Here are five things about the 39th season – from the 39th book and chapters of the Bible.
1. The 39th is the end of a phase, and the beginning of a new story. Malachi, the 39th book of the Bible, is the end of the Old Testament. It is the book before the New Testament. In Genesis 39, Joseph’s time in Portiphar’s house began and ended. He parted with his garment of slavery in this chapter. He never returned to that house. Genesis 39 is the bridge chapter in the life of Joseph. From being Portiphar’s slave, he went to prison where He met his change. It was in the 39th year of Azariah king of Judah that the Northern Kingdom experienced a power-shift from Zechariah to Shallum to Menahem (2 Kings 15:8-17). After the 39th chapter of Isaiah, the Lord moved from confrontation to comfort. The 39th season is transition season.
The work on the tabernacle, under Bezalel, ended in Exodus 39 with the preparation of the garment of the priests. The tabernacle was dedicated in the 40th chapter. Job 39 marked the end of God’s first round of questions to Job. Isaiah’s four-chapter story about Hezekiah that began in the 36th chapter, ended in Isaiah 39. In this chapter, Isaiah spoke of the captivity of Judah. Isaiah 39:5-7 says, “Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the LORD of hosts: [6] ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and what your fathers have accumulated until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the LORD. [7] ‘And they shall take away some of your sons who will descend from you, whom you will beget; and they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.’” In Jeremiah 39, Jerusalem finally fell to the Babylonians according to God’s word; and Jeremiah was freed and favored by the Babylonians. In Ezekiel 39, the Prophet saw Israel restored to her land.
How has this played out in modern history?
The stories of men and nations confirm there is a shift that occurs in the 39th season.
The War of 1812-1814 between the United States of America and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland ended with a Peace treaty in the 39th year of the United States. That war was the second and last war of America’s independence. The United States became completely free from British domination in the 39th year of the nation – following that war of 1812-1814. The Camp David Accord between Israel and Egypt happened in the season of Jimmy Carter, the 39th President of the United States. It was the beginning of a new day for the two countries. Margaret Thatcher became UK Prime Minister in the 39th seven years of the United Kingdom; and she was the first woman to hold that office. Nigeria moved from military rule to democracy in 1999, the 39th year of her nationhood. That was when she began to move into the New Testament of her political destiny. Nigeria became independent on October 1, 1960; the day following the end of the 39th week of the year. Nigeria ceased to be a British colony after the 39th week of 1960.
2. In the 39th season men are called to reflect on the frailty of human life and call upon God for deliverance from death. In Psalm 39:4-6, the psalmist says, “LORD, make me to know my end, And what is the measure of my days, That I may know how frail I am. [5] Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor. Selah [6] Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps up riches, And does not know who will gather them. In Jeremiah 39, Jerusalem fell as Jeremiah prophesied. In Ezekiel 39, Gog is deceived to march against Israel. The forces of Gog were defeated and destroyed; and their carcasses given to the birds of the air. 1939 was a year of great loss of lives. January 13 was Black Friday in Victoria where 71 people died in one of Australia’s bushfires. On January 24, earthquake killed 30, 000 people in Chile. On December 27, earthquake shook eastern Turkey and left over 32, 700 people dead. This is besides the lives consumed by the Second World War that began September 1. The war was an invite from the spirit of death. This week in 1992 (26 September) a Nigerian Air Force plane NAF911 crashed three minutes after take-off from Lagos, Nigeria. A total of 159 military officers including 8 foreign nationals (151 from Nigeria, 5 from Ghana, 1 from Tanzania, 1 from Zimbabwe, 1 from Uganda) were confirmed dead.
3. In the 39th season, heaven permits men to be tempted and tested for their future and destiny. In Genesis 39, Joseph was tempted to commit immorality. He refused, and was victimized. His mind was on truth instead of fantasy. He passed the test of the season. In Exodus 39, God gave commandments to Moses about the priestly garment and the Ephod. The ephod was used to determine the will of God. The 39th season is a time to discern the will of God before taking action. It is not a time to do your own thing. If only Adolf Hitler knew that, he would not have commanded the invasion of Poland in 1939. At least, he would have saved his own life. He was deceived and deceived others to go with him on a journey that did not favor him and his large company. In the 39th chapter of Psalms, the psalmist speaks of using his mouth carefully. In Psalm 39:1-2, the psalmist says, I said, “I will guard my ways, Lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle, While the wicked are before me.” [2] I was mute with silence, I held my peace even from good; And my sorrow was stirred up”. Words matter in the 39th season. The season is also when the worth of men are weighed in a balance. In Malachi, the 39th and last book of the Old Testament, the Lord entered into controversy with Israel but they were full of defenses. The contested every point God made n the book. How can men argue or contend with God?
The 39th season is a time of temptation and tough choices. The subject of the temptation is usually “Lie with me”. If the tempter does not get, peacefully, what he wants, he turns to victimization. Dissidents are victimized in the 39th season. Hezekiah faced that temptation in Isaiah 39 – whether or not to receive the royal guests from Babylon. Hezekiah did not know he was being tempted. Hezekiah ill-advisedly received Babylonian guests and showed them everything in his palace. Isaiah rebuked Him for that; but the king did not understand the weight of what he did. In the 14th book of the Bible where the incident s also reported, 2 Chronicles 32:31 says, “However, regarding the ambassadors of the princes of Babylon, whom they sent to him to inquire about the wonder that was done in the land, God withdrew from him, in order to test him, that He might know all that was in his heart”.Judah and Jerusalem faced that temptation in Jeremiah 39 – whether to surrender to Babylon or not. That was the temptation Poland faced in 1939 concerning Germany’s interest in the city of Danzig. This week in 2022, parts of Ukraine will face this temptation. Russia mastermind a “Lie with me” referendum in parts of Ukraine she occupies. Wisdom and divine guidance are grossly needed in this season.
4. The 39th season is for humbling the proud. Asa the king of Judah became proud and incorrigible. He imprisoned a messenger of God that brought correction to him. He became sick in the 39th year. The proud and arrogant get stuck in the 39th season. 2 Chronicles 16:12 says, “And in the thirty-ninth year of his reign, Asa became diseased in his feet, and his malady was severe; yet in his disease he did not seek the LORD, but the physicians”. The destruction of Jerusalem is recorded in Jeremiah 39. Those who did not believe the words of the prophet were humiliated.
5. The 39th season is a time to trust God for restoration because the old is coming to an end. The 39th book of the ended with a promise of restoration. Malachi 4:5-6 says, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD. [6] And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”
6. The 39th season is a time to prove and showcase the faithfulness of God. Since, it is a time of temptation and tough choices, God vindicates those who make choices that honour and glorify Him. Joseph proved the faithfulness of God when his master put him in prison. In the 39th book of the Bible (Malachi), God challenged Israel to prove Him by sending in their tithes. Malachi 3:10-12 says, “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it. [11] “And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, So that he will not destroy the fruit of your ground, Nor shall the vine fail to bear fruit for you in the field,” Says the LORD of hosts; [12] “And all nations will call you blessed, For you will be a delightful land,” Says the LORD of hosts”.
PRAYER POINTS FOR THE 39TH WEEK
1. Pray that the Lord will help you, and all your people in the nations, as He helped Joseph in Genesis 39, to walk in the spirit and overcome every trial and temptation of this week.
Pray that the Lord will deliver us from blindly questioning Him in this 39th week as Israel questioned Him and argued with Him in the 39th book of the Bible.
Declare that the Old Testament side of this year is ending this 39th week. Pray that the pains of this year may end with this 39th week and let good news of God love and mercy greet the nations as we step into the 40th week of the year
Pray that the Lord will vindicate the faithful in the nations in this 39th week of the year as He vindicated Jeremiah in the 39th chapter of the book of Jeremiah.
Pray against unnecessary provocations and unjust wars that seek to rise in the 39th season.
SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK
Malachi 4:2-3: “But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves. [3] You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet On the day that I do this,” Says the LORD of hosts”
Have a happy 39th week of the year!
Learn more about the mystery of the 39th week.
