I was spending some time with a large group of friends one evening. We were walking together outside then suddenly three strong men appeared before us. The biggest and strongest of the three began pushing some of us near the front of the group. I was in the back and worked my way to the front of our group only to find that this bully lifted one of my buddies up and tossed him into the windshield of a parked car. I then stood between this man and my friends. When I faced him he swung at me and we fought. I remember turning in a circle fighting and clenching with him but something overpowered me and I crumpled to the ground. 

I later learned that it had been the bullies two other friends who attacked me simultaneously from either side. After they finished with me and I was lying still on the ground they started to systematically attack my friends one by one. Although there were ten guys among the seventeen of us present most of the people in our group were so shocked they just watched in horror. I pleaded with them to help but they were frozen in fear. I remember being knocked down from multiple blows but continued to get up in order to help my buddies in their plight. This occurred for some time until I lay face down on the ground with my head drenched in blood and the blood covered my body.  Then my head was lifted up from the ground by my hair and I felt a sharp pain to my forehead that violently forced my neck back. I heard a high-pitched noise and I saw bright light as the sun and its rays.

As the noise died down I appeared to be in a different location. My friends and I were walking through a desolate field, toward a rundown dusty town while the bright sun above was radiating heat and discomfort to us all. We approached an old store and decided to take a break. Although it was warm outside I felt a strange chill about the area that I could not understand. For some reason I felt my pockets to check the contents of them but they were empty and the sensation left me feeling insecure. I sensed an object approaching from the south so I turned to see what it was but only saw the dust it was kicking up as it moved toward us in a very fast manner. I was getting concerned and turned back toward my friends but I was alone, they had either left me or I was taken away from their presence. Standing there I turned back to face the object and not being one to run I stood my ground but was admittedly terrified and my tension was very great. 

The object stopped immediately in front of me and I stood there in a fighter’s stance while the dust settled. When the dust cleared I saw the apparatus. It was some form of a vehicle with large shiny metal rims and big off-road tires on the rims. A flat platform was in the center of the four wheels and the platform was transparent and appeared as the color of the ground. Strange suspension components including coil springs and tall pivot arms were sticking out from between the platform and each wheel. They reminded me of the suspension on an off-road racing vehicle. The wheels and suspension were attached at four equally spaced points along a rim at the edge of the platform. The platform was circular and about six feet in diameter. A man dressed in a bright white robe was standing in the center of the platform and an operators console shaped like a preaching pulpit was protruding from the platform directly in front of him. His overwhelming presence caused me to turn and run but as I turned I was immediately swept onto the vehicle and we raced along the dirty ground at high speed. 

Although I was standing firm on the platform I could see the ground racing by underneath me. It was a strange sensation and I had to fight to keep either leg from instinctively jerking forward to meet the moving ground beneath us. The convulsion of my legs interrupted the state I was in and I thought heard the voices of my friends crying and anxiously calling to me from above, “Relax, don’t move, be still.” Because their words sounded anxious I tried to respond, “I’m okay, I’m okay.” I wasn’t sure if they could hear me or if I was even speaking.  It was as if I were in a locked basement and the muffled calling was from upstairs. My equilibrium was altered and I felt as though I was standing upright and laying down at the same time. I continued to hear the voices of my friends calling to me and I kept trying to reply but I had no breath. When I relaxed the strange equilibrium ceased and I went back to the vision.

I noticed the workings of the vehicle’s suspension system. As the wheels rolled along the ground the suspension absorbed, not only the shock of the terrain but all rebound that could affect the platform; the platform remained completely stable and calm. When the vehicle moved over large obstacles the front wheels could also flex backward and switch positions with the trailing wheels so all the wheels could change position as required in a clockwise or counterclockwise motion depending on the nature of the terrain. Therefore, on smooth ground or small bumps the wheels would run along the ground as a normal vehicle would, but over great bumps the front wheels could rise and move to the position of the wheel to the left or right rear to absorb the force of rough terrain. Thus, the wheels were operating with some sort of live suspension and able to change positions as needed, moving gracefully over any surface while we remained fully composed and isolated from rough terrain while we stood on the platform.

Then the wheels began to spin very fast in a counterclockwise motion and we stood in the center facing one direction while the wheels revolved around us. The platform did not spin with the wheels. The spinning wheels caused the vehicle to rise up off the ground and we were airborne. After the vehicle took flight the wheels spun more slowly and the machine moved about by floating on the surface of the air, like a glider or a hovering bird. At this point I realized I was clinging to the man in the center and when I realized this I embarrassingly loosened my grip. As I let go of him I remained stable and firm on the platform.  If I stepped out of the center and close to the wheels heavy gravity would cause my feet to stick to the platform so I could not get dangerously close to the edge.  Then as I moved back to the center my feet became free and I could move as though I were simply standing on firm ground. 

We rose high into the air and went to the edge of the sky where the blackness of the heavens met the blue of the earth.  It seemed as a different world then we descended back down.  I could see only darkness below us and it sounded like the ocean. As we traveled along in the dark we came to a place where many protrusions shaped like huge stalagmites were rising from the darkness. They were clear like crystal and there was white light coming from the center of each of them at the bottom so that each one was lit.  I could not see the bottom because of the brightness of the light. The tops were flat and smooth and light shot out from the top of each one directly toward the heavens above with a yellow and bluish hue. We glided around them for a few moments then the man landed the machine on top of one. I stepped off of the vehicle.

I walked to the edge and guessed that the top of the mass we landed on was roughly forty feet from edge to edge. Then the man said I had to stay here until I was ready. The vehicle spun around on its tires and lifted off. As he rose away I called out, “I don’t want to stay here, I don’t understand?” He glided around me several times high up in the air and I slowly turned in circles while watching his flight path. I noticed that whichever direction the man went the vehicle looked like it was not turning as he went.  A wheel faced me all the time.  Perhaps I was seeing the wheels as helicopter blades that you can see when they are revolving at certain speeds during flight. Then the man re-approached me and he was moving very fast as if to land in haste. As he landed, the vehicle slid just past where I was standing and right toward the edge. I was certain it would topple over the side so I lunged forward in an attempt to grab the man before he toppled over the side with the vehicle. But as I stepped toward him and reached out to grab him he immediately halted at the edge, looked back at me and smiled. I then understood that he had complete control of the machine and they operated as if they were one in the same unit. 

After this he showed me the console that operated the vehicle. This console was set like a book on a pulpit and the pulpit was made from a transparent material, like molten metal just out of a furnace. Light like a bright fire was coming from within it. Our faces glowed when we were near it and it seemed to have life. The console was at an angle so that it faced our eyes and the console had gauges. The gauges had gold faces and highly polished silver trim dressed the edge of each gauge. I could not read the dials but they also radiated the light from within the pulpit, they too seemed to be alive.  There was no steering wheel, levers or buttons, only the gauges.  The mind of the man operated the machine through the gauges on the console. 

Then he stepped off and let me operate the vehicle by myself. The wheels spun and I rose off the ground effortlessly and wherever I looked there I went. By thought I could move the craft a few yards away or a very far distance in only a moment. Then I flew out over the darkness where the noise from below sounded like the ocean. Instantly the man was by my side and we flew up toward the black part of the sky and then we flew back down and as we came down the blue of the earth met us and I could see the ocean below and it was very blue and very beautiful. Little wakes were sparkling on the surface of the water.  I glided down for a closer look since the ripples were brilliant and attractive. The ripples were like tiny diamonds and seemed to be dancing in joy. I saw a fish in the water swimming in the direction we were traveling. He jumped out and dove back into the water knowing we were above him. I slowed down and flew above him, maybe twenty feet over the water and we traveled together at the same speed. I could sense within him a happiness and contentment for life and that sense caused a joy to overcome me so forcefully that I could not control a great smile on my face and my eyes filled with tears of joy. I think he was a whale.

Then I heard noise like static coming from all directions. It grew very loud then my mind snapped back to reality. I tried to wipe my eyes of the tears and realized they were wet from blood. I was sitting on the ground with my friends holding me upright and standing above me. The fight with the three strong men had ended. I could feel the flesh of my forehead falling over my eyes and I tried to hold my forehead up with my hands. After some commotion I was placed into the back of an ambulance and taken to a hospital. It took some time for me to heal and during this time I allowed no one to see me. I just stayed in my room thinking about the preceding events. Later on I was reacquainted with my friends and I knew I could not tell them the fantastic things I saw. At the same time I was experiencing some inner affliction and it burdened me. I directed my attention to my three best friends. I said, “I am hurt because of what happened.” They said, “Your healing up nicely.” I said, “That’s not what I mean. This was not my battle only, I came forward to help you.” They said I was simply distressed because I was injured. I replied, “Physical pain does not trouble me; wounds and scars do not upset me; but when ten of your buddies are standing around you watching you bleed, and you look at them and none of them are bleeding… That hurts!”  

Chapter Two

After this event I experienced many dreams and even had some visions while completely conscious. Inside one of these dreams a banging at the front door awakened me. I went out to the living room. The door was opened and a powerful wind blew outside. I felt that same strange presence of danger as when my friends and I were walking in the desolate field so instead of investigating I started to close the door. Just as the door were about closed I saw a small child, a toddler, outside the screen door so I opened it and lifted him inside. He wiggled out of my arms with incredible strength. When I tried to restrain him I fell over on the floor. As I fell he freed himself and walked back toward the door but I blocked his path so he redirected himself toward a window as though possessed by the strange presence outside. I felt I needed to protect him or he would find his way back outside. When I tried to close the door I couldn't lock it. Some powerful force was outside pressing inward against the door so I couldn't turn the lock. I was still on my knees and as I fumbled about I was thinking, there is either time to reach out and grab the child before he gets outside though a window or wrestle the door closed before the external force can get at him. The high-pitched sounds of the wind were aggravating my senses and the situation seemed grim to me.

Then everything became still and a female voice spoke to me,

"I noticed that the boy doesn't want to be there. It doesn't want your help, yet you are still deciding to try and save it despite the turmoil that is present outside. There is a definite struggle. The banging seemed intrusive. Was danger banging or the child? It's interesting that you cannot lock the door. You have to face it. You realize you cannot lock the door, yet you keep trying. Possibly this is a lack of acceptance of the present situation. I am yours."

I let go of the door and instantly the child was being pulled down the street by the invisible force and a lightning filled cloud moved overhead in front of the child as they

disappeared over the horizon. The force seemed to pull him away by one foot while his

free leg and arms swung about his head. In an instant they were gone. Thunder and high pitched screaming voices filled my ears. As I ran outside I saw what appeared to be the forms of angelic beings racing in the direction of the force, just moments behind the boy.  They were riding two-wheeled cycles that looked like super bikes. Vapor trails left a fading image of their appearance. I called out for them to wait because I wanted to go.

The deafening noise calmed to silence then I heard a voice say. "Who will go?" I felt the contents of my pockets and was comforted knowing the tools required for the coming journey were therein. The thought of this mission filled me with an emotion of excitement and terror. I am prepared.

As I journeyed to search for the child a friendly stranger walked along my side providing a calming presence. After a while we approached a central marketplace in a town

filled with carnival-like venders on both sides of the street. The venders had signs in front of their stores with words advertising joy, and comfort, and blessing. Children were playing in the marketplace. The venders offered them entertainments and some of the children went inside the stores. The venders looked like goats. They enticed the children to enter.

As we walked on we approached a vender who had several chain link swings filled with

happy children swinging high into the air, back and forth. I noticed the last swing was

twisting at the top causing an extra push at the end of the upward swing. The small child in the seat was hurled into the air and landed in the street quite violently. I saw the child

splatter like an over-ripe fruit. A goat walked out completely unmoved by the

incident, cleaned up the mess and strapped in another lad. I called to the goat and

questioned the movement of the swing. He said, "The swing is tuned properly, had the

child remained in the seat he would not have been cast out." I said, "No! There is a fault

in the movement of the swing." He said, "You have your business and we have ours.  You would do well to go about yours and leave us to our own."

I turned to my companion in unbelief. No words were spoken as though he was waiting

for a remark from me. I turned back to the goat and confronted him again, "Your

mechanism is destroying innocent children. You must repair the swing!" The goat and I stood eye to eye while several other goats came out and gathered behind him.

At that moment a vision appeared to me and I saw mad ravenous wolves coming toward my companion and myself and although I could fend off several by stepping forward at them using threatening lunges, I lacked the proper weaponry to repel the horde that was appearing. In their pack they grew bolder, their vicious teeth and growls concerned me. I took hold of my companions arm and retreated slowly while facing them. Then the vision ceased and I noticed I had taken a step back from the goat. I noted that when I backed up the goat became apathetic. Feeling somewhat helpless and concerned for the passivity of my companion I made the decision to continue down the street.

As we walked along in silence I felt I had avoided a necessary confrontation. A

short while later we came upon a fresh stain in the street. Words were trying to form in the reflection of the stain but I could not decipher them. I stopped and quietly pondered on the meaning of this.

Then my companion proclaimed, "In this very area was another town where children were destroyed from a faulty system. These words are their cries that have gone unheard." Suddenly days and nights passed quickly while we stood there and clouds passed overhead in the opposite direction. As daylight and darkness flashed around us the stain dried and faded until it could be seen no more. I knew we must return to the marketplace. During our walk back I was thinking about the words of my companion.  How could his words have such a powerful effect on me and yet he himself seemed so passive. Could I be mistaking his passivity for fear?   

It was dark when we re-approached the town; the venders were closing for the night and were cleaning up. I saw someone sweeping the area in front of the faulty swing. He was sweeping debris into a pile so I walked over for a closer look. There I saw the remains of children's fingers with rings on them. I picked up a tiny bloodied finger with a ring still around it and a sickness filled my inner being. Would there have been fewer victims of the goat this day if I had not backed down earlier? I gave the ring back and they were taken away.

My companion spoke, "These rings are as the souls of children discarded by the vendors in this town. No one heals the young, or binds up the injured. The goats are harsh and brutal. When the children fall the wolves and the watchmen of the marketplace devour their remains. None is remembered. No one cares because many profit from the system."

I was appalled and challenged the goat about this. The goat said, "If you continue with this, your madness, the system will consume you." I replied, "I will witness and expose what is occurring inside of the market." He said, "The market penetrates deep into the heart of its followers and in their passion they will protect it from you." The goat's countenance changed and became so terrifying that I had a hard time looking at him. I saw my companion turn away and I immediately thought, he is afraid!  I had no fear of the goat and wanted to witness, first hand, the inner workings of the system. I turned to my companion and said, "We shall go inside!" As I spoke to my companion several goats appeared and sang in unison,

"Do not heed this madman,

his pose is as one with a reason,

his charade will last but a season.

Woe to the noise of his breath,

watch out for a seed from a tree producing the fruit of death."

My companion would not look at the goats or answer. It became apparent to me that I must enter alone. Then a spirit of boldness surrounded me. I heard a multitude of voices crying three Woes; none of the goats there heard it.

"Woe to the men who pipe the counsel of man and not the Spirit.

Woe to the people who follow;

and Woe to the revealer."

As I approached the entrance others were being turned away. I was certain the goats

would try to stop me but as I confidently walked through the entry they pretended not to

notice.

Inside there were many rooms, vague in appearance. I walked through one door and the same goat that was operating the swing occupied the center. Several men sat on either side of him. Lambs were sitting all around them. The lambs seemed to be in a trance and none was moving unless directed by the goat. I was watching this and sitting

among them at the same time. I recognized that I was sitting among relatives and old

friends. This goat sang a song and everybody wept. A man next to him played a strange instrument and everyone danced. If a lamb left this room the goat would follow him to the next. I noticed a lamb moving about from room to room. The goat didn't like this and led the lamb outside. The lamb turned into a child and was placed in the faulty swing.  This child splattered on the street. I saw the goat give positive affirmation as another child strapped himself in the swing. He also, was flung out. Other children seemed to leave freely. The goat did not regard them nor did anyone try to stop them. I realized there was much occurring inside that room I had to reflect on, however, I was beginning to understand the meaning of the swing and the rings.

I turned back inside and came to another room that had a fire burning in the center.

Many of my acquaintances were sitting around this fire, playing games, joking, and

looking quite content. They were sticking their tongues out of their mouths and pressing

their tongues into flat pancake sized disks. Each one did this in turn while the others

watched. One young woman poured volatile fluid on her tongue and lit her own tongue with a lighter. Fire burned around the edges of her tongue. The young man sitting next to her clipped the burning edges of her tongue off with scissors and the edges fell into the fire. Everyone laughed at the smoking charred edges of her tongue. The most virtuous of sisters and most timid of brothers were engaging in this. I watched in amazement.

My companion appeared next to me and spoke. "I have many other things to show you here; tell me, what is this that you are witnessing?" I turned but could not see him. In dread I spoke back, "Oh Lord, this is beyond my understanding, who can know?" He said, "My words in the mouth of the children are like fire, and the fire was for consuming evil like dry wood. But see, now they use their tongues for evil and cast my voice to the fire."

I was humiliated by what I had just witnessed and asked, "How did this happen?" He said, "My children are nurtured by clouds without rain. But the day comes when the clouds without rain will vanish, and the uncaring goats will be ashamed, and the ravenous wolves will be no more. But first I will prepare some to keep the faith and I will use them to reveal this wickedness.”

Chapter One

Chapter Three

I could not seem to clear my mind after witnessing the image of the burning tongues, so I went back outside to take a short break. I noticed that I was walking on what appeared to be a college campus. Students were strolling along the pathways. One young woman was in an apparatus that moved about like an electric chair. As I walked toward it I saw that it was traveling at a slow pace. Most of the students disregarded the unit and walked around it. Occasionally some pointed and quietly snickered. The girl inside beamed with pride when anyone, even if they teased her, noticed her creation.

As I drew closer I saw an eggshell shaped body that wasn’t fully complete encasing the vehicle.  Her backside and legs were covered but the upper part of her body and face were visible from the front. She was in the process of building this shell around herself. One person stopped her and inquired if she had faith in God. When the girl replied, “Of course,” she was asked, “Why do you use the vehicle?” The girl happily explained the various functions and abilities of the vehicle.  Since she did not answer the inquiry directly I restated the question, “What is the reason for using the vehicle?” As we listened to her joyous explanation of separation, segregation, and isolation, it was apparent she regarded the vehicle as her precious faith. She admitted a personal need for more growth, and then she held up a three-ring binder saying, “The instructions for completing my vehicle are contained within.” 

Being somewhat fascinated by the mechanics of the chair, I asked if I could look at the instructions. She gladly offered them for my inspection. On the front of the folder was a picture of a lamb sealed with the hoof of a goat. Oddly, the instructions were only the doctrine of the goats explaining the dangers of worldly pursuits, the assurance of contentment for humble submission to the goats, and discipline for non-conformity. After looking over the instructions I realized the girl was building the shell from a wall of division she gleaned from the writings in the binder. The chair was powered by the goats’ promises and the girl’s fear. Inside it she found great comfort and was quickly becoming lethargic to the concerns of anyone who was not of her own order. The strength of the goats had transcended the walls of this young woman’s being.   

I followed the shell because I wanted to see its origin. It moved along the street and went back toward the square to where the venders were. Off to the side of the road I noticed a group of excited goats racing to and fro around some spectacle so I went over to inspect. There was a man with a cart giving away items of great value. Although there was no limit to what one might take out, whoever pulled anything out became so mesmerized by the object at hand they desired nothing more. I worked my way to the front of the cart and looked over all the sparkling treasures inside. The goats and were taking out whatever their eyes became transfixed on. My eyes focused on a beautiful sparkling antique lamp inside. I was actually thinking about pulling it out when one goat reached in and took it out. I turned away from the cart and asked him, "What will you do with it?" He said, "I will put it in a closet at home." I said, "But it's such a nice lamp; it should be out where others can appreciate its beauty." He said, "It will make light for me." I was about to challenge his reasoning but the female voice that spoke to me earlier spoke again,

“I am yours. I am afraid I have nothing profound to tell you. You have already spoken but he would not hear. I never thought that I could force others to do well.  I love all animals and you have seen my birds. Please pray for my birds. One of them is sick and I am afraid my other birds will get the disease. The doctors have been unable to cure the sickness. I know it can seem silly but I attach in a deep safe way that is consistent with them. My birds are very special to me.” 

I said, "I hear you," then turned around to go after the girl in the shell. She disappeared in the marketplace of vendors. When I started to run after her the man with the cart said, "Wait!" His voice sounded like the voice of my companion. Then I thought, where did my companion go? I went over to where the man stood and he pulled a coat out of the cart and handed it to me. He said, "This will allow you protection anywhere within the system of the goats. Before, when you went in you were in danger of wolves. But now, no matter what they claim or do, you will remain safe from the subtleties of their fashion. You will be able to see the spirit they carry and they will recognize the power of my spirit in you but they will not understand it and they will reject you. You will reveal their works to others with the ability I give." I took the coat and put it on. While wearing it my appearance was unique among the goats and lambs, however when I was outside I appeared as any common person. 

The shell went back to the entrance where the goat was that operated the swings and rolled inside. I followed behind. Immediately after entering, the shell shattered and the pieces transformed from the egg-encased vehicle to a well-regarded sister. When a goat touched her shoulders, she became ridged and went to a small room with babies all around her then she started ministering to them. Her movements were dead, robotic, and lifeless.

I followed after this goat. He came to a room filled with male sheep candidates who desired to become goats. These hopeful disciples learned to mimic the facial expressions of the goats. The faces of every goat had an appearance of meekness and gravity about them. The applicants pretended to be grave but were so exited about the prospect of becoming goats nothing else mattered to them. They nodded and affirmed everything the goats did or said. The goats chose candidates primarily from their own families and the families of other goats. If any openings were left they chose from among the lambs that honored them most. 

The chosen ones were given restraints that looked like strait jackets and were forced to wait for their hearts to stop beating. It would only take a short while because the jackets compressed their chests very hard. If any candidate’s heart died it was replaced with an artificial heart.  If any candidate’s heart did not die the jacket was removed and they were sent back to join the rest of the lambs. I saw a particular disciple of the goats with a new artificial heart obey the commands of all the goats willingly. I saw the heart up close and it had a design on it that said, “Preserve and Support.” This disciple ministered to all the lambs in the various rooms just as the goats did. 

Then I was in a room where only lambs and goats were allowed, no strangers entered, the meeting was closed. I heard a mighty noise and felt the ground shaking around me. I turned and saw this strange piece of machinery rolling in under its own power but being guided by a goat’s gestures. It was huge and shaped like a metallic sphere of about the size of a large farm combine.  It was dark gray, shiny, smooth, and engraved all over with the words and designs of man.  When the disciple of the goats saw it his eyes brightened and he immediately climbed all over it in great wonder, inspecting and remarking on every detail. I could see that the sphere had a partial outer shell shaped like a scythe blade slowly revolving around the sphere, a deep rumbling noise was present, perhaps from the motor driving this outer blade. Wherever the blade passed on the sphere, you could see light in the gap between them. I thought, if he’s not careful, he will get caught in the fold of the outer shell and the blade will cut him. I was going to say something but he so overcome by his love for the sphere it was pointless. Even all who were present were so awestruck by the sphere that no one uttered a word in reverent silence. The outer shell did fold over the disciple while crushing his legs in between the blade and the sphere.  At first he was terrified then he fell into a trance and his legs were crumpled just below his knees.  Then the sphere shrank to about the size of a bowling ball and became translucent.  As he groped about, the goats attended him. I heard them say to him, “kneel before us.” When he did so they touched him he received from within himself new goat legs. 

Then the goats uttered words to all the lambs present,

“Oh lambs! We, are your needy servants.

Committed to preserve the welfare of our precious faith,

 we confirm a deep spiritual conviction generated by him,

the under-shepherd, proven by us,

and reinforced by the sphere that moves us unto obedience. 

Him have we ordered to direct you on righteous pathways.

 Amen.”

The goats kissed him and he was given the sphere that had taken his legs. He was presented before the closed group of lambs that knelt at his feet and gave him honor. One lamb uttered,

“You have been ordained as our shepherd.

Prepare us, the flock, to be compliant to your standard. 

Let us heed your counsel and wisdom,

that we be not led astray.

For we are weak and insignificant.”

That is when I noticed many of the goats carried similar spheres. These spheres enabled them to be protected from any questions they might be confronted with. When the candidate took hold of the sphere he was changed into a goat and carried the sphere in his hands with great pride. With this sphere he could determine who was true to the “faith” and who was not. 

The spheres had tremendous power to alter the viewpoint of most lambs that might confront the goats. The sphere provided the answers to questions of any lamb who came seeking the goat’s counsel. The sphere only provided several answers for any number of questions. If the answer provided was insufficient and the question was asked again the sphere simply spun the question around its insides and the same answer came out but reworded to sound fresh. If any question was asked that was outside of the spheres influence, or that troubled the goat, the sphere simply suggested the question was applicable to its former answer. So the goats assumed the difficult questions were the issues to be resolved, not the answers. Therefore, unresolved questions were not answered.  Instead, lambs that persisted were themselves questioned. 

I witnessed these things first hand when I followed the newly ordained goat home. He worked the sphere expertly in his counsel with lambs. Inside his house he placed the sphere in a prominent position. His wife looked into the sphere and was radiating pride. I was amazed that the sphere had such an influence on a household. Husband and wife looked like angels who had just obtained keys to all spiritual truth. In this state the goat told his wife all the secrets, intimacies, and concerns of the lambs that came to the goat for advice. I understood the power of the sphere had made its embracers holy to the lambs. Even the goat’s wife was provided an appearance of responsibility and confidentiality. The sphere seemed to make dead words come alive and false words true. 

This woman greeted strangers and offered counsel while her children played outside. Many poor in the neighborhood came to her and told her of their problems. She had words written on her face. I looked closer and thought I saw the words of the proverbial virtuous woman written on her. When she saw me inspecting her she despised me. Then she turned to avoid me, thus preventing me from reading her face. She would, however, stare cautiously at me from across the room. I could see words moving on her face but could not read them. I had to wait for the goat to take the sphere out of their house before the moving words became still. When she started counseling another visitor, I was able to read the words. The title read, The Subtle Woman. The words were set up like the proverb and I recorded them below.

10. Who can define a subtle woman?

For her virtue lies far beneath vice.

11. The heart of her husband safely trusts her,

so he knoweth not what she spoil.

12. She impairs his sight,

all the days of his life.

13. She seeketh engagement and prattling,

and gossips maliciously of others.

14. She hath a navigating spirit about her;

she portends as one of sound advice.

15. She caters in darkness of night,

and freely serves your delicate cares.

16. She considereth, when they confide and disclose;

with sweet lips will I scatter the secrets.

17. She knows who eyes you,

and this by the strength of her sowing.

18. She perceiveth to conceal the secrets of the elite;

her candle shines by the praise of the elect.

19. She spindles the false with facts,

and she accepts her distaff as sound.

20. She stretcheth her hands to her own,

yea, she sets many a heart against the needy.

21. She is not afraid of a storm of controversy;

for she shields herself in her flock of friends.

22. She clothes herself in the virtue of others;

her garments appear without blemish.

23. Her husband’s banner surrounds her;

when he sits at the city gate he waters her seed.

24. She prepares her product for disbursement,

and should you bargain you will procure.

25. Strength and dark weapons are her clothing,

and she announces a war cry.

26. She opens her mouth to battle,

and perverts words by misconstruction.

27. She looketh well to distort your house,

and serves a leaven of prejudice.

28. Her children rise up and consider her power,

her husband also, and he ponders;

29. "Many daughters abide in virtue,

but you are the head of your house".

30. Favor is deceitful and beauty beguiles;

but this woman deludes the most wise among you.

31. Give question to the fruit of her lips,

and her subtlety, which brings her praise at the gates.

After I wrote it down I went back to look for the newly ordained goat who had gone back into the bowel of the store. At the entrance I saw a young lamb asking permission to go outside for a while. The lamb said, “I will abide in the true vine.” Then the newly ordained goat told her to wait and after many days he touched the lamb with his sphere. The lamb’s legs were immediately bound into a seat and this lamb-child rolled outside on a four-wheeled chair like the young woman I had seen earlier. 

Chapter Two

Chapter Four

I was standing at the entrance and trying to figure out what all these things I saw represented.  I did not want to go back inside and be overwhelmed with more visions when I did not understand the former.  Then my companion reappeared.  I asked, “Where have you been!”  He only smiled and handed me what looked like a children’s picture book.

I sat down and opened it then noticed there were no pages.  It was folded over once and a picture image was on either side.  Each image was one day so the folder comprised two days.  On the left side was the first day, on the right side the second day.  Each picture was moving so you could see the progression of the two days throughout the two images.  People were moving about in the image of the first day in anticipation of the second day.  They attended schools and promised to obey the policies of certain men that wore vestments and looked like ministers.  Those who obeyed these ministers were promised they could partake at a table of corporal treasure.  The ministers determined the spiritual ability for each person so no one worked on their own personal spiritual growth.  The majority was content to remain faithful in whatever these ministers established for them.  If anyone considered developing their own spirituality, the desire of partaking at the table of corporal treasure distracted their commitment. 

The other image, at day two, had a table filled and running over with every earthly treasure.  This table was set before all the people.  Here they filled their stomachs with careers, spouses, houses, cars, and every other consumable.  Everything they partook of only increased their desire for more.  No one denied themselves any treasure for the whole second day.  A select few of the men eating at the table were chosen by the ministers and encouraged to partake in an exclusive concession stand where special orders were filled. 

This is where I saw a particularly interesting man.  He had determined to spend his whole first day in preparation for an order at the concession stand.  When I looked over the first day’s image I saw him preparing himself by exercises and fastings in anticipation of the second day.  He was not moved by the table of corporal treasure but fixed his sight on the concession stand.  At the start of the second day he took his request to the stand and waited.  He was one of the first to arrive and place an order.  Others were also requesting orders and each one was given a ticket.  As I watched, the men were waiting around the stand and talking among themselves in anticipation of their orders.  This man also engaged in elated chat with the others and each one spoke about his coming concession.

When the first orders were ready I saw all the men gather at the receiving window to take possession of their orders.  Plates of great looking burgers with all the trimmings were being handed out.  They smelled awesome and the aroma made me hungry.  Each, while waiting for his own order to be filled was watching the others take theirs and commenting on the striking appearance of the heaping plates.  Everybody was salivating but trying to maintain a proper demeanor.  Although every man present was already in good spirits they were even more visibly moved and talked excitedly one to another as the orders were being handed out.  While they continued talking among themselves everyone was carefully listening for his number to be called.  The man I was watching was not concerned that some of the others had received their orders before he did.  He seemed to be very happy for them.  As time progressed I saw more men come up, place their orders, wait for a period of time and receive their plates.  This man also noticed others, who came well after he had placed his order, receive their orders while he yet waited.  Soon every man who was with him early in the morning had received their order and had gone.  He was now standing among a completely different group of men whom had come to place an order and wait for it to be filled.  He was being very patient and remained tranquil while looking into the concession stand windows. 

As time passed I sensed a rescinding in his joy.  As I looked intensely at the picture it seemed as though I was standing right next to him.  I could see him clearly.  Somehow I was inside of the image.  The man now appeared to be self-conscious to be waiting for so long.  He was standing still and would steal glances out of the side of his eyes, without turning his head, to look at the others receiving their orders.  I don’t know why but I was quietly chuckling at him inside of myself because I knew he was still anticipating his own order.  He was trying very hard not to shuffle his feet or make nervous movements with his hands.  I smirked and he seemed to notice me but he maintained a sound composure despite my scorn.  Immediately after this I turned to look inside the concession stand and saw that the cooks wore vestments just like the ministers had worn at the first day.  I don’t know why the sight of them surprised me.  I moved back and away from the image then looked over the scene.  The man had stopped talking to the other men who were placing orders and milling about waiting for their requests to be filled.  When he caught them glancing and commenting about him he gently smiled back and re-directed his eyes somewhere else. 

After a long time he poked his head into the window and cautiously asked a cook if his order was ready.  The cook took his ticket, looked it over, then handed it back and said, “No.”  I realized hours had passed by and I was still looking at the image, completely captivated by the moving scenes.

I looked away from the picture to notice that my companion had left me alone again.  When I turned back to the picture I could sense the man’s internal struggle to maintain integrity despite being neglected.  I saw that the ticket he was holding had become worn from his bending and twisting of it while he waited.  This time I turned my eyes away from the picture because, in some strange way, I understood the inner pain he was feeling.  I didn’t like it and I did not like myself for my spite of him earlier.  It seemed like the disgrace I was feeling was the same humiliation he was feeling and my face burned in shame.  While looking away from the book I knew that I needed to speak up for him.  I decided I was going to demand that the cook fix his order before anyone else received theirs.  But I was outside of the picture and could not get into it.  No matter how hard I concentrated on the picture I could not get involved again.  Others, who were waiting with him for their own orders, did not try to help him get his.  When their orders were ready they excitedly took their plates and left.  As more time passed it was beginning to get dark because the day was ending.  The picture was fading and before I could see the outcome, both days of the folder went dim. 

As I closed the folder I sat there thinking about it and thought, “Oh my God, Why hasn’t his order been filled?  Why did I despise him?”  I wondered how I was momentarily able to be part of the scene and outside of it at the same time.  I could not get the image of him waiting out of my mind.  The length of time caused an empty feeling of sickness in my stomach and my heart was pained.  I just sat there quietly for a while.  Then I started to understand that his grief was actually a blessing.  He was too good for what he was hoping for and God was not going to let the men in vestments use him for their propose, only he had not yet understood this.  From the vantage point of the cooks and many of the other men, he was not good enough to receive an order.  I understood that my scorn of him was the same scorn the lambs had toward their unfulfilled brethren.  I now understood what the spheres were representing and knew I must go back inside and challenge the goats. 

Then I heard, 

“I am yours.  Remember when you came to my house?  You said you liked my possessions.  Remember those little mementos I gave you from my travels?  I was elated when you told me they always reminded you of me.  I think I should remind you now, these are not my birds.” 

Then a white dove flew overhead and dropped a ribbon of paper.  It floated down on the wind and fell into my outreached hand.  There were words on it that reminded me of a slip from a fortune cookie.  It read, “These eagles use wind that the word is not in, so let what they do be done unto them.” 

Immediately I said, “I am humbled and will redirect my focus where it should be.”

Chapter Three

Chapter Five

I thought it was interesting the way the ribbon of paper floated down to my hand.  For some reason it reminded me of a scroll.  I needed to write down my reflections of the things I had witnessed.  The meaning of them was becoming very clear to me.  It was a greater undertaking to find just the right words to use so others could understand what I had seen. 

Yet there was a greater concern.  I had only entered into the realm of one vendor.  And the thought of venturing into more than one was overwhelming me.  I understood that much work needed to be accomplished and others could not be compelled to perform acts they were not convicted about.  It seemed strange that so few gained understanding of these things, and any help from such persons seemed less.   

My companion was with me, and at this particular time I recognized him as Lord, brother, and friend.  Just having him near was a tremendous comfort.  He said, “Here is a letter that contains the vision of the time of the scriptures.  Let all who read this with understanding elevate their knowledge greatly.”              

So I took the letter and recorded its testimony.

A Vision: of The Time of The Scriptures.

From the time the books were sealed, the time when the new Five and Fifteen were added to the first Five and Seventeen, thus completing the testimony. 

And after this the body flourished.  But there were some who, although they knew the truth, exercised the relics of the curse.  And they, not content to retain the new commandment, re-instituted the ten.  And ministers were sent forth to explain the testimony but they were shunned.  So the testimony of grace never flourished.  Instead, the testimony of the curse was revitalized.  Therefore an emperor was appointed, like the kings of old, to whom the body was bewitched with.  And his kingdom reigned unopposed for three hundred years.  Many records were made of his reign and of his visions, dreams, and relics. 

During this time, a remnant in the body understood the Spirit and the conscience, but greater were they of the body who sought comfort in the curse and in its relics.  So much was the love of the curse that some there were who took comfort, not only in ten, but in six hundred and thirteen.  They derived this number from the first “Five” so that this number became a symbol for a curse and for destruction.  So it was determined, that in the year of the number of their making, six hundred and thirteen, there should come forth a Cleaner to tear down the relics of the body, whom the body thought so holy, and for a whole year he destroyed their beloved relics. 

Yet he was only a forerunner of the one to come.  For since body loved the curse so much as to turn away from the grace previously afforded it, that a new curse more dreadful than any commandment thought up in the minds of men had been prepared.  And this curse came in the form of a little scroll, and the scroll became as a thorn in the side of the Five and Fifteen and a brother to the Five and Seventeen. 

Then the scroll brought forth a new curse. For as the former curse had words written on one side of its face, the new curse had words written on both sides.  And when it was sent out it entered the houses of those who hid in their sins and the houses of blasphemers. 

It made slaves and servants of the body when before the body was made up of friends and children.  And in the place of the holy relics torn down by the Cleaner, the scroll made domes as memorials. 

And it was determined that this scroll should be set in a place of prominence with the Five and Seventeen. For as the former was written for a sanctified people, so the scroll should be written for all the nations, that they too should be sanctified, and that those formerly sanctified would be no more chosen than the nations.  And as the body came from the Five and Seventeen, so the nations who had not been witnessed to should spring forth from the curse of the scroll, and the mercy of the Five and Fifteen. 

But the body was hard to be convinced that this scroll came from any origin rather than the great foe, and they were unwilling to see that they themselves were the source of its origin, as it was foretold; for this is the curse having suffered a fatal wound but healed of by the care of the body.  It gives to them statutes that are questionable and faulty judgments because they healed it. 

And to this day both the body of the ancient curse and the body of the Spirit struggle with the body of the scroll.  And should one live to cast off the yoke of the scroll, it will be seen that cleansing is from the Spirit and the conscience where no outward ceremony sanctifies.  

This is the letter as I wrote it down.  

It became clear to me that every vendor was subject to the curse as defined in the letter.  The lambs are dependent on the designs of the goats, as based on the first testimony.  They have blasphemed the Spirit by setting up laws to prevent sin.  Their errors are evident in their speeches of justice and liberty.  Justice, to them, has become damnation rather than salvation.  Liberty is freedom, but only within a prison.  All of their definitions are dependent on human acts of righteousness; they prefer the old wine to the new.  The goats serve this wine to the lambs, and when they are drunk the goats graze on them.  Therefore, every lamb imagines what to do to be saved.

Copyright © 2003 Christopher J. Cisneros