Welcome to the 36th week of the year! The 36th week is the first week, and beginning, of the sixth 49 days. God’s pattern for understanding the 36th week are the 36th book of the Bible, the 36th chapters of the Bible, the first day of creation narrative, and the first four chapters of the sixth book of the Bible. Here are four ‘Bible things’ about ‘the 36th’ that would help you understand the season.
1. The 36th week is a first-day-of-creation week. This is because the 36th is first week in the sixth 49 days. So, it is a first season week; and related to the first day of creation. On the first day of creation, God created light to dispel darkness. The first season is a season of conflict between light and darkness. Darkness seeks to dominate but light comes to expel it. If the darkness rises as an attack from the wicked, the light comes as divine intervention; but if the darkness rises as divine judgment, divine mercy would be the light. Since the sixth 49 days is for subduing the rebellious and dominating in the name of the Lord, the first week of this season would be for the overthrow of darkness. The 36th week is for battling darkness with light from God’s word and God’s presence.
2. Week 36 is a 36th-chapters-of-the-Bible week. Genesis 36 expresses the prevalence of darkness. The chapter is given to the house of Esau (Edom) and Mount Seir and the Chiefs or dukes. Esau had five children from three women. Edom and Mount Seir became enemies of Israel and represent rebellion against God. Edom, Mount Seir, and Amalek, represent darkness. The story of Esau in Genesis 36 is an intrusion of darkness into Jacob’s story-line. Jacob’s story will resume in Genesis 37 with the emergence of a new generation in Joseph and his brothers.
In Exodus 36, Bezalel and the other artisans begin work on the tabernacle. The people gave more than enough for the work of the tabernacle. The 36th season is a season of abundance through love for God. The house of God is priority in the 36th season. It is the abode of Light. God is Light. The key to triumph in the 36th season is to become, or to construct, the dwelling place of Light.
In Numbers 36, the end of the book, darkness was going to erode the inheritance of Zelophehad if his five daughters who had received his inheritance marry outside the tribe of their father’s house. The elders approached Moses concerning the matter of losing their inheritance to other tribes. Moses received a word from the Lord concerning them. They are to marry within the family of their father. They eventually married their cousins – the sons of their father’s brothers. That way, their father’s inheritance stayed within the family. This chapter is also about inheritance not changing hands from tribe to tribe. The 36th season is a time to receive wisdom (light) from God for complex problems.
Second Chronicles 36, the last chapter of the book, God’s people lost their inheritance to the Babylonians through captivity. Darkness overtook the land because their rejection of, and rebellion against, the Light. The chapter ended with the beginning of the next book, Ezra. Light rose for the people in darkness when Cyrus, King of Persia, gave a written proclamation for Jews to return to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem. The 36th season is an end and a new beginning.
In Job 36, Elihu speaks on God’s behalf proclaiming His integrity, goodness, justice, and sovereignty, and majesty. He gives justice to both the wicked and the righteous. He gives correction to those who err and are in trouble. If, they listen, they find favor. If they reject correction, they perish. Elihu was bringing light into Job’s situation.
Psalm 36 is an oracle concerning the transgression of the wicked; about the goodness and mercy of God; and a prayer for help against the proud and the wicked.
In Isaiah 36, Sennacherib came against the fortified cites of Judah and took them. He sent horrifying and intimidating messages to Hezekiah and Judah to harass God’s people. Darkness rises against people in the 36th season threatening their inheritance.
In Jeremiah 36, the prophet’s scroll is read, by Baruch, in the temple and eventually in the hearing of the king. The words in the scroll was light to keep the people from darkness. They rejected the light. The king even burned the scroll against all restraints. Jeremiah cursed the king with childlessness and severe judgment. He would not have a son (heir) to sit on the throne of David; and his dead body would not be buried. That means his political inheritance is taken from him. Jeremiah told Baruch to rewrite the words on a new scroll. More words were even added. Darkness cannot prevail against the word of God. Men may rise up against the word of the Lord in the 36th season but the counsel of God will stand.
In Ezekiel 36, God speaks passionate blessings to Israel against the hurts she had suffered from the nations. Light came through God’s Word to dispel the darkness covering the land by promises of restoration.
3. Week 36 is a book-of-Zephaniah week. The book of Zephaniah is the 36th book of the Bible. Zephaniah is about the dark and gloomy day of the Lord’s indignation. In this book, especially, the first and third chapters, God threatened to judge Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Josiah, king of Judah. This, perhaps, was what moved Josiah to carry out a reformation. The second chapter opens with a call to seek the Lord before judgment comes. The prophet also spoke out against other nations. In both the second and third chapters, God gives hope of restoration to the remnant. The 36th season is a season of divine reactions against the rebellious; and a season of blessings and favor for the humble.
4. Week 36 is a Joshua 1-4 week. The first four chapters of the sixth book of the Bible is applicable to the first week in the sixth 49 days of the year. The first three chapters of Joshua are about Joshua’s first three challenges: the death of Moses, spying the land of Jericho, and crossing Jordan. God guided Joshua to overcome all three challenges. He gave him light, by His Word, in his hour of darkness. God told him what to do and how to do it. In the fourth chapter, after all Israel had crossed the Jordan, God told them to pick 12 stones from the Jordan and set up memorial stones. The stones were to remind and teach the future generation that God led Isreal to cross over Jordan on dry land, The first four chapters of the sixth book of the Bible show that the 36th is cross-over season.
2 Chronicles 16:1-3 throws more light into the mystery of the 36th season. It says, “In the thirty-sixth year of the reign of Asa, Baasha king of Israel came up against Judah and built Ramah, that he might let none go out or come in to Asa king of Judah. Then Asa brought silver and gold from the treasuries of the house of the LORD and of the king’s house, and sent to Ben-Hadad king of Syria, who dwelt in Damascus, saying, “Let there be a treaty between you and me, as there was between my father and your father. See, I have sent you silver and gold; come, break your treaty with Baasha king of Israel, so that he will withdraw from me.” King Asa came under pressure because of this invasion and compromised. God rebuked Him.
The 36th Season and Modern History: The 36th year of the 20th Century (1936) was a very dark year for nations around the world. The United Kingdom experienced some royal turbulence. King George V died January 20. His oldest son succeeded him as Edward VIII. After eleven months, Edward VIII abdicated the throne; and his brother, Prince Albert took over as George VI. About ten days before the abdication of Edward VIII, fire destroyed the London Crystal Palace that was built for the 1851 Great Exhibition. Three Prime Ministers of nations also stepped down in this year – the Prime Minister of Japan, the Prime Minister of Sweden, and the Prime Minister of Greece. On March 7, Nazi Germany reoccupied the Rhineland in violation of the Treaty of Versailles and the Locarno Treaties – changing the balance of power in Europe in favor of Germany and against France and her allies. On December 1, Hitler banned scouting in Germany and forced all German boys from 10-18 years to join Hitler paramilitary organization. Jewish boys were not allowed to participate in Hitler Youth. The terrible Saint Patrick’s Day Flood hit Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania March 17-18. The fourth and fifth deadliest tornadoes in US history happened April 5-6 at Topol, Mississippi and Gainesville, Georgia respectively. On May 5-9, Italian forces, in the March of the Iron Will, occupied Addis Ababa unopposed, annexed Ethiopia, and formed the Italian East Africa from Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Italian Somaliland. The Italian forces had defeated and neutralized the army of the Ethiopian Empire on February 9-10. The North American Heat Wave that killed thousands of people happened in June and July of 1936. The Spanish Army of Africa launched a coup d’etat against the Second Spanish Republic on July 17. That was the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. Josef Stalin’s Great Purge or Great Terror that resulted in the death of hundreds of thousands began in Soviet Union in October 1936. In the 36th week of 2022 (September 8), Queen Elizabeth II died at age 96 following a 70 year reign and after appointing the 15th Prime Minister of her reign. She ascended the throne at the beginning of the 36th seven years of the United Kingdom and died end (sixth day) of the 36th week of 2022.
The season of the 36th president of United States (Lyndon B. Johnson) was full of pressures – around gun control, immigration, space program, poverty, civil rights, war against communism in Vietnam, and urban protests. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in this season (April 4, 1968). Robert F. Kennedy was shot on June 5; and pronounced dead the following day, June 6, 1968. The Joe Biden administration opened the 36th seven years of the United States on July 4, 2021. The battle between light and darkness raged at home and abroad.
In the 36th year of Nigeria (1996) was a year of repression in Nigeria. It was in the season of Abacha’s reign of terror. There were at least eight bomb blasts in different parts of the country. The 18th Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Ibrahim Dansuki, was deposed on April 20 and replaced with Alhaji Muhammad Maccido who reigned 10 years. Kudirat Abiola was murdered by unknown persons on June 4. Although six new states were created, and Nigeria won the soccer Olympics in Atlanta, the year was a dark season for the nation.
This week, decree against darkness and all its operations in our land; and in the nations of the world. Declare, in the name of Jesus, that in this 36th week, you shall not be overtaken by darkness. You shall prevail with Light because you are an abode of Light. Happy 36th week!
This week in 2022, Nigeria arrested high profile terrorist agents, informants, and suppliers, including Tukur Mamu, the self acclaimed mediator/negotiator between bandits and families of victims of abduction..
