We have found that Oliva is a refreshing, re-orienting place for many. These days we don’t have so many guests – there was a time when for a few years we had people with us between 100-130 days / nights of the year. A season that was. It was interesting finding this place for as I indicated in the previous post we were living in Cadiz when Gayle had that dream of ‘C/ Azahar’. We took ourselves off to Valencia just after Christmas of 2013 and started to drive from 100kms north of Valencia. 2 days in that direction but nothing resonated; 2 days south 100kms of Valencia and finally came to Oliva. We were ready to go home as we had found nothing that resonated. Anything ‘prophetic’ has to ultimately be witnessed to internally. And nothing witnessed. We stopped for a final cup of coffee before planning that our journey was fruitless when we suddenly realised that this was the place as we stepped out of the car at a cafe.
5:55 so read the clock the next morning as I woke. It might have been 7:05 and hopefully not 6:16(there is an alternative MS reading of 616 to the 666 reading!!)… can be coincidence but I was convinced it was not simply a time on the clock. I began to pray… ‘5’ generally the number representing grace, 3 times over. Then this came to me – we will make an offer on 3 properties and it will be a grace package with each one costing more than the one before. ‘Grace package’ is often taken to mean ‘cost less’, but I realised that grace is the emptier we are (our pockets) the more they can be filled. Long story but that is exactly what happened with the final offer being refused with a ‘don’t even talk to me’ coming back from the owner. A phone call out of the blue some weeks later – there is an angel you need to connect with to release you from Cadiz and open the door for you to go. Next morning off we went… and within 30 minutes of the connection the phone rang, and it was the agent in Oliva – ‘I don’t know what has happened but the owner who said not even to talk to him has just called me to say that I am to tell you that you can have the apartment at the price you offered’.
Where did we move – to Calle Isla de Sicilia – Sicily Island street. We have never dug deep into the significance but have wondered why ‘Sicily’ street. From a street to an island – this is the plan.
Last night while seeking to get some keys to the island I read: Sicily’s geographical position makes it a central point in the Mediterranean, connecting it to the Arabic world, North Africa, and Europe.
At times I probably read too much into what others might term coincidences, but the above quote seems alive. Geography has always been important for us – with over 1200 references to land in Scripture maybe this is not surprising. I kinda think there is treasure hidden in the land there that might just make a contribution to the coming age.
I am fascinated that you are working your way from west to east. The west would symbolize expansion into the Atlantic in terms of trade, exploration, and colonization. You appear to be working backwards from that. In Sicily you find the roots of much of what came later when Europeans colonized the world. I will be interested to see where this all goes.
Loving the recent personal posts. Going back to Israel 2 states, what is your take on Ex. 47: 21-23?
Geoff glad you loved the recent posts. So why the difficult question???!!!!
I am so glad I have everything sorted and a category for everything… or not. But here is my take and of course it all depends so much on how we read Scripture, and certainly if I were writing it all texts would agree with me.
Those final chapters of Ezekiel are full of hope for a restored Israel and they fuel the latter chapters of Revelation where far from there being a restored temple John says he saw a city and NO temple. (And is the hope for a literal river to flow out of the temple?) So there seems to be a fluidity; we see the same thing with Jeremiah’s 70 years becoming 70×7 years. Was Jeremiah wrong and is Daniel ‘right’? I consider that the prophetic often describes future hope in terms that are in the language and cultural / geographical of the people being addressed.
New Testament hope (Revelation) can still use geographical language (a new Jerusalem), gates and tribes etc. but seems to be describing a transformation of the whole of creation. New Jerusalem is both the holy of holies (a cube) and a renewed earth (size described being the size of the then known earth). Language and imagery being used that could be reduced but is intended to communicate beyond what is known.
At the end of Ezekiel 48 the city is not described as ‘Jerusalem’ but as ‘the Lord is there’, so I take the allotment for the tribes as idealised and symbolic. The allotments are not the restoration to the ones given by Moses / Joshua and there has to be an inheritance for the ‘aliens’.
Paul’s comment about the promise to Abraham being the ‘world’ expands the vision and I am currently seeing ‘all Israel’ being fulfilled by (shorthand) ‘gentiles’ coming in – thus within the bringing in of the gentiles within which are ‘hidden’ the northern tribes.
I see no hope within the NT of a restoration of the land; however land remains with purpose which brings to a conviction that of all places on the earth where there needs to be reconciliation is the land we call Israel. Perhaps I am naive but would like to pull for something to manifest that is a sign of the ultimate.
I am sure the above is inadequate and there is much more to it though on whatever approach we have to hold on to a major expansion of the expression of hope through the cross. Land to world; Israel (12 tribes not simply Jews) to all peoples and nations.
Ezekiel 33:26 “You rely on your sword, you do detestable things, and each of you defiles his neighbour’s wife. Should you then possess the land?” I’m thinking a lot about power – I’m living in a city that is declaring it’s about to get rich by rapid rearmament deals that will make some people very wealthy and the rest of us “grateful” because we will have jobs. I suppose I should’nt be surprised – I was once told by the navy that it only allows what it wants to allow in the city. It trumps all civic/environmental decisions because of its role in the “defense of the realm”. I’m having to do a lot of readjustment working out what my voice should be saying in this time when power over seems to be firmly reestablished as the way to get things done. The Pax Romana and all that.
And I’m not immune. I have also been walking the boundaries of where I live, praying for the power of Spirit to defeat enemies, those actively praying against Christians. I’m now finding myself in an uncomfortable but genuine conversation with the guy who runs the local coven.
My question is, when must I fight for territory and when do I need to enter peace negotiations? If I can reconcile this within me, I may be able to pray with more Christlikeness for other seemingly irreconcileable differences.
Any wisdom gratefully received!
Hi Karen
Great to hear what you are focused on, and it seems that so many people are hearing this aspect of ‘power’ as becoming central. It always has been – after all Jesus was crucified in ‘weakness’ to confound / disarm all powers.
Any wisdom gratefully received! For all of us that is the current issue. And conversation with the guy who runs the local coven. Oh my wisdom indeed. I am convinced that we are being invited to form partnerships with those who ‘see’ humanity without us losing THE centre who is Jesus.
You will find a way with your eyes open and also heart open to pathways that are untrodden. Acts 19 Paul was friends with the Asiarchs -one of their responsibilities was the appointment of priests into Artemis cult, not to mention they had to back up and help enforce Caesar’s rule. I can only conclude they saw something in Paul that drew them – they must have seen his passion for the transformation of the Roman world – it does not seem (at that stage) that they had got hold of what we might term the ‘evangelical’ gospel but they were on board with the ‘gospel’ – good news of transformation.
Wisdom beyond the above will come as you pursue the path of passion for your city.
thank you. xxxx I’ve always had an urge to see what is around the bend on any walk I have ever been on – so my curiosity is my strength and weakness. But really really really appreciate the prayer. Hope to make the zoom!