September 1, 2003 dream

In the dream, Bill and I were in a van with our pastor and his wife.  For some very odd reason, I was driving.  We were out in the country, it seemed south of town.  It felt like down in Osage county or maybe a bit more south.  I was apparently familiar with the territory, and knew where we were going.  I was headed east on a dirt road, and we were conversing as we were driving along.

I saw in the distance billowing smoke.  I remember either thinking or saying that they must be burning pasture.  We kept driving.  As we traveled further east, the smoke grew larger.  I thought it must be a very large pasture.  Then we saw a stray cow or two on the road.  I wondered if the smoke if the smoke had driven them out or if a gate or fence was down.  We passed them as they were going down the road, westward. 

After a short distance we saw several more cattle, and the smoke was getting denser.  Then it was almost like a herd of cattle was being driven west down the road from the smoke and fire.  We realized we would not be able to drive into it and I turned onto a road heading north. 

After a short distance, I turned into a rather large homestead.  There was a large home, though I didn’t pay attention to it.  I parked the van, and we got out.  We walked around the house to the back of the house.  Around the back was a large patio, and then in a sort of semi-circle around that were three of four out buildings.  The nearest one to us was a small house, which I immediately discerned as servant’s quarters.  The other two or three buildings I did not pay attention to.

We stood there on the patio and looked at this large hot tub.  It was so large I immediately sensed it could seat thirty people.  It was unusual in size, rather oblong and oval in shape.  It reminded me in a way of the pirate ships, as the back of it rose up like such ships.  It was brown, and not made of wood.  The material it was made of I didn’t necessarily recognize.  As we stood there looking at it, we noticed it depicted a scene from Noah’s ark on it.  There were three dimensional images of animals in pairs along the side.  I’ve never seen anything like it.  We commented on it, and how we may be able to relax in this hot tub that night while we were waiting (for the fire crisis to pass).

Then we turned and walked into the servant’s quarters little house, as though we knew that’s where we were to be.  A short period of time elapsed, and I had gone out to do something near the patio, though I don’t recall what.  Then I went back into the house.  It almost made me think of a shack of sorts.  It was more of a one or two room building/house, with some cupboards and a stove/kitchenette area.  There was a small round table along the west wall, with two chairs at it.

I crossed the room and sat in the furthest chair, which would have its back to the south.  There was a small window without a screen, open, just above the table.  The pastor was sitting in the opposite chair; Bill and the pastor’s wife were standing there in that area.  This is the first I noticed the kids were with us and were playing games on the floor. 

The door opened and an old couple walked in.  The wife came in first with her husband behind her.  It was as though they were expecting us.  The woman was small and apparently very old with white hair, yet perfectly fit.  She had kind eyes and a warm smile and began talking with us and giving us instructions on where to go to get things, wash up, etc.  The man came in behind her, and was so tall I never saw his face.  When I tried to see it, there was a shadow from how low the ceiling was compared to how tall he was. 

As the woman was speaking, I looked out the window and saw these animals coming across the lawn from the south heading north.  It was evident they were being driven by the fire.  The best I can tell, they were goats, yet they had the stature of men.  There was a goat in the lead, and then a large group following.  The lead goat looked across and saw us in the window of the house.  He seemed to talk or motion in some way to the rest of the goats, pointing to us.  I knew they were furious that we were in shelter while they were in peril.  I instantly knew this was trouble and they were inclined to harm us.  I stood up to reach outside the window and pull the exterior shutters in to shut them.  As I did, the goats began charging the window.  The lead goats head butted through the window at me, and at that moment, I glanced over and the old woman was coming across the floor towards me, saying, “oh this will be no problem.  I’ll take care of this.”  She picked up an iron skillet and swung it, hitting the goat squarely in the head.

Interpretation notes:

This dream is for the church, (the called out Believers of Christ not an institution).  (represented by us and our pastor)  It also represents our families in this hour it symbolizes.  (remember I saw our children only after we were on the property and in the servant’s quarters)  The “hour” represented here is a time of fire upon our land.

Cattle represent “children of the Kingdom”.  The fires of testing, purification and judgment drive the children of the Kingdom west.  West symbolizes “end or last”. 

While we were driving east, we were forced off the road to go north.  North stands for spiritual, heavenly, and/or spiritual warfare. 

The homestead was a spiritual haven, a refuge, a place of respite.  The servant’s quarters behind it were allotted for us.  There’s a place of refuge in the midst of the trials and warfare.  Our place is not yet in the house, but in the servant’s quarters, as that is who we are on the earth:  God’s servants.

The hot tub being in the shape of a ship and depicting Noah’s ark is the most profound part to me.  This speaks of the provision of safety for the children of God, just as it was in Noah’s day.  There’s a place reserved for us.  Notice that we were driven there by the fires. 

The woman in the dream represented the Holy Spirit and the man represented God.  They have instructions for us in this waiting period, this time we’re driven off the thoroughfare to wait it out.  They have a place of safety and also relaxation (hot tub).

Goats represent sinners, unbelievers, negative persons, strife and/or argumentative.  Those in peril from the fires God is sending will be enraged by our place of safety and provision.  They will want very much to attack us, but the Spirit will shield us and take care of the attackers.

Note there were no cattle in that last scene, only goats.  There’s a separation between the children of God and the scorners, unbelievers.