Dream: The Bell Came Crashing Down
I had a dream in the first hour of February 24, 2023, at 12:25 AM. Upon waking, I realized it was a parable, and that it was from God. After pondering it for a few minutes, I went to my desk to write it down before it faded from my memory. I believe Holy Spirit gave the meaning of the parable to me. As I meditated upon the dream, the parable, and its meaning, I realized the dream was for me. I also realized it was not for me alone, but it applied to any person, it is the same for every person. Though some may reject it, the truth remains regardless of one’s beliefs. The dream was visual, but I can only communicate the dream to you with words.
The Dream: The Bell Came Crashing Down
I tell you a parable of a man, and many men, who I saw in a dream.
There was a man who met a man who wanted to lead the people. He could not do so, and he was deemed a failure, not the real thing.
The man then met another man who had a building. On the top, front of the building was a hook. Upon the hook hung a bell. He continued to hang his ideas on the hook with the bell until one day the bell came crashing down, destroying the building. The hook on the building was not meant for the man’s ideas, but for a bell which could proclaim truth.
The man then met another man, whose name was Truth. Truth could support, and see happen, everything that he spoke.
The man also met many other men who acted from positions other than truth; jealousy, envy, strife, deception, and other similar things. All these other men tried to steal Truth, or destroy Truth, or trap Truth, but they all failed, and Truth stood strong.
The man clung to Truth all his days, never letting go.
That was the dream, what do I see in it? I believe Holy Spirit gave the meaning of the parable to me. After writing down the dream and the meaning of it, these thoughts came to mind about the dream itself.
- The people are the sheep of the Great Shepherd.
- The man is one of those sheep.
- The first man he met wanted to be a shepherd of the sheep.
- He was not called of God, or appointed by God, to be a shepherd.
- He failed because all was being done in his own strength.
- The second man he met was in the role of Pastor, a shepherd of the sheep.
- A steeple with a bell hanging in it is generally on a church building.
- Hung upon the hook was more weight than it could support, causing it and the steeple to come crashing down, destroying the church building.
- The hook was not used for its true purpose; to hold the bell.
- All that was added to the hook for the bell did not represent the truth, which was its purpose.
- The third man he met was named Truth, and he was truth.
- He could support everything he said.
- Everything he said came to pass.
- All the other men the man met.
- They all operated from motivations other than truth.
- They all tried to trap, steal, or destroy Truth.
- They all failed to do away with Truth.
- Truth stood strong.
- The man clung to Truth all His Days.
- The man never let go of Truth.
The Meaning of the Parable
The man was a person, give him any name, even your name.
The first man the person met failed to be a leader because the hope to be one was born of one’s own desires. The leadership was not grounded in truth, but in deception. In the end he could not stand. He was found out, exposed, and cast aside.
The second man the person met was in the role of pastor, a leader. He had what appeared to be the real deal with the building and the bell. He was given credibility by other men. More importance was given to his tenets, doctrine, and traditions, than to the truth that the bell was to represent. He too could not stand under the weight of what he had created. His system was exposed and cast aside.
The third man the person met was named Truth. This was the one whom the person had been seeking and hoping to meet one day. Everything Truth said came to pass. He also brought forth comfort, compassion, and promises of hope, love, and peace.
The other men named Jealousy, Envy, Strife, Deception, Falsehood, and others, attempted to trap, to steal, or to destroy Truth, but they all failed.
Truth stood strong and the person never left his side. The person was protected by, and supported by, Truth.
That was the meaning of the parable, what do I see in it? I believe Holy Spirit gave the meaning of the parable to me. After writing down the dream and the meaning of it, these thoughts came to mind about the explanation.
- A man, or person, searching for truth.
- False leaders, teachers, and preachers are not anchored in truth.
- Their names are Deception and Falsehood.
- Buildings with bells are meant to represent truth.
- The doctrines, tenets, and traditions of man were hung on the bell’s hook.
- The weight of it all brought the building down.
- There were many types of buildings.
- Each had their own styles and beliefs, meant to be covered by truth.
- They came crashing down.
- Their names were Jealousy and Pride.
Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 14:6 ESV
The man named Truth is Jesus. Jesus is Truth.
Other Thoughts
A few scriptures come to mind after further pondering this dream.
For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?
1 Peter 4:17 ESV
This dream definitely sounds like judgment among those who claim to serve God, and those who claim to be of the household of God.
Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has
remembered her iniquities.”
Revelation 18:4-5 ESV
Though the context of this verse is that Babylon has fallen, I believe the principle applies as the church system seems to be falling with the same corruption and sin that is in the governments and power brokers of the world.
This is not to say that every church and every leader is corrupt and off the tracks. I do know pastors who get it, who are working purely for the kingdom of God from a pure motivation of loving and serving people. The same can be said for all of the parachurch ministries. Those who work from love and proper motives are there to protect and serve the sheep in God’s flock. Those who serve from selfish motives, or to build their own kingdom, or that of a denomination, are in danger of judgment at some time, either now or at the day of judgment.
We need to be discerning and know those with whom we gather. Are there pure motives in the leadership? Is all done in love for God and love for one another? Or is the current kingdom building being done for man rather than for God?
And the Pharisees and the scribes asked Him, “Why do your disciples not walk according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?” And He said to them, “Well did Isaiah
prophecy of you hypocrites, as it is written, ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’
You leave the commandment of God and hold to the tradition of men.” And He said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition.”
Mark 7:5-9 ESV
I need to ask myself, am I walking after the traditions of the religion in which I was raised? Or am I serving the living God in Spirit and in truth? Am I a hypocrite, or am I a true disciple of Christ Jesus? Do I simply honor Him with my lips, or is my heart also drawing near to Him in an intimate, loving relationship? Is my worship in vain, or is it being done in Spirit and truth? Is what I teach and preach of the truths of God, or of the tradition and commandments of men? Of whom am I a true disciple?
As a pastor I will be held to a higher standard of righteousness. As a teacher I will be held to a higher standard of integrity in my teaching. Not that any believer is relieved of righteousness and integrity, but with the responsibility that accompanies the roles of the ministry, a higher degree of accountability is demanded both here and at the judgment.
Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not
stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body.
James 3:1-2 ESV
I certainly am not a perfect man. I, like all people, stumble in many ways, as James put it. Do I have to? No, I am without excuse. I must, however, walk in obedience to the call of God and the leading of Holy Spirit. I must put works to my faith as James expressed immediately prior to these verses.
James gives this caution that we may not all just roam about teaching our beliefs that may be filled with error. A teacher is going to be held to a stricter judgment. Those sitting under teachers are not exempt from judgment, as they must discern truth with Holy Spirit witnessing to their spirit. The danger is expressed for our day of great deceptions by Paul in his second letter to the young pastor, Timothy.
I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season;
reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for
themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work
of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.
2 Timothy 4:1-5 ESV
Just as Paul instructed Timothy at the end of this passage, we all ought to be sober-minded and do the work we are called to do in whatever gift Holy Spirit has designated for us to operate in and we are to do it for His kingdom.
Paul also warns of people who “will not endure sound teaching” but will accumulate teachers to satisfy their own passions. They will turn away from listening to the truth. It is important for disciples of Christ Jesus to be certain that those to whom we listen are preaching and teaching the truths of God. If they are not, a choice needs to be made. We ought to leave them and seek truth, whatever the cost. Or, we remain and turn away from truth and follow the traditions of men. This is truly a choice of who to follow; Christ or man. The same choice for the angels; follow God or follow Lucifer. The same choice in the garden in Eden; obey God, or listen to the serpent.
Be not deceived, judgment is coming, both for individuals and for ministries and churches. The only variable may be to what degree hear and now, and to what degree at the judgment seat of Christ. While leaders are held to a stricter judgment, individuals are held responsible for their part as well.
If anyone is on the wrong path, it is time right now to repent and turn to God, following His ways only. It is time to heed the call of, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins.”