1793
The
Dream of the Woman & the Red Serpent
For
the Believers. The Comforter.
A
Communication given to Joanna Southcott on the above in 1793.
I
saw in my dream[1] a woman in the air with a
serpent closely twisted around her. An Angel was standing close behind with
out-stretched wings hovering over her. The serpent held up his head high, and
looked red as blood. I dreamt that the people said, they would not believe I
had seen it. A man that was a stranger to me, said he had seen it, as it had
passed over in a few minutes and seemed clouded; and that it occurred slightly
before those people that did not believe it, came up.
The Spirit of Truth.
“This is the
mystery of the dream: they will disbelieve the truth as it was explained.
“For as ’twas clouded it doth now appear
Blinded in unbelief all people are,
As
she enquired the perfect way to know
Deeper
and deeper shall My Spirit go.
The
Angel guards her by his Master’s care,
And
her disquietude I say is here:
To
see her faith the serpent doth begin,
And
round her closely doth the serpent twine.
But
by the scarlet dye it must appear
The
blood of Christ shall wound the serpent here.
Hovering
around her doth the angel stand,
And
now the serpent I will surely wound;
For
as her faith, to her, ’t shall surely be—
Thou
knowest she asked thee to enquire of Me—
’Twas by her faith she
surely did believe
I
was a God that did not men deceive,
Hearing
prayers and answering from on high.
But
now comes on the deeper mystery—
I
said in Israel I had never seen
So
strong a faith as from the woman came—
And
now all Israel she will surely shame
When
to knowledge all the truth shall come.
Then
now My promises I will declare—
My
guardian Angel I have fixed him there!
And
now the text to her must be applied,
I’ll keep her as the Bridegroom keeps His Bride.
This
is a mystery thou dost not understand:
Thou
knowest the woman is below the man,
And
as the man is the head then so am I—
And
now comes on the other mystery—
And
now that mystery I say is deep,
For
as a husband over them I’ll keep.
Thou
sayest these things for thee they are too high—
’Tis but a type for
all men to walk by:
For
I a husband soon shall be to all
That
on My name for mercy now do call,
And
all My banished ones[2]
I will redeem.
And
now the other mystery comes on—
For
what she told thee, I well know is true—
’Twas I that brought
the Vision to her view:
I
said her faith I’d surely strengthen
more,
And
now thou art unto the bolted door—
It
was the brazen serpent she did see
Hold
up his head, and all’s a mystery—
And
so the serpent lookèd much like blood—
Let
all expect the coming of the Lord;
He
is nigh unto them, I to thee do say
This
is the very year of jubilee.
But
that’s a mystery thou
dost not understand,
For
wiser heads than thine must it explain;
And
yet ’tis fables they
will surely say—
That
is the language I do hear from thee!
It
was a fable I did first begin,
And
’tis
a fable I will make an end.
Thou’st warnèd Taylor to appear,
Then
now the mysteries all see clear;
Because
that Taylor thou hast warnèd first
And
now the end to all shall burst—
For
two went on in faith and fear,
And
Taylor’s dream must now
to all appear,
Wherein
the serpent she did see like blood—
Now
is the time it must be understood,
That
by the brazen serpent all shall see
My
blood was shed, and now it so shall be
That
I will come, and avenge My blood
Upon
the serpent: there the Angel stood.
So
now let Taylor come and see it plain,
And
then she’ll know the meaning
of her dream;
And
to her husband’s dream you must
repair
The
broken bridge to them I’ll clear;
And
then the living waters men will see—
The
broken bridge foretelleth the destiny
Of
those whose faith is from My Gospel broke;
And
there, I tell thee, thousands now will stop
Not
to go on as they did go before.
And
[3]Fanny’s
dream I at that time will clear,
For
then they all will find the chain of gold,[4]
Happy
are they that on it now take hold;
Because
there’s no one now does
know the worth
That
to your wondrous sight I’ll now set forth;
And
all your doubts I at that time will clear—
For
you like Peter often sank in fear
That
on the seas your footing it would sink;
But
now deliverance it is near the brink:
For
all the doors I’ll open to your view
And
you shall find your Saviour to be true;
As
on the seas you all shall find Me near,
Because
the [5]balance every one shall see—
Be
ye not wanting in My power there:
A
Peter’s Saviour will to all appear,
For
then My arms of mercy all will see—
Be
ye not wanting—launch and come to Me.”
(Signed) Joanna Southcott.
[Extracted
from Two Witnesses, No. 17.]
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