REDEEMING BROKEN PROMISES

A Vision and Promise for Broken Men of Broken Promises

12/8/02

VISION: I was flying in the spirit over the wilderness trees and following a creek downstream. I passed over some rough water before the stream turned a corner. At the bend I landed along side a creek where the stream bed had been undercut through the wearing of time and high water. Teenagers were enjoying this area and the water below the rough rapids. I went into these same waters and noticed a shallow sand bed made from finely sifted sand that had been washed downstream through time.

As I gazed into the clear shallow water, I was amazed. I saw a man’s gold wedding band standing straight up and down in the sand. As I bent over to pick it up, I gasped. There before me, were hundreds of men’s wedding bands standing straight upright in the sand. I made a large pocket in the front of my apron and rapidly gathered and poured them into it. I gathered only the rings that were standing upright and my apron was heavy with their weight. The children saw the treasures I was gathering and I saw the edge of another ring laying flat and still buried in the sand. I left it, for I knew the children would be digging and finding the rest of the rings that were not standing upright and buried through time.

I brought them home and placed them in a safe place and asked the Lord what I was supposed to do with all these wedding bands. Even though there were hundreds, each wedding band was different. There were 2 that were very unusual. One was a tiny, tiny gold baby ring and I then saw the baby who was meant to wear it. The other ring was astounding. It was about the size of a large wrist bracelet. However it was thick and rounded, cut exactly like a man’s wedding band. I suddenly knew it had been a giant’s wedding band. He had plundered many marriages and made himself a wedding band out of the gold!

{end of vision}

INTERPRETATION OF THE SYMBOLS

Wilderness - place of separation, and a place of being stripped from one’s loves. (All of Hosea 2)

Corner - a sudden change in direction in life. (Psa 126:4)

Undercut bed - a place of decay or erosion due to high water or enemy engulfment. (Joel 1:4; 2:25)

Rough waters - rough time in life passing through stumbling stones, constricted places and high water from the enemy. (Isa 57:14)

Finely sifted sand bed - The end of a long journey of sifting, being turned upside down and all around, having all the rough edges of one’s life broken and smooth until able to pass through a sieve without weights or hindrances attached. (Ezek 21:26)

Sand also represents the sands of time. Great blessings await us from the sands of time. (Gen 22:17)

Men’s wedding bands - the promises, covenants given to men from their brides. Made of gold which speaks of refined purity, silver for redemption, and diamonds for precious jewels. Worn on the pastoral finger of the hand of God. These lost rings represent not only the broken or stolen promises of literal marriages, but also the stolen promises between pastors and their churches, stolen promises between the priestly heads and their families, and even stolen promises between the Lord and His bride. (Hos 2:19,20)

Standing upright - Representative of the hearts of godly men who lost their mates, and who in their hearts have not left their families or God in spite of what they have lost. Through separation, rough and ravaged water, a great sifting and the erosions through time, they have stood as righteous, upright men in spite of all odds against them. (All of Psalm 18)

A baby ring - the covenant and inheritance to be passed down to a man child but instead the child awaits the promises that were stolen from him. This is literal for the men that were raised in broken homes and their inheritances were stolen. It is also a spiritual promise for the children of the last days who are to inherit the great wealth of generations before them. Their inheritance is being redeemed or recovered from the sands of time. (Num 24:17, Rev 12:5)

The giant’s ring - This was the spiritual ruler who had the assignment to plunder and steal the covenant promises of marriages. This includes not only literal ones, but also spiritual ones between pastors and churches, heads of homes with their families, and the Lord’s bride separated from His promises. The ruler’s ring is the prey of the enemy. In David’s day, it was the blessing after warfare to be able to retrieve the plunder or prey from the fallen enemy’s camp and divide it among the people. (I Sam 30:19, 24-26)

BRIEF BACKGROUND TO THE VISION

I want to share with you a brief background to this vision for I feel that it is a vital part of this Word as to the promises from the Lord and what He is going to do with all those "rings".

The night I received this vision, I had gone to bed very distraught and went into deep intercession over my husband. He has been a righteous and upright man all of his life, but has been dealt a low blow from the enemy due to years of ravages from sickness. The day before we had just celebrated his Jubilee, his 50th birthday and we are believing for all his debts from his losses to be redeemed, just as it was for Israel in their year of Jubilee.

For his BD gift, he and I went shopping for a new wedding band. Due to his illness, he had long abandoned wearing his wedding band of 27 years, because it was so thick that it hurt his fingers to close his hand. So we shopped for a new band that was wide, thin and smooth. He found one that he liked that was gold and silver and had 2 identical rows of 5 diamond chips. We felt the 2 rows represented a double portion and the number 5 represented grace. Some of the translations for the Greek word grace are: gifts, favor, liberality, benefit, joy, pleasure, thanks, and acceptance. (2 Kings 2:9)

"Instead of their shame my people will receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance; and so they will inherit a double portion in their land, and everlasting joy will be theirs." (Isaiah 61:7NIV)

I am his beloved, the one and only wife of his youth. However, he was the man child of a broken family and inheritance. When I was praying for him the night of this vision, one of the things I said was that the delay of time had gone on too long. It was time to redeem my husband’s health and all his losses due to such. It was not justice that he was an upright and righteous man of God, faithfully serving the Lord and his family to the best of his ability, and yet still suffering such great misery at the hands of the enemy. I was asking for a just God to intervene and make things right. Little did I know the Lord would answer my pleas for my own with such a precious promise for all men who had suffered great losses due to stolen promises! This is a parable that He multiplies in every area of our lives that have gone through death to self. (John 12:24)

A WORD TO PONDER - REDEEMED FROM DESTRUCTION

Oh men of God, you whose lives have suffered the decay of stolen promises and inheritance. To you of broken marriages, broken promises, broken families, and broken churches. The course of your life was flowing in a certain direction, but suddenly without warning, your course became rough, narrow and constricted as you passed over the stumbling blocks and through to the other side. As a result you were greatly sifted, yet greatly refined. Even though your life was forced to turn a corner in a different direction, you went with the flow, and your heart stood firm in Me. Yet you also chose to stand at that place of separation, holding onto the promises given to you, and stand upright before Me. You have remained steadfast in spite of everything. My heart aches for you, My faithful men, who have suffered great losses beyond your control. You have stood the test of time and even then time has seemingly gone on without you.

I have not forgotten you! I have not forgotten you! Your hearts are laid bare before Me, and you feel as though you have nothing to offer. But there you are still standing and waiting upon Me, the Just One to redeem your life from destruction. I Am He Who redeems. Your pleas have reached My throne, and angels are sent even now to gather your broken promises and lost inheritances. They await My plan to bring double portion grace, double portion gifts as I redeem your life from loss. You will have your Jubilee and I will pay your debts for I AM the Great Redeemer.

A new course has even been set for your children. They shall not suffer the same toils of your pain and loss. They shall play in My river of life and they shall dig deep into the inheritance of many generations. Many stolen and buried promises are waiting to be found in the sands of time. As I open their eyes, they too shall gather the lost gifts from generations gone by and they shall delight in My ways and help bring forth the restoration of all things.

Isa 54:11-14 NKJV

"O you afflicted one, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems, and lay your foundations with sapphires. I will make your pinnacles of rubies, your gates of crystal, and all your walls of precious stones. All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children. In righteousness you shall be established; You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; And from terror, for it shall not come near you."

FOLLOW UP SIGN

The next morning as I watched my husband read the vision I’d had, he was sitting under a spot light which is his reading lamp. In his left hand was the vision. I was flabbergasted as I looked at his hand. His new ring was sparkling and reflecting light so vividly, that it actually looked like the ring itself was lit up from within and glowing. It was so bright that nothing stood out except the ring. I knew it was a loving and tender sign from the Lord.

Lovingly,

Sandy