Treasure Hunting

There is a proverb in the Bible that says, "It is the glory of God to conceal a word; it is the glory of Kings to search out a word." (25:2)

Why is this the case? Why doesn't God just put everything out there plain as day? I don't know for sure. Maybe that would just be too boring. Maybe He wants to be pursued (both the masculine and feminine natures come from God, and the feminine delights in being lovingly pursued). Maybe as in any relationship, you don't share your whole heart with just anyone...you want to know they want to know you, you know? Jesus used a lot of parables too. When those in His inner circle wanted to know the meaning of the parables, He shared more revelation with them. Maybe He likes the adventure of hiding treasure and watching our excitement when we are treasure hunting! Whether any of these are the reasons, or part of the reason, it is true that there is mystery in a relationship with God, and there is much depth to be explored and discovered when we're hungry for more.

In the cow realm, this all started with Justice. You may have already read about what I sensed God saying through her in an earlier blog post. She calved on Easter Sunday, the first Sunday in April. The next Sunday Mercy calved (her delivery story was another blog post). One week later Tabitha delivered a bull. On the fourth and final Sunday of April, Connie had a calf, another backwards-presenting calf we had to pull. In the entire month of April, there were only two days where no calves were born. Some days had one, some two, and occasionally 3 in a day. Each of the Sundays had only one calf born. I can't say that I have discovered as deep a revelation in the last three as in Justice, but there was something in each, I think.

Mercy caught my attention on that second Sunday because of her name, and the connection between justice and mercy biblically. Micah 6:8 says, "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" We read in the bible that God's mercies are new every morning. He is unwilling that any should perish, desiring that all would respond to the invitation to be reconciled to Him and experience the great love He desires to lavish us with. Mercy and her calf survived the birth challenge. But due to some damaging mastitis she had after calving, it became evident this would be her last calf. I found myself wondering, why would this be significant prophetically for a cow named Mercy? I'd be more comfortable with a happy ending for Mercy! But I'm wondering if it's a declaration that wickedness doesn't get a free pass forever. God IS unwilling that anyone should perish, and what some would call slowness to act is in fact His mercy giving rebellious hearts every possible chance to avoid reaping that which they have sown. Perhaps the window of mercy is about to close for those who continue to willfully align with the kingdom of darkness.

On the third Sunday I didn't think any cows were going to calve, but Tabitha surprised me in the evening when I saw her giving birth. So my prophetic radar turned on with the arrival of another Sunday calf, and I started thinking about her name. Tabitha is mentioned in Acts 9. She was a kind and charitable woman who helped many with her acts of service. But she got sick and died. The Apostle Peter was called to come, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, he called her back to life! The significance of a death and resurrection is unmistakable. There is nothing too far gone that the power of God cannot restore to life. Nothing. Let the reader understand...

Connie's delivery was reminiscent of Mercy's. Another instance of no visible progression, and discovering a calf coming tail first! Dad was able to get his legs pulled up and it wasn't too hard to get him pulled out then. The message I see from her is rather quiet and unassuming, like her name, which means "constant, steadfastness." In all the changes we see and experience in the world around us, there is One who does not change. God is the constant. And ironically, the Constant, Unchanging One is the One who can change everything in a day.

When the first Sunday in May came, there were 3 new calves. It was as if that chapter of Sunday cow messages had closed. Calving season had begun to slow down a bit finally. On May 11, just after sundown on the night of a new moon, Shalom had a calf. The next day I recorded her on the calendar, then tallied up the total calves. My radar turned on again when I realized she was the 50th cow to calve this year! The number 50 has some really amazing significance. First, 50 is the number of years between jubilees. In a jubilee year, what has been lost is returned to its rightful owner. It was an established practice in the Bible on a personal level, but it is sovereignly orchestrated on a national level throughout Israel's history (as described in Jonathan Cahn's fascinating book, The Oracle). Fifty is also the number of days between Passover and Shavuot (or Pentecost, as it was called in Acts 2). In the Old Testament, 50 days after the exodus of Israel from Egypt (beginning with the first Passover), they encamped around Mount Sinai, and the Torah was given to them through Moses. In the New Testament, 50 days after the Passover feast, the Holy Spirit came in the form of tongues of fire on Pentecost, empowering the believers who had gathered. The Comforter and Guide Jesus promised had come, and the timing was no coincidence!

Shalom means peace in Hebrew, but also wholeness, completeness, soundness, health, safety, and prosperity. In God you can find all these things and more. What are the odds that our cow named Shalom would be the 50th cow to calve...just days before Shavuot/Pentecost, the day God's Spirit was poured out to dwell within us? As if He was using her to remind me of the significance of something in the coming season. You can't make this stuff up! But you sure can miss these little treasures if you're not looking for them. I absolutely believe God is speaking, and inviting me (and you!) to seek and find. What kind of treasures are you finding?

If you like this kind of treasure hunting, you might enjoy looking at some other numbers...Justice was the 5th cow to calve, Mercy the 13th, Tabitha the 25th, and Connie the 35th. I saw some interesting things in those numbers, how about you?