On the night of May 6, 2007, I believe God gave this vision to me in a dream:
The atmosphere was black, ink-like – blacker than anything I could have ever imagined. It was close, and had an unusual heaviness that I could feel. Utter dread and terror was there – an evil. I couldn’t move or say anything because I was frozen with fear. I knew something was happening in that blackness but I couldn’t yet see or hear it.
Ahead of me in the distance, the scene was dramatically different, albeit late in the evening. It was dimly lit. Neither the sun nor the moon was visible, but the sound of people laughing, singing, carrying on simple conversations and pleasantries could be heard. The area was decorated with Chinese lanterns, small strands of lights were hung, music played as an undertone in the background, and tables were lavishly decorated and laden with more food and refreshments than any of the guests could possibly consume.
I could tell it was a gathering of people who knew each other, and shared a common bond or familiarity with one another. The attire was not formal, although a few dressed for the occasion. The night air seemed as though it was balmy because no one wore wraps or jackets. It was a garden party, but these people appeared completely unaware of the danger on its way. They were undaunted by the fact that the pitch-blackness surrounded them and butted up to the edge of the party area. I don’t know if they even noticed it.
The oppressiveness of the blackness drew my attention to it again and I could now see what the darkness had previously obscured. It was an animal that bore only faint resemblance to one for which great controversy has swirled in life.
This animal was lean - almost half-starved. I could see the outline of its ribcage and the sunken hollows around its hips. Its coat was sleek and black, and its eyes were dark, but there in the depths of those eyes, I saw a fiery hatred containing singularity of purpose. Its eyes glowed deeply like the smoldering glow given off by large logs in a fireplace fully consumed, but continuing to burn.
This animal I recognized as a wolf but it was not the beautiful, majestic and free animal one sees in pictures or on nature programs. This animal was not a pack hunter and its hunger was never satiated.
The dread I felt was not for me. I was an unnoticed observer in this dream. The dread I felt was for those people at the party. At some point, I realized the wolf had crossed the unseen, unmarked boundary line of the owner’s property and into the backyard. He crossed at a dead run and in a straight line. Nothing was going to turn him from his chosen course. He displayed no sign of fatigue, and made virtually no sound as he slipped through the night. His objective was clear. I knew his intent was to destroy and devour those people who appeared not to have a care in the world.
It was at this point the dream ended because I suddenly woke up …very disturbed.
It is said that dreams can take only fleeting moments to occur, and that we usually do not remember in great detail the content of those dreams, if anything at all. I can say that the second part of that statement for me is true. There have been only a handful of dreams that I can say with certainty what they were about. Out of those, none have held more clarity and definition than the dream I’ve laid out in the paragraphs above.
There is quite a bit of applicable symbolism in these short paragraphs.
The darkness that encompasses the scenes indicates sin in the world. Darkness hides or obscures sinful activities whether they are in thought or deed. Darkness is an absence of light and makes no allowance for clear vision. Darkness creates fear and dread of the unknown. Darkness also demonstrates a lack of God’s presence – a lack of true faith.
The dim light emanating from the party can represent man’s wisdom and “righteousness” - a manufactured holiness.
The setting was a garden party. Typically, garden parties are held for statesmen, royalty, and social elites. Enormous amounts of preparation go into the planning and execution of these types of events, and the ambiance is a main ingredient of such an affair. In this interpretation, these people consider themselves elites – they have “arrived” as Christians and they haven’t the desire to venture outside of their own social circles. Therefore, they take no thought for anyone outside of their spheres of influence, and have no regard for lost and dying souls. They have no motivation to reach out to others in need, and as long as they are comfortable, well fed, entertained, and validated in their positions, life for them, is good – nothing else matters. Complacency and apathy has set in. The balmy atmosphere represents a situation in which the spirit of conviction is absent in any messages preached. Comfort is of paramount importance. They’re convinced that their brand of spirituality is sufficient. They have a form of righteousness, but because the party is taking place outside, the implication is that people who attend church can still be outside the Will of God.
This is where many of our congregations are in terms of their walk with Christ. They think once they’ve been saved, and have found inclusion, the job is finished – it is the notion of a “once-saved / always-saved” religion, which is not biblical. This is an appealing idea, but it’s a dangerous doctrine to live by. We have eternal security as long as we stay within the confines of God’s laws.
Some people even put a different spin on that same idea. They think that simply at the moment of Christ’s crucifixion, all sins were automatically blotted out – that there is no personal responsibility to actively accept His forgiveness and seek His Will, because there is no sin to forgive. Christ was the propitiation for sin, but until we approach the throne in brokenness, His sacrifice cannot be applied to our lives and purpose.
The setting can also lead to yet another interpretation. The shepherd of the flock has abandoned them, or has possibly even joined them in needing a guide. Although they’ve been led to green pastures and are, for a time, grazing on the bounty set before them, they are extremely vulnerable to attack without a guardian to protect them and lead them out of danger. The light they used to have has faded because they have been seduced by things of the world and are following and perpetuating false doctrine.
Some of our congregations have been abandoned by the ministers in their pulpits because the ministers have become more missions-minded, whether out of a true heart for missions, or out of the personal recognition they can gain from demonstrating all their works in that area. The appeal of listing numerous accomplishments overshadows genuine soul-winning. The local church has been, and is being neglected.
Some of our congregations have lost their shepherd because he has lost his way, his drive, his heart for ministry, or has found himself discouraged and only goes through the motions for the sake of a steady paycheck. In many cases, the anointing of the Holy Spirit on the man’s ministry has never been offered and, although he may be sincere, he has led his congregation down the wrong path through faulty teaching. Not enough of the flock is grounded in, nor studies the Word themselves to discern the remedy for this type of a situation. They are unable to hear the voice of God speaking. Therefore, they begin to equate the simple act of attending church with salvation. The definition of sin and resulting judgment are not an integral part of the ministry of the church, so it is salvation that is broadly defined.
In both interpretations, spiritual darkness and sin has crept up on them unawares and is at the door. Sin has not been beaten back. Sin is not recognized, but it is embraced. It’s like the difference between a coral snake and a scarlet king snake. One is venomous and the other is not, but knowing the difference is vital to survival.
The description of the wolf is the most vivid because he stands out in stark contrast to the happy, capricious guests at the party. His appearance and manner is troubling - unnatural. He looks emaciated. He’s hungry but he possesses a beautiful black coat, and he’s running at top speed with a deliberate destination in mind. His gait is measured and his path does not jog.
To rationalize it in our own understanding, a starving creature would not have the strength or the stamina to move as quickly as this one did. He would also not be able to eat a great deal at one sitting because of his starving condition. The body could not possibly absorb large quantities of food. This creature should not have had such a luxurious fur coat because of his malnourished condition. It should be dull and patchy. Logically, the coat of this animal should appear as unhealthy as the substance of his frame.
Wolves, in general, are pack hunters and social beings, but shy around humans. They work in hierarchical cooperation with one another. The wolf in this dream was neither social nor part of a group. He was alone. He was neither the Alpha nor Omega, but in his world, he was both.
This wolf symbolizes Satan in his natural element. He possesses a burning hatred of God and His people. This wolf’s purpose is to seek out the weak of the flock, as well as those who are ignorant of danger - to devour all. Until completely satisfied, he will always have that hunger. The sleekness of his coat is significant because it suggests that this wolf is not a sick animal. He is as healthy as he ever was. He has feasted well on all those individuals he’s kept from turning to God. But his appetite is focused on The Bride of Christ who is to be holy - wholly without spot or wrinkle.
In the dream, I mentioned the point at which the wolf had crossed a boundary line. Because it was dark and there were no obvious barriers the creature had to negotiate, the boundary itself was an implied boundary. I think this is significant in the meaning of the dream because the church has been so soothed and massaged by popular culture and anemic preaching to such a degree that it is difficult to distinguish where the world’s boundary ends and the church’s boundary begins. Satan has had his way with the world. His final and ultimate goal is to destroy God’s most treasured possession – His Bride.
The church used to have absolute boundaries. She used to hedge herself in the Word of God, but she has acquiesced to social, political, economic, and moral pressures.
The Bridegroom has not yet returned and I’m afraid when He does, He won’t find His bride ready. She has not redeemed the days wisely in preparation for His return. We will all stand at the judgment and give an account of what we’ve done and for the motivation in which we’ve done it. It is not God’s desire that any should perish, but He will let us if we so choose.
I wish for a great conviction to fall on us - one that drives us to our knees in prayer, not only for ourselves because we are undone, but to offer up sincere, agonizing, intercessory prayer for lost souls. Christ needs obedient people to pray so fervently as to stagger the gates of Hell. Prayer is the most effective weapon we have in our arsenal, but we don’t even know how to pray – we don’t take the time to seek God’s face or ask to be given the mind of Christ. Churches don’t stress the importance of it anymore.
I don’t mind telling you that I am disturbed because of the lack of anointed, God-called, Spirit-filled men who are compelled and dare to preach holiness and judgment - who will stand in pulpits across this nation and proclaim the gospel, being concerned only for what God’s opinion is of them. We have some, but they are few and far between, and we should thank God for them. We should be in prayer for God to raise men up to lead the flocks in the pathways of righteousness.
To some, this dream may be the foolish ramblings of a troublemaker with radical, legalistic ideas. Others may actually see the correlation between the symbolism and the condition of the church today, at this moment. They may see it, but aren’t alarmed by it. Not yet. They feel Christ won’t return for a good, long time. Things need to get really bad before He steps out on that cloud to bring to a close this earthly existence.
Christ may not come back for hundreds of years, but we aren’t guaranteed the next minute. At that time, will we be prepared, or will we be found then scrambling for the oil to trim our lamps? How much darker does it have to get before we decide? We are neither hot nor cold, and God doesn’t take fence sitters. We must pick a side. Whatever side we choose is the one in which we will spend eternity.
Mrs. Carol Eads
Houston, Texas
