By Gary R. Baker and Ronald D. Baker
We are witnessing an ancient prophecy coming true.
It happened on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. just the other day, played out by MAGA-hat-wearing teenagers, Black Hebrew Israelites, and singing, praying and drumming Native Americans.
As they encountered each other in front of the Lincoln Memorial, each were playing unwitting roles in bringing the ancient Seven Fires Prophecy (see below) to life before our eyes.
My brother, Gary, insightfully observed:
“The Lincoln Memorial is our national temple. It’s a sacred place in white marble. Lincoln looks down upon the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial with almost 60,000 names carved into black marble. I think of the letters Lincoln wrote to the mothers of soldiers killed in battle.”
“I don’t believe the students from the Catholic school or the people from the Black Hebrew Israelites (BHI) understood what Nathan Phillips was doing. Each one of these groups (young Catholic students, BHI demonstrators, and indigenous American Indians) came from a different world.”
“Nathan Phillips was using song and drums and prayer to defuse a situation – to reduce major tension – between the students and the BHI group. He was not staging a confrontation or trying to intimidate the students. He was offering a song and a prayer to calm and bless. Very few (if anyone) on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial that day (except the indigenous people) had a sense of what Mr. Phillips was doing. They couldn’t read it.”
“However, the Catholic students should have sensed something based on Catholic/Christian traditions – quiet witness, meditation, singing, saying the Rosary.”
Yes, indeed, I agree.
But even though we have eyes and ears, often we can neither see nor hear. Jesus Christ explained why that is so in The Parable of the Sower, Matthew 13: 1-17 (New King James Version) (below).
The Mall Encounter
When Nathan Phillips’ Native American group moved between the MAGA-hat-wearing teens and the Black Hebrew Israelites, he said they did so to try to defuse the obviously building tensions between the two groups.
When I reviewed the numerous videos and articles about the confronting groups, I was struck by the Seven Fires prophetic symbolism revealed by the National Mall encounter:
- The Make America Great Again (MAGA) hats (worn by the teens) which for many have become symbolic for all that is wrong in our culture – racism, predatory capitalism, greed, unfettered self-indulgence, hedonism;
- The "holier-than-thou" judging attitude, religious dogmatism, self-righteousness represented by the Black Hebrew Israelites;
- And, the Native Americans’ attempted, peaceful effort to defuse the building hatred created by two clashing groups.
The Native Americans sang the American Indian Movement (AIM) song that day. The lyrics reference, "the seventh fire is burning" and appeal to remain strong together, to speak the language of the ancestors and to continue living well.
Few people have heard about the Seven Fires Prophecy. It is an ancient prophecy and foretells, a time of choosing which of two roads to travel. If we choose neither road, “but instead to turn back, to remember and reclaim the wisdom of those who came before (us) … then the Seventh Fire will light the Eighth and final Fire, an eternal fire of peace, love brotherhood and sisterhood.”
I am praying we make that choice... to turn back, remember and reclaim the wisdom of those who came before us. Aren't you?
Excerpt from the Seven Fires Prophecy (more below)
“It is this time that the light skinned race will be given a choice between two roads. One road will be green and lush, and very inviting. The other road will be black and charred, and walking it will cut their feet. In the prophecy, the people decide to take neither road, but instead to turn back, to remember and reclaim the wisdom of those who came before them. If they choose the right road, then the Seventh Fire will light the Eighth and final Fire, an eternal fire of peace, love brotherhood and sisterhood. If the light skinned race makes the wrong choice of the roads, then the destruction which they brought with them in coming to this country will come back at them and cause much suffering and death to all the Earth's people.”
The Parable of the Sower, Matthew 13: 1-17
13 On the same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the sea. 2 And great multitudes were gathered together to Him, so that He got into a boat and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.
3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow. 4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. 5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. 6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. 7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. 8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 9 He who has ears to hear, let him hear!”
The Purpose of Parables
10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?”
11 He answered and said to them, “Because it has been given to you to know the [a]mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. 12 For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. 13 Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. 14 And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says:
‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand,
And seeing you will see and not perceive;
15 For the hearts of this people have grown dull.
Their ears are hard of hearing,
And their eyes they have closed,
Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.’
16 But blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; 17 for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.
The American Indian Movement (AIM) Song
Sung by Margaret Noodin
“With permission from several of AIM’s current leaders, Anishinaabe words were added by the Ann Arbor language table in 2005 so that young people could carry on the message of this song in the language.”
Maamwi g’da maashkozimi
Together we should be strong
Niizhwaasing shkode gii boodawewaad
The seventh fire has been lit by them
Boochigo Anishinaabemyaang
We have to all speak Anishinaabemowin
Mino bimaadziyaang
We are living well
Mino bimaadziyaang
We are living well
Seven Fires Prophecy
“Seven fires prophecy is an Anishinaabe prophecy that marks phases, or epochs, in the life of the people on Turtle Island, a Native American name for the North American continent. The seven fires of the prophecy represent key spiritual teachings for North America, and suggest that the different colors and traditions of the human beings can come together on a basis of respect. It predates the arrival of the Europeans, and contains information for the future lives of the Anishinaabe which are still in the process of being fulfilled.”
*Turtle Island generally refers to the early creation of the land masses over the water embodiment on mother earth. The story is told of Beaver collecting mud to create the land foundation upon the back of Great Turtle. (no reference needed, original source needs work.
**Anishinaabemowin, the language of the Anishinaabe nation, is one of the oldest and most historically important Native American languages in North America.
https://www.anishinaabemdaa.com/#/
Seventh
“The Seventh Prophet that came to the people long ago was said to be different from the other prophets. This prophet was described as "young and had a strange light in his eyes" and said:
“In the time of the Seventh Fire New People will emerge. They will retrace their steps to find what was left by the trail. Their steps will take them to the Elders who they will ask to guide them on their journey. But many of the Elders will have fallen asleep. They will awaken to this new time with nothing to offer. Some of the Elders will be silent because no one will ask anything of them. The New People will have to be careful in how they approach the Elders. The task of the New People will not be easy.”
“If the New People will remain strong in their quest the Water Drum of the Midewiwin Lodge will again sound its voice. There will be a rebirth of the Anishinabe Nation and a rekindling of old flames. The Sacred Fire will again be lit.”
“It is this time that the light skinned race will be given a choice between two roads. One road will be green and lush, and very inviting. The other road will be black and charred, and walking it will cut their feet. In the prophecy, the people decide to take neither road, but instead to turn back, to remember and reclaim the wisdom of those who came before them. If they choose the right road, then the Seventh Fire will light the Eighth and final Fire, an eternal fire of peace, love brotherhood and sisterhood. If the light skinned race makes the wrong choice of the roads, then the destruction which they brought with them in coming to this country will come back at them and cause much suffering and death to all the Earth's people.”
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