We often see events – even fulfillment of prophecy – repeating throughout history on different levels, but we also have a Mighty God with a masterplan. Our Father invented time and brought it into being as we read in Genesis Chapter 1. He holds the whole creation in His hands like a timepiece. History is unfolding God’s great redemptive plan with a beginning, a middle and an end. The question is, do we understand the times and seasons we’re in? If we do, we will be better equipped, like the men from the Israelite tribe of Issachar: “Men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do”. (1 Chronicles 12:33) The Creator of time has given us his Book describing the beginning, the middle and the end for us to know what’s going on. There is a path and there is a plan. Planets do not get to choose where they roam – God set it all in motion and they all continue along their set courses like clockwork. It’s all a big timepiece, ticking away, marching towards the inevitable. Does all this destiny mean we don’t have freedom to make our own choices in our own lives? No! God clearly challenges us to choose life not death and respects our decisions. But God does have His own set plans and purposes that cannot be thwarted. Many of these plans are laid out for us in the Bible and in the Hebrew meanings of words and numbers. God is unfolding His plan before us if we have eyes to see!
In Genesis 1, God sets the sun, moon and stars in the sky to regulate the seasons and the passing of day and night. The giant clockwork of the universe was set into motion. Then God said, “Let lights in the expanse of the sky be for separating the day from the night. They will be for signs and for seasons and for days and years. They will be for lights in the expanse of the sky to shine upon the land.” (Genesis 1:14) God says they will be for “signs and for seasons”, or “otot” and “moadim” in Hebrew. An “ot” (otot in plural) is a sign, or a letter. A “moed” (moadim in plural) is the Hebrew word God uses to talk about His feasts, His high holy days or His “appointed times” as we studied last week. The word also carries a meaning of fixed appointment and even destiny. He establishes and creates the world as He designed it to be, separating light from dark, day from night, sea from land and male from female. However, the exquisite design and the grand finale are deeply threatening to opponents of God – so much hangs on the beginning and the end. It is interesting that we’re seeing the steady erosion of God’s creation account within Western culture, with doubt cast both on God’s deliberately created order and also His wisdom in creating male and female in His image – from scratch. End time events are also regularly treated with skepticism and even mockery. But these bookends of Genesis and Revelation speak of the authority, sovereignty, and design of God. They tell us that God made everything which means it belongs to Him and He determines the outcome. They revel His character, His flawless wisdom and His genius design. We need to believe what He has told us about them in His Word.
Israel has been called “God’s timepiece” as the biblical story of redemption hangs on His chosen frame of the land and the people. The Feasts of Israel lay out a timetable of cosmic events which point to a glorious reunion of man and God as we confirmed last week in our study. Calvary was not the end of the story but the bridge to reconcile mankind with God – redemption is God’s ultimate goal. The great and terrible Day of the Lord will sort out wrong from right and bring the ultimate reset, the likes of which the world seeks to imitate with their New World Order.
Biblical prophecies are like road signs along the way, or like signs on the face of a clock to help us understand where we are. We often get lost trying to sort out symbols and allegories, and so find the whole landscape confusing. God promised to scatter Israel and literally did so, and His promise to regather them came to pass just as literally beginning in 1948. A great piece of advice comes from Bishop J. C. Ryle of the 19th century who said: “Reader, accept a friendly exhortation this day. Cleave to the literal sense of Bible words and beware of departing from it – except in cases of absolute necessity. Beware of that system of allegorizing and spiritualizing and accommodating, which…has found such an unfortunate degree of favor in the church. Settle it in your mind, in reading the Psalms and Prophets, that Israel means Israel; and Zion means Zion; and Jerusalem means Jerusalem.”
With all of this in mind, God brought me back to some research that He directed me to in 2023 that I believe has profound truths for us as we seek God’s direction and hand in all the matters we face. In Hebrew, numbers are portrayed in pictures and words that give insights into God’s revelations concerning times and seasons. The Decade of the Mouth and Open Hand started in 2020 on our calendar and 5780 on the Jewish calendar. Remember from our study last week that our calendar begins in January and runs through December, but the present Jewish calendar begins on Rosh Hashanah—the New Year which usually occurs in September or October. This year we noted that it began October 2-4 rather than the biblical Passover date of April 22-30. Keep this in mind as we seek to hear the Lord speak His prophetic declarations concerning this time period. You will see amazing insights, pictures and outcomes of what has already occurred in this time frame and what may lie ahead as we progress into this decade! Our calendar and the Jewish calendar are both referenced as both America and the Jews are in covenant relationship with God! This decade is extremely important as it completes the 2000-year cycle of our Lord’s public ministry here upon this earth that began when He was 30 years old! According to the Jewish Talmud beginning in 30 AD, God no longer accepted the animal sacrifices commanded in the Torah for the Day of Atonement. It is clear to both Jews and Messianic believers that God was saying something important to the Jewish people in 30 AD—it was the announcement of the arrival of the Lamb of God slain before the foundation of the world! So, is it possible that in the Jewish year 5790/our 2030 God is speaking another profound message about Messiah’s return? Only God knows the day and the hour of the unfolding of the end-times events but we are called to be ready for the appearing of our Lord! This research is for your consideration and prayer. Our times are in God’s hands!
5780/2020
Insights/picture: The mouth, Word of God; Chaos, waiting, brooding, forming, confluence, consummation. Palm, Give, Receive; Divine answer/heaven to earth, prayer. Impacts: Closures of things (COVID—lockdowns?), and the shaking of much, with a reset and pause coming to much, clearing the ground for new things and voice to emerge. Many seeking help; with prayer and the outstretched hand. In the chaos new partnership commences, and conflict as forces collide.
5781/2021
Insights/picture: The mouth, Word of God; first things, Father’s voice, revelation, new light, new creation, beginning. Palm, Give, Receive, Divine answer/heaven to earth, prayer; First things, Father’s voice, revelation, new light, new creation, beginning. Impacts: New things emerge, through unusual or new partnership, and creative powers are evident. Strong prophetic and apostolic voices across the kingdom speak forth, and revelations are received. The beginning of new eras starts now, not despising the small things. Dark seeks to counter light but will not prevail. Times for mergers and acquisition will occur.
5782/2022
Insights/picture: The mouth, Word of God; House (revealed), His heavenly place, space drawn, boundaries revealed. Palm, Give, Receive, Divine answer/heaven to earth, prayer; House (revealed), His heavenly place, Space drawn, boundaries revealed. Impacts: Boundaries start to be drawn, as space is made for the new things birthed. New houses, and new enterprises start to take shape. Governmental and ruling houses see great change as old falls away, and the new emerges.
5783/2023
Insights/picture: The mouth, Word of God; Camel, walk into prosperity, move, promised land fruit, provision, riches for the poor. Palm, Give, Receive, Divine answer/heaven to earth, prayer. Impact: Expansion and fruitfulness are key themes for this year. Voice seeking more, and those who have prospered in the new developments and houses start to walk in its riches. The poor cry out, and some of those who prosper heed their call.
5784/2024
Insights/picture: The mouth, Word of God; Door, pathways, signs in the heavens revealed (eclipse?) pathways and doors to open heaven revealed. Heavenly interactions. Palm, Give, Receive, Divine answer/heaven to earth, prayer. Impact: Doors begin to appear for many, with heavenly encounters and signs showing the way. Borders open between new partnering nations/regions/houses. Vulnerability in defenses may be exploited, so it is necessary to prepare your defenses before this year. Time to chart new path. The final frontier of space truly opens (Star Link, Space Force?), and the battle begins in earnest.
5785/2025 (Note: Jewish New Year began October 2-4)
Insights/picture: The mouth, Word of God; Behold, breath, manifestations of the Holy Spirit revealed in the heavens and on earth, water and air, angelic activity, new life in the river. Palm, Give, Receive, Divine answer/heaven to earth, prayer. Impact: A time of wind and water, and great confluence in these. Powerful moves in the Spirit will be mirrored in the natures, the new houses will be tested in this season as the winds and seas blow against them. (Hurricanes, tornadoes?) Foundation weaknesses will be tested…and fall will occur. Watch for activities in the air and sea, including conflict.
5786/2026
Insights/picture: The mouth, Word of God; Nail, look, communion, connection with others (particularly in the tabernacle—rebuilt Temple?), New covering, Heaven to earth encounter, man. Palm, Give, Receive, Divine answer/heaven to earth, prayer. Impact: Joining of heaven and earth occurs and see the new efforts of humankind to flourish with new partners. New communities, and old acquaintances are made. New governmental coverings will occur, and expansions of house will occur. A grace for extending prayer covering exists in this period.
5787/2027
Insights/picture: The mouth, Word of God; Plow, weapon, rest from work, weapon of God, warfare in rest, drawing the line, cutting off/circumcision (Jewish ritual?). Palm, Give, Receive, Divine answer/heaven to earth, prayer. Impact: In a time of rest to enjoy the fruit of efforts, there is a vulnerability to forces of war. Battle defenses will need to be in place beforehand, and so to the needed answer…faith in God, for His gives victory when resting in Him. Pruning and cutting will mark this time, as new things are reshaped for the future, and old things removed. Man’s peace gives way to global unrest, those founded in Christ will stay in peace. (Revelation 12: 17?)
5788/2028
Insights/picture: The mouth, Word of God; Fence, divide, gateway, boundaries drawn, flourish in the garden, stay with truth, keep from evil. Palm, Give, Receive, Divine answer/heaven to earth, prayer. Impact: Times of division and separations occur, new partnerships falter, and yet those who know their boundaries will flourish. There is a gate to enter to find truth but beware the lure of self-desire will also present a gate to darkness.
5789/2029
Insights/picture: The mouth, Word of God; Serpent, basket, surround, pregnant, hidden works, be ware of the enemy (Revelation 12?), shut and open gates, new things conceived but not revealed. Palm, Give, Receive, Divine answer/heaven to earth, prayer. Impact: Listen to the voices carefully, for deception lies in the hearts of some during this period, however staying near to heaven’s truth will bring strong contrast. Some will fall when tempted to challenge the hand that prospered them or seeking to become their own masters. New ideas and life begin to be conceived, but remain hidden for a season, to emerge in the coming years.
5790/2030
Insights/picture: The mouth, Word of God; Arm/hand, worship, able, completion, work of God, worship, work/toil, trust in the Lord in the still, the new is coming. Palm, Give, Receive, Divine answer/heaven to earth, prayer. Impact: Now the work of the mouth finds its crescendo, and its work well and truly being received. While for many the work continues, for others seasons end. The stillness is rewarded for those who trust in the Lord. God’s family is complete, and so to the opposition. The light and dark stand in great contrasts, and divisions have occurred across many old houses and nations, overtaken by new relationships and mergers.
“The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and He will reign forever and ever.” (Revelation 11: 15) “Even so Lord Jesus come!” (Revelation 22: 20)