FIVE SMOOTH STONES - The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherds Bag

FIVE SMOOTH STONES — The Five Ascension Gifts in the Heavenly Shepherd’s Bag

unique, both in shape and in coloration. Each may then be placed in their intended settings to be used for their ultimate purpose.

Malachi 3:17 " They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "On the day that I make them My jewels..."

The entire tumbling process could take months, which will require patience, yet it is in actuality a speeding up of the process that stones go through in nature in a stream, river or on a seashore. The tumbling action of the flowing water consistently smooths and polishes the rocks and stones until they are not sharp and coarse. In nature this process may take hundreds and even thousands of years to complete, much longer than the best rock tumbler. This is the process that the five smooth stones had undergone before David chose them from the brook and placed them into his shepherd’s bag. This is likewise a prophetic symbol of what ministers, as living stones chosen by God, must go through before they can be placed into His shepherd’s bag, ready for His use in the spiritual battle. There are different stages for a minister from calling to commissioning, and each stage can require repeating, just as with the rocks in the tumbler. Each step is as important as the last and must be completed fully, but there are stages which may be more critical to success. Hebrews 5:14 “ But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. ” Isaiah 49:2 “ And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, And made Me a polished shaft; In His quiver He has hidden Me. " God sent Samuel the prophet to the house of Jesse to identify a king from the tribe of Judah. Samuel requested that Jesse bring all his sons before him, but Jesse only brought the seven oldest. He neglected to bring David even though he had been requested to bring all his sons. Fortunately, Samuel listened to the Lord and anointed as king the one who had a heart after God.

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