When 2020 came, and COVID caused us all to be on lockdown, the LORD told me back then this was His “Divine Pause.” As difficult as it was to go through the turmoil of “the plague” and what followed, I knew that if I kept my eyes on why God was allowing these events to occur, I could see His redemption plan through it.

Passover 2020 marked the first time in my lifetime I saw thousands of Christians joined together online to honor Passover, one of God’s appointed days He marked to move His covenant promises forward. I never thought I would see the saints gather in His Holy Days that rapidly as I knew revelation was minimal in the Christian culture as to their significance to God’s redemption story.

God has always desired a people to honor His Holy Days to not only come into the intimacy of the heart of His covenant plan, but also to be a witness to the world of His desire to restore all things back to their original design of glory (Lev. 23). The Holy Days have been significant markers of events that have transpired throughout biblical history to see God’s story revealed and executed for His purpose here on the earth. Such as the case when Jesus became “the Lamb of God” sacrificed for our sins on the day of Passover (John 1:36).

We are approaching a greater “unveiling of Christ in us and through us” that requires a maturity of the “sons of God” to know the heart of the LORD, who will be used to build “HIS TEMPLE” in the earth, the NEW JERUSALEM (Rev. 21:1-4). God’s chosen people are purposed to be joined with the Head, Jesus, as a body united with Him and clothed in His glory to fulfill the job set forth to do: Establish His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven. But we cannot do this without God’s increase to do so, and so we cry out like the children of Israel did in bondage to Pharaoh, waiting for His divine intervention.

God answered the cries of the children of Israel back in Exodus, but not how they thought He would do it. I can’t imagine one Israelite who believed God would use Moses as their deliverer, as well as a release of 10 plagues to make it happen, 3 of which they had to suffer through. And yet today, America is experiencing a similar phenomenon. 400 years later after the Pilgrims created the Mayflower Compact, the Christians have been crying out to God to help save them from evil leadership, and “plagues” of all kinds have resulted. God’s intervention to get the Pharaoh’s of the world to “Let His People Go!” is now in process to turn His page toward our freedom in the end.

Throughout the 2000 years of the Church Age, the church at large has not yet experienced a national Jubilee fulfillment (Lev. 25). Rather, the LORD indicates in His word that we would be a “church in the wilderness,” oppressed and enslaved as the nations are ruling under the sway of evil. Christians should be awaiting that appointed national Jubilee, when the tide turns, and God rules in favor of the Saints as described in Daniel 7:21,22. Until then, the church continues to groan for the release. Given the shakings that are upon the nations now, the day of judgment/jubilee is drawing near. America has held the key to world currency, but the Babylonian money magic is running out.

When God decides to “shake the heavens and the earth,” it produces both death and life to what we have known. Our lives have changed ever since 2020, and we are on a trajectory to accomplish the purpose for God’s shaking. The shaking will bring death to those things that oppose God and His truth and way, and resurrection life to those who are following His lead.

This year, as we enter into the fourth Passover since 2020, I believe the story God has put on my heart to best fit the year is the story of Lazarus found in John 11. Lazarus means “resurrection” and has the biblical gematria of the number 144, which is the number associated with the firstfruits remnant overcomers described specifically in Rev. 7. These overcomers are the sons of God who accept the sanctification process to know God’s word, His nature, and His voice to learn obedience unto Him. They are those who respond as “bondservants,” following the will of their Master and obeying His command.

Lazarus was sick, and then died. Sound familiar? Not only for overcomers going through a death process to the flesh, but how about the death of America as we have known her? After being dead for 4 days, Jesus finally arrived on the scene. Back in the days of Jesus, it was said that one was “legally dead” after 3 days, so Lazarus was dead….dead. Yet Jesus followed the instruction of the Father to wait to get to Lazarus at His appointed day to be used by the Father.

“This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it” (John 11:4).

It appeared to all involved that Jesus missed it and was late to the party to help Lazarus. No one understood why He kept on with doing the Father’s business as things got worse for Lazarus, delaying His arrival. Even Martha and Mary made their judgments to Jesus. When Martha first saw Jesus, she said, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (John 11:18). Mary said the exact same thing when she saw Jesus. Both believed Jesus could heal Lazarus, but when Lazarus hit day 4 of his death, they lost all hope to see their brother again.

Like the story of Lazarus, we can see many things dying all around us, but we too must be about the Father’s business, preparing, enacting, and imparting faith this year. Jesus foreknew that Lazarus would be resurrected, and we must believe God’s word that He will cause the saints to arise and shine as God promised in Isaiah 60. Faith must lead and guide us.

The Bible indicates that a day is like a thousand years. Since the Abrahamic covenant was promised and sealed by God Himself back in Genesis 15, it has been 4,000 years, or 4 days like the blueprint of Lazarus. We are at the hour of arrival upon the scene when Jesus came to Lazarus’s house and all were weeping. Even Jesus wept. There is much weeping that will transpire this year because there are systems that will fail, including the banking system that is backed by the US dollar. We will be wondering why God has not answered prayers and saved America from “death.” But we must know, God has a purpose for all things, and He is always on time. He is allowing this death process, so that “the Sons of God may be glorified through it.”

The “Divine Pause” has been given these past three years to awaken God’s church to the mystery of lawlessness that has permeated all systems of life that have governing authority, including the religious organizations. The blinders that have been on the Christian eyes have been a result of years of rebelling against God’s truth and nature (way) of building His kingdom here on the earth. Hopefully, many of us have awaken and separated out from under the lies and spells that have kept us blind to the enslavement systems of the enemy. We have been learning to put our faith and trust back into God first instead of the systems we have relied on, and God has prepared us for the fourth day: one of weeping to those who are mourning for what must die. But joy comes in the morning!

As we head into Passover 2023, we prayerfully remember the power of the blood of Jesus and take refuge in Him. The Death Angel that was released back in the days of Pharaoh is being released today on the systems of America that have not honored the Firstborn Son, Jesus as the LORD and KING. It will be a tumultuous year, but a great year of deliverance as God draws us out into freedom and to see Him face to face. We are called to be still, and know He is God. He will deliver us from the hand of the enemy, and draw us all by His mercy and truth. And His people will rise and this land will be healed. We shall have the freedom once again to step into the call to go nations to release the Great Awakening of the King of glory. Our faith will be tested to hold on to His word, and we shall see the salvation of the LORD.