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2-02-00

This word is submitted by Robert Carter (bashan@winshop.com.au)

God's Locomotive
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A vision given to Robert Carter, 1997.

One evening, I cannot determine whether I was dreaming, or seeing a vision, an incredible scene opened up to me. In this dream or vision, I was walking with someone in the country when the path we were on began to take the appearance of a railroad track. It was long and straight for a while and then started to curve to our right and entered a deepening and narrowing cutting. I had the impression as we walked that a train was following us in the distance. It sounded like a steam engine, getting louder and louder as it gradually drew closer. The cutting got progressively narrower as we continued along until there seemed to be barely enough room the track. The track gauge gradually increased somehow, yet the rails always remained parallel.

Suddenly an immense steam locomotive came around the bend behind us, getting closer and closer, seemingly increasing in physical size as it approached. We began to run, getting off the tracks and running beside them on even ground. The ground did not look the way one usually associates with railroad cuttings, normally strewn with weeds and rocks and other objects. The ground was even. level and we ran with ease. I had a sense of peaceful urgency and excitement as we ran and the loco caught up with us.

I could feel the pulsing of the engine. I could feel the heat of the boilers. The ground was throbbing as this loco moved beside us. It was an awesome feeling. almost "frightening" in the natural, yet I did not feel afraid. I was conscious of immense strength and power and of the enormous proportions of the incredibly complex machine.

Suddenly, the cutting widened ahead and around the bend a second track joined to the first from the right hand side. Another locomotive was coming towards us on this second track. It was also huge and powerful, but dwarfed by the one we were running beside. I felt the urgency that I must keep pace with this "monster" regardless. As we switched to the left hand track, the smaller loco switched onto the single track and disappeared into the distant cutting behind me. The new Loco still grew in size and power and it had a beauty about it. It was a "pretty steam locomotive" yet an awesome monstrous thing.

The track continued on in a graceful right hand arc towards what looked like a wharf setting with a railroad marshalling yard, but there was only that one track. This yard was surrounded by a very high wire mesh fencing with enormous gates on the far side from where I was. There was a building of sorts in the middle of this secure enclosure. It looked like a high-rise parking lot, with ramps leading from floor to floor and there was a flat roof on the very top, with a safety barrier around.

The locomotive suddenly passed by me and circled around the left hand side of this building, which temporarily obscured it for a moment until it came up to gates in the surrounding fence. The gates suddenly swung wide open by themselves and the loco entered the yard and stopped. People were running from all directions, milling around, forming queues as one sees in an entertainment park, to see this new shining, gleaming, powerful machine. They thronged eagerly around this building to get a glimpse of the loco.

I wanting to get close and even climb on board, feeling that most were merely spectators and was amazed that they were content to queue up and walk through this building. Many were content to stay within and few by comparison with the size of the crowd were standing on the top floor for a clear view of the locomotive. I was not content to remain in the queues of people and suddenly found myself standing at the base of this building and knew that I simply had to reach the very top floor. I crouched down partially, poised myself as an athlete ready to make a jump and leaped upwards, floating towards the top. Many people paused and said, "look, he's going to jump" and I "floated" towards the top. Somehow, I did not quite soar over the safety rail on the top floor to land on the floor as planned and landed on this rail. Apologizing to those watching, I stepped out and floated down to ground level. I crouched down and sprung up again to float right over the rails to a very clear vantage point on top and the people around me applauded. I have the feeling now that those on top of the building did what I did.

At one stage, I saw a woman in a red dress. It was more like a formal suit than a dress. I am not sure if she was my companion during my walk, but as I approached the building she was nearby. I commented that I was not going to stay near her, as I wanted to reach the top, adding that she should stay behind. She was not seen again.

It was significant that I never saw an engineer or driver in this locomotive. There was no guard or conductor, or anyone seen at all, that one might see as railroad staff. The departing locomotive was similarly unmanned. Both engines moved by themselves and, significantly, moved in unison and in precise motion. During the whole scene, not one sign, signal or traffic light of any kind was in evidence.

When I asked the Lord what this meant, he shared with me that this new steam locomotive symbolized the immense power of God coming to the world. It was replacing the existing anointing here. That old locomotive had served its purpose and was returning to make way for the new, which was unprecedented. It was the very last of it's kind. in fact the only one of its kind. The new was heralded by many but also rejected by many. Many people were purely curious spectators. Some were totally disinterested. Some were simply enthralled by the new, but never go any further with the experience. Some, few by comparison, wanted a clear, unobstructed view and from this group, some actually ventured onto the machine.

It seemed significant that there were no carriages, only the locomotive. When wondering about this, it seemed that the Lord said, "Many want to sit in carriages and go along for the ride. They want to be carried. They do not want to be involved in any way other than to enjoy themselves".

He said, "The day is coming when the carriages will be uncoupled. The people going along for the ride are those who enjoy the privileges and the temporal blessings. They will still be inside and enjoy these things, but these carriages will continue under their own momentum and will eventually slow down and stop". The people inside these carriages may eventually lose all.

Those who were content to stay inside the building were the ones who would never experience the life force. the power which comes from the very presence of God. They are mere spectators and not participators.

Only those who ride the locomotive, which is large enough to contain all, will really enjoy and participate in this new power. Those who ascended to the roof of the building will ride in the engine".

Scripture verses flashed into my being. "Many are called, but few are chosen" Matthew 22:14.

Robert Carter