Jewels From Judy

Vision Of The Cross - Words Of Warning

Dear Ones in Christ,

Though this vision and word was given on July 12, 2000, only now do I believe I am released to share this with you. I do so with the permission and blessing of our elders.

THE SETTING

Morning Prayer took place at 5:30 a.m. at the home of our elders, Sam and Linda Jackson. It lasted about 5 months and this specific morning was the culmination of that time. Once in awhile others had made the 14 mile trek from town, but generally it was just Sam, Linda, my husband, Jeff, and I who regularly attended. This particular morning it was appropriately only the four of us, as we had that day completed a 50 day time of consecration. It was a very difficult time of testing to prepare us for hard days to come. When we arrived that morning Linda was preparing the Lord's Supper. It was so joyful because the Lord had also spoken to me en route to end this 50 day period by sharing the cup and the bread, and here Linda was already setting the table when we arrived! It was a wonderful confirmation for us both. She had been impressed to use her wedding glasses. The groom's glass was there, but we all drank from the bride's glass. The air was charged with expectation. It was a very solemn and reflective time.

THE VISION OF THE CROSS

After we had taken the bread and the cup we each quietly wept as we worshipped. There was such a sweet and powerful presence of the Lord. Suddenly, I heard a deep rumbling like an earthquake, but it seemed to be centered in the table. I opened my eyes and looked around to see if anyone else had heard it, but they were quietly praying. Thinking I had imagined it, I shut my eyes. Again the rumbling started. This time I kept my eyes shut and 'saw' as in a vision, coming up from the middle of the table, the Cross of Christ. It was very craggy, dirty and rugged. I was afraid to look at it; afraid but compelled to look anyway. As I saw the cross coming up, I saw the top of Jesus' head and the Crown of Thorns smashed onto His bleeding head. Knowing what was to come next, I turned away as I didn't want to see anymore. The rumbling continued and I knew the cross was continuing to rise up. I could hear the Lord Jesus gently asking me to look at Him. I glanced over in time to see His chest and extended arms on the crossbeam. When I saw His hands nailed into the Cross I was so grief-stricken and terrified, I turned away again. I wanted to see Him - but I didn't want to see Him like that! By this time the rumbling had stopped as the cross was completely lifted up straight above me in the center of the table. The Lord again tenderly yet firmly spoke to my heart, "Look at Me." As I slowly opened my eyes to look up, I first saw His feet and then I saw His legs. They were muddy and cut up with a mixture of dried and fresh blood running down them. Then I saw the face of Christbeaten to a bloody pulp. His eyes were swollen shut and bruised. I didn't want to look; I couldn't bear it. Then His sweet voice resolutely commanded, "Look at Me." I looked straight at His beaten and disfigured face and wept. He slightly opened His left swollen eye and looked long at me. It broke my heart to see Him in such terrible pain and so close to death. Even at such a dark time, there was a light in His eye that compelled me to gaze at Him. Then He did something that shocked me. He mustered a grin and winked at me with that swollen eye. He said, "Watch what happens next, Toots!" Then there was a brilliant flash of light that appeared to go from one end of a horizon to the other. The vision ended. I knew what I saw was the light of His resurrection. At first I wasn't sure if I had imagined this whole scene or what had just happened, especially when He called me ?Toots' - something that my uncle used to affectionately call me when I was a child. That totally caught me off guard! Then we all spontaneously started to pray and worship together out loud.

(I will add here, to the glory of God, that this vision happened four years prior to Mel Gibson's movie, The Passion of the Christ. When I saw that movie I was so stunned, not only because of its content, but because the actor portrayed had the exact face the Lord showed me that morning on the Cross!)