Welcome to the 41st week of the year. Week 41 is the sixth week in the sixth 49 days of the year. It is a core sixth-season week in the year. It covers days 281 – 287 (October 8-14 in a clear year; and October 7-13 in a leap year). The Bible patterns for understanding the mystery of the 41st week are
The sixth day of creation narrative
The 41st book of the Bible
The 41st chapters of the Bible
The sixth 3 chapters (16-18) of the 6th book of the Bible.
Week 41 is a sixth-day-of-creation-week. On the sixth day, God made man in His image and after His likeness; and gave him authority and power to rule, subdue, and dominate the rest of God’s living creatures. The sixth season is for arresting and crushing rebellion. It is a season to rule and exercise dominion. It is a season of divine invasion. The sixth season is the ruler’s season. It is a season to either live and prosper through Divine Counsel or fail and perish through rejection of Counsel. It is a season to exalt, and deliver promises to, God’s humble agents. The 41st is a season of exalting faith in God above reasoning and rationalization. It is a season of operating with divine wisdom. The sixth book and chapters of the Bible reveal that Week 41 is a season of running with divine counsel. It is a week to wage war with counsel.
Week 41 is a Book-of-Mark week. The Gospel according to Mark is the 41st book of the Bible. This book is a book of rapid results and ‘immediate effect’. Mark gave no room to the genealogy and birth of Jesus or John the Baptist. In the book, Jesus is on the move and in a hurry to bring good news. In the entire New Testament, the word ‘immediately’ is used in 101 verses; but in Mark alone, it is used in 36 verses. That is about than 36%. In that book, Jesus took on the challenge of the hour; operated as one having authority; doing what the Pharisees and scribes could not do – teaching, casting out demons and healing the sick. Mark’s gospel is a book of ‘can’ and ‘cannot’. In the first chapter, a leper said to Jesus, “You can make me clean”. In the fifth chapter, the woman with the issue of blood said, “If I can touch…I shall be made whole”. In the same chapter, Jesus delivered a demon-possessed man that could not be bound or tamed with fetters. In the ninth chapter, a man whose son was demon-possessed said to Jesus, “If you can do something, please, help me”. In the same chapter, Jesus said, “If you can believe, all things are possible….” The 41st season is a time to stand up to great challenges.
The 41st week is a week of good news. The Gospel according to Mark opened with “The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God”. In this book, Jesus is the agent of God (the man in God’s image and likeness) exercising rule – casting demons out, cleansing lepers, and performing all kinds of cure. It was a season of good news to the sick and the sinful. This is a week of pressures and pressing desperately for answers. The multitudes that ran after Jesus in this book were looking for answers. Men are promoted, especially, through problem-solving in the 41st season. It is also a week to triumph over evil spirits and their activities by the Spirit of God. The word ‘demon’ is used in 75 verses in the entire New Testament; but is used in 16 verses in Mark alone. That is more than 20%. It is a week to tame the Leviathan. There is more mention of ‘demon’ and ‘unclean spirit’ in the book of Mark than in the other gospel accounts. Jesus cast out the evil spirits because He was filled with the Spirit of God. Problem solvers of the 41st season need the Spirit of God. The appearance of Jesus, in the book of Mark is visitation from the Lord. This is a week of good news to all. In the last chapter of the 41st book, Jesus commanded His disciples to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature” (Mark 16:15). May this week be “the beginning of the good news” for you. Week 41 is a season of triumphing over demons and bring help to men.
Week 41 is a 41-Chapters-of-the-Bible week. The 41st season is a season of tough challenges that promote those who deliver answers. It is a season of “Can you do it?” In Genesis 41, Joseph was taken in to interpret Pharaoh’s dream which the astrologers could not. Pharaoh said to him, “… I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.” Joseph gave the credit to God: Genesis 41:16 says, “So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying,“ It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of peace.” That great challenge became the greatest opportunity of his life. Joseph exalted God, interpreted Pharaoh’s dream and gave him counsel. He was made the second ruler in all Egypt. The 41st season is the ruler’s season. Genesis 41:39-41 says, “Then Pharaoh said to Joseph, “Inasmuch as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you. You shall be over my house, and all my people shall be ruled according to your word; only in regard to the throne will I be greater than you.” And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt.” Joseph solved the problem of Pharaoh by the Spirit of God; and was promoted.
In Job 41, the Leviathan is called “king over all the children of pride.” The Leviathan is a tough challenge. Job 41 opens with a question: “Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook, Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower? Can you put a reed through his nose, Or pierce his jaw with a hook?” Handling the Leviathan is a tough challenge. The 41st season is a season of visitation on those who meet certain standards or criteria. In Psalm 41, a door of blessing and preservation is opened to the one who takes the challenge to reach out to the poor. Psalm 41:1-3 says, “Blessed is he who considers the poor; The LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him and keep him alive, And he will be blessed on the earth; You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies. The LORD will strengthen him on his bed of illness; You will sustain him on his sickbed”. Will you be the one that considers the poor?
Isaiah 41 is a challenge from the Lord to anyone or idol that thinks he is a match to Him to come up. Isaiah 41:1-4 says, “Keep silence before Me, O coastlands, And let the people renew their strength! Let them come near, then let them speak; Let us come near together for judgment. [2] “Who raised up one from the east? Who in righteousness called him to His feet? Who gave the nations before him, And made him rule over kings? Who gave them as the dust to his sword, As driven stubble to his bow? [3] Who pursued them, and passed safely By the way that he had not gone with his feet? [4] Who has performed and done it, Calling the generations from the beginning? ‘I, the LORD, am the first; And with the last I am He.”
In Jeremiah 41, Johanan the son of Kareah subdued Ishmael who had murdered Gedaliah and carried many people. He recovered the people from the hand Ishmael though Ishmael escaped. The 41st week is the week of ‘able men’ and ‘able women’. The 41st season is a season of measurement and assessment; to ensure conformity to desired standards; to correct things that are out of order, and crush rebellion against Divine Order. Ezekiel 41 is the Prophet’s vision of measurement of the temple. In measurements, the measuring rule, line, or taper, rules. There’s always a standard for measurements. Where there is measurements, you cannot do things anyhow you want. Measurements tell you what to do. So, an instruments of measurement is a ruler. It qualifies or disqualifies. It takes in or throws out. This is a season when men are weighed – for who they are; and for what they can do.
Week 41 is a Joshua 19-21 week. The sixth three chapters of the sixth book of the Bible is applicable to the sixth week in the sixth 49 days of the year. In Joshua 16-18, Ephraim, West Manasseh, and Benjamin, took their inheritance. The whole land had been subdued but the people were hesitant to possess their inheritance. Manasseh could not drive out the people in the Land. They later subjected them to forced labor. This week, can you stand to take what belongs to you?
The 41st and Modern history
How has the mystery of the 41st played out in modern history? The United States did not enter WW2 until 1941 when she was challenged by the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. Participating in the war helped the US stand out, bigger, as a World Power. George H. W. Bush was the 41st president of the United States. In his season, Iraq, under Saddam Hussein, annexed the oil-rich Kuwait. The Gulf War erupted. Bush ’41 and the American forces subdued Saddam Husseini and Iraq; and delivered Kuwait from annexation. He also ordered the invasion of Panama and deposed the dictatorial Manuel Noriega (though not without reactions from the international community). His season was a season of good news in different ways. His administration saw the collapse of the Soviet Union and of the Berlin Wall expressing the re-unification of Germany. The 41st season is a time to witness the collapse of the works of the enemy. In 2001, the 41st year of Nigeria, the city of Jos was overtaken by demons in the September 7-17 ethno-religious riots that killed over 1000, wounded 5000, and displaced 50, 000 people; besides vehicles, houses, and church buildings and mosques that were destroyed.
Will you stand to the challenge of this week? The 41st season is a time to stand up to great challenges. It’s your time to rule. Can you do it? Can you interpret the dream? Can you tackle the leviathan? Can you cast out the demon? Yes, you can! May this week open with good news for you! May the task of this week end with good news for you. Happy 41st week!!!
