I’ve had several dreams in the last few months but had no time to record them. Hopefully I’ll get a couple of them up today, and more later…
In this dream there was a woman and her children who had suffered abuse from the husband for a while already. She was an average woman, but had repented of rebellion and had been earnestly seeking to obey God by being a good wife. However, her husband was unrepentant and continued to abuse them verbally and physically (although not obviously.)
The woman went to the elders of the local body they were part of. She told them factually what condition they were in, and asked for help. Her husband was also there and denied her accusations and talked about what a bad wife she was, etc…
There were four elders. Two were teachers who studied and taught regularly. One had preeminence. Of the other two men, one had the gift of hospitality and was very out-going and fun to be around. The fourth was the most quiet, and was a simple hard-working fellow with a fairly large family himself.
The preeminent elder #1 had a history of some sort that made him less trusting of women, and more prone to trust men. However, he was the one that answered first and did not look to the other elders for confirmation of his judgement. Basically he told the woman to go home and be a better wife.
The next day elder #1 died in a bad accident.
The bad husband beat his wife for telling on him and left her with a bruised face that was more obvious than his usual abuse. She returned to ask the elders for help again.
Elder #2 (also a teacher in the body) felt very uncomfortable with the situation and had a nagging feeling that something was wrong. But again, instead of consulting the other men he spoke as though he were preeminent:
“You already received an answer from elder #1. Go home and be a better wife.”
Weeks past. Months. I saw the children of this bad man being very careless with their lives, as though they did not value their own lives. They were constantly playing with death in a frantic “let’s have fun” way. I saw God miraculously preserving their lives for the sake of the praying mother.
Elder #2 had developed some odd patches on his skin very shortly after he sent the woman home without help. He finally went to the doctor a couple months later. He was diagnosed with leprosy and told that he could not return home unless/until he was cured. He was immediately bundled off to a leprosy clinic in rural no-where. The disease was unexpected and scarcely heard of. Only a small handful of people in the States had contracted leprosy, and that was usually from being overseas somewhere. Elder #2 was separated from the Body, and told that he would have to go through months of therapy before he could return… if then. His case was advancing quickly.
The Body mourned the loss of their two key elders who had studied and taught them the Scriptures. Now they were left without teachers. They prayed for elder #2 and rebuked Satan and asked for healing, etc…
It impressed me that both of these elders had truly been good men with good families.
The abused woman approached the remaining two elders with confidence that now they would listen to her… surely they would listen…
The third elder who was the man given to hospitality and social ministry was very distressed at being faced with the same problem again. He blustered and hummed and hawed and lightly fussed at the woman for adding to the burden of the Body at such a time when they were hurting with the loss of their two elders… and what was he supposed to do… he didn’t know what to do… couldn’t she just wait until elder #2 came back… blah, blah…
And he never turned to consult with elder #4 who sat silently watching the whole thing.
I was groaning in despair in my dream, knowing that elder #3 was about to die too… then elder #4 interrupted, appearing rude and “unspiritual” in his response. I heard the same nervousness in his own voice.
“I have a basement. Her and the kids can stay in the basement. I’ll feed them.”
And that was all. It was as though a cloud of death was lifted from over the Body. I knew that elder #4 had that basement from the beginning and had been willing to open it up for the woman and her kids from the beginning. But he was not given opportunity, nor did he have the guts to speak up regardless.
I knew the man with leprosy would not return to his family unless the Body as a whole repented. But that if they did, the elder #2 would be healed and returned to the Body.
At the end of the dream I felt a great dread and fear of God, and also a great appreciation for His care for the helpless. I knew that He truly is a father to the fatherless.
I awoke and we prayed.
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Among other things (example stories) Gabe said: “Jam 3:1 ¶ My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation… ”
If you are going to be an elder, be sure you know the bible. As concerns this dream, most pastors and elders don’t put themselves into a plurality. When they make a judgement or a teaching, there is no other man standing there next to them with place to say “uh, no actually, I disagree.” These men put themselves in a very dangerous place because they don’t know the Bible. Because they don’t know that Paul directly commanded them to be in a plurality of elders, judging one another, working together in the Word… there is safety in this that the Body needs.
This is just one example of the type of jeopardy a man can be in if he doesn’t know the word. It says to not be many masters… but if you are going to be… then make sure you know how to do it right… how to be safe in it. If you are going to be a teacher, master your subject first. Fear not to. –gabe
I just read this dream. God is indeed the father of the fatherless. I have seen Him care for someone in a similair manner. (Although no one actually died)
I knew a woman whos husband was an alcoholic. He had been since they were first married. The issue came with him, it was already a problem in his life. Although the wife would admit to at times making the problem worse. She did repent of this and truly try to change her life. But as any one who is involved with this type of sin knows that it is not "your" fault that the addict uses and there is little one can do to change them. We can change ourselves… But we all have choices to make.
This went on for many years. The wife doing the best she could in a chaotic situation. At times the family would be almost scorned because of the husbands drinking. She began to see God watching out for her and the children in ways that she could hardly believe.
Once when asking for financial advice from a christian elder he laughed at her and seemed to say "it is hopeless for you." A short time later(less than a week)his wood shop burned to the ground. He repented of the way he had responded to her and God restored his business completely.
Once a man who had promised to give them a vehicle if the husband would seek help from the church. The husband did, but he backed out on the deal. He sold them the vehicle at a profit. A few weeks later his wife was in a car accident and totalled their car, worth exactly twice the amount he had charged them.No insurance. total loss.
Although he never saw the connection, she did, and had to wonder if it was more than a coincidence…she had seen Gods hand enough… to wonder…
She was also filled with a fear of God and knew he did care for the helpless and fatherless. She had seen it many times.
Ruby told me of this dream. I don’t actually ever come to this site, though I had heard of it. I contacted Ruby about my situation. The elders told me to be a better wife. Another man had an extra, empty house he is letting me stay in. No one has died yet, but I fear what the Lord may do. I am thankful for the Brother who has offered me a safe haven. I read this story and I am sick in my heart and to my stomach. It is SO similar, so very scary.