All Wisdom Failed

All wisdom failed.
All prophecies never came true.
A million contradicting voices
And mine is one of them.

I suppose I do not prophesy.
I tell stories.
Stories that curdle the imagination,
And often feel like dreams.

We often do disservice to our philosophers.
We often do disservice to our novelists.
Those are the true prophets.
I hear a thousand and one prophecies,
Yet none of them ever come true.

They speak, they talk, they go over a million times.
Yet, what is the prophecy that came true?
They say, "Revival in the summer."
There is no revival.
They say, "A great harvest."
There is no great harvest.

One prophet said there would be a great harvest,
And him I'll believe.
For, he has the authority I look for
Which is sobriety.
Yet a million and one prophets
All get it wrong.
They predict the rapture,
But it never comes.
They predict the end,
But it doesn't come.
They desire it with all their little hearts
But thankfully, God spares their foolish dreams
And forgives them their errant prophecies.

How many false prophecies have I spoken?
Yet I don't pretend like I have never told
A single lie.
I understand that if my vision does not come true
I am liable to the court and judgment and death.

Yet, they break my faith with every one of their prophecies
For it never comes to fruition.
Save a few here and there who I find trustworthy.

Milton was a prophet
Who saw that astronomy would lead many astray.

Nietzsche was a prophet
Who understood that if God didn't exist, neither did morality.

Tolstoy was a prophet
Who understood that civilization moves its predestined course; there is no changing it.

Dostoevsky was a prophet
For though he doubted God, he believed wholeheartedly in His morality.

There is an old proverb, 
"You are neither hot, nor cold.
"Buy from me wisdom, and gold refined by fire."

For our prophets are hidden because the peoples give them no honor.
Instead, they listen to the pop-culture ideas
And the chemical imbalances that make the world look upon us
And say we're crazy.

No, not you, who said that December will be a harvest.
I know you are true.
One in a million.

Yet, the prophets all prophesy a lie.
The lie is that I once, too, had a rapture dream.
Several of course.
It was not prophecy.
It was merely the thoughts running through my mind.

Though, I get caught up, 
Wanting there to be a rapture.
I truly do.
I want to fly up into the heavens
And be met with Christ on the trumpet's sound.
I do not want to suffer on the earth
Anymore than anyone else.
It's just the destiny of this writer
To see the truth.
For, I am a true interpreter.
I see billions who know nothing of Christ.
I see frantic Christians prophesying the end is near.
And I see the religion dying
Because no one is sober enough to understand.

Yet, one prophet keenly said the religion will not die,
For there will be a harvest.
I await this harvest, with humble expectation.
For, if it comes, it means I shall not be alone.

And I say this soberly.
There will be a great falling away.
As is prophesied.
For, God's wrath is true.
But, do I believe that every profession of faith
Will be a ticket to avoid suffering?
No... for there are many that will say
"LORD, LORD," And be told to depart.

Those are the men who said, 
"Grace! Grace!" and yet they had no change of heart.
I am the man who's had a change of heart.
For the religion will not die in my heart.
For I know my God is true.

And when I read Yeats or Byron
I understand them.
For, they are prophets, too.
They give me introspection
Into the hearts of man;
Like Balaam, I can understand
Why a man wants loveless sex.
I can understand why a man's lust
Leads them astray.

And with that understanding,
I can benefit the doubting
And say, "No, I do not doubt.
"For I see the order of the universe
"And I see the construction of the Word of God
"Behind every act, large or small.
"I see the strings of creation
"The Twelve Universes
"Layered one upon each other.
"I understand all things
"That are in my grasp to understand.
"I see the invisible strings of faith
"That prove God exists.
"As the world doubts him
"Harder and harder
"I grow to understand
"That indeed God does exist.
"I understand that He is Jesus.
"Even if none else do
"I understand why God had to Come in the Flesh
"Why God had to die.
"I understand sin...
"Deep and ill tempered within me.
"I understand war,
"Why it happens,
"Why men kill each other...
"How wicked men slaughter one another
"For glory, while peaceful men shiver."

And I say all of this
Without a doubt that Jesus is the Christ.
I see it.
Like Euclid could find God in his Elements
I can find God in the certainty of the universe.
I can see God in the sin I've had in my heart.
For I've seen very few good people in my life.
And hell exists because there are few good upon the earth.
And heaven exists because there are those of us
Who are good, and our hearts get twisted
In wrenching pain because the kindness we understand
Doesn't seem to be known.