Passover and Good Friday are both on the same day this year. This is the second year in a row that has happened, and it is no coincidence. This Passover is significant, and I believe that the time period between Passover and Tabernacles will one we will look back on and all see how significant it was.
I have written about Passover last year. So if you are interested in refreshing yourself on the significance of Passover and the rest of the Spring Feasts, go to the blog post “Passover 2018.”
Tonight, April 5th, we enter into the Hebrew Covenant Calendar with PRAISE! For those of you who have a Firstfruits/Calendar Journal, I asked Ammee Huzil to paint the heart of the meaning of the month of Nisan, which is associated with the tribe of Judah. Then I asked her to share her process with us. Enjoy the following:
The Jewish Civil year that is represented by the number 5779, commenced back in September of 2018. This seems to be so confusing to many as we get ready to celebrate the beginning of the Hebrew Covenant Calendar this Friday, April 5th. What is up with the two calendars? It has taken me awhile to sort it out over the years, but I think I can explain it simply now.
The Hebrew Covenant Calendar that begins on April 5th this year was birthed back in the days when God spoke to Moses:
“This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you” (Ex. 12:2).
It was then that God declared that Nisan (commencing in Spring) would be the first month of this Hebrew Covenant Calendar. This went contrary to what had been recognized as the first Hebrew month dating back to Genesis, which was believed to be the month of Tishrei (commencing in Fall). Why did God add this calendar?
God created this calendar to establish a prophetic pattern of how He would fulfill His redemption plan through the nation He made a Covenant with. This calendar would be used to establish the set Feasts days that told the prophetic story of how Christ would come as priest and king to redeem the world. This calendar was only revealed to those “IN COVENANT” with God, who were asked to follow set “holy days” (holidays) and understand their significance. It wasn’t given to everyone; only “God’s special treasure.”
The relevance of the Hebrew Covenant Calendar should be as important to New Testament believers who are IN COVENANT with the Lord as it was in the Old Testament. With the Holy Spirit leading us to the heart of why these Feasts are so important to the Lord, we can then enter into them with greater revelation than our predecessors.
The original calendar ceased for the Hebrews when God established the Hebrew Covenant Calendar. But after the destruction of the second temple in Jerusalem, many Jewish sages resurrected the original calendar, known today as the Jewish “Civil calendar.”
If we want to follow the Hebrew Covenant calendar to understand and acknowledge what Christ did at His first coming, and what He is going to do when He returns, then honoring this calendar becomes an essential training tool for His remnant to be ready when He returns.
Having said all that, I now want to share what I think this Hebrew Covenant Calendar will reveal this year.
There are too many 9’s in this year to not take the number seriously. This year is 2019. Passover begins on 4/19/19. Feast of Pentecost is on 6/9/19. Feast of Trumpets is on 9/28-29/19. So let’s take a look at the number 9 and it’s biblical meaning, as well as the 9th letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
The biblical number 9 means, “Visitation:”
“This is a Hebraism that pictures God as an Investigator “visiting” a person, city, or nation to expose the hearts, gather evidence, and “see” firsthand, as it were, the truth of a matter. It is much like a divine court case where the evidence is uncovered and presented to the judge for judgment.” Dr. Stephen Jones (The Biblical Meaning of Numbers).
There are 9 FRUITS of the Spirit, 9 Beatitudes, and 9 gifts of the Spirit. All three express a “visitation” from God through our obedience to follow them. In addition, God’s “visitation” will be inspecting to see if we are a reflection of ALL.
This year, we who are abiding in the 9 fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22,23), will truly stand out and be set apart. This will be a safeguard against the hidden schemes of the enemy.
In addition, the 9 Beatitudes written on our hearts will solidify our steps. We will need this to be our “constitution.” This will help keep our eyes focused on what truly is blessed by God and what isn’t.
And finally, we need to embrace the 9 gifts of the Spirit that are available for us to be fruitful for the Lord:
“For to one is given the word of wisdom (1) through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge (2) according to the same Spirit; 9 to another faith (3) by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing (4) by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles (5), and to another prophecy (6), and to another the distinguishing of spirits (7),to another various kinds of tongues (8), and to another the interpretation of tongues (9).”
All three of these aspects will produce much evidence that we are surrendered to the Lord’s headship, which will lead to Him surrounding us with His presence.
So now let’s look at the 9th letter of the Hebrew alphabet, which is TET.
The Hebrew letter “TET” means “serpent,” “to surround,” or “to twist.” Even the shape of the Hebrew letter TET has a twisting in it.
The Hebrew letter “TET” can basically symbolize two things: a snake coiled and ready to strike, or a man crowned, bowing because he is humbled while surrounded in God’s provision.
TET has a dual nature in that it represents good as well as hidden evil. The first time the letter TET is used in the Bible is in Genesis 1 when God said that the first day was “good.”
“And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness” (Gen. 1:4).
When we are yoked to Jesus, the Holy Spirit reveals the difference between truth and falsehood; good and evil.
TET can often be associated with sin or Satan. Satan’s method of deception is to seduce or strike by twisting perceptions or getting people to believe or act upon false ideas. In this season, media has and will be Satan’s biggest battleground of capturing people’s minds and twisting truth and making falsehoods appear real.
TET is also linked with the ninth Commandment which says, “Do not bear false witness against your neighbor.” If we follow this command, we fall into the category of “good” that comes out of our lips about someone.
However, the dual nature of this commandment is that when we don’t follow its command and falsely accuse someone, we take on the role of the adversary, mimicking Satan. Becoming the accuser of the brethren puts us to work on Satan’s strategy to kill, steal, and destroy God’s people instead of mimicking the Father’s nature that is good and redemptive.
We must guard our heart and lips so that we represent our Father’s nature and not the “father of lies”:
“And He said, “What comes out of a man, that defiles a man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lewdness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within and defile a man” (Mark 7:20-23).
Because we are in the time of a ‘new birth’ of God’s Covenant promises, the enemy is energized to kill the “Seed.” Watch how this year the “serpent” will twist truth, deceive God’s people, and try to kill those who are standing in or for righteousness. We must know that Satan is nervous his time is short and will attempt to destroy the nations Jesus is coming back for. We must stick in our concealed resting place in the Lord and not mimic our adversary.
Concealing God’s people in order for TIME AND OPPORTUNITY to join prophetic covenant promises will be one of God’s strategies. In the Old Testament, when Moses was an infant, he was put in a basket:
“So the woman conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months. But when she could no longer hide him, she took an ark of bulrushes for him, daubed it with asphalt and pitch, put the child in it, and laid it in the reeds by the river’s bank” (Ex. 2:2,3).
Another example is in 1 Kings, when Baby Joash was hidden 6 years by the priest to spare him from being murdered by Queen Athaliah, who had all of the royal lineage of Judah killed:
“When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs. But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were being murdered; and they hid him and his nurse in the bedroom, from Athaliah, so that he was not killed. So he was hidden with her in the house of the Lordfor six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land” (1 Kings 11:1-3).
In the New Testament, we read how God used this same strategy with Baby Jesus. Joseph was instructed by an Angel to take Jesus to Egypt to protect Him from Herod who had been seeking to destroy Him:
“Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him” (Matt. 2:13).
All three examples reveal a pattern when the “Seed” was in its infancy and unable to take on by itself the opposing forces. This maturity and strength will come as the remnant connects and bonds with one another. But until then, God will keep them “hidden,” using those in one accord to help equip in time of need.
So what is the summary of this all?
This Hebrew Year is about God’s eye of grace and blessing focused on surrounding/hiding/concealing those crowned and pregnant with His truth to walk in the fruit of the Spirit, armed in His authority of the gifts of the Spirit because they choose to humble themselves under His leadership. They will have a divine visitation.
But in the midst of this, the enemy is launching a great war, roaring like a lion. We must resist the enemy, and not get caught in his web of deceptions and destruction. We must go up higher, dependent on heaven’s help, abiding in His truth, so that the circumstances, falsehoods, and fears are not able to drown our faith. Visitation will come by fire from the Lord as well, so don’t fret when the enemy strikes.
FIRSTFRUITS will be a key that unlocks the doors. Don’t pass up the opportunity to give God your FIRST of you time, talent, and treasure. And seek connecting with others who have a heart to honor the Lord’s timing.
THIS CAN BE A FRUITFUL YEAR!
Mo'Manna 