The Mystery of the 31st Week

Welcome to the 31st week of the year!  Week 31 is the third week in the fifth 49 days. The Bible patterns for understanding the 31st week are the third day of creation narrative, the 31st book and chapters of the Bible, and third five chapters of the fifth book of the Bible. 

I’ll share 5 broad things here about the 31st from the Bible and contemporary history:

1. Week 31 is a third-day-of-creation week. The 31st week is a third-season week. It is the third week in the 5th seven weeks (49 days) of the year. A third season is a season of overthrows and liberation. The 31st week has its pattern in the third day of creation narrative. On the third day of creation, God overthrew the waters that stood over the earth; and liberated dry ground and its potential to bring forth vegetation. The overthrow of the third season makes it possible for things hidden and pressed down to be manifested. It is the season of ‘the last battle’ in which God sets up, and battles, the oppressor as he seeks to trample and crush the weak and helpless. This week is for reenacting what the Creator did on the third day of creation. It marks the end of ‘the waters’ covering the earth since the beginning of the year. Dysfunctional overlays will be dismantled. Hidden people and things will be revealed; and life will overtake death. 

2. Week 31 is a book of Obadiah week. The 31st book of the Bible is the one-chapter book of Obadiah. In this book, God promises deliverance to the house of Jacob after her adversaries are overthrown. In this book, Edom is the enemy of Judah that hurt her in the season of her affliction. The book of Obadiah is prophecy about the overthrow and destruction of Edom. Obadiah prophesied the overthrow and destruction of Edom; and the deliverance and restoration of God’s people to possess their possession. In five verses (17-21), the words ‘possess’ and ‘possession’ are used eight times. This 31st week is a week of deliverance and possessing possessions.

3. Week 31 is a 31st-chapters-of-the-Bible week. The 31st chapters of the Bible indicate the 31st is the end of old things and the beginning of new things. In Genesis 31, Jacob fled the house of Laban by the word of the Lord. The sons of Laban became envious of his wealth and prosperity and began to complain about him. Jacob was no longer comfortable. That was the end of his twenty-year sojourn with his uncle. In Exodus 31, God called Bezaleel and Aholiab, and other assisting artisans, to undertake the work of constructing the tabernacle – so that God would have a dwelling place among His people. God did not put it in the hands of Moses and Aaron to do the work; although Moses received the pattern. Power changes hands in the 31st season. In Numbers 31, God commanded Moses to fight against the Midianites and overthrow them. They also killed Balaam there. The 31st week is a week of divine vengeance. Numbers 31:7-8  says, “And they warred against the Midianites, just as the LORD commanded Moses, and they killed all the males. They killed the kings of Midian with the rest of those who were killed-Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba, the five kings of Midian. Balaam the son of Beor they also killed with the sword”. In Deuteronomy 31, Joshua became the new leader of Israel. Moses gave his farewell speech to Israel in that chapter. In First Samuel 31, Saul and his three sons died in the battle field. That made way for David to become the new king of Israel. In Second Chronicles 31, Hezekiah carried out sweeping religious reforms and overthrew idol worship in Judah. In Job 31, the servant of God gave his last long speech before Elihu took over from chapters 32-37.  He swore and invoked curses to come upon him if he had done wrong. Job 31 ends with “The words of Job are ended”. In the 31st season, the old gives way to the new. In Psalms 31, the psalmist prays for deliverance and against coming to an end. He also prays for the end of the wicked. Psalm 31:15-18 says, “My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me. [16] Make Your face shine upon Your servant; Save me for Your mercies’ sake. [17] Do not let me be ashamed, O LORD, for I have called upon You; Let the wicked be ashamed; Let them be silent in the grave. [18] Let the lying lips be put to silence, Which speak insolent things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous”. Proverbs, the book of divine wisdom, ends in Chapter 31; and the last chapter ends at verse 31. Whereas Proverbs 1-30 are the words of a father to his son, the 31st chapter consists of the words of a mother to  her son. The 31st season is the woman’s season. In Proverbs 31, the male teacher stopped and female teacher took over. Isaiah 31 is a pronouncement of judgment against those who rebel against God. The 31st season is for war; the wicked against the righteous; and righteousness against wickedness. Jeremiah 31 is the promise of return, comfort, and the end of sorrow and weeping in Judah. It is in this chapter also (Jeremiah 31:31-34) that God spoke of ending the Old Covenant and introducing the New Covenant. Jeremiah 31:31-34  “Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah – not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the LORD. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”. In Ezekiel 31, the prophet spoke of the overthrow and humiliation of Egypt. 

4. Week 31 is a Deuteronomy 11-15 week. Deuteronomy is the fifth book of the Bible; and is applicable to the fifth 7 weeks of the year. The third five chapters of the fifth book of the Bible is applicable to the third week in the 5th seven weeks of the year. In the third 5 chapters of Deuteronomy, God commanded Israel to love the Lord and separate themselves from the ways of the other nations. He gave them commandments about how they must live as a distinguished people; to ensure the continuous flow of His favor and blessings. The old ways of doing things end in the 31st season. 

5. The 31st season is change-over and hand-over season. The longest months have 31 days. No month has 32 days! After the 31st day, a new month begins. Seven of the 12 months end on the 31st day (January, March, May, July, August, October, and December). The seventh and the 31st are one. The seventh month has 31 days; and ends in the 31st week. The 31st week ends the 7th month and opens the 8th month.  As the seventh is the end, so is the 31st! As the 8th is a new beginning, so also is the 31st!

After the 31st year of Nigeria, Lagos ceased to be the Capital of Nigeria (December 12). Nine New States were also created in Nigeria, on August 27, 1991. That brought the states to 30, with the Federal Capital Territory as the 31st. After the 31st president of the United States, Herbert Hoover, the Republicans did not return to power till after 20 years (1933-1953). His successor, Franklin D. Roosevelt, was elected for a fourth consecutive term. That was the first and last time a President was elected for a fourth term in the history of the United States. A new beginning followed the 31st President. In the season of the 31st president, the Great Depression wiped out a lot of  investors. Things come to an end in the 31st season. After the 31st seven years of the US (the Reagan/Bush season – 1986 – 1993), a era of unique leadership ended. Ronald Reagan is a reference point in US politics. In that season, the Berlin Wall and the Soviet Union collapsed, and Kuwait was saved from annexation by Iraq. Bush was the first sitting Vice President to be elected President. After the 31st seven years, Madeleine Albright became the first female Secretary of State (1997-2001) in the 32nd seven years. Margaret Thatcher, the first female UK Prime minister, was in service in the 31st seven years of the United States, and she came to power after the 31st Prime Minister from Benjamin Disraeli, the first  to use the title of Prime Minister. In the 31st seven years of the United Kingdom, a number of significant things happened: enfranchisement of women both in the UK and the United States and the beginning of women being elected to the legislature both in Britain and America; the Balfour Declaration supporting a Jewish National Home in Palestine; the defeat of the central powers in World War One. The year 1931 was a year of new beginnings.

This 31st week of the year, I pray that the affliction and oppression of the year will end in your life. I pray also that the life of heavy burdens over your head will be terminated. In this week of mocking the mocker and uplifting the mocked, the mocker will go down and the mocked will be lifted up.. This week, as the Spirit and Word reveal,  I pray it will be a game-changing week; and a week of changing stories. The 31st is for making an end of one episode and starting a new story. This week, proclaim an end and a new beginning; decree overthrow and deliverance. Happy 31st week!