Lightning Man

 
I learned something today that has set my mind to thinking.

Our President, Mr. Barak Hussein Obama, has a biblical first name. You’ll find it in Judges 4 and 5. 

Barak. It means “lightning” or “lightning flash“.

Did you already know that little bit of news? Yes? No? So what, you say?

Well, here’s what. It’s common knowledge that names CAN be prophetic, or describe certain characteristics about someone. The prophet Isaiah’s kids, bless their hearts, had some of the weirdest names ever typed on a birth certificate. The eldest son, Shear-Jashub, was blessed with his name (meaning “a remnant shall return”) compared to the second son, Mahershalalhashbaz, meaning “speed the spoil, hasten the booty”. I can’t imagine the kid’s first day in school, can you?

Abraham’s name meant “father of a multitude”, prophetically spoken over Abraham before Isaac was born.

In Exodus, immediately before the Lord descended in a thick cloud upon Mount Sinai, thunder and lightning preceded His holy appearance.

Psalm 77:18 speaks of lightning coming before the shaking of the earth. “The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind; your lightnings lighted up the world; the earth trembled and shook.” (Psalm 77:18 ESV)

Hebrews 12 tells us of a coming day when everything that CAN be shaken, WILL be shaken, so that “the things that cannot be shaken may remain” (Hebrews 12:25-27 ESV). Is that day upon us, when the earth not only will be shaken, but the heavens as well?

Many times, where’s there’s lightning there’s also rain. Throughout scripture, rain typifies the outpouring of God’s Spirit. For instance, Hosea 6, Joel 2, and Acts 2.

“When he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightning for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses.” (Jeremiah 10:13 ESV)

Wind is also used to describe the presence of the Holy Spirit. Ezekiel 37, Acts 2, Exodus 14. 

Could it be that these are the days of lightning, thunder, and rain? A coming storm of judgment, and, at the same time, an outpouring of God’s Spirit upon those who will be saved?

Lightning – falling, flashing, signifying a specific time period.

“The seventy-two returned with joy, saying, ‘Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!’ And he said to them, ‘I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.’” (Luke 10:17-18 ESV)

“And he said to the disciples, ‘The days are coming when you will desire to see one of the days of the Son of Man, and you will not see it. And they will say to you, ‘Look, there!’ or ‘Look, here!’ Do not go out or follow them. For as the lightning flashes and lights up the sky from one side to the other, so will the Son of Man be in his day.’” (Luke 17:22-24 ESV)

Well?

Okay. So maybe my exegesis isn’t the greatest, and maybe I’m way off. 

It’s possible. 

But all the same, I’m going to keep my eyes and ears open; and my heart tuned to God. 

There just may be a trumpet blowing soon.