~ Vision Of The Three Armies ~

VISION OF THE THREE ARMIES

Cheryl McGrath, November, 1999

THE TOY ARMY

I saw a structure that was shaped like a space rocket. It looked like it was about to be launched, but it was supported on either side by wire structures that were keeping it in place on the ground. It had a pointed roof as the older style space rockets did. I saw a hand come underneath the rocket and light a fire, then I saw the pointed roof lift off and fly into the sky. (The main structure of the rocket remained on the ground). As it did, many people went blasting out of the top of the rocket into the sky along with it. The pointed roof turned into one of those children's "merry-go-rounds" (that's what we call them in Australia), with wooden horses attached to the center structure. It was one of those where the little wooden horses fly right out and go very fast, and they are attached to the center structure by ropes. The roof that had been on the rocket, became the roof of this "merry-go-round." I saw many people, dressed in bright and colorful clothing, seated on the wooden horses going very fast round and round. They looked to be having a great time and there was much noise and excitement.

I asked the Lord "Who are these people?" I heard Him answer straight away "They are toy soldiers." I asked the Lord "Why are they so excited?" He said "They believe they are the army."

Interpretation: I believe the rocket in this part of the vision represented the church as it is now. For some time I could not understand why the Lord would symbolically represent the church in this way, until He said to me that His church, His Body, was to finally experience what it is to be raised up to sit with Him in the "the heavenly places", thus becoming one with the Head. (Ephesians 1:20, Ephesians 2:6).

THE ARMY WITH BANNERS

I looked away from the merry-go-round and saw a group of people riding on horses through the sky. They were in two long columns side by side that went on and on, and I could not see the end of the columns. They rode at a steady pace, shoulder to shoulder, and all were in uniform of deep purple with gold buttons and trim. Their eyes looked straight ahead and their faces were set resolutely. One column was led by a black man, the other by a white man. Each leader carried three banners which were in six different colors - green, white, gold, blue, purple and red. Both of the leaders also carried a white flag in the shape of a triangle, with a red cross on it. Both the flags and the banners were waving in a gentle breeze.

My attention was then drawn back to the wooden horses going round at great speed. Some of the people began falling off them and onto the ground. They were hurt, confused and wounded, and started to look around, dazed . As they looked around, no longer taken up with the excitement of the merry-go-round, some of them saw the two-columned army for the first time. The ones who saw it at first were astounded, but then slowly began to make their way towards the army and took up positions in the midst of it. Others did not notice the other army but sat looking at their wounds and remained sitting where they had fallen, totally focused on their wounds.

I turned back to the two columned army and again noticed how resolute their faces were, and how their eyes were fixed straight ahead, never turning their heads. Then for the first time I saw that Jesus was riding on a white horse way out in front of them. He turned every so often and waved them on, encouraging them. Fire came out of His eyes when He did this. I could not see His Face close up - I could just see Him way out in front with a crown on His head. I realized the army had their eyes focused entirely on Him, and nothing distracted them. The two columns went on as far as my eyes could see, and just kept coming and coming. They didn't stop, they just kept advancing, nor did their numbers come to an end.

I asked the Lord why there were two columns. I believe He said "This represents unity." I believe unity is also symbolized by the white and black men at the front of the army. He also said that the columns are really three, because His Spirit rides with the army and makes up the third column. (Ecclesiastes 4:12). I was not permitted to see this visibly, but was reminded of the way the banners had waved in a continual breeze. Again I noticed the banners of different colors, and I heard the Lord say "This is my army with banners." (Solomon 6:4)

Interpretation -I believe the triangular banner represents the Trinity. The colors of the banners were also significant: green=new life; white=righteousness; gold=the glory of God; blue=the Holy Spirit; purple=kingship, royalty; red=the Blood of Christ.

THE HIDDEN ARMY

Then my attention was drawn to yet another group of people. These also were on horseback in a single column. However, they didn't ride in a straight line but seemed to weave in and out of the two columned army. Sometimes they were in the two columned army, sometimes they were out of it. These riders were also dressed in uniform, but it was a drab khaki color, and very plain. They did not look distinguished like the two columned army, and they were almost transparent to look at, (that is I was able to see right through them, they were almost ghost-like.) This single columned army was galloping at full speed, and I could tell they knew where they were going and why. They rode in the same direction as the two-columned army, but even though they rode much faster, they did not move out ahead of the main army. Each one of these riders also carried a drawn sword as they galloped.

I asked the Lord to tell me about these ones. He said "These are My special forces, the warriors, the mighty men who go in and clear the way for the army." I asked Him why they appeared transparent, and He said "Sometimes they will be seen, sometimes they won't be seen by the other army. They are on call and will come in and go out as I call them. They answer to Me. They always remain part of the larger army, but will come in and go out on special assignments. When they come back in they will blend into their places without drawing attention to themselves. There will be nothing about them that draws attention or causes them to stand out. The enemy will not know from where they have come or where they have gone, but will most certainly know their impact." These soldiers always galloped, yet did not get out ahead of the main army. Only Jesus remained out ahead.

Interpretation: I believe this army within the army are like the spiritual "mighty men" of David who went undetected behind the enemy lines (2 Samuel 24). Moses and Joshua also secretly sent out warriors to spy out the land before the main army (Numbers 21:32, Joshua 2:1). When the Lord said "They answer to Me", I believe He was saying that they would take assignments directly from Him, not that they were not accountable to the rest of the Body. I believe they will be drawn from many giftings and five-fold office areas, but will all anointed for strategic intercession.

THE PROCLAMATION OF THE KINGDOM

I looked back again at the main army, and saw the black man raise his arm above his head and spin something in the air. It looked like a huge fishing line, with a great hook in it which unfurled in the air as he spun it. It went out a great distance through the air, and hooked into a great black bird through its throat. I then saw two mighty eagles come and attack the black bird and fight with it as soldiers from the army began to reel it in. The great black bird was bound in chains, but I did not see what happened to it after that.

I then remembered the other white man at the head of the two columned army, and looked to see what he was doing. I saw him take a scroll from out of one of the boots he was wearing, which he unfolded and began to read out loud (Ephesians 6:15). The scroll was pure white with gold writing on it. I could not see the words or hear what he was saying, but I knew it was a proclamation of peace. I saw there were many people coming out of the nations to gather in front of him, waiting to hear what he would say. As he read, the people began to weep and rejoice. Though I could not hear him speak audibly, I had the knowledge that he was announcing that a new Kingdom had come and that he was reading out an invitation from the Prince of Peace for them to enter His Kingdom.

I then saw many uniformed soldiers from the two-columned army dismount and move out amongst the multitude of peoples. These soldiers were all ages and both male and female. There were many children and youth among them. There were also ranks amongst them, and those who were obviously leaders moved around directing the soldiers here and there. Among the leaders were many youthful faces with stripes of authority on their uniforms, again both male and female. But there were also much older people in command. The youthful and more elderly officers worked side by side and conferred with each other continually. The soldiers walked up to individuals, touching them and speaking to them. Some of them were carrying food to people, others touched and healed, others simply spoke to them.

As this was happening I looked to see what the "transparent" army was doing, and saw them engaged in fierce battles, sometimes in hand to hand combat, with demons. Angels fought alongside them and in the skies above them. The two scenes, of the blessing army and the fighting army, were going on right alongside each other.

The final thing I heard the Lord say was "There is a cost."

Interpretation: I believe the black bird possibly represents Satan himself who is the "prince of the power of the air" and who will be bound for a thousand years (Rev. 20:1). The two eagles may represent the two witnesses of Revelation 11:3, but I will not be dogmatic about this and am open to other interpretations.

Concerning the Lord's statement that there would be a "cost" to the full coming of the Kingdom upon the earth, in the context of the army scene I can only say that when one joins the army there is most certainly a cost of loss of personal identity. The soldier has everything that stands for his individuality taken away from him - his hair is cut, his clothes are taken and he is put in uniform, his individual lifestyle dies as he is required to wake up and lay down at the same time as all the other soldiers. He can no longer come and go as he pleases, but all that he does is subject to the corporateness of his unit, and ultimately the whole army. I believe the Lord was intimating that His church will no longer be a place where individuals come together and call themselves "church", but that individuality would give way to a true corporate identity, where each one will be willing to lay down his life for the next one. This means there will be no more "my ministry", "my giftings", or "my church", but a sense of unity in the Spirit as we have not known it, which will transcend all man-made barriers. The cost here will be a laying down of our own ambitions, goals and dreams for those of the Kingdom.

Cheryl McGrath, Great South Land Ministries