
- What are the ancient pathways which we should look for, walk in, and ask about?
- Have you considered that the Old Testament is foundational to understanding the New Covenant?
- Is my foundation capable of supporting me during the coming storm?
(1) Micah 1:11 is rendered differently depending on translation, I happened to be reading through Micah in the NLT version which so closely paralleled my dream.
Author: Aaron Jewell
Aaron Jewell works as an engineer in the IT field, but his true passion is the pursuit of truth and trying to figure out how things work, connecting the dots so to speak. He bring this curiosity to his theology especially as it relates to world events and helping Christians connect to our Old Testament roots. As the Lord provides inspiration, he also maintains a blog site at Olive Tree in Bloom.
Aaron, your dream is a very important revelation. The foundation of our faith should not be based in a religion, but in the The Most High God and in the word. The problem is, that some (not all) of what is taught from the pulpit does not provide a strong foundation in the word. The prosperity message, ‘once saved, always saved’ messages to name a few. I have been doing some deep bible study from an academic and historical prospective. It has definitely has opened my eyes to incorrect and omitted teachings but to have a firm foundation in TRUTH is what will sustain us with what is coming upon the earth.
S Renee, you are so right! The Word of God will be our weapon, our sword. Reading and studying the Bible is important, and so neglected by many Christians.
As Aaron was shown, we must not neglect our foundation.
Barbara ~ John 1 ~ In the Beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.(selah) The same was in the Beginning with God. All things were made by Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not ~
Jesus Christ, The Only Begotten Son Is The Word of God ~
My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ Blood and Righteousness
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand…
Yes, as Jesus told us, I will not leave you comfortless. It is the Holy Spirit who teaches us, and leads us and guides us into all Truth.
God Bless you and your household with His perfect Will, Peace and His given understanding in your lives….
I agree, S Renee, but being a Christian is also involving sharing the good news with others. as the first and second commandment shows us. Which I am pretty sure is included in what you said, but just wanted to clarify.:)