God made time for His purpose and controls time. He created all things by imposing His will on time. Each day of creation produced what He wanted. He wants His will done in all seasons as it is in Heaven and as demonstrated in the creation narrative. So, He made man in His image and after His likeness so that man can seize time and fill it with God’s purpose through prayers, prophetic decrees and actions.
What does God want to see in the 34th week or season? Let us learn, first, from the patterns in the word of God.
A. BIBLICAL PATTERNS FOR THE WEEK
- The sixth day of creation narrative (Genesis 1: 24-31)
- Deuteronomy 26-30 (the sixth prophetic division of the fifth book of the Bible).
- The 34th book of the Bible (Nahum).
- The 34th chapters of the Bible.
- The second 9 books of the New Testament (Ephesians – Philemon).
B. BIBLE READING SUGGESTIONS FOR THE WEEK
Going through the 34th week of the year is like taking a journey through the 34th book of the Bible (Nahum). It is also like walking through the 34th chapters of the Bible. So, the Book of Nahum and the 34th chapters of the Bible are great guiding lights for the week. Nahum is the 3-chapter book following the book of Micah.
You may want to read the suggested passages as follows but be at liberty to follow the leading of the Spirit of God:
August 20: Genesis 34; Exodus 34.
August 21: Numbers 34; Deuteronomy 34.
August 22: 2 Chronicles 34; Job 34
August 23: Psalm 34.
August 24: Nahum 1; Isaiah 34.
August 25: Nahum 2; Jeremiah 34;
August 26: Nahum 3; Ezekiel 34.
C. THOUGHTS AND PRAYER POINTS
Here are five things the Bible indicates concerning the 34th season that can guide us to pray this week.
- It is a Season of Vengeance. God judges the wicked in this season to give them the harvest of their labors. Psalm 34:16,21 says, “The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, To cut off the remembrance of them from the earth”. [21] “Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous shall be condemned”. Nahum 1:2-3 says, “God is jealous, and the LORD avenges; The LORD avenges and is furious. The LORD will take vengeance on His adversaries, And He reserves wrath for His enemies; [3] The LORD is slow to anger and great in power, And will not at all acquit the wicked. The LORD has His way In the whirlwind and in the storm, And the clouds are the dust of His feet”.God introduced Himself to Moses in Exodus 34:6-7: ‘And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth, [7] keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children and the children’s children to the third and the fourth generation.” The 34th chapter of Exodus and the 34th book of the Bible indicate that God’s attribute of jealousy manifests greatly (even through men) in the 34th season. He sets up the wicked for destruction in this season.
In 1934, John Dillinger, who was tagged Public Enemy #1 was shot and killed by security agents on July 22. He was charged with robbing 24 banks and four police stations. He escaped from jail two times. He notoriety led to an offer of $25000 reward (bounty) for him. Another notorious bank robber, Pretty Boy Floyd, was shot and killed by security agents three months later on October 22.
Within the 34th seven years of the United States, the Barak Obama administration took vengeance for the United States against Osama Bin Laden and his Al-Qaeda network. The strong man of Al-Qaeda was killed on May 2, 2011. In the same year, on October 20, Muammar Ghadaffi, the strong man of Libya was killed in the ninth month of an armed revolution against his government. Both men could not escape America’s season of vengeance.
In the 34th week of 2019, a man hijacked a bus and the 37 people on board on a bridge in Rio de Janeiro. He became the strong man of the day for about four hours. That was all. He was shot dead by police sniper. The hostages came out unhurt. The hijacker misread the time and it cost him his life. In the 34th week of 2023, the leader of the Wagner Force and nine others perished in a plane crash on Wednesday, August 23. The 34th season is a season of vengeance. In Genesis 34, the sons of took vengeance on the people of Shechem because the prince of the land abused their sister sexually.
PRAYER: This week release judgment of the wicked in the nations. Psalm 34: 21 says, “Evil shall slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous shall be condemned”
- It is a season of deliverance for the righteous. One reason for judging the wicked is to deliver the righteous.Psalm 34:15, 17-20, 22 says, [15] The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry. [17] The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears, And delivers them out of all their troubles. [18] The LORD is near to those who have a broken heart, And saves such as have a contrite spirit. [19] Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all. [20] He guards all his bones; Not one of them is broken. [22] The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, And none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.
PRAYER: Pray for God’s people going through afflictions in the nations. Pray protection over God’s people in the nations – missionaries, military personnel and Aid workers.
- It is a Season of Celebration and Testimonies. That is how the week should end. This is a season when those who trust in God prove His faithfulness. In Psalm 34:1-10, the psalmist said, [1] I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. [2] My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad. [3] Oh, magnify the LORD with me, And let us exalt His name together. [4] I sought the LORD, and He heard me, And delivered me from all my fears. [5] They looked to Him and were radiant, And their faces were not ashamed. [6] This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, And saved him out of all his troubles. [7] The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them. [8] Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! [9] Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him. [10] The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.
PRAYER: Worship the Lord and prophesy (decree) that the righteous will have testimonies and joy this week. Turn Psalm 34:1-10 into prophecy.
- It is a Season of Boundaries and Containment. This is a season to set boundaries that must not be crossed. In Exodus 34, God called Moses up to the mountain to receive the Law. The Law sets boundaries that must not be crossed. He told Moses that no man or animal should come with him or near the mountain. In Exodus 34:3, God said to Moses, “And no man shall come up with you, and let no man be seen throughout all the mountain; let neither flocks nor herds feed before that mountain.”The death of Moses is recorded in Deuteronomy 34. The Lord had set a boundary he could not cross because he disobeyed God at Meribah. Moses represented the Law and boundary. He couldn’t cross Deuteronomy 34.’ Deuteronomy’ is the ‘Second Law’. This week, unlawful boundaries in some quarters are going to end. This is a season of freedom for God’s people.
The 34th President-of the United States, Dwight D. Eisenhower, fought segregation in public schools and even used military force to contain segregationists. Segregation was an unlawful boundary in his season. The Eisenhower administration also labored vigorously to contain the Soviet Union and protect the world from the colonization of communist forces and ideology. The communist strong man, Josef Stalin, died in the second month of Ike’s presidency; on March 5, 1953. His successor, Georgy Malenkov, was ousted after six months in office; on September 8, 1953.In 1994, the 34th year of Nigeria, the Abacha-led military regime arrested and imprisoned Moshood Abiola for treason because he set up a parallel government (as deprived winner of the 1993 presidential election) and declared himself head of the government of national unity. That was the beginning of the end of M.K.O Abiola’s earth-journey. He died in the prison four years later in 1998. He misread the times.
PRAYER: This week, make a proclamation of containment against forces and agents of darkness. Decree that they shall not prosper, progress or advance. Release judgment against those who dare to cross divine boundaries.
- It is a Season to ascend and dwell in the mountain of God’s presence. In Exodus 34, God invited Moses to the top of the Mount Sinai to spend time with Him and return with the Word to the people. Moses was with Him 40 days and 40 nights in fasting and returned with a face that others could not look on. He received instructions and commandments from God. His face shone with irresistible brightness. If anyone wanted to fight him, he would not be able. This week, there is a call to leave the cares at the foot of the mountain and climb up to the mountain of His presence. This is a week of transformation in His presence. Be ware of distractions. Do not get too busy for Him.
PRAYER: This week, pray that nothing will keep you from spending time in His presence to receive instructions and directions from His mouth.
D. SCRIPTURE FOR THE WEEK:
Exodus 34:10: “…Behold, I make a covenant. Before all your people I will do marvels such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation; and all the people among whom you are shall see the work of the LORD. For it is an awesome thing that I will do with you”.
Psalm 34:7: “The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them“.
Have a happy 34th week
