God's Clear Voice: visions and angelic vistiations

God’s Clear Voice by Anthony Mark Ortiz is a journey through the author’s life, his trials and tribulations from a childhood accident to being falsely imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. It was there when he first experienced visions and claims God spoke to him through dreams, visions, angelic visitations. A  vision he claims is similar to the revelation of John the Apostle on the island of Patmos which became the Book of Revelation. This book sets out to demonstrate how God still speaks to his called and chosen people as well as how to recognize God’s voice. Covering topics like spiritual warfare, faith, the rapture, and the end times, the book sets out to give readers a new perspective and learn to listen for God’s voice. The author discusses how to prepare for spiritual battles, using the full armor of God as discussed in Ephesians 6:10-18. 

God’s Clear Voice was not the book I was expecting. It was more a book on his personal experience and his claims how God gave him a vision and revelation to share with the world. I do not doubt that God still speaks through visions and dreams. Believers are to seek out his voice by reading his word and in prayer. However, I am skeptical when someone claims to have a new revelation from God, especially when it's a claim about the end times. To his credit, Mr. Ortiz does encourage readers to study the Bible on their own and not just take his word on the subject. He makes a bunch of claims and uses numerous scripture verses with no real conclusion or cohesive connection. The book also abruptly ends with no wrap up or conclusion. I do not doubt his sincerity but I do not see how his revelation brings any new information that hasn’t already been revealed to us in the Bible. Unfortunately, I do not recommend God’s Clear Voice. 

God’s Clear Voice is available in paperback and eBook. 

Zechariah and Malachi: the last of the Old Testament prophets

I’ve come to the end of the Old Testament. The minor prophets, Zechariah and Malachi, have powerful messages and lessons that we can heed today. Zechariah’s messages came from visions of powerful things to come and instructions on how to live. He was speaking to the people who had just returned to their land after their captivity in Babylon. Zechariah is the most apocalyptic of the Minor Prophets as his visions detailed coming judgment. He also speaks of the coming Messiah. His purpose was to give hope to the people with the messages of the coming Messiah. Malachi’s message first focused on the sins of the priests and then the sins of the people but ended with a message of hope for those who remain faithful. His purpose was to confront the people with their sins and to restore their relationship with God.

The first half of the book of Zechariah is filled with powerful visions, many visions of things to come. I will discuss two which stood out to me. First, the vision of the Lampstand in Zechariah 4:1-14. He sees a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lights on it, seven channels of light to the lights and on either side of the lampstand is an olive tree. An angel of the Lord tells him that the vision means that the lampstand is fueled by the Lord’s Spirit. Verse 6 says “Not by might, not by power, but by Spirit.” The lampstand is kept burning by an unlimited reservoir of oil. It is a vision to remind the people and us that it is only through God’s Spirit that we will succeed, not by our own might and resources but by the pouring out of his spirit. Second, the vision of the four horses and chariots in Zechariah 6:1-8. The first chariot had red horses, the second chariot had black horses, the third had white and the fourth had dappled (spots or patches) (verse 2). The horses represent the four spirits of heaven who go out into the world (verse 5). The chariot with the black horses was sent north, the chariot with the white horses goes west and the one with the dappled horses goes south (verse 6). It is interesting that the chariot with the red horses isn’t mentioned specifically. In verse 7, Zechariah sees the powerful horses go out, “straining to go throughout the world” does this include the red horses as well? Was the chariot with the red horse held back? The Bible is silent about this and I’ve read different commentaries with no clear answer. I'd like to think the chariot with the red horses were held back for some reason, a reason God did not reveal to Zechariah. 

The second half of the book of Zechariah was written approximately 38 years after the first half and contains prophecies of the Messiah. Some have been fulfilled with Christ’s life and death and others have not yet come to pass. In Zechariah 9:9-13 is a specific prophecy concerning the Messiah. Verse 9 -10 states that the king will come to the people, first, riding on a donkey (Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 22:1-11, Luke 19:28-38 and John 12:12-16) and second as a powerful ruler. The Messiah will proclaim peace to the nations and he will rule from sea to sea. Zechariah 10:4 speaks from Judah will come a cornerstone, a tent peg, a battle bow and a ruler. The Messiah will be a strong, stable, victorious and trustworthy. In Zechariah 12:10-14 is the image of mourning. “They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son” (verse 10). This mourning can easily describe the crucifixion of the Messiah. Verse 12 states that the land will mourn as well. Lastly, Zechariah 14 describes the eventual triumph of the Messiah over the earth and his reign on earth. The Feast of the Tabernacle, the feast of thanksgiving, will be celebrated with the king (verse 16). It is the only feast that will be celebrated. The other feasts are no longer necessary as they were fulfilled through Christ. The Passover with his death. The Day of Atonement with acceptance of salvation through him. The Feast of First fruits with his resurrection.

The first half of Malachi focuses on the sins of the priests and the people. First, In Malachi 1:6-14, the Lord speaks to the priests for their use of blemished sacrifices. In Leviticus 1:3, the Lord instructed that burnt offerings must be a male without defect, however, the priests were allowing people to offer offerings with defects. Blind, crippled and diseased animals were offered as sacrifices to God in clear violation. God tells the priests by allowing this violation to occur they were dishonoring him and showed him contempt. They were offering sacrifices as they wanted and not as God commanded. Second, in Malachi 2:1-9, God admonishes the priests for setting their hearts against him and thus breaking the covenant he made with their ancestor, Levi. He calls them to follow Levi’s example. Levi spoke with “true instruction” and “nothing false was found on his lips” (verse 6). He walked with the Lord “in peace and uprightness and turned many from sin” (verse 6). Because they have turned away from this covenant, God has caused the priests to be despised and humiliated before the people (verse 9). Lastly, God turns to the sins of the people in Malachi 2:10-16, specifically to the kingdom of Judah. Judah has broken faith with Israel and married “daughters of a foreign god” (verse 11). The people also weep and wail that their offerings are no longer accepted by God (verse 13). God tells them is it because they have broken faith (divorced) the wife of their youth (verse 14) and failing to raise godly children (verse 15). He tells them to guard themselves in their spirit and keep the faith their wives (verse 15-16).

The second half of Malachi is a message of the Lord’s coming and the attitudes of the people. In Malachi 3:1-5, the Lord tells the people he is sending a messenger who will prepare the way for him (this part is understood to refer to John the Baptist) and the Lord will appear like a refiner’s fire (verse 2). He will sit as a refiner and purify of silver and gold (verse 3). This is the image that God will remove the impurities of our hearts and souls like a refiner does with silver and gold in order to make them pure. As the refiner purifies gold and silver with fire, God will refine our hearts and souls by using the difficulties and storms of life. In Malachi 3:6-15, God accuses the people of robbing him from his proper tithes and offerings (verse 8) as well making harsh statements against him (verse 13). Verse 14-15 is particularly meaningful to me as it reminds me of current attitudes toward God. It states “You have said, ‘It is futile to serve God. What did we gain by carrying out his requirements and going about like mourners before the Lord Almighty? But now we call the arrogant blessed. Certainly the evildoers prosper, and even those who challenge God escape.’” Wow! Sound familiar? These verses point out the selfishness of this attitude. It’s about “what did God do for me? What good did it do for me?” instead of “what did I do for God?” It is the same attitude of those today who turn from God and deny his existence. Often times when I met someone who doesn’t believe God exists, it’s because they treat God like a genie who grants wishes and that someone didn’t get what he or she wanted, then God must not exist. Lastly, God speaks about the faithful few in Malachi 3:16-18. He calls them his treasured possession (verse 17). Those who revere his name will be healed with the rising of “the sun of righteousness” and they will be freed like calves free from the stall (Malachi 4:2).

In conclusion, as the words of the prophets come to a close, we are left with the same warning. Turn back to God, keep the covenant, and prepare for his coming or prepare for his judgment. Zechariah’s message was filled with visions of the coming Messiah and the end times. His prophetic messages were a blending of present, near future and end time visions. His message is clear that our hope is only found in God and his Messiah who are in complete control of the world. Malachi’s message gives us a practical guideline to serve our commitment to God. Give him the best we can, be willing to change from our wrong way of life and welcome God’s refining process in our lives. Malachi was the last of the prophets. When he died, the voices of God’s prophets became silent. 

Daniel and Hosea: a study in dreams, visions and warnings

This month’s study is on two books, Daniel and Hosea, and will be a bit longer than usual. Daniel was one of four men who were chosen to learn the language and literature of the Babylonians. He was even given a Babylonian name, Belteshazzar. Everyone knows the stories of the fiery furnace, the lion’s den and the writing on the wall. Few remember Daniel was also an interpreter of dreams and had dreams himself. These dreams foretold the future. Some were fulfilled quickly while others have yet be fulfilled. Hosea is a prophet in the northern kingdom. Hosea’s life is an illustration of Israel’s unfaithfulness to God and his desire for reconciliation. Hosea takes a wife who is unfaithful to him. Despite her unfaithfulness, Hosea remained married. His life became a living, prophetic example of Israel. Hosea also proclaims to Israel the changes against them and the coming punishments.

Daniel interpreted two dreams. First, in Daniel 2, King Nebuchadnezzar has a dream of a large statute. The statue had a head of gold, chest and arms of silver, belly and thighs of bronze and legs and feet of iron and clay. And a stone destroys each part, leaving no trace. No one could tell him the meaning of the dream until Daniel sought God’s guidance for the meaning (verse 18). Daniel interpreted the dream, telling the king that he is the head of gold. After his kingdom’s time, another kingdom will rise, inferior to his. Each succeeding kingdom will be inferior to its predecessor. The last kingdom is a mixture of iron and clay, mixed but not united. In this last kingdom, God will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed. Many scholars believe this alludes to Christ’s earthly kingdom. Many scholars believe that the silver represents the Medo-Persian Empire, the bronze the Grecian Empire, and iron and clay the Roman Empire. Although, some scholars now believe the iron and clay represents modern world powers and we now wait for the coming of Christ’s kingdom. Second, Daniel 4, King Nebuchadnezzar, once again, has a dream. This time he dreams of a tree. A large and strong tree which gave food and shelter until a messenger, an angel, comes to cut down the tree. Before Daniel gave his interpretation, verse 19 says he was deeply perplexed and it terrified him. The tree is the king and God has issued against him. He will be driven away from the people, to live among the animals. Seven times will pass by until the king acknowledges the Most High is sovereign. One year later, the dream is fulfilled with Nebuchadnezzar took credit for his kingdom (Daniel 4:28-37).

Daniel has dreams and visions himself. First, the dream of the four beasts in Daniel 7:1-14. The first beast was a lion with wings of an eagle. Its wings were torn off and it stood like a man. The second beast, a bear with three ribs in its mouth. A voice told the bear to get its fill of flesh. The third beast is a leopard with four wings like a bird and four heads. It was given the authority to rule. The last beast is the most terrifying, frightening and powerful with large iron teeth and ten horns. It crushed and devoured its victims. God reveals the meaning of the vision to Daniel (Daniel 7:15-28). The four beasts represent four kingdoms that will rise from the earth. Many scholars believe this is an end times vision. Second, the vision of a ram and a goat (Daniel 8:1-14). In it, there was a ram with two horns and a goat with one horn. The goat attacked the ram and the ram was powerless to overcome the goat. The goat’s horn would break off and four more grew in its place. The angel, Gabriel, gives Daniel the interpretation of the dream at God’s command (Daniel 8:15-27). The ram represented the kings of Media and Persia. The goat was the king of Greece. The four horns represent the four kingdoms that will emerge from his nation. These kingdoms will be less powerful than the original kingdom. 

In chapters 4, 5 and 7, Hosea details the charges against Israel. They have no faithfulness, no love, or acknowledgement of God (Hosea 4:1). God is angry at the priests who relished in the people’s sins for they profited from it. Hosea 4:7-8 says “The more the priests increased, the more they sinned against me; they exchanged their Glory for something disgraceful. They feed on the sins of my people and relish in their wickedness.” The more the people sinned, the more they offered as atonement. The priests would live on the offerings as stated in the Law (Leviticus 7:28-36). However, what they could not eat, the priests would sell. They were making money from the people’s sins. So what motivation would the priests have to help the people leave behind their wicked ways? God places the blame on the priests and the kings for the people’s sins. In Hosea 5:1, Hosea writes “Hear this, you priests! Pay attention, you Israelites! Listen, O royal house! This judgment is against you; You have been a snare at Mizpah, a net spread out on Tabor.” Mizpah and Tabor may have been prominent sites of worship to the god Baal. Leaders encouraged the people to worship and sin at these sites. With the kings and priests encouraging sins for their own benefit, how could the people of Israel stand a chance to obey God. God still held the people responsible for their sins; however, when the civil and religious leaders whom they looked to for guidance were disobeying God, why should they? God wants to save Israel but they do not call out to him, they do not repent (Hosea 7:13b-14).

The coming punishment for Israel’s unfaithfulness Hosea 9: 17 says “My God will reject them because they have not obeyed him; they will be wanderers among the nations.” Due to their disobedience and their failure to repent and turn back to God, Hosea 10:13 says that the Israelites “have planted wickedness,” they have “reaped evil” and “have eaten the fruit of deception” and depended upon their own strength and “many warriors.” They believed they were safe due to the military might of the northern kingdom. God promised them that with the roar of battle, their fortresses will be devastated (Hosea 10:14). They will live in tents once again like they did when they were brought out of Egypt (Hosea 12:9). However, God still loves this people. He still wants to see them turn from their wickedness. Hosea 14:9 states “Who is wise? He will realize these things. Who is discerning? He will understand them? The ways of the Lord are right, the righteous walk in them, but the rebellious stumble in them.” It is an appeal to listen, learn and benefit from God’s word. To those who receive the message from Hosea, it meant the difference between life and death. God judges the sin but shows mercy to the sinner when the sinner repents and turns back to God.

In conclusion, the dreams in Daniel were messages, warnings to things to come. Some events could not be stopped like the dream of the statute. It was a look into the future of the major world powers. Some dreams were a warning from pride like Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the tree. God used these dreams and visions to how his people that he is in control of heaven and of earth. He is the one directing the forces of nature, the destiny of the nations and the care of his people. In Hosea, God is the one who is forever faithful to an unfaithful people. In the book, God lists Israel’s sins against him and the terrible consequences if they did not repent and turn back to God. Despite Israel’s sins, God still loved the people. No matter what we do, God still loves us. There is still hope to turn away from sin and turn back to God. He waits for us with open arms, if only we are willing to walk into them. However, if we do not, we will suffer the consequences of our sins just as Israel did. 

In the Light of What We see: a story of drama, mystery and danger

In the Light of what We see by Sarah Painter is a story of two women from two different times and their fight for their lives. The narrative alternates between the two women’s stories. The story begins with Mina. She sees birds that aren’t really there. She is dating a handsome doctor, Mark, and she is avoiding her aunt and uncle. One day, Mina is in a car accident and wakes up in the hospital with little memory about the accident or anything about her life. As she struggles to recover physically and mentally, she begins to see more than just birds. She begins to see the ghost of a young woman. Enter Grace. In August 1938, she is sent to work in a hospital under strict guidelines and rules. As she struggles to learn her new routine and life as a nurse, she must also deal with the unwelcome advances of the new handsome doctor. As Mina recover bits and pieces of her memory, she realizes that Mark isn’t all he seems to be. Is the ghost who visits her room trying to tell her something? Will Mina be able to recover her memory in time?

In the Light of what We see is an interesting story with twists and turns. Although I failed to see the connection between Mina’s story and Grace’s story other than the hospital that Grace worked in and Mina is now a patient. I feel as if the stories could have been separate books. Mina’s story was more dramatic and I didn’t see how Grace’s story fit. Maybe I missed something in the story that linked the two better. Despite my confusion, I did enjoy the story and I found myself urging Mina to open her eyes and see the danger in front of her. I was eager to see if Grace was able to live her life better despite her current circumstance. I recommend In the Light of what We see for its dramatic story and its mysterious elements.

In the Light of what We see

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The History Major: what we see may not be real

The History Major by Michael Phillip Cash is a mystery thriller in which Amanda Greene is sent on a series of events occur which makes her question everything around her.

Amanda wakes from with a heavy hangover. All she can remember is that she had a horrible fight with her boyfriend, Patrick, the night before. As she wakes up, she realizes that something is different about her dorm room. First, her roommate is someone who doesn’t recognize and things have changed around the room. She goes off to class and realizes that she’s enrolled in a history class she never wanted. She tries her hardest to get out of but to no avail. She must take this class. As she sits down, she recognizes one guy but she isn’t sure how she knows him. In walks in the professor wearing a toga. Soon Amanda is taking on a journey of memories into the distant past of Joan of Arc and Lucrezia Borgia. And her own painful past of abuse, abandonment and trauma. Is Amanda dreaming? What is the meaning of her visions of Joan of Arc and Lucrezia Borgia? Can she find the meaning before it is too late?

I have enjoyed Michael Phillip Cash’s books for their unique storytelling. I received an advanced reader’s copy and I must admit when I started reading The History Major I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy it. By the end, I did. I enjoyed the lesson in which Amanda must learn and a lesson we need to learn as well. Without giving too much away of the ending, I say the lesson is something that we haven’t learned yet. The book did come with a warning that the story contains sensitive subjects of trauma, grief, child abuse and other emotional topics. I thought it would be an emotional story as I have experience a few of the “emotional topics” warned about. But I didn’t experience any emotional response as I read the story. Other readers may, so take heed of the warning. Otherwise, I recommend The History Major as an interesting take on history and our experiences.

The History Major

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and in paperback for $10.99