“Daniel spoke and said, I saw in my vision by night, and behold, the four winds of heaven strove upon the great sea” (Daniel 7:2).

There are in Scriptures prophetic words shrouded in mystery and hidden from us until they are searched out and found to be profound truths from the mind of God revealed to us by the Holy Spirit. The Prophet, Daniel, wrote of them in his visions in the night.

In his visions the four winds of heaven strove upon the great sea. Daniel continues to tell us that out of the striving upon the waters “four great beasts came up from the sea diverse one from another” (Daniel 7:3). In prophetic language the sea represents peoples, or nations and beasts represent governments, or kingdoms. So, we see in Daniel’s visions that the winds of heaven blew upon the nations and out from the tempest came forth four world powers.

Of course, with the benefit of hindsight we now know that these kingdoms represented by various animals (beasts) were the Babylonian, Persian, Grecian (Alexander the Great) and the Roman empires. Isn’t it wonderful to know that the God of Heaven sends His winds (breath) upon the peoples, nations of the earth and establishes His plans for the history of mankind. I think we can trust Him in all things for He definitely knows what His is doing (cf. Daniel 7:4-8).

The four winds also represent four directions and locations in the heavens and earth; i.e., north, south, east and west. It is comforting to know that wherever we may be sent, in all directions and in all locations, God knows where we are and can surely find us when He gathers us together in Christ in one body, in one Spirit. Christ prophesied that at the end of the age, at His coming in the clouds with His holy angels, “He shall send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other” (Matthew 24:31). At the sound of the trumpet, the signal for rally and gathering, used throughout the Scriptures, the angels shall rally and gather the saints from the most distant locations and from all directions in the heavens to the great Day of the Lord. Oh, what a day that will be!

The four winds are blowing in our day, in this generation. Jesus told us that prior to His return “there shall be signs in the sun and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring. . .and when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draws near” (Luke 21:25,28). When the “sea and the waves are roaring” then the beasts arise to take control, to gain power, to go forth and conquer. We are in just such a time; so be prepared for “wars and rumors of wars” be prepared for “famines and pestilences, earthquakes. . .and the beginning of sorrows” (cf. Matthew 24:6,7b). Be prepared for the return of the Messiah, Jesus, the Lord of Lords, King of Kings, Lamb of God, our Redeemer.

The four winds are blowing as it was in the days of Ezekiel, who prophesied “unto the wind, prophesy and say to the wind, ‘Thus says the Lord God, Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain that they may live'” (Ezekiel 37:9). Oh, Holy Spirit, come as a mighty wind as you did at Pentecost; oh, breath of the Almighty breathe into the nostrils of your people and bring life to your saints in this generation. Revive us again and make for yourself a people ready for the Lord. May your saints in the East, in the West, in the North and in the South rally and rejoice together at the Trumpet sound.

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