Pastors Jim and Marie Watt
One. Dan and the 1948 Visitation. Dan means “judge.” Rachel’s thought with the birth of Dan thru Bilhah her handmaid was this: “God has judged my sad estate, and given me this surrogate son for my husband, so that I will not lose his love completely to my sister Leah” (Genesis 30).
The feud continues. But also God’s overriding Sovereignty prevails, and He ensures that Romans 8:28 continues.
The Holy Spirit thru the patriarch Jacob warns concerning the future of Dan. “Dan will judge his people as one of the tribes of Israel. Dan will be a viper on the road, a horned snake in the path that bites the horse’s heels so its rider falls off backward. I will wait for your deliverance, Adonai” (Genesis 49:16-18).
It was Dan in the book of Judges that sought easier land to conquer, but brought great trouble to Israel in the process. On the way to Northern Israel, the spies that first went out discovered Micah and the idols he had made, and the Levite he obtained as his priest.
Later when a larger portion of Dan went to settle, they stole from Micah his gods and priest. Bethel and Dan became known as centers of idolatry that eventually brought complete ruin on the 10 northern tribes. They had become endangered following the dissolution of the United Kingdom under Rehoboam.
This is but one illustration of fulfilled prophecy thru Dan. As a viper and a snake, he bit the heels of the house of the northern 10 tribes, and the rider eventually fell backwards into captivity.
Samson was a Danite, a Nazarite from birth (Numbers 6). He was a saved man in the hands of sin. As a judge of Israel he powerfully broke the yoke of the Philistines over Israel. But as an unsanctified believer in his conduct, he himself suffered death at the time of his final victory over the Philistines.
Moses prophesied concerning this tribe – “Dan is a lion cub, leaping forth from Bashan” (Deuteronomy 33:22). This fits in with the prophecy of Jacob, and the historical outworking of Dan.
His stone was the glowing orange beryl (Exodus 28:19). Remember that the tribes are inscribed on the breastplate of judgment in order of their placement around the Tabernacle, while the names of the sons are on the two opal shoulder stones of Aaron in order of birth.
In Ezekiel’s initial prophetic vision, the one sitting on the throne had the color of Dan. “I saw what looked like gleaming, amber-colored fire radiating from what appeared to be his waist upward. Downward from what appeared to be his waist, I saw what looked like fire, giving a brilliant light all around him…When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard the voice of someone speaking” (Ezekiel 1:27, 28b). The beryl gives forth a gleaming fire-like amber color, the color of the Judge of Israel. Dan means judge, and fits the beryl stone upon which his name appears, and fits the vision of Ezekiel. In Jesus, we see all 12 tribes reflected in their perfection. When all 12 tribes move as one, the Lord can perfectly manifest Himself thru them.
Two. Our Western Culture and 1948. Both the United States and Canada represent the New World, our Western Culture. We do not follow our Hebraic Roots, but rather the Hellenistic Lineal way of thinking. Perception comes from the Hebraic block-method of thinking. It functions like a parable that has but one central thought – not an allegory that has many facets like a diamond.
Our Western Culture is more individualistic in contrast to the Hebraic family, patriarchal and corporate national emphasis. We tend to move like the Lone Ranger. If we do team up, it is for temporary mutual benefit, not so much from a philosophical and religious concept.
In the West there is a spirit of impatience. We want practical results now – or better yet, yesterday – chop chop. There is a patience in the Middle East and the Orient. Meditation and Contemplation flourish there. Western living can’t put up with this. Anything is better than doing nothing. Let’s get with it!
But there is a practical side to our Western culture that is good. Creativity and inventiveness are the earmarks of the West. We have produced the Benjamin Franklin’s, Thomas Edison's and many more. Necessity is the mother of invention, we say – and we prove it.
George R. Hawtin demonstrated this practical side of Dan of the West to a high degree. He would often say, “If I can’t demonstrate it, I won’t teach it.” We shall consider this in a later section.
Three. “Charismatic Captivation” by Dr. Steven Lambert. Dr. Lambert wrote this book to reveal the hidden danger of the Discipleship Shepherding movement. This movement is so typical of our Western Culture. It is at this point that we need the balance of Reuben, the tribe of our Jewish Roots
.Leadership in the West often looks down on the wisdom of the people. President John F. Kennedy believed that it was best for the people if the government made all decisions and administered what was best for the population from the viewpoint of leadership only. This was the thought of the Discipleship Shepherding movement also. They tied mother’s apron strings so tight around the people that it was impossible to mature and become their own persons. Even minor decision-making came from the disciplers and mentors.
Rebellion and discontent arose against this unnatural movement in the 70’s, and their national magazine ceased publication. However, the spirit of this movement has not ceased. It merely went underground. Other movements have picked up on it, and incorporated its spirit.
Remember the trial of the Nazis at Nuremberg following World War II? The justification was, “We only obeyed our superiors – we are not responsible for the cruelty, the atrocities, the Holocaust!” It’s a cop-out to take the Nazi way. So when you find churches and movements that demand obedience apart from your individual rights and the Word of God – then remember Hitler and the Holocaust!
One leader in a discipling/shepherding counterpart said, “You must be birthed unto this movement. You must die to your right to think, and obey whatever the leadership over the pulpit tells you.
The above may be a birth, but it is not the Bible New Birth. It is a birth into the same form of submission that characterized the Discipleship Shepherding movement. And make no mistake – that same spirit is extant in our land today!
Dr. Lambert’s book will help you discern this spirit, and avoid it like the plague. (Steve Lambert Ministries, Inc., P.O. Box 744, Jupiter, FL 33468-0744, Tel: 407-575-5584)
Four. George R. Hawtin: A Demonstration of the Practical Farmer. Dan represents quick and practical decisions. When this is balanced with the other 11 Embryonic Revival principles from the 1948 visitation, this is good!
This revival started out this way in February 1948. Thru a prophetic word, God indicated that He was about to fulfill the promise He had given in 1935. The years of testing had come to fulfillment just like the 13 testing years of Abraham, Joseph, David and Paul.“I am about to mature My body the church, and enable it to function,” He said. “I am going to indicate individual members of My body who have prepared themselves. I will reveal their particular spiritual placement in My body, and I will equip them and empower them to function. Milford is open and ready for this ministry. Call him forward, have him kneel, lay hands on him, and as you pray over him, I will turn the prayer into a prophetic word of placement and empowerment.”
Timidly the elders obeyed the directions of the Spirit. In the midst of praying, the Holy Spirit fell on them to their amazement, and placement and empowerment took place, much as it did with Timothy. (Under Naphtali, #11, we will document these principles.)
Then that peculiar gifting of George Hawtin came to the fore – a gifting of practicality, pragmatism and swift action. In the light of a gift of healing indicated for the first candidate, Brother Hawtin invited any sick to come forward and let the brother just ministered to – now minister to them what God had indicated! An anointing immediately poured forth from his hands to their bodies, and sudden and immediate healings took place!
This characterized future ministries to individuals and couples. What the Spirit indicated was their placement and function; George Hawtin challenged them to step out in obedience in this area right away. This is the spirit of Dan. It is the spirit of quick and practical decision making.
But the spirit of Dan was also closely linked with the spirit of Benjamin, the 12th prophetic tribe – he of the team spirit. Brother Hawtin seldom moved unilaterally. He would check with the elders, and a corporate, immediate and practical decision would emerge. If this was not immediately forthcoming, the team would fast and pray until a spirit of unity prevailed. It was not a majority decision from the natural mind – it was a corporate witness that unanimously came from seeking the mind of the Spirit. It was Dan working thru Benjamin.
Perhaps the best way to illustrate this is to quote E. Stanley Jones from his devotional booklet, “Abundant Living.” Here he gives “A Ladder for Group Decisions,” which was developed out of the context of his Christian Ashrams.
“There are two ways to try to come to a group decision – one is the competitive; the other is the co-operative. In the competitive, you push your ideas across, argue them, take a vote and the majority carries the decision. This usually leaves behind a disgruntled minority that feels that its truth is lost sight of in the decision. In the co-operative, you come with the idea of trying to gather together partial truths into a higher synthesis – to come to a group conclusion. This leaves no disgruntled minority.
“In order to gain that group decision we have worked out the following technique through years of experimentation in our Ashrams:
One. The members are disciplined to the thought of a group conclusion, rather than of someone’s personal triumph. This brings the members together in a relaxed, receptive state of mind. The will to find agreement is present.
Two. A period of corporate silence in which we let down the barriers and become receptive.
Three. The presentation of the matter in hand. This is done not in an argumentative spirit, but in the spirit of wanting a solution.
Four. Another period of corporate silence. This gives the group time to think and not arrive at snap judgments.
Five. The chairman goes around the circle and asks each member his views (He polls him or her). The meeting is not thrown open for general discussion, for that would allow the more vocal ones to set the debate and make the subsequent discussion revolve around their opinions and around the subject in hand. This method gives the least vocal an equal chance.
Six. If there is practical unanimity, there is another period of silence to see if a vote should be taken now.
Seven. If there is not sufficient unanimity the decision is postponed until the next day, that God may speak to us in the subconscious during sleep.
Eight. If after a day’s postponement we are still not of a common mind, we take a majority vote if a decision is imperative.
Nine. The chairman expresses himself only after the others have expressed themselves.
In the co-operative method we get through twice the amount of work we could with the competitive. The co-operative method is the way we are made to live – it is written in the constitution of things.
O God, teach us how to come to a common mind. Help us to surrender the will to dominate. May all our decisions fit the pattern: ‘it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us.’ May we be set to find Your mind in every matter. In Jesus’ name. Amen.”
This ladder is a fitting way to conclude our study on Dan. It perfectly illustrates his spirit, but it also is a gleam of light showing that all 12 tribes working in full harmony and cooperation – this was the secret of Israel’s victories. And when the church takes the 12 embryonic truths of 1948 that match the 12 tribes – and walks with them in the spirit of Dan – then we see the secret and power of that embryonic revival. Just think what Christ’s last day church will manifest as we walk in the maturity of these 12 embryonic truths! It will graft Israel back into her roots, and for all of us be life from the dead!
Lest one should think or conclude that Mr. Hawtin moved in his natural gifting in these areas -–let this disabuse him. Over and over again he would lead the school chapel in the old chorus from John 15 – “Without Him, I can do nothing –
Without Him, I’d surely fail.
Without Him, I’d only be drifting –
Like a boat – without a sail.”
Jim Watt