VIDEO: The Prophetic Significance of December 12 in Nigeria
Time is a gate. Everything that happens under heaven (good or bad) passes through a gate of time. The book of Ecclesiastes helps us to understand this.
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 says, “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven: [2] A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; [3] A time to kill, And a time to heal; A time to break down, And a time to build up; [4] A time to weep, And a time to laugh; A time to mourn, And a time to dance; [5] A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones; A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing; [6] A time to gain, And a time to lose; A time to keep, And a time to throw away; [7] A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak; [8] A time to love, And a time to hate; A time of war, And a time of peace”.
Like all other gates, if a gate of time is not properly manned (or guarded), the devil will take advantage of the negligence; cause harm, and even make the righteous victims. One way to weaken the enemy is to know the time of his operation.
Ecclesiastes 9:12 says, “For man also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a cruel net, Like birds caught in a snare, So the sons of men are snared in an evil time, When it falls suddenly upon them”. Jesus taught it. Matthew 24:43 says, “But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into”.
Let us awaken to time!!!
At the beginning of Nigeria’s 12th seven years (from amalgamation), on the 12th day of the 12th month, in 1991, something significant and remarkable happened in Nigeria. The seat of the Federal Government of Nigeria moved from Lagos to Abuja. Although the FCT was established February 3, 1976, it took 15 years to get Abuja ready; and of course, the prophetic clock ticked to ensure the move happened at the right time. The relocation from Lagos to Abuja took place 72 days after the 31st anniversary of our independence. There could not have been a better date for the movement. What made the 12th day of the 12th month of 1991 the right time for that move? It is the spiritual significance of ‘the 12th’.
1991 was the 31st year of Nigeria’s independence and the beginning of the 12th seven years of the amalgamation of Nigeria. Besides other things for which we may remember 1991, this year is significant to Nigerians because of how it helps us to understand the mystery of ‘the 31st’ and ‘the 12th’; and especially, how these mysteries have helped to shape our dear country. It would be helpful to understand, from the Bible, the significance of the moves that took place in Nigeria in 1991. It was the year of the convergence of two seasons: our 31st year from independence and our 12th seven years from amalgamation – like the convergence of the month that changes on the 31st day; and of the day that changes at 12 o’clock.
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE MOVE OF THE 31ST YEAR
Things do not just happen; there is a timing factor to all things that happen under heaven. The Bible reveals that 31st signifies the end of the old and the beginning of the new.
1. In Genesis 31, Jacob departed Laban’s house with his wives and children; and ended his 20-year sojourn with his uncle.
2. In Deuteronomy 31, Joshua became the new leader of Israel. Moses gave his farewell speech to Israel here.
3. In First Samuel 31, Saul and his three sons died in battle. That was the end of the reign of King Saul. It made way for David to become king.
4. In Second Chronicles 31, Hezekiah carried out sweeping religious reforms and overthrew idol worship in Judah.
5. Job ended his speeches in the 31st chapter of the book. Job 31 ends with “The words of Job are ended”.
6. The book of Proverbs (the storage of divine wisdom in the Bible) ends at the 31st chapter; and the 31st chapter ends at the 31st verse. That book of wisdom reveals that ‘the 31st’ is ‘the end’. The 31st chapter of Proverbs is the teaching of a mother to her son; and gave much space to the woman. That is a departure from the preceding chapters of the book. Proverbs 31:1 says, “The words of King Lemuel, the utterance which his mother taught him”. The preceding chapters were the instructions of a father.
7. Jeremiah 31 is the ‘New Covenant’ chapter. It is in this chapter that God spoke of ending the Old Covenant and introducing the New Covenant. Read Jeremiah 31:31-34.
8. Obadaiah is the 31st book of the Bible and is about deliverance in Zion and the House of Jacob possessing her possessions.
9. Our calendar teaches the same thing about the 31st: The longest months in the year have 31 days. After the 31st day, a new month begins. No month has 32 days! Change happens in the 31st or right after the 31st!
NIGERIA AND THE 31ST YEAR
Nine new states were created and three received new names in Nigeria on August 27, 1991 (the 31st year). They are Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Edo, Enugu, Delta, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Osun, Taraba, and Yobe. It was a new day for the 12 states.
The move from Lagos to Abuja happened in the 31st year from 1960 – our year of independence.
When the 31st year of Nigeria arrived, the Angel of God over Nigeria pressed the change-button. The Federal Capital Territory in Abuja would be in her 31st year from December 13, 2021 – December 12 2022. It should be another season of change in Nigeria. May the Lord grant us needed change in this season.
Having seen the mystery of ‘the 31st’, let us move on to consider the significance of ‘the 12th’.
THE MYSTERY OF THE 12TH DAY OF THE 12TH MONTH
The FCT-in-Abuja dream became reality on the 12th day of the 12th month of 1991, the beginning of the 12th seven years of the amalgamation of Nigeria. What does the Bible reveal about the 12th? We must not confuse ‘12’ with ‘12th’. In the Bible, the number ’12’ points to divine establishment or the kingdom and dominion of God; but ‘the 12th’ (which is about position, rank, or sequence) points to ‘shifting’, ‘moving’, or ‘departing’.
The 12th book and chapters of the Bible reveal that ‘the 12th’ is departure point.
1. In Genesis 12, Abraham moved from his native land to the land of promise.
2. In Exodus 12, the Passover occurred and Israel moved from Egypt.
3. In First Samuel 12, Samuel gave his farewell speech to Israel and retired.
4. In First Kings 12, Israel became a divided Kingdom as ten tribes separated from the House of David.
5. In Second Kings, the 12th book of the Bible, Elijah departed the earth by a chariot of fire; and Elisha stepped in with a kind of ministry unheard-of in the land. Change came to Israel and there was also a departure from the dominion of the House of Ahab.
6. In Acts 12, Peter exited Herod’s prison; and that is the last active mention of Herod in the New Testament. Herod died in Acts 12.
7. In Revelation 12, the man-child was taken up to heaven.
8. On April 2, 1972, in the 12th year of our independence, Nigeria changed to left-hand-drive. Nine months later, we changed currency from Pound and Pence to Naira and Kobo.
9. Nigeria moved from military rule to democracy when the 12th national leader, Olusegun Obasanjo, emerged.
10. The 2023 general elections was Nigeria’s 12th national election (from 1959). The country saw a great unfolding shift in politics. The 12th point is a time to make a shift. It is the point of departure.
11. Even the clock teaches that the change from morning to afternoon, and from night to morning happens at 12 o’ clock.
12. The yearly calendar teaches the same thing: The year changes after the 31st day of the 12th month. Change happens at the convergence of ‘the 12th’ and ‘the 31st’.
WHY GATHER TO PRAY ON DECEMBER 12?
1. The timing of the relocation of the Capital was quite prophetic; and it is important that our government continues to move with same prophetic precision. So, we are gathering to pray on December 12 for three reasonsTo acknowledge the goodness and mercy of God over the FCT in her 29 years of existence in Abuja.
2. To pray into the 30th year of the FCT and Nigeria’s seat of power; so that God’s blessings would be upon the seat of power in Nigeria. We are gathering to pray that we may have rain in the time of rain; and that we may bear fruit in the season of fruits.
3. We are gathering on 12-12 of the year to seize a critical gate of time for departures; and invoke from Heaven, a forward-shift for Nigeria; and also to prophesy to the seat of our federal government to move and advance to the desired next level.
