Vision: The Camp of the Lord
by Henry Gruver
Received in August of 1969
THE FIRST CAMP
When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood
as a child, I thought as a child
.
Corinthians 13:11 (KJV)
In this vision, it was a moonlit night. An angel, who
was slowly moving through the heavens, was carrying me while I was looking
down upon the earth. The angel cradled me in his left arm and was using
his right hand to point out those things he was commissioned to show
me. I could not see him, since he was above me; but I could feel him
holding me.
We came over the crest of a promontory into some hill
country. I found myself looking out ahead as far as I could, trying
to get a preview of what was coming up next. As we passed the brow of
the first hill, I began to hear the rattling of cans and the laughter
and playfulness of children. My senses became alarmed. The first sign
of life I was encountering seemed to be some sort of playful activity.
I began to wonder what was going on.
As I continued looking ahead, trying to see, little blotches
of color became visible down in the valley. They turned out to be tentssome
stood alone, and others, in little clusters. They were not in any definite
order; the people seemed to have put them up wherever they chose, as
a camper might pitch his tent under a tree or on the banks of a river.
As I looked out over these tents, which were scattered
every which way across the valley, I could see bonfires burning in the
midst of each of the little clusters of tents. These fires were of varying
sizes. Some were small, while some roared way up in the air, as the
people kept fueling them. There were different activities going on around
each of the fires.
I was surprised to discover that all of the people in
this valley were adults, because they were playing like children. One
group seemed to be playing Kick the Can. In another area,
I could see, by the light of their fire, a mound was nearby, and those
people were playing King of the Hill. They kept knocking
one another off that mound, until the one who could resist all the rest
became the King. They used brute force in that camp, in
their battle so to speak, for top dog position.
When I looked at still another group, I thought, My
goodness, look at that one! Their bonfire was not huge, but it had
a good strong flame. In this camp, everyone had a stick, and was putting
the ends of their sticks in the fire. When they got them burning, they
would wave these flaming sticks around in the air, making all kinds
of designs and smoke trails, similar to what a child might do with a
sparkler on the Fourth of July.
All the activities in these various camps reminded me
of games that I had played as a child. While I watched all this, I thought,
I did all those things as a child. So, why are these adults acting
like children? The moment that thought came to me, a Voice spoke
from above me. It was not the angels voice; I knew His voice,
because He would speak softly to me from time to time as we traveled.
This Voice was deeper and more authoritative, and it said, This
is not My camp. Move on.
This was in 1969. It was right around the time when the
Full Gospel Businessmens Fellowship and the Charismatic Movement
were just beginning. At the same time, there was a new wave of immorality
sweeping the nation and the world. It was a time of, Im okay;
youre okay; Everything is beautiful; Tune
in, turn on, drop out; and so on. It was the beginning of a new
era in which everybody was going to be free to do whatever was
right in their own eyes.
In any event, we moved on, as the Voice had told us to
do. I continued watching these adults who were playing like kids, as
the angel carried me on toward the crest of another hill.
As we got closer to the brow of that hill, the sounds
of playful children faded away, and I began to hear different sounds
coming from the other side of the hill. My attention and my gaze focused
on what was happening in this next valley. While I strained to see over
the crest of the hill, I wondered, What is going on there? I
remember glancing up over my left arm and seeing the moon in the heavens.
It was a full moon, or nearly so, and I remember thinking, I do not
see any stars, but that moon certainly is bright! When I looked
down, I could see the terrain below very well by the light of that moon.
THE SECOND CAMP
...but when I became a man, I put away childish
things.
I Corinthians 13: 11
As the new sounds grew louder, they drew my attention
back again to the crest of the approaching hill. Finally, we crested
that hill, and I could look down into the next valley. All over this
valley, too, there were tents; but these were not arranged haphazardly,
as in the previous valley. These people had not put their tents anywhere
they pleased. They were in formation, and there was order in this valley.
The people had all gathered in their separate encampments and were having
meetings. Different individuals were ministering to them and admonishing
them.
These people were conducting themselves more like adults.
It was that way throughout the entire valley; but each group kept to
themselves, sticking to their own little camp. I later realized that
camp must have represented sectarianism and denominationalismthings
that were prevalent back in the 60s, and even more so, in the
70s, when "discipleship came into popularity. Everybody
kept quite strictly to the confines of their own particular order.
We stopped briefly to look at this. I noticed that as
the admonishments were going on, and the commands were being given in
the various camps, some individuals began to look heavenward. They looked
as if they had caught a heavenly vision; and they got up and walked
right out of their camps.
Each one had a little hobo knapsack over his
shouldera small bundle tied up in a red handkerchief attached
to a stick "Huck Finn style. It was the only thing
each one took with them. They just walked right out of those camps with
their eyes fixed on still another hill in the distance. Away they went,
with these sticks over their shoulders, heading off to climb that next
hill. We began following those adults with their knapsacks. This time,
the Voice from above did not say this was not His camp. He simply said,
"It is time to move on.
I remember thinking, This is interesting. Where
are those people going? They seemed totally enthralled and
their whole being was completely absorbed with getting over that hill
and into that next valley. As the angel and I moved onever so
slowly, it seemed to me.I continued watching these people. When
they reached the crest of the hill, they would suddenly stop dead in
their tracks for a moment, before disappearing over the horizon. Whatever
they were seeing down in that next valley caused them to pause, take
the little knapsack off their shoulder, and lay it down. They did not
even look at it again, or seem to take any thought at all of what they
were doing. They would just lay it aside, and begin walking down into
that valley with what they were, not with what they had.
As I watched them, a great, burning desire came into my
heart for the Lord to hurry! I wanted to be a part of whatever they
were experiencing. I knew something wonderful was happening in that
third valley, as I thought, What could it be?
THE THIRD CAMP
Therefore, My people shall know in that Day
that I AM He that doth speak
Isaiah 52:6 (KJV)
When
we came to the crest of the hill, where I could look down into that
valley, I saw more tents, neatly arranged in four groups. Together these
four groups of tents formed a large square encampment. The four groups
were set up in each of the four corners of this campone each toward
the north, south, east and west. The people who were coming into this
valley would go down and join with those in one of the four groupings
of tents.
In each of the four corners of the encampment, I saw people
marching in order. They had on their armor, and they were marching to
the commands of officers. They formed a beautiful and well-ordered army.
The officers gave the commands, "Right face! Left face! About face!
With each command, the ranks of soldiers instantly complied. It was
a beautiful thing to behold, because they were marching in such perfect
formation, and with such crisp precision. They did not break their ranks,
or get out of step. They remained in the four corners of the camp.
As I watched them march, I thought, Wow, I want
to be a part of that! Then I noticed something else. I had
not seen this at first, but in the center of this large square or diamond-shaped
encampment, there was another army marching. There were no tents, however,
in this inner area, and I believe the area had been empty when I had
first beheld the valley. In other words, the group of people who marched
in that inner sanctum must have come there at some point
after the four groups of armies in the four corners began marching.
This inner sanctum army was even more beautiful
than the armies in the four corners. The countenances of the soldiers
in this army were lit up, and they were beautiful marchers. As I watched
them, my heart burned with envy. I heard no voice commanding them. I
realized that they had no commanding officer. It was as though God had
turned down the volume on the voices of those in the four corners, so
I could hear the SILENCE that was emanating from that inner sanctum
army. I said, Lord, they have no commander! How do they know when
to go right face, left face, about face,
and so forth?
The Lord said, They have learned to know My voice,
and they march only at My bidding. Notice, that there are no leaders
in that group except those who are in the forefront. Then there may
be an about face, and those who have been leading will become
followers. When it is right face, the ones on the right
will become the leaders; when it is about face, again, those
who were on the left will become leaders.
As all these armies were marching, those out on the four
corners would occasionally come into close proximity to the marchers
in the inner sanctum. Whenever that happened, a radiance would go out
from the army in the middle, into the armies in the four corners; it
seemed to set them on fire. As this continued to happen, the radiance
began to affect some of those in the perimeter armies, and they would
break off from their units and join with the inner sanctum army.
I watched, in amazement, as they seemed to blend right
in. They did not go back and forth looking for positions in that inner
squarethere was none of that. Whenever the corner marchers would
touch those in the inner square, some of them would simply flow right
in. They slipped right into their places so beautifully and effortlessly,
that there seemed to be no transition. I could not tell when it was
about to happen, and I could not tell when it happened. It just happened.
Looking back on the vision, I especially recall the glow
on the faces of the soldiers in the inner sanctum army. It was clearly
visible on their faces, although it was nighttime. However, I know that
I could not see this glow emanating from the inner sanctum marchers
until I had first observed the formation and order of the four outer
armies. I realized that all of those in the four marching groups must
have come from the second valley. I do not recall seeing any of those
who had been playing like children in that first valley ever go over
into the second valley.
In addition, those who marched in the four perimeter armies
seemed to be unaware of the presence of those marching in the inner
sanctum. They did not cast longing or envious glances toward those in
the center, for they were busy coming into a discipline. They were learning
to keep their eyes and hearts totally fixed on the Lord, by giving instant
obedience to the orders of their commanding officers. In other words,
they were obeying the Supreme Commanderthe Lordby obeying
His human vessels, who were inspired by His Spirit. It was actually
a perfect demonstration of the way the fivefold ministry of Ephesians
4:11 should operate in the church, for the perfecting of
the saintssomething that has rarely been exhibited in
any consistent fashion in the church.
These outer armies did not render obedience unto their
officers because they held them in high esteem, as was the case with
those in the second valley. They were not comparing themselves to one
another. They were giving their obedience as unto the Lord. They responded
to every command as if it were the Lord Himself giving it. Their hearts
were totally focused on the Lord; they were consumed with a hunger and
a desire to please Him.
As for the inner army, the glow on their countenances
came from within them, and it shone outwardly. I believe they may not
even have known the day or the hour when they became a part of that
final army. I believe that is the way it will be for those who actually
do become a part of the Lords final, endtime army. One day, they
will look back and say to themselves, When did I start this?
I have not been able to do anything unless I see my Father do it, or
hear my Fathers voice telling me to do it.
That He [Christ] might present it [the
Church] to Himself, a 'glorious church, not having spot, or
wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.
Ephesians 5:27 (KJV); editors inserts.
I believe that will be the glorious church
without spot or wrinkle. This is the Bride, adorned and beautiful, waiting
for the Bridegroom. She is spoken for and betrothed. Even in these days,
before the marriage is consummated, she does not want to be away from
His presence, even for a moment. She will know when that consummation
takes place. Then she and her Bridegroom will genuinely become joined
together as one; they will be bone and flesh of one another.
Presently, I do not believe there is anyone in that inner
group, but I do believe there are many marching in the four corners.
I believe the Lord has spoken this to me, This is the season to
just keep marching. Keep your eyes on Me. Let it be the burning desire
of your heart to see Me, and to worship Me every minute that you are
able. Look to Me for every instruction; listen to Me for confirmation.
Look into My Word to see what is there, and long to be one with Me.
If you are doing that, then one of these days, you will simply shift
into that next realm.
Those in the second valley will not come over into the
third until they have allowed the Lord to give them a revelation of
how exceedingly grievous sin is to Him. They will not enter the Holy
of holies in that second valley. They may sing songs about it; and may
have seasons when they feel so close to the Lord they are sure it is
going to happen. However, the leaders will eventually cut if off and
change the order.
This type of leader is not leading his people to look
toward the Lord. These leaders are not teaching their people to want
the Lord to be everything to them. They are still protecting their own
turf, their job security. It will not happen until they come out of
that second valley and go into the third.
The issue is obedience. As far as I am concerned, that
is what the inner circle is all about. I believe that when you are marching
under commanders and receiving their nurture and admonition directly
from the Lord, it is developing you. It is turning your face and your
desires heavenward, to that place where you will be completely consumed
with love for the Lord. Doing His good pleasure will become the goal
of your life, no matter what it costs you physically or socially. Your
obedience to the Lord will become Number One. I believe that is happening
right now; and the Lord is getting ready to shift many people into that
inner circle. Once it starts, that circle will be quickly filled.