Shaken From Their Lofty Places

Greetings in the Lord~

Today during my worship and prayer time with the Lord, I began to have a vision.  I was with Jesus and we were in an arid place, walking down a long, outdoor hallway of a stone structure or building of sorts.  As we got closer to the building, I saw a darkened entrance at the end of the walkway and felt a bit unsure about going inside.  It seemed to me that this was a hostile place full of enemies, and I grabbed Jesus' hand.  As we got inside the darkened corridor He said to me, "Don't worry, they can't see you; but just listen to them."  I nodded my head sheepishly and followed Him closely, hiding myself behind Him as we crept closer to hear.

We made our way into a large room that reminded me of a sports press box, as it had two wide viewing areas that looked out high above the surrounding lands; we were in the upper room of a fortress that was carved into a mountainside.  It was obvious that the men in the room felt they were prestigious, as they were dressed in fancy ornate clothes and carried themselves very arrogantly.  Everything about these men told that they were prideful, greedy, cruel and envious of others.  And obviously, this was their smug and safe, little hidden perch, high above everyone, used to plan the destruction of others unawares.  Evil men, yes, that is what they were, but too cowardly to approach their victims face to face.  No, these men were terribly weak--they hid in the shadows, lied and deceived people, pretending to be one thing all the while undermining others and waiting to reap in their loss and delight in their misfortunes.  Naturally, I discerned Trump was a common enemy of theirs, but really these men were more opportunists than anything; not an honorable or honest bone in their body.  Like Wild E. Coyote, they plotted all the time against the Road Runner using any trick they could think of.

As we stood there, we heard them using inside information from spying on others and monitoring their activities remotely to plan schemes against them.  "Break their will with lies," "No, that didn't work," they debated, "Use betrayal," says another.  "Attack their family," "No, too close--attack their supporters;" I listened as they proposed everything from false testimony to mocking to lies of incompetence to using witchcraft when finally one said, "Seduction!"  Another agreed, "Yeah, we need a Delilah," and on they went, proposing one demonic scheme after another to further their own agenda and bring down their enemies.

Then Jesus turned and looked at me and said, "I AM going to shake this place and crumble it to the ground.  Their arrogance disgusts me and I will put an end to it."  Immediately I discerned that a very real and large earthquake could and would take down this demonic safe haven of iniquity.  These men were not beyond the reach of God's justice.  Any nation, corporation, or person who trusts more in their wealth, power, technology, or wisdom more than God will be brought low, and all the more faster if they also use their resources and positions to persecute God's people.  Its just that simple.

This vision reminded me of the smallest book in the Old Testament called, "Obadiah."  In just 21 verses, it tells the prophecy of how Edom would be laid low by God because of their arrogance and cruelty of Israel, their blood relatives, and for gloating and profiting from Israel's misfortune.  Similar to the vision, Edom was perched in the mountains where they felt they were safe from retaliation and attack, but also they had a good view of the demise of others.  They never bothered to help Israel, though they could have, and instead, they gloated, rejoiced, plundered and took captives those who were fleeing from disaster.  At every turn, they looked to oppress the disadvantaged and profit from their misery all the while sitting securely in their aerial position.

"The day is near when I, the Lord, will judge all godless nations!  As you have done to Israel, so it will be done to you.  All your evil deeds will fall back on your own heads.  Just as you swallowed up My people on My holy mountain, so you and the surrounding nations will swallow the punishment I pour out on you.  Yes, all you nations will drink and stagger and disappear from history." Obadiah 15-16

In essence, the vision I had and this word from Obadiah is a prophetic word in this season that the Lord will be laying low those prominent ones who have been undermining, sabotaging, and attacking His anointed ones from behind the scenes, while enjoying the security of their lofty positions.  The Lord can reach them in their lofty, hidden places and will bring them down.  The rest of Obadiah promises to restore God's persecuted ones; they will return and inhabit the places vacated by those the Lord throws down and they will rejoice in His goodness and salvation.

~Be blessed and be a blessing.