Times and seasons do not mean much until we view them through the eyes of the God of Israel and from the Bible.
As we step into the 20th week of the year let us consider biblical patterns for the week and also thoughts and prayers for the week.
A. BIBLICAL PATTERNS FOR THE 20TH WEEK
There are six biblical patterns for understanding the 20th week. The first three patterns relate to the 20th week as the sixth week in the third 7 weeks of the year. The remaining three patterns speak directly to the 20th week as a 20th season.
1. The sixth day of creation (Genesis 1:24 – 31). The sixth day of creation is light for the 20th week because it is the sixth week in the third 7 weeks of the year.
God did 4 major things on the sixth day of creation.
a. He perfected the creation of flesh and blood creatures.
b. He made ungodly and godly creatures. He made the godly creature to express Him. ‘Ungodly’ means they were not made in the image and likeness of God.
c. He blessed the godly creature with fruitfulness and multiplication and gave him dominion over the ungodly creatures.
d. He communed with the godly creature about the provision He made for food. God does not want the godly to have anxiety concerning food in the sixth season (Matthew 6).
2. Leviticus 21-24. The sixth section of the third book of the Bible is applicable to the sixth week in the third 7 weeks of the year. Leviticus 21-24 are instructions about the conduct of priests, the feasts of the Lord and the Tabernacle.
3. The sixth book and sixth chapters of the Bible. The 20th week is the sixth week in the third 7 weeks of the year. The sixth book of the Bible is a book of instructions. The sixth chapters of the Bible are also instruction-chapters. God cares about food in the sixth season (2 Kings 6: Matthew 6; Mark 6; John 6; Acts 6)
4. Psalm 134 – 140: The 20th seven psalms are applicable to the 20th week (Days 134 – 140). The godly must bless the Lord in this season.
5. Proverbs 1 – 31 and the 20th chapters of the Bible. Proverbs is the 20th book of the Bible. It is a book of instructions to follow God’s way. The 20th chapters are light for fighting battles in the 20th season.
6. Bible passages mentioning ‘the twentieth‘. There is nothing new (Ecclesiastes 1: 9). What the Bible says about the 20th day or year is pattern for what to expect in the 20th season. The book of Nehemiah is about something that began “in the twentieth year” (Nehemiah 1: 1; 2: 1; 5:14). A king of Israel and a king of Judah fell in the 20th year (1 Kings 15:9; 2 Kings 15:30). The 20th season is a critical gate of time.
BIBLE READING SUGGESTIONS FOR THE WEEK
Going through the 20th week (Days 134-140 of the year) is like taking a prophetic journey through 20th seven psalms (134-140) and the 20th book of the Bible. So, Psalm 134-140 and Proverbs 1-31 will be a great read in the week.
May 14: Psalm 134 & Proverbs 1-5
May 15: Psalm 135 & Proverbs 6-10
May 16: Psalm 136 & Proverbs 11-15
May 17: Psalm 137 & Proverbs 16-19
May 18: Psalm 138 & Proverbs 20-23
May 19: Psalm 139 & Proverbs 24-27
May 20: Psalm 140 & Proverbs 28-31
B. THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS FOR THE WEEK
The 20th book and chapters of the Bible reveal at least 7 things about the 20th season that can guide us to pray, plan, and act:
- 1. It is a season of prideful conflicts and wars.
In Numbers 20, Edom resisted Israel with great force when Israel sought passage through the land of Edom.
In Deuteronomy 20, God gave instructions to Israel about going to war.
In Judges 20, all Israel fought the tribe of Benjamin and almost destroyed her.
In Second Samuel 20, Sheba led a revolution against David but the men of David crushed Sheba and his company.
In First Kings 20, there was war between Israel and Syria but Ahab defeated the Syrians twice.
In First Chronicles 20, David’s men fought battles. They conquered Rabbah and also destroyed the Philistine giants.
In Second Chronicles 20, Jehoshaphat received instructions about fighting the enemy nations that came up against him.
Proverbs 20:18 says, “..”By wise counsel wage war”. See also Proverbs 24:6
In Isaiah 20, Assyria conquered Ashdod and God spoke though Isaiah that Assyria would take Egypt and Ethiopia too.
In Revelation-20, Satan led rebellion against God after he was released from prison but his company was crushed and judged.
There were two world wars in the first half of the 20th century. The later half of the century was another long season of Cold War and literal wars in many parts of the world.
In the 20th century, the church embraced spiritual warfare (binding and loosing and commanding and casting out) as a scriptural revelation.
The 1967 six-day war between Israel and a coalition of Arab states took place at the beginning of the 20th year of the state of Israel.
PRAYER: Pray that the Lord deliver our world (including our homes) from unnecessary wars this week. Pray against escalations in battles already being fought. Pray for Israel (Psalm 76: 1-9).
2. It is God’s intervention-battle season on behalf of those who trust Him.
He fought for Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 20.
Deuteronomy 20:4 says, “for the LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.”
He fought for Jehoshaphat in Second Chronicles 20.
He fought for Jesus in John 20 and raised Him from,the dead.
He fought for His people and cause in Revelation 20
PRAYER: Pray that the Lord will fight for His people in the nations and among the persecuted and abducted. Pray that God Who fights for His people in 20th seasons will fight again to help and deliver this 20th week.
- 3. It is a season to gain or transfer wealth.
In Genesis 20, Abraham gained much wealth following his encounter with Abimelech, king of Gerar concerning Sarah
In Second Chronicles 20, Jehoshaphat and Judah gained much wealth after stripping their dead enemies in a battle God fought for them.
The 20th book of the Bible, Proverbs, is a guide-book to wealth and riches.
In the 20th century, the church gained wealth and also began to preach the gospel of wealth.
COVID-19 meant much evil to humanity but God also brought much good out of it.
PRAYER: Pray that the battles of this week will bring much gain to God’s people in the nations and leave them richer spiritually, socially, and materially.
4. It is a season to be guided by laws and commandments and instructions and wise counsel. The reason God guides in the 20th season is because the adversary seeks to destroy men in this season foolishness and unrighteousness.
In Exodus 20, God gave Israel the Ten Commandments to restrain man’s flesh and imagination.
In Numbers 20, Moses disobeyed God’s command to give water to Israel by speaking to the rock. He struck the rock instead. For disobeying instruction, God barred Moses and Aaron from entering the Promised Land. Both Miriam and Aaron died in this chapter. Instructions are lifelines in the 20th season.
In Deuteronomy 20, God taught Israel how to engage their enemies in battle.
The 20th book of the Bible, Proverbs is a a book of instructions and counsels of wisdom.
In the year 2020, our would was guided by rules and instructions about wearing nose masks, maintaining social distance, and restricting movement.
PRAYER: Pray to be guided with wisdom to know how to operate this week. Pray that God will direct your way to the people, places and materials that have the counsel or wisdom you need.
5. It is a season to walk by faith and not by reason or senses.
In 2 Chronicles 20:20, Jehoshaphat told his people “Hear me, O Judah and you inhabitants of Jerusalem: Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper.”
In John 20, the disciples of Jesus struggled to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead. In this season, men want to see before they believe. They want to come to knowledge through experimentation. Thomas said he would not believe until he had touched and felt the resurrected Jesus. Jesus said, “Blessed are those who do not see but believe”.
The 20th century was a season of scientific and technological breakthroughs. Although we should pursue knowledge and understanding in this season, it must not be at the expense of faith.
PRAYER: Pray for grace to believe God’s word more than your senses and reasoning. Ask help from our Father to overcome your fears and doubts. Pray that you will not fall into the trap of Thomas.
6. It is a season of divine reversals and and exploits – when things thought impossible are made possible.
The 20th chapters of John and Revelation speak of resurrection from the dead. That’s reversal.
John 20 is about the resurrection of Jesus.
Revelation 20 is about resurrection of the dead before the last judgment.
Paul raised Eutychus from the dead in Acts 20.
The church experienced raw miracles of healing in the 20th century – even as Abraham prayed for the Abimelech in Genesis 20 and he was healed.
Things thought impossible are made possible in the 20th season.
Space exploration became possible in the 20th century. Men went to the moon in this century and has been going to space since then.
PRAYER: Pray for reversal miracles for needy people in the nations. Pray for the overturning of seeming hopeless conditions.
7. It is a season to raise a standard against the spirit of death in the nations. The enemy seeks to harvest lives in this season through war, violence, disease and natural disasters.
The 20th chapters of Judges, Second Chronicles and Revelation testify to this. The wars of the 20th century, the assassination of the 20th President of the United States (James Garfield) and the pandemic of 2020 also bear witness to this.
PRAYER: Pray fervently against the spirit of death parading nations this week.
VERSE FOR THE WEEK:
Deuteronomy 20:1: “When you go out to battle against your enemies, and see horses and chariots and people more numerous than you, do not be afraid of them; for the LORD your God is with you, who brought you up from the land of Egypt”.
DECLARATION
I declare Psalm 20:1-5 over you this week:
May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
May He send you help from the sanctuary, And strengthen you out of Zion;
May He remember all your offerings, And accept your burnt sacrifice. Selah
May He grant you according to your heart’s desire, And fulfill all your purpose. We will rejoice in your salvation, And in the name of our God we will set up our banners!
May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.
Happy 20th week of the year!
