The 38th week is a turning-point week in the year; as the book of Zechariah (the 38th book of the Bible) meant to the Jews returning from captivity.
How should we live and pray in this 38th week? What’s in the heart of God for the 38th week? Here are 8 things the Bible indicates concerning the 38th season:
1. It is a season of gracious intervention against death. God intervened to reverse the pronouncement of death against Hezekiah in Isaiah 38. He also intervened in the family of Judah (Genesis 38); He intervened through Ebed-melech to save Jeremiah’s life (Jeremiah 38); and intervened for His people against Gog (Ezekiel 38). God saved the 38th President of the United States from death in the 38th week of 1975 (September 22). He had escaped assassination earlier the same month.
It is a season of desperate cry for mercy from God. Psalm 38: 1-22 is a cry for mercy. It will be good to read the entire chapter. Mercy bypassed death and helped Judah and his family in Genesis 38. Mercy delivered Hezekiah from death in Isaiah 38. Mercy saved Joshua the High Priest in the third chapter of the 38th book of the Bible. Mercy saved the 38th President of the United States (Gerald Ford) from two assassination attempts in September 1975. Mercy saved Nigerians from the Abacha regime in the 38th year of the nation (1998) when the killer-Head of State died suddenly.
It is a season when men and powers who are like towering Cedars and Oaks may fall (Zechariah 11: 1-2). Archbishop Benson Idahosa of Nigeria, a vibrant minister of the gospel died suddenly in the 38th year of Nigeria. The Head of State, General Sami Abacha died suddenly the same year.
It is a season of revelation. It is a time learn and receive knowledge from Heaven. It is a season to uncover things covered up. God teaches in the 38th season. He took over to question His servant in Job 38. He taught Zechariah the prophet in the 38th book of the Bible.
It is a season of recovery and vengeance when God rises against those who rise up against his people (Ezekiel 38; Zechariah 1:21).
It is a season of construction and reconstruction in the House of God. The Tabernacle was in the making in Exodus 38.
It is a season of divine visitation. God began the restoration of His servant Job in the 38th chapter of the. Book of Job. The servant of God did not hear the Voice of God until the 38th chapter.
It is a season of battle to dethrone self because it seeks to get in the way of God’s purpose in this season. The Bible mentions two self-centered people who emerged kings in Israel in 38th seasons. The first was Ahab – who became king in the 38th year of Asa (1 Kings 16:29). The second was Zechariah the son of Jeroboam – who became king in the 38th year of Azariah (2 Kings 15:8). Stand against the rising of evil and wicked people in this week. There are 60 first-person pronouns (me, my and I) in the 22-verse Psalm 38. Judah and his sons exhibited selfishness against Tamar in Genesis 38. Exodus 38 opens with the making of the altar of burnt offering where lives are laid down by sacrifice; and the making of the Bronze Laver for washing. In the 41-verse 38th chapter of Job, God asked His servant 38 questions to pull self out him. Isaiah 38:10-17 has 33 first-person pronouns (me, my and I). The Book of Zechariah (the 38th book of the Bible) is about God’s determination “to cast out the selfishness horns of the nations that lifted up their horn against the land of Judah to scatter it” (Zechariah 1:21). The British -America War of 1812 ended in 1814 (the 38th year of the United States). It was a victory against selfishness in the Colonial Master.
DON’T GIVE UP!
This week, fight until you win. The 38th week is not for quitters. Tamar did not give up in Genesis 38. She knew she belonged to the House of Judah by marriage. Circumstances worked against her but she hung to what she believed until she won. Twins came! Hezekiah did not give up in Isaiah 38. He was very sick and received a word from the Lord that he would die and not live. He went the Lord in prayer and cried until change came. God added 15 years to his life. Ebed-melech did not give up in Jeremiah 38. Wicked people in authority threw Jeremiah into a waterless dungeon and left him to die there. He believed Jeremiah should not die in that pit. He took the matter to the king and obtained favour. The king released 30 men to help him rescue Jeremiah. That was a mighty deliverance. God rescued Obasanjo from Abacha’s prison in the 38th year of Nigeria (1998). Believe God and press for a turnaround this week.
PRAYER POINTS:
1. Pray that God will be merciful to and turn things around in the nation as the psalmist prayed in Psalm 38 and in Psalm 51; as God had mercy on Hezekiah in Isaiah 38, and the man who had suffered 38 years in John 5.
2. Pray that God will raise an intervention-force for His persecuted and oppressed people as He used Ebed-melech to help Jeremiah in Jeremiah 38.
3. Pray that the Lord will bring down hindering oaks and cedars in the nations as He did to Babylon in Jeremiah 51 and Gog In Ezekiel 38; and as He did with the Abacha regime in Nigeria’s 38th year.
4. Pray that we would see, hear, and understand what the Lord will be showing us in this season as it was with Zechariah in the 38th book of the Bible. He learnt by asking and answering questions.
5. Pray that the Lord will raise His craftsmen to terrify the horns scattering the nations as He did for Judah in the 38th book of the Bible.
6. Pray that this will be a week of reconstruction and restoration in the House of God in the nations as in the 38th book of the Bible. Pray that Heaven will break silence in the year as in Job 38.
7. Pray that the Lord will purge your heart of selfishness in this week and season. Pray that He would dethrone selfishness and take down the selfish in the nations this week.
SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK
Ezekiel 38:22-23: “And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the LORD.”‘
Happy 38th week of the year!
