The Unspoken Word

The Unspoken Word

Increasing Your Understanding of God’s Vocabulary

The rhema or living word of God can be conveyed beyond words. God is not limited to using mere words or the Bible, for that matter, in the ways that He wants to communicate to us. When Elijah threw his mantle over Elisha, not a word was spoken, but in that act, Elisha knew he was called to follow and come under the tutorage of the prophet of Israel (see 1 Kings 19:19). Elisha finally picked up that same mantle later and used it to divide the Jordan (see 2 Kings 2:14). When we recognize that it is the word of God that divides, we realize that, in the throwing of the mantle, God spoke without using words (see Hebrews 4:12)!

NO PLACE TO LAND

Similarly, when the dove flew to Noah with the olive branch in its mouth, God was speaking (see Genesis 8:11). In that incident, Noah had previously released a raven from the ark, which flew to and fro and found no rest for its feet (see Genesis 8:7). The raven is a picture of the devil being cast from God’s presence from which time he likewise goes to and fro throughout the earth without finding rest (see Job 1:7; 2:2). Subsequently, Noah, which means ‘Rest’, released the dove, which also initially found no rest (see Genesis 8:8-9). Why could the dove find no landing place? The dove at this stage could find no rest because the world was under water which signified that mankind was dead in sin (see Romans 6:4; 1 Corinthians 10:2).

Then, a week later, Noah released the dove and it returned with the olive branch in its mouth (see Genesis 8:10-11). Who is The Branch? Well according to Isaiah, Jeremiah and Zechariah, His name is Jesus (see Isaiah 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 6:12). So, when the dove returned with the branch in its mouth God was saying Jesus has been resurrected. Noah waited another week and released the dove again, and this time she did not return because now mankind was coming out of sin and the Spirit of God was able to alight on mankind (see Genesis 8:12). This whole episode with Noah was a prophetic layout of key world events: the devil cast from heaven to earth, mankind dead in sin, Christ’s resurrection, and the infilling of the Spirit of God.

“BREAK IT DOWN”

There was a very significant day in the life of the disciples after the resurrection when they hauled 153 fish up onto the shore (see John 21:11). When I asked God why there were specifically 153 fish He told me to, ‘Break it down’. How do you break 153 down? In the secular world, you would probably say 100, 50 and 3. How would you do it scripturally? Well what about 120, 30 and 3? What do these numbers mean within scripture? A hundred and twenty in scripture is,  ‘a period of waiting’: 120 disciples in the upper room, 120 years before the flood judgment (see Acts 1:15; Genesis 6:3). Thirty is marked by, ‘the right time to reign’: Joseph was 30 when he came to power, David was 30 when he became king and Jesus was 30 when He declared the kingdom had come (see Genesis 41:46; 2 Samuel 5:4; Luke 3:23).

Three can be interpreted many ways. It can mean, ‘resurrection’, it can mean,  ‘witness’, it can be representative of the Holy Spirit, or it can mean, ‘fullness’ (see Matthew 20:19; Deuteronomy 17:6; Matthew 28:19; Luke 4:1, Ephesians 5:18). Which of these last options do we choose? Well, the key to interpreting correctly is to interpret in context. So that, when the disciples brought those fish onto the shore God was speaking. He was saying, ‘There is a period of waiting before you come to the right time to reign in the fullness of the Spirit!’ If you know the story, the disciples were then prepared for 40 days by Jesus to receive the kingdom before the Day of Pentecost came (see Acts 1:3; 2:1).

When God speaks through events around us, He often does so by using uncharacteristic happenings to get our attention: a flock of birds in an unusual formation, unseasonal sightings of fauna and flora, or people repeatedly using the same phrase throughout the day may all be examples of God’s rhema word to you. The key to understanding uncharacteristic events, and particularly those that appear to make no sense from an earthly point of view, is to have the presence of mind to look at them from heaven’s perspective to hear what God is saying.

Don’t go looking for omens, but when something unusual does get your attention, reference it against scripture and ask God what He is saying (see 1 Corinthians 2:13). God will speak to you in whatever way you are prepared to listen.

Adrian Beale About Adrian Beale

Adrian Beale is an admired prophetic teacher with a consistent ability to open God’s Word and bring supernatural revelation with impartation. He has more than 18 years of pastoral experience. To learn more about his ministry, visit thedivinitycode.org.