THE 28TH WEEK OF THE YEAR (JULY 8 – 14)

The 28th season is a critical gate of time. It is the seventh and last week ending the fourth 7 weeks (or fourth 49 days) of the year. It is the Sabbath-week of the fourth seven weeks.

BIBLICAL PATTERNS FOR THE 28TH WEEK

The Bible patterns for understanding the 28th week are

1. The 7th day of creation narrative (Genesis 2: 1-3).
2. The 7th Book of the Bible.
3. The 7th chapters of the Bible.
4. The 28th book of the Bible (Hosea)
5. The 28th chapters of the Bible,
6. The last five chapters of the fourth book of the Bible (Numbers 32-36).

BIBLE READING SUGGESTIONS FOR THE 28TH WEEK:

Going through the 28th week of the year (July 9 -15 in a clear year) is like taking a prophetic journey through the 28th book of the Bible (Hosea) and 28th chapters of the Bible. So, the Book of Hosea and the 28th chapters of the Bible are great guiding lights for the week. This is a season of unconditional love.

You may want to read the suggested passages as follows:

July 8: Hosea 1 – 2
July 9: Hosea 3 – 4
July 10: Hosea 5 – 6
July 11: Hosea 7 – 8
July 12: Hosea 9 – 10
July 13: Hosea 11 – 12
July 14: Hosea 13 – 14

THOUGHTS AND PRAYER POINTS FOR THE WEEK

The 28th book and chapters of the Bible indicate 5 major things concerning this season:

A. Season of Heaven’s Verdict

In Genesis 28, after Jacob had received the blessings Isaac meant for Esau and was escaping to Padan Aram, God blessed him at Bethel. The verdict of God was in His favour. God did not treat him as a thief. Deuteronomy 28 is God’s verdict concerning the obedient and the disobedient. In First Samuel 28, Saul went to consult a witch because he could not hear from God. He ended up with the verdict of heaven that he and his sons would die the next day in battle. Psalm 28 is an appeal to heaven for a verdict of righteousness. Psalm 28:3-5 says, “Do not take me away with the wicked and with the workers of iniquity, Who speak peace to their neighbors, But evil is in their hearts. Give them according to their deeds, And according to the wickedness of their endeavors; Give them according to the work of their hands; Render to them what they deserve. Because they do not regard the works of the LORD, Nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them and not build them up”. In Matthew 28, Jesus received a verdict of approval from Heaven by His resurrection from the dead. In Acts 28, Paul was vindicated when he shook off the viper the people thought would kill him and did not swell up or die. He even healed the sick in that Island. God does not confirm the futile imaginations of men in the 28th season.

PRAYER: This week, let us be in prayer, with expectation, for the verdict of heaven and for vindication from above. Pray for the verdict of Heaven concerning the righteous and wicked.

B. Season of the Last Word

The 28th season is reserved for the last word. There is no 29th chapter in the New Testament. In Matthew 28, Jesus rose from the dead and gave His last word to His disciples. Matthew 28:18-20 says, “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. [19] Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen”. The Resurrection of Jesus is a last word. Acts 28 gives us the last word about Paul’s trial. Acts 28:30-31 says, “Then Paul dwelt two whole years in his own rented house, and received all who came to him, [31] preaching the kingdom of God and teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all confidence, no one forbidding him”. Job 28 gives the last word about Wisdom. Job 28:27-28 says
“Then He saw wisdom and declared it; He prepared it, indeed, He searched it out. [28] And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, And to depart from evil is understanding.’ David spoke his last words to Solomon in First Chronicles 28. Heaven is releasing a last word this 28th week and it will last. It will be a word of triumph.

PRAYER: Pray that the Lord will give the last word, this week, in matters where men have already taken their own decisions.

C. Season of Overthrows

Second Chronicles 28 is about the reign of Ahaz,his apostasy and death. Judah suffered greatly in the days of King Ahaz. Second Chronicles 28:19 says, “For the LORD brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel, for he had encouraged moral decline in Judah and had been continually unfaithful to the LORD”. Isaiah 28 is a proclamation of woe to Ephraim and Jerusalem. Jeremiah 28 is about the overthrow of Hananiah, the false prophet. Ezekiel 28 is prophecy against Tyre. In Deuteronomy 28, God said Israel would be overthrown if they disobey Him (Deuteronomy 28:15-68). Rebels are punished in the 28th season. The First World War happened in the season of the 28th President of the United States (Woodrow Wilson) and saw the defeat and collapse of four empires.

PRAYER: Pray for the overthrow and fall of evil, proud and wicked monopolies this week. Pray Psalm 28:4-5: “Give them according to their deeds, And according to the wickedness of their endeavors; Give them according to the work of their hands; Render to them what they deserve. [5] Because they do not regard the works of the LORD, Nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them And not build them up”.

D. Season of Great Mercy and Generousity.

As Heaven reacts against pride in the 28th season, Heaven also shows mercy to the humble in the season. Numbers 28 is about offerings to God (daily offerings, Sabbath offerings, monthly offerings, Passover offering, Feast of Weeks offerings). Those offerings were tokens of response to God’s mercy.

To illustrate God’s faithfulness and love to unfaithful Israel, God instructed the prophet to marry and love a harlot. Hosea 3:1 says, “Then the LORD said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by a lover and is committing adultery, just like the love of the LORD for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love the raisin cakes of the pagans.” The book of Hosea is the 28th book of the Bible. This is a week of experiencing the unconditional love and mercy of God.

PRAYER: Pray that the mercy of God will overflow this week to deliver and to save. This week, let songs rise in celebration of God’s mercy to His people. Turn Psalm 28:6-9 into a song: “Blessed be the LORD, Because He has heard the voice of my supplications! The LORD is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him. The LORD is their strength, And He is the saving refuge of His anointed. Save Your people, And bless Your inheritance; Shepherd them also, And bear them up forever”.

E. Season of Escape from death

This is a week of escape from death. Jacob escaped from Esau and death in Genesis 28. Jesus escaped from death and the grave in Matthew 28. In Act 28 ,Paul escaped shipwreck and death at sea. He also escaped being killed by a venomous snake. In the season of the 28th U.S President, the spirit of death visited the world through the First World War and the Spanish Flu. Lives were lost but many still escaped death. In the 28th book of the Bible, God said, “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes” (Hosea 13:14 NKJV).

There is no 29th chapter in the New Testament. This week, Heaven will be closing books of troubles and struggles with a chapter of triumph.

SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK:

Matthew 28:18-20: “…All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen”.

Happy 28th week of the year.