We begin praying into each week by going to the word of God to see what God intends the week to be and then pray that the week would be what is revealed. It’s like praying from the back end. So, let us begin with the Biblical patterns for the 24th week and then move on to prayer points for the week.
FIVE BIBLICAL PATTERNS FOR THE 24TH WEEK
There are 5 Biblical patterns that will help us understand the Lord’s heart for the 24th week. The first reason for assembling the patterns is that “by the mouth of two or three witnesses, truth is established” (Deuteronomy 17:6; 19:15; Matthew 18:16; 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19; Hebrews 10:28). The other reason is to give a broader perspective of the season.
Here are the five Biblical patterns:
1. The narrative of the third day of creation.
2. The 24th book of the Bible
3. The 24th chapters of the Bible
4. The narrative of Numbers 12-16
5. The third 10 books of the Bible
1. The 24th week is a third-day-of-creation week. The 24th Week is the third week in the fourth seven weeks of the year. The third season is a significant game-changing season. The third day of creation changed the course of creation. That’s when ‘the carriers’ (sea, dry ground, and vegetation) came into existence. The third chapter of every book of the Bible is the game-changing chapter in the book. The 24th Week is the game-changing week in the fourth seven weeks of the year.
2. The 24th week is a book of Jeremiah week. Jeremiah is the 24th book of the Bible and is applicable to the 24th day, week, year, or seven years. In that book, God uncovered the prophet in a priest and established him in his ordination. The 24th season is for uprooting, pulling down, building and planting. As God overthrew the waters on the third day of creation and established the earth and its vegetation, that is how God overthrow and plants in the 24th season.
Jeremiah 1:10 says, “See, I have this day set you over the nations and over the kingdoms, To root out and to pull down, To destroy and to throw down, To build and to plant.”
In his days, Jeremiah stood for the uprooting of what God is displeased with; and for the planting of what Heaven approves. The captivity of Judah and the destruction of Jerusalem happened in his season and he prophesied it. He stood for Babylon and against Judah and Jerusalem.
The 24th book of the Bible can be divided into seven seasons as follows:
a). The first day of the week is Jeremiah 1-8 day.
b). The second day of the week is Jeremiah 9-16 day
c). The third day of the week is Jeremiah 17-24 day
d). The fourth day of the week is Jeremiah 25-31 day
e). The fifth day of the week is Jeremiah 32-38 day
f). The sixth day of the week is Jeremiah 39-45 day
g). The seventh day of the week is Jeremiah 46-52 day.
3. The 24th week is a 24th-chapters-of-the-Bible week. In Genesis 24, Rebekah was found and picked from among other girls to be Isaac’s wife. The thick veil that covered Rebekah was lifted and she was chosen to become the wife of Isaac, the Seed of Promise. In First Samuel 24, Saul and his company who chased David to the cave were overtaken by sleep and fell into the hands of David but he spared Saul. In Second Samuel 24, Mount Moriah, which had become the threshing floor of a Jebusite, was recovered and made an altar for God. That was where Solomon built the temple of God. The 24th Psalm opens with the acknowledgment of God as the Owner of the earth and all that is in it. Psalm 24:1-2 says, “The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein. For He has founded it upon the seas, And established it upon the waters”. God demonstrates He is the Owner of the earth in the 24th season. In Luke 24, Jesus rose from the dead and broke through the sealed tomb. In Acts 24, Tertulius gathered vain fellows to raise accusation against Paul but the false accusers could not prevail. In the same chapter, Governor Felix who denied Paul due justice was moved out and Governor Festus took his place.
4. The 24th is a Numbers 12-16 season. What does the 24th Week have to do with Numbers 12-16? The 24th Week is part of the fourth seven weeks of the year; and the fourth book of the Bible is Guiding Light for this season. As the third week in the fourth seven weeks, the 24th week expresses the third section of the fourth book of the Bible. Week 22 expresses Numbers 1-6. Week 23 expresses Numbers 7-11. Week 24 expresses Numbers 12-16. Week 25 expresses Numbers 17-21. The 5 chapters in the third section (Numbers 12-16) are the ‘overthrow-chapters’ in the book. Miriam became leprous for speaking against Moses in Numbers 12. The 12 spies (except Joshua and Caleb) brought an evil report of the Promised Land. In Numbers 13. Israel rejected the Good Land and God sentenced His people to 40 years of wandering in the Wilderness in Numbers 14. The rebellion and judgment of Korah and his company is recorded in Numbers 16. Numbers 15 is about God’s commands and shows the way to stay out of trouble in this season. The 24th Week is for the judgment and overthrow of the rebellious.
5. Week 24 is Ecclesiastes – Amos week in the fourth seven weeks. Going through any 7-week season is like taking a journey through the Bible. Every 7-week season has an Old Testament side and a New Testament side. The first four weeks of the season belong to the Old Testament side and express the 39 books of the Old Testament. The remaining three weeks of the season constitute the New Testament side and express the 27 books of the New Testament. The third week of the season is the third week in the Old Testament side of the season; and expresses the third 10 books of the Old Testament and the Bible. In the third 10 books of the Bible, God sent His prophets to speak to the people. They confronted the people, warned them against judgment, comforted the faithful, and brought judgment on the arrogant. The third week is for the overthrow of the rebellious and establishment of the humble and just. How you fare in this season depends on your attitude and response to the word of God. This is a day of prophetic confrontation and judgment.
THOUGHTS AND PRAYER POINTS FOR THE WEEK
Here are four things to note about the 24th week:
1. The 24th season is a season of war against rebellion. As the Owner of the earth and everything in it, God declares war against rebels in the 24th season to bring them down. Isaiah 24:1,3 says, “Behold, the LORD makes the earth empty and makes it waste, Distorts its surface And scatters abroad its inhabitants. [3] The land shall be entirely emptied and utterly plundered, For the LORD has spoken this word” .The 24th book of the Bible is about war between God, His rebellious people and other ungodly nations. In Second Samuel 24, the Lord reacted against David’s ill-advised census of Israel. The destruction of Jerusalem and the captivity of Judah is recorded in Second Kings 24. Joash died at the hands of his enemies for his apostasy. The 24th chapters of Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Matthew are prophecies of judgments. The 24th President of the United States had to wrestle with a nationwide strike of railroad workers that sought to paralyze the US railway system in 1894. WW2 happened within the 24th seven years of the United States. It was war against the wicked and proud. In 1984, the 24th year of Nigeria, the Federal Government (Buhari regime) launched the War Against Indiscipline (WAI).
PRAYER: Pray that the Lord will visit rebellion in the land this week. Pray that the Lord will reveal and manifest Himself, this week, as the Owner of the world. Pray against rebellion in your own life. Confess and repent of any sin of rebellion against God in your life.
2. It is a season of overthrows . In Numbers 24, God overthrew the plans of Balak against Israel. Balaam could not curse Israel. He blessed them instead. God overthrew Saul plans and delivered him into David’s hands in First Samuel 24. David spared Saul. In Acts 24, Tertulius gathered vain fellows to raise accusation against Paul but the false accusers could not prevail. In the same chapter, Governor Felix who denied Paul due justice was moved out and Governor Festus took his place. Nigeria’s Second Republic that began in her 19th year was overthrown in the 24th year. In the 24th week of 1993 (June 12), Nigeria’s military Head of State, Ibrahim Babangida, annulled the 1993 Presidential election results.
PRAYER: Pray that the Lord will overthrow the enemies of His people and frustrate their plans and plots. Pray, in line with Psalm 24, that gates shut against God’s purposes be lifted. Pray that God will weaken the persecutors of His people in this week.
3. The 24th season is a season of vindication and establishment. It is a bounce-back season. In Second Samuel 24, Mount Moriah (where Isaac was to be sacrificed) , which had become the threshing floor of a Jebusite, was recovered and made an altar for God. That was where Solomon built the temple of God. It is also believed to be the site of the LORD’s crucifixion. The resurrection of Jesus is recorded in Luke 24. There, Jesus bounced back to life, on the third day after crucifixion and burial. The 24th President of the United States, Grover Cleveland, was also the 22nd President. He lost reelection bid to the 23rd President, Benjamin Harrison, but bounced back to become the 24th President – the only US President to serve two non-consecutive terms. 1924 was the year of the American Indian Citizenship Act. The American Indians bounced back. This is a week of recovery and bouncing back.
PRAYER : Pray that this 24th week will be a week of recoveries and bouncing back for God’s people in the nations. Pray that it will be a week of recovering lost grounds, realms, visions, glory, possessions, health, and so on.
4. The 24th season is for the unveiling and manifestation of hidden servant leaders. It is the season of service and sacrifice. In Genesis 24, Abraham sent his servant to get a wife for Isaac. Eleazar was a great servant leader. In the same chapter, Rebekah passed the test of sacrificial service and became Isaac’s wife. Joshua pledged to serve the Lord with his household in Joshua 24. David demonstrated great servant-leadership in the way he treated Saul in First Samuel 24. First Chronicles 24 is about the Priesthood under David’s administration. The true mark of servants is is obedience to commands and instructions. Servants please their masters. The 24th chapters of Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy, are a laws and commandments given to Israel. God recruits servants in the 24th season. Psalm 24 gives qualification of the servant-leader. Proverbs 24 gives instructions to the servant-leader. Jeremiah, author of the 24th book of the Bible, was a true servant. He served God even when it was painful to do so. The longest serving US President, Franklin D Roosevelt was in office in the 24th seven years of the US. He was President in the season of WW2.
PRAYER: Pray that the Lord will help you, this week, to be a true servant leader before God and among men. Pray that you will pass the test of servant leadership this week. Pray that God will unveil hidden servant leaders for places and positions where they are needed this week.
THE LORD GOD WILL FIGHT FOR YOU
In Numbers 24, Balak, the king of Moab, hired Balaam to curse Israel so he could defeat God’s people. That was ‘Mission Impossible’. That chapter shows how frustrated and dejected Balak was because the efforts to curse Israel failed. God will fight for you this week.
In First Samuel 24, Saul took 3000 soldiers to the Wilderness of Engedi in search of David and his 600 men. Saul and his men slept off and fell into the hands of David. The great psalmist of Israel refused to kill his master. He only cut off a part of his skirt. This week, God will fight for you.
In Luke 24, the Father raised Jesus from the dead. Death and the grave could not hold him. Those who masterminded His crucifixion were put to shame. This 24th week, God will fight for you.
In Acts 24, Paul stood trial before Felix. The Jews poured accusations on Him. The Governor knew Paul was guiltless; but to do the Jews a favor, He sat on Paul’s case for two years; expecting a bribe. Transfer came and corrupt Felix was moved out of the way. The earth, all its fullness, with the world and those who live in it, all belongo to God. This week, the Lord will shame your adversaries.
Happy 24th week!
Click here to read the post
