Only a true King can draw the sword from the stone, but what does this mean really? Scripture refers to the sword being analogous to the Spirit, the Living and Written Word of God (Eph 6:17). The stone has a dual meaning. In one vein, it is a metaphor for God Himself: “they remembered that God was their Rock” (Ps 78:35); “cry unto me (saying), ‘thou art my father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation” (Ps 89:26); and “Spiritual Rock… and that Rock was Christ.” (1 Cor 10:4). In another sense, the rock may be viewed as the hardened heart of man before spiritual regeneration: “A new heart will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will remove the stony heart out of your flesh…and I will put my Spirit in you” (Ezek 36:26-27).
These two themes combine in the message of The Sword in the Stone. The woman in the upper left corner is turned away from Christ, begging the question, “Missing something?” She is intoxicated under a spell, drinking from a wineglass offered by the harlot who rides upon the seven-headed and ten-horned beast of Revelation (Rev 17:7). This woman and beast represent political and spiritual Babylon, that combination of government and religion that seeks to establish for itself a kingdom for man apart from God.
To break the spell of Babylon, the caption reads, “Get out of your head.” The woman’s mind opens and she offers her heart in the direction of Christ, or toward that Rock of salvation in which the sword is secured.
Across the “Rock of Ages,” at the center bottom, reads Jehovah’s name in Hebrew, the Great YHWH. Above God’s name on the original artwork, a measuring gauge appears as a hologram underneath the caption “LOVE.” The holographic needle moves as the viewer adjusts to different angles of light. My intention was to simulate motion. As the sword is attempted to be drawn out of the Rock by someone of pure heart, the needle measures Love to determine worthiness.
Love is the key to wielding the Sword of the Spirit. Without Love, the sword (Spirit) remains trapped in the stone (unregenerate heart). No amount of strength can extract it. Only the willful offering of the heart, the getting out of one’s head and turning toward God will activate the dynamic Power of His Spirit and withdraw the sword.
God enters the heart and performs a supernatural work in regeneration. The angels, depicted flanked on each side of the sword, assist in drawing the Spirit from the stony heart. Just as Moses drew water from the Rock, the Holy Spirit of Living Waters is drawn from a stony heart.
The man holding up a Bible is depicted adjacent the harlot and beast of revelation, at left. He appears to be speaking from his head. He faces Christ, but his eyes are closed. This represents modern Christianity which has chosen doctrine and dogma over Love and a personal relationship with Christ. Here, self-righteousness and morality are substituted for grace, spirituality, and communion. Christ said that there would be many who on the last day say, “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name cast out devils? And in thy name done may wonderful works?” to which Christ will reply, “I never knew you… depart from me ye that work iniquity” (Mat 7:22-23).
The portrayal of the Bible thumper underscores this message above him: “Get out of your head,” and “offer your heart.” Morality is not the road to spirituality, as so many falsely believe. Morality is the result of spirituality and having a right relationship with Christ in the heart.
The right half of the collage depicts believers joyously dancing around the Lord. Their arms are raised in worship and their bodies are aflame. They are unphased by the nuclear holocaust in the background and even welcome the end of the world, for it will bring about the glorious appearance of Christ riding upon that white horse in the sky (Rev 19:11)
From the banner in the upper right corner, “The New World,” sprouts a giant hand descending from the sky. The hand symbolizes God’s supernatural intervention into the affairs of men in the Last Days, to keep man from annihilating himself and the planet: “And except those days be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened” (Mat 24:22).
In the foreground to the nuclear explosion the two sides of Christ’s character are portrayed. During the first advent, Christ came as the Suffering Servant, that meek lamb who takes away the sins of the world and reconciles depraved man to God. During the second advent, Christ will return as a conqueror and King, the mighty Lion of the Tribe of Judah who shall put all enemies—Satan, the fallen angels, and death itself—under His feet. This will be fully consummated after His 1,000 year millennial reign. He will re-create heaven and earth and will purge with the Holy Spirit of fire all that offends (Rev 21:1).
The artwork can be viewed from broader perspective of Spiritual Babylon, on the left side, juxtaposed with the “New World” under Christ, on the right side. The Bible-toting preacher on the left worships from the flesh, speaking from his mind with his eyes closed. The believers on the right worship from the heart and in the Spirit, as symbolized by their flaming bodies. They embrace even death itself, knowing they will be called up to the sky at the Lord’s return. This brings to mind the scripture that, “God is Spirit; and they that worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:23-24).
The bottom corners of the collage portray “One Way” signs, pointing to the “Rock of Ages” in the center. To break Babylon’s spell, one must remove the sword from the stone. This requires one to “Get out of your head” and offer your heart to Christ. The Love-meter at the bottom depicts God weighing the purity of an individual’s heart: “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord weighs the heart” (Prov 21:2). For those who pass the test, the sword is loosed from the stone; Spirit is born out of a stony heart. God quickens to life the new spiritual nature within the believer, thus enabling communion and fellowship with Christ.
Larry Word
No comments:
Post a Comment