Graduation-Day
“There is a day for all believers, in fact, for everyone. A Day when they will finally graduate, from one existence to another.”
By the Watchman
Dana G Smith
Note* before you read this, take care to understand this is just a prose, a story, to present a truth. It is not an actual dream or vision but it is part of the prose.
Luke 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Luke 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
The days have been long and as I stood there, wonder and awe filled my soul. For as I looked to the heavens, the past days of the signs in the sun, moon, and in the stars faded. I also forgot the distress in the nations, for all the trouble that had been going on. The heavy seas, with their waves, during hurricane season hadbeen tremendous. Yet for all this, I suddenly lost track of everything. For as I stepped out of my refuge where my family and I had taken up shelter, the heavens seem to disintegrate. The very powers that held them together seem to come apart. The earth and its horizon looked to roll up like a scroll as the heavens peeled back. The day was dark, yet not light. So too, the night was light and not darkened. As I looked up a great white cloud, so dazzling white it blinded the eyes as I strained to see it. Then as lightening peeling down from that great sight, lo, I beheld a white horse with a rider, and behind him the armies of heaven. The light streaming out from all corners was brilliant as I stood there.
Now alongside me were my family and friends as the day arrived. Joy leaped in our hearts. Singing broke out now, for at long last Messiach had come. This is Yeshua, Jesus Christ, the Son of G-d. Out of his mouth went forth a sharp two edge sword that with it he should smite the nations. Now coming from the sky, all eyes beheld the event that people have waited for since he rose in a cloud ascending to his Father. Those men in white who saw the disciples watch him go said of this Jesus:
Acts 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.
Now this was the generation that had been challenged to stand up for his name and welcome in the Son of G-d, the Alpha and Omega. It was now that the throne of David would be filled before all nations and peoples. Yes, we were the ones who had met that challenge by faith in our God. It was now, at this moment, as we stood there, we knew it was ‘Graduation day’.
The nations are not as they were so long ago, even though it has been mere years and not decades. For the battle had been ongoing and those who remained fought the fight by faith and stood the test. But the real miracle was the L-rd who bought us. It was he who ‘sealed’ us. As the judgments rained down on the rebellious and wicked, the L-rd kept his own safe. These were those who, he said were to ‘keep the commandments of G-d, and have the testimony of Jesus’. This was our faith and patience, as we walked during the most horrific times on planet earth. The L-rd said of this time that it was a ‘snare’ upon the whole earth. In this ‘snare’ caught, like rabbits in a trap, the nations found themselves fighting against the L-RD G-d . It was the L-rd who kept us as his Spirit moved in us mightily so that the ‘faith and testimony’ of Jesus Christ was paramount in all we did.
Revelation 12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of G-d, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Revelation 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of G-d, and the faith of Jesus.
Moreover, it was the goal to get the message out to the ends of the earth, to all nations for a witness to our G-d and Savior. Yet in this, many were martyred. I remember reading in chapter Six and verse 9 of Revelation that in the opening of the fifth seal, there was revealed under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the testimony they held and for the word of G-d. I never thought I would make it this far, that is to the end alive. Yet in all the prison captivity, the eventual escape, and the gathering of the elect, here we were, by G-ds grace. The many years before all this, which now stood as a distant memory came flooding back. I remembered those times warning people before the great cataclysm hit America in waves. That was when we left with many believers who literally ‘went out from that place like a flood’. It was in those days we kept close to our hearts the words of Revelation that told us, “we were overcomers!” In chapter twelve and verse eleven it says of those at that time, that “they overcame by the blood of the Lamb, by the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives unto the death.” We literally used this verse as our formula to make it through. Whether we lived or died did not matter, what did matter was that we overcame by the blood of the lamb, were saved, and we knew it. It was equally important that we kept the faith and testimony of Jesus Christ. Many were prepared to do this even unto the death. Many of my brethren in fact passed on. Being martyrs for the L-rd.
Revelation 6:9 ¶And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of G-d, and for the testimony which they held:
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.
John the revelator once fell down at the sign of a messenger of G-d, as he did so, the man said “see thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship G-d: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” It was this fact that prophecy spoke of Jesus Christ, clear from the beginning in Genesis, with the seed of the woman. It was from there through all the prophets, then to the Apostles, and now to us standing here as we beheld the glory before us. Indeed the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. For prophecy testifies of him!
Revelation 19:10 And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship G-d: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
As I stood there, the White horse and rider came closer. I did not notice but we had suddenly lifted up by the Spirit of G-d and now were before him as we saw on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS AND L-RD OF L-RDS. This is the Word of G-d. For John said of him, in the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with G-d, and the Word was G-d! His vesture, or cloak was dipped in blood, and out of his mouth went a sharp sword. As we neared we were immediately sat upon horses behind the Word of G-d, who now went forth to conquer. In this was the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty G-d.
Revelation 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of G-d.
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty G-d.
16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND L-RD OF L-RDS.
I had been so busy looking on the L-rd that I had not noticed my family or those with me, but they too were sat upon horses as we filled in with the armies of G-d behind the Word of G-d. I had no time to figure out how I felt. I could not describe it. The joy was unlike any human joy I had ever known. The light now beaming forth blinded all on the earth as we could plainly see those below who hurried and scurried in terror. Then in one fell swoop of light with a blinding flash below, they were slain. I saw the beast, the false prophet, and the devil, taken away.
As I came near to Jerusalem, and unto the mount, I could not help but remember how we longed for this day. Now it had come. All the days of seeing the prosperous hand of the wicked. All those times we barely escaped. The times of beatings, prison, and for many death. The times had beaten us down, our physical strength for the most part was always drained. We spent many hours in fasting and prayer as we battled the supernatural hosts that assailed us. Many times I was so weak I thought I could not go on. Death would of been welcomed, but an inner drive by the Spirit of G-d lifted and pushed me on. We saw many miracles, signs, and wonders performed, which came by the hours we spent in prayer seeking the L-rd. We found out the L-rd demanded of us faith and strength, fortitude and the desire to please him. We just did not see these things happen by themselves. They had come through the dedication of disciples in prayer, fasting, and keeping the Word of God. We had literally learned to walk in the Word as our L-rd had done. Even though, there were premiums set out by our enemies for our heads, we by G-ds provision and protection continued on. Our one goal, to keep the faith of Yeshua and the testimony of our great Savior. This alone was enough to make enemies. But we also saw many come to the L-rd, right up to the time of the ‘great marking’ in which the whole world went after the beast. It was at this time we knew our Savior would be returning shortly. Now, here we were! Graduation day, at last.
I had come to call it that long ago. Right after the Spirit whispered to me that ‘everyone has a Graduation day.’ Many are not prepared for it. Some graduate to the heavenly, others do not! Although the L-rd G-d commanded all men to repent, sadly many ignored this and his love for all mankind. We spent hours talking about ‘Graduation day’. For everyone one of us knew, in the end, G-d would put us in that place where we must ‘keep the faith, testify in Jesus Christ’ and do so even if it meant our lives. Many times, it meant just that. For I had lost many a brother and sister this way. Yet, we knew that one day, we would see them. For these, they had ‘graduated’ in a fine way, going out of this wicked world with Jesus Christ on their lips and in their heart. That made our enemies so mad. How could we face death with peace and a smile. The more they killed us, the larger our group grew. For the L-rd seem to add daily those who would be saved.
If the devil killed twenty of us, through the testimony of the martyr, forty would come to the L-rd. It was truly the hand of G-d. This continued until the very last moment when in fact the only two groups on earth were those with the mark and those who were sealed. It was at this time, the ‘night’ came in its fulness, for no one could work. We spent time in prayer, fellowship, encouragement, and waiting patiently for the L-rd Jesus Christ.
As I came close to the Mount called Olivet, a bright light came directly at me. The closer it came, the more I was blinded, until, Yes, there he was. The Savior, I was in fact standing in his light. I was not blinded. As I saw his eyes, the scars of the crucifixion were visible. The love of the Savior enveloped me and I came close to him. My soul leaped as if a young calf. I burst, as the tears came, he touched my forehead and gathered them, gently putting them in a bottle. I heard him speak, as he did, my heart leaped again. There is a time for men to stand up for the thing which they desire. A man cannot serve G-d and mammon.
Your day has come, and now, behold it is the hour of your destiny. It is this to which all men will give account. The day has passed, but it has found that you indeed, ‘overcame by the blood of the Lamb’, the very blood I shed for you. You have given testimony of Me, Jesus Christ and have kept the faith which had been set before you. You were granted not to lose your life, but to see my arrival, yet on many occasions you were willing to give up your life while you kept the faith which I have commanded. In this, you were faithful, even with patience. This is your graduation day, that day which comes to all men. A day when men are held accountable for what they have done.
I listened with awe, as the love with which he spoke came alive combining with his words. Truly, they poured forth as Spirit. I knew his heart, that in Him was pure love. It is the Love of the Father, he said as I thought on this. As I looked up, all of this vanished. I was laying in bed, it was then, I knew, it had all been a dream.
James 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Revelation 13:10 He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints.
Revelation 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.
Graduation Day, it draws close for all the souls of men. How much more so for those who in this end time face it with certainty that all is coming to an abrupt end. That in this end is a new Eternal beginning. Are you ready? For your Graduation Day draws nigh!
Revelation 22:14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
