On 12/02/2020 I wrote down what I could remember about a vision/dream the Holy Spirit had given me early in the morning. It began with me seeing a black and white stamp, or emblem, or seal similar to what I drew above, but the ears had more height. (I do remember it resembling a Girl Scout badge, it was stitched in). I was speaking with someone and when I saw the symbol I asked, "Rat or Bat?" Also, I remember the feeling of not liking the words. The scene then changed and I was seeing pages of maps of different places being turned quickly. After the pages stopped, I remember thinking more people are dyeing of COVID-19 and then I asked the question, "Are those states in the USA, or other countries?", feeling it was close to home, and then I woke up being sad. I prayed for a hedge of protection around us all. I also prayed that the Holy Spirit would give me, discernment, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the vision on what to do, and how to prepare if it was a forewarning vision. While making a quick drawing the stamp, or emblem, or seal, of the rat or bat in the circle, I did think of a circle of friends and family, so I prayed again. Also, I wondered why I had been shown this dream/vision because COVID-19 was officially declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020.
***UPDATE: January 2021*** Family told me about Multiple COVID-19 Variants that are Circulating Globally. Here is the site to go to: ~New COVID-19 Variants
COVID-19 2020
The coronavirus disease that is spreading rapidly around the world was officially declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11, 2020. More than 31.9 million people have been infected, and the death toll is over 977,000 people. The numbers continue to increase daily, and the disease has impacted about 188 countries, prompting World Vision to launch a global COVID-19 response in March.
As Christians, we turn to God in times of fear and uncertainty as we do in times of joy and celebration. Please join us as we pray for God’s heart of love, mercy, and truth to dwell in us and show us how to face the challenges posed by the new coronavirus. ~World Vision: PRAYERS FOR PEOPLE AFFECTED BY COVID-19
Below is the research I did on Bats and found they have the same meaning as Rats.
Bat Christian Symbolism
Early Christians believed bats to be rather similar to rats and even as symbols of the devil or the darkness. Many believed bats to share the sexual lust of the devil and even as representative of Pan-the-cloven-footed God who played his pipes in celebration of nature and sexuality.
The bat is mentioned three times in the Bible, twice in the list of unclean creatures and once in a passage in Isaiah, describing the end of all idols. Evidently it was thought a very doleful sort of creature and this is not surprising when we think of its looks. It is a mysterious thing because most people have never seen one and lots of people think it is a bird. Bats are to be found mostly in eastern countries. By day they sleep in temples, caves, and tombs and at dusk come out in clouds to scour the surrounding country. Naturally, because they seemed to like ruins, graves and desolate places they got a bad name amongst the ancient people, there were lots of superstitions about them. Some thought they were devils and witches. Some of the Chinese and some of our own people like to eat a kind of bat that lives on fruit. The Hebrew name for bat means "that which flies in the dark."
BAT - BIBLICAL REFERENCES
Isaiah 2:20
20 In that day mankind will cast away their idols of silver and their idols of gold, which they made for themselves to worship, to the moles and to the bats, 21 to enter the caverns of the rocks and the clefts of the cliffs, from before the terror of the LORD, and from the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to terrify the earth.
Leviticus 11: 13-20
13 And these you shall detest among the birds that shall not be eaten; they are detestable: the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture, 14 the kite, the falcon of any kind, 15 every raven of any kind, 16 the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk of any kind, 17 the little owl, the cormorant, the short-eared owl, 18 the barn owl, the tawny owl, the carrion vulture, 19 the stork, the heron of any kind, the hoopoe, and the bat. Also: Birds that walk on four! 20 All flying insects that walk on all fours are to be detestable to you.
Deuteronomy 14:11-20
11-18 You may eat any ritually clean bird. These are the exceptions, so don’t eat these: eagle, vulture, black vulture, kite, falcon, the buzzard family, the raven family, ostrich, nighthawk, the hawk family, little owl, great owl, white owl, pelican, osprey, cormorant, stork, the heron family, hoopoe, bat.
19-20 Winged insects are ritually unclean; don’t eat them. But ritually clean winged creatures are permitted.
Bat Native American Symbolism
If you search what do bats symbolize in Native American culture, then you will get different representations for nearly every tribe. Most Indians believed bats to be sinister and frightening. They considered the bat meaning to be death and darkness. Bats are also seen in Native American art in the form of wall paintings. Several images in caves linked bats to the interconnection between life, water, fertility, and death. The Zuni tribes regarded bats as the harbinger of rains. Also among some Native American tribes, the bat was considered a trickster spirit. Still, others believed that the bat totem animal as a shaman who teaches people to go into the night of inner darkness.
Bat Mythology and Folklore
In Western mythology and folklore, the bat started getting tied with vampires not just after Bram Stoker’s Dracula; from Aesop’s fables.
In Greek mythology, bats were sacred to the wife of Pluto – the God of the Underworld.
In South American folklore, the indigenous tribes incorporated the vampire bats into their mythology and folklore. Some ethnologists, who studied the people and plants of Guinea, even formally designated one of the plants as Bat’s Bane – since the juice of the leaves, when applied to one’s toes, seemed to kill attacking bats.
Mesoamericans and South Americans viewed bats as the symbol of the underworld and rebirth or return to life. The small blood-imbibing bats that were native to South and Central America became associated with the mysteries of death and the eternal cycles of renewal as well as terrors of vampires.
In Turkey, bats were eaten since the Testament called them an abomination.
In Chinese mythology, bats were considered a good omen, and good luck. Two bats together are the symbol of Sho-Hsing – the God of Longevity. Four bats represented health, wealth, long life, and peace.
In India, mentioning a bat after nightfall is an ill-omen. People who do that may lose their property.
In Scotland, if one sees a bat in flying, rises, and then descends eastward – it is considered ill-luck and one should not leave one’s home after that.
In Belgium, a bat in the chimney is a sign of misfortune coming.
Early observers of bats also saw similarities between bats and humans – particularly their tendency to suckle their young ones at their nipples just like in humans. However, owing to their nocturnal nature, bats came to be associated, just like owls, with the supernatural.
The phrase blind as a bat is actually wrong because bats have good vision. Also, only three species of bats have been known to drink blood and they have no connection to the vampire folklore. ~Bat Symbolism & Meaning
9 Bible Verses to Help Your Unique Situation During the COVID-19 Pandemic by The Salvation Army
You’ve probably heard people say “we’re all in the same boat” to describe how COVID-19 has transformed our lives. But if we’re being honest, the novel coronavirus has impacted us all in vastly different ways. Some people lost jobs, while careers in healthcare ramped up dramatically. Some houses are buzzing with kids home from school with no activities to attend, while other homes are unbearably quiet and lonely. Some of us are living in extreme fear, and others are unburdened by the threat of health issues.
If you lost your job…“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?” Matthew 6:26
If you or your loved ones are sick…“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
If you’re doing just fine...Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” 2 Corinthians 9:6-7
If you have elderly friends or family…“Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father.” 1 Timothy 5:1
If you’re heartsick over racial injustice…”Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.” 1 John 4:20
If you feel alone...“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39
If you are weary from parenting 24/7...“But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded.” 2 Chronicles 15:7
If you’re scared about the future...“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11
If you’re battling discontent…“Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’” Hebrews 13:5
Search the Scripture for the meaning when you have Dreams/Visions:
From Genesis to Revelation, God has spoken to people through dreams and visions! We can choose to invite God's Spirit to speak to us in any way that He chooses. God has not limited us to know Him only with our minds and the written logos Word of God. We can invite Him to make Himself known to us through open spiritual eyes and ears. Praise God! He wants us to know Him intimately! God, the same yesterday, today and forever!
God will make Himself known to us in visions and dreams (Numbers 12:6) And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the LORD will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream.
God will give us visions and we are to seek for the meaning (Daniel 8:15) And it came to pass, when I, even I Daniel, had seen the vision, and sought for the meaning, then, behold, there stood before me as the appearance of a man.
God will give us knowledge, skill, learning, wisdom and understanding in visions and dreams (Daniel 1:17) As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.
God is ready to reveal the future when we are in the Spirit (Revelation 1:10) I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet.
The Holy Spirit will take us up to other places in visions (Ezekiel 11:24) Afterwards the spirit took me up, and brought me in a vision by the Spirit of God into Chaldea, to them of the captivity. So the vision that I had seen went up from me.
We are to have pen and paper ready to write our dreams and visions (Habakkuk 2:2) And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that read it.
***UPDATE: January 2021*** Family told me about Multiple COVID-19 Variants that are Circulating Globally. Here is the site to go to: ~New COVID-19 Variants