This is a time of revelation. It is a time of uncovering truth and exposing lies. Both personally and collectively, the Holy Spirit is digging deep into those things that have been hidden in times past to free us of the roadblocks that are keeping us from our destiny.
But even in this time of revelation, it is also a time of confusion. Though we look at the signs of the times and talk of all that is being revealed in our nation, there are many different interpretations of their meaning and their purpose. Whether it be headlines and breaking stories, words or impressions in prayer, or dreams and visions of things to come, understanding these various revelations is causing much debate. The growing number of various predictions and timelines concerning our future is leaving many scratching their heads. We are finding it painfully obvious that getting a revelation is one thing, but interpreting it is another.
You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? (Luke 12:56 ESV)
Most all who are spiritually attuned in this hour agree that a mighty move of Holy Spirit is soon coming upon the earth. But, is He coming to move us into place or take us out of the fray? Is He coming in the Last Day exposure of the Anti-Christ or ushering in an era of Kingdom expansion long before that last and final Day? Depending on one’s interpretation of the revelations given, we are headed in two different directions!
A revelation is simply the “raw data” that is presented in a dream, a vision, a passage of Scripture, or a word. It is that initial “intel” that is seen or heard, outside of human initiative. According to 1 Corinthians 2:13, true revelations are not born of the flesh but can only come by the Spirit. But this is also true of interpretation. In the Old Testament, the prophet Daniel received many visions and revelations, but he needed an angel to interpret them for him (see Daniel 7:15-16). In the New Testament, we are taught about the gifts of the Spirit. One is the gift of tongues in an unknown language. But there is also another gift of interpreting that tongue (see 1 Corinthians 12:10). Spiritual interpretation was so important to the early Church that the apostle Paul said that if there was no interpretation available, one was to stay silent (see 1 Corinthians 14:28).
As a prophetic dreamer for many years, I have realized how subjective interpretation can be. The more symbolic a revelation is, the more subjective an interpretation can be. It’s no wonder that the most prophetic books in the Bible that are the most symbolic (Daniel, Ezekiel, Revelations), are also the most divisive among believers concerning the End Times. Books have been written on these interpretations and entire ministries have been built on various perspectives of these “last day” passages. The question is, have these interpretations made us more unified as a result?
My whole point in sharing this is simple. Perhaps we need to reconsider the weight that we place upon these various interpretations and look more closely at the initial revelations. For example, the most important revelation concerning the End Times is that Jesus is coming back for a glorious Bride without spot or wrinkle (see Ephesians 5:27). Rather than debating when and how this is going to happen, we should focus on being fully ready for His return. This not only has to do with our salvation but our sanctification. The Bride that Jesus is returning for is not divided in purpose, irrelevant to the culture, or void of power over our adversaries. His Bride will be one of unrivaled spiritual authority and oneness of the Spirit that overcomes every foe and principality that stands against His throne. This alone should cause many to examine our current state and our readiness to assume that role.