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The Coming Economic Storm
February 2012
It is February 8, 2012. I feel an urging of the Holy Spirit to write down the account of a dream I had on December 29, 2010. I knew this dream was from the Lord but I did not understand its meaning. As time has passed, the clarity of the dream did not fade and I began to gain more understanding by studying some of the scriptural symbols and connecting it to other prophetic messages.
I submit this dream and my interpretation believing it is from the Lord, however, I do not presume to have a full understanding of it or what one’s response should be. To agree with the dream and the interpretation I offer is up to each individual. Any preparation or other actions should be done as the Lord leads each person.
The Dream
December 29, 2010. I looked out the window of my house and saw very dark clouds drifting by, near the ground like fog. I could faintly see inside the cloud that there were full grown trees moving with the cloud. I threw a rock into the cloud to see if the trees were real and heard it hit solid wood with a distinct sound.
Next, I was standing outside and the cloud was gone. Branches and leaves from the trees were on the ground. I had a distinct impression that the trees were for the purpose of replenishing the land from what had been depleted. Then I heard the Lord say: “When this storm is over, it WILL be just like the Soviet Union.” There was a very absolute tone in His voice with emphasis on “will.”
There was also, an older Caterpillar bull dozer sitting near by. I felt an urgency to move it from the place it was sitting. I got on it and tried to start it with no success. The battery was dead and there was no time to boost it. So I engaged the clutch anyway and it began to move even though the engine was not running. I remember seeing mud squish out from under the tracks as I moved it because the ground was wet from the storm that had just past. I moved it to a place near the road and the dream ended.
Dark Clouds
Below are some scriptures that define the symbolism of “dark clouds” and set the context of this dream.
(2 Samuel 22:12 NKJV) He made darkness canopies around Him, Dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
(2
Chronicles 5:14 NKJV) so that the priests could not continue
ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the LORD filled the
house of God.
(2 Chronicles 6:1 NKJV) Then Solomon spoke: "The LORD said He would dwell in the dark cloud.
(Psalms 18:11 NKJV) He made darkness His secret place; His canopy around Him was dark waters And thick clouds of the skies.
(Ezekiel
34:12 NKJV) "As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among
his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from
all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day.
From the scriptures above I believe the dark clouds in the dream mean that a storm is coming, but the Lord is in the cloud. He will use the storm to replenish or restore the land. One result of the storm is that people will return to (be gathered unto) the Lord. Isaiah 26:9 says, “... I will seek You early; For when Your judgments are in the earth, The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.”
The Trees in the Cloud
For some time I wondered what kind of trees were in the cloud. It was not clear since they were just shadows in the thick cloud. The term, “oaks of righteousness” came to mind but I never felt they were oak trees. Oak trees have a thick rough bark and the sound of the rock I threw did not sound like it hit such bark. The sound was more of a clear tone of solid wood.
On September 10, 2011, I was made aware of a word by a Messianic Rabbi named Jonathan Cahn. He shared that what happened to the World Trade Center on 9-11-01 was a harbinger or warning from God that parallels the warning God gave ancient Israel. In an attempt to warn Israel and bring the back to Him, He sent judgment. Yet in response to the chastisement from the Lord, Israel replied in arrogance saying: "The bricks have fallen down, But we will rebuild with hewn stones; The sycamores are cut down, But we will replace them with cedars." (Is. 9:10).
Apparently without realizing that Is. 9:10 was an arrogant response to God’s reproof, leaders of the United States quoted that very scripture in response to the destruction of the world trade center on 9-11. Not only did they quote the scripture, but they took a hewn stone and made a monument representing the rebuilding of a new tower at ground zero. Not only that, there was a sycamore tree that was destroyed by the falling building and it has been replaced with an evergreen (cedar). Not only that, a monument from the roots of the uprooted sycamore tree was made and displayed on in the financial district on Wall Street.
The significance of the uprooted sycamore tree being displayed is that it represents the uprooting of the financial systems of America that have grown corrupt. This is confirmed by the fact that in May of 1792, stockbrokers met to sign documents that became known as the Buttonwood Agreement which established the American stock market. It was called the Buttonwood Agreement because they signed the documents underneath a Buttonwood tree, which is another name for the American Sycamore.
As I learned these things, I knew that the trees in the cloud were sycamore trees. Therefore, I believe the storm that is coming to America is a economic storm. The dishonest and corrupt monetary systems of our nation have depleted the wealth of our nation, but the storm, unpleasant though it will be, will be a restoration of Sycamores representing sound financial practices.
It WILL be...
The tone of the Lord’s voice in the dream was absolute.“When this storm is over, it WILL be just like the Soviet Union.” Certain things are set and will not change. What parallels in the United States might look like after an economic storm are unclear. But we know that, for those living in the Soviet Union, it was a painful lifestyle adjustment and this is unavoidable for the United States as well.
Through socialistic policies and making it more profitable to be on welfare than to work, the America government has created a class of “entitlement slaves” who are dependent upon the government. They have no incentive. Economist Dr Thomas Sowell said, “Our problem is that those who work for a living are out numbered by those who vote for a living.” With half or more of Americans on government assistance, with tax laws that punish productivity, and with a huge and growing national debt being propped up by printing money on a massive scale, we may be closer to financial collapse than most people are willing to admit.
Just Like the Soviet Union
If the connections made so far are accurate, we should interpret “just like the Soviet Union” as a reference primarily to its economic collapse. Several things happened when the Soviet economy collapsed.
First, it collapsed because of socialism, the economic system of communism. A socialist economy collapses when the those who work for a living can no longer support those who live off the government. Socialism kills the workers’ incentive and productivity. “They pretended to pay us an we pretended to work.” said an anonymous Soviet citizen. Below are a few of the results of the economic collapse of the Soviet Union.
- Hyper-inflation
- Food shortages
- Energy shortages
- Deep credit crunch resulting in a protracted depression
- Increased criminal activity
- Record High Interest Rates
- Increased poverty rates
- Drastic cuts in spending on social programs, and industry subsidies.
But we must not forget that God causes all things to work together for good, for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. When the Soviet Union collapsed, the doors for the gospel swung wide open. There was a season of freedom in which Christians, who previously were not allowed to enter, were able to come and go without restriction. The result was a dramatic expansion of missionary activity in which thousands of new churches were planted. Personal friends of mine were among some of the most, if not the most effective in this effort.
The Bull Dozer
This is more good news. A dozer is an earth moving machine. It has the ability to reshape the earth. In the dream, it was urgent to move the dozer and there was not time to start its engine. Nevertheless it moved under supernatural power. I understand this to mean that even though things might get tough, we will be able to continue our work. The good news is, as a bull dozer is an earth moving machine, the end result will be a reshaping of the economic, political, and spiritual landscape according to more biblical principles.
Final Thoughts: Preparation
Guard against an apocalyptic mentality. I do not think this is what we are facing. Remember, even as we acknowledge that judgements are coming, we should remember that God is good and His chastisements are redemptive in nature. He is restoring. He is telling us in advance so we will not be "freaked out" when things happen, but will be confident that He is in control and will take care of us. I do not believe God is finished with America.
Though we can expect to experience the supernatural power of God in tough times, we should also make prudent preparations where possible. Get out of debt if at all possible. Pray for God’s grace and wisdom to do so. Many people who believe economic collapse on some level is coming, are already storing food and water, at least enough to get through short periods due to interruptions of supply and delivery systems. Some are converting their wealth to precious metals and other commodities.
Each person must do as the Lord leads, but we must not be motivated by fear and develop a bunker mentality. That was the mistake made by the servant in the parable of stewardship who hid his talent in the ground. He thought of the Lord as "a hard man" (see Luke 19:11-27). Our motive must be preparedness to continue the work of God.
Perhaps the most important aspect of preparation is being prepared to lead and offer solutions. I believe it will be very important to lead in local situations such as city county levels. There will be a vacuum of leadership and thus a huge opportunity to share the gospel and expand the Kingdom of God.
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