The 44th Week: The Mystery of October 29 – November 4

Welcome to the 44th week of the year. The forty-fourth week is the second week in the seventh seven weeks of the year. The Bible model for understanding the 44th season consists of the second day of creation narrative, the 44th book of the Bible, the 44th chapters of the Bible, and the second three chapters of the book of Judges.

The 44th week is a second day of creation week. On the second day of creation, God made the firmament to forcefully thwart the monopoly of the waters. God used the firmament to make a way where there is no way; and He called the firmament heaven. As a second-day-of-creation week, the 44th week is a season when Heaven makes a way where there is no way. God sends help from heaven to make a way where there is no way. This is a week of pain and pressures.  This is a week in which God (exceptionally) makes a way where there is no way.

Week 44 is a 44th-chapters-of-the-Bible week. In Genesis 44, Benjamin was arrested by the Egyptian authorities for an offense he did not commit. Joseph commanded his servants to hide his silver cup in Benjamin’s sack. As Benjamin and his older brothers journeyed back home, Egyptians went after them, stooped them, searched them, and arrested Benjamin for ‘stealing’ Joseph’s cup. They brought the travelers back to the city. Joseph knew they did no wrong but had his reasons for doing what he did, but his brothers did not know what was going on. He used his power and authority on them. It was a set-up. Judah, who had pledged his life to Jacob for Benjamin, stood to plead for Benjamin. He was Benjamin’s advocate. All of that was to prove to those who had fought God and Joseph’s dreams that God is greater than them all. They would learn that later. The 44th week is a week of set-ups. This is a week when those who master-mind things can also turn to attack or prosecute those who fall into their traps. This is a week when those who have done good and those who have done no wrong can be accused, arrested, and called to judgment. This is a week of traps and snares. In this 44th week, the upright may seem to be in big trouble but God will turn things around to favor them.

In Psalm 44, God’s people, remembering the ancient works of God, called on God to step into their case with help. Psalm 44:1-8,22-26 says, “We have heard with our ears, O God, Our fathers have told us, The deeds You did in their days, In days of old: You drove out the nations with Your hand, But them You planted; You afflicted the peoples, and cast them out. For they did not gain possession of the land by their own sword, Nor did their own arm save them; But it was Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance, Because You favored them. You are my King, O God; Command victories for Jacob. Through You we will push down our enemies; Through Your name we will trample those who rise up against us. For I will not trust in my bow, Nor shall my sword save me. But You have saved us from our enemies, And have put to shame those who hated us. In God we boast all day long, And praise Your name forever. Selah Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Awake! Why do You sleep, O Lord? Arise! Do not cast us off forever. Why do You hide Your face, And forget our affliction and our oppression? For our soul is bowed down to the dust; Our body clings to the ground. Arise for our help, And redeem us for Your mercies’ sake”. This is a week of absolute trust and confidence in God. This week, you cannot be too busy or too forgetful to pray.

In Isaiah 44, God is the Redeemer of Israel – His people whom He formed and chose. In this chapter, God mocked idols and those who worship them; and promised to restore Judah. The 44th season is a season of power-clashes. It is when the power of God is revealed. This is a week to focus on the powerful Living God.

Isaiah 44:1-8 says, “Yet hear now, O Jacob My servant, And Israel whom I have chosen. Thus says the LORD who made you And formed you from the womb, who will help you: ‘Fear not, O Jacob My servant; And you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen. For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, And floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, And My blessing on your offspring; They will spring up among the grass Like willows by the watercourses.’ One will say, ‘I am the LORD’s’; Another will call himself by the name of Jacob; Another will write with his hand, ‘The LORD’s,’ And name himself by the name of Israel. “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God. And who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me, Since I appointed the ancient people. And the things that are coming and shall come, Let them show these to them. Do not fear, nor be afraid; Have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.'” Isaiah 44: 21-28 says “Remember these, O Jacob, And Israel, for you are My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant; O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me! I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, And like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you.” Sing, O heavens, for the LORD has done it! Shout, you lower parts of the earth; Break forth into singing, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it! For the LORD has redeemed Jacob, And glorified Himself in Israel. Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, And He who formed you from the womb: “I am the LORD, who makes all things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself; Who frustrates the signs of the babblers, And drives diviners mad; Who turns wise men backward, And makes their knowledge foolishness; Who confirms the word of His servant, And performs the counsel of His messengers; Who says to Jerusalem, ‘You shall be inhabited,’ To the cities of Judah, ‘You shall be built,’ And I will raise up her waste places; Who says to the deep, ‘Be dry! And I will dry up your rivers’; Who says of Cyrus, ‘He is My shepherd, And he shall perform all My pleasure, Saying to Jerusalem, “You shall be built,” And to the temple, “Your foundation shall be laid.”‘ Isaiah 44:9-20 indicates that the 44th season is a time to open the eyes of men the weakness and folly of idol-worship; and turn them to the living God. Isaiah 44:9-20 says, “Those who make an image, all of them are useless, And their precious things shall not profit; They are their own witnesses; They neither see nor know, that they may be ashamed. [10] Who would form a god or mold an image That profits him nothing? [11] Surely all his companions would be ashamed; And the workmen, they are mere men. Let them all be gathered together, Let them stand up; Yet they shall fear, They shall be ashamed together. [12] The blacksmith with the tongs works one in the coals, Fashions it with hammers, And works it with the strength of his arms. Even so, he is hungry, and his strength fails; He drinks no water and is faint. [13] The craftsman stretches out his rule, He marks one out with chalk; He fashions it with a plane, He marks it out with the compass, And makes it like the figure of a man, According to the beauty of a man, that it may remain in the house. [14] He cuts down cedars for himself, And takes the cypress and the oak; He secures it for himself among the trees of the forest. He plants a pine, and the rain nourishes it. [15] Then it shall be for a man to burn, For he will take some of it and warm himself; Yes, he kindles it and bakes bread; Indeed he makes a god and worships it; He makes it a carved image, and falls down to it. [16] He burns half of it in the fire; With this half he eats meat; He roasts a roast, and is satisfied. He even warms himself and says, “Ah! I am warm, I have seen the fire.” [17] And the rest of it he makes into a god, His carved image. He falls down before it and worships it, Prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!” [18] They do not know nor understand; For He has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, And their hearts, so that they cannot understand. [19] And no one considers in his heart, Nor is there knowledge nor understanding to say, “I have burned half of it in the fire, Yes, I have also baked bread on its coals; I have roasted meat and eaten it; And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” [20] He feeds on ashes; A deceived heart has turned him aside; And he cannot deliver his soul, Nor say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

In the 44th book of the Bible (Acts), God used the ministry of Paul and his associates to turn many from idolatry to serve the living God.

God is final authority in the 44th season. He will show His strength in this 44th week.

Jeremiah 44 is God’s counsel against unbelievers who heard His Word from Jeremiah but rejected it and went to Egypt. Jeremiah 44:26-28 says, “Therefore hear the word of the LORD, all Judah who dwell in the land of Egypt: ‘Behold, I have sworn by My great name,’ says the LORD, ‘that My name shall no more be named in the mouth of any man of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, “The Lord GOD lives.” Behold, I will watch over them for adversity and not for good. And all the men of Judah who are in the land of Egypt shall be consumed by the sword and by famine, until there is an end to them. Yet a small number who escape the sword shall return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah; and all the remnant of Judah, who have gone to the land of Egypt to dwell there, shall know whose words will stand, Mine or theirs”.

God is the Ruler and Lawgiver in the 44th season.

In Ezekiel 44, God gave the new rules for the Temple. In this chapter, the Lord is absolute authority. The gate He passed through is to be shut and no one is to pass through it; because the Lord passed through it. The Lord also gave commands concerning the Prince, the Levites, and Priests.  They are all subject to God’s commands. 

The 44th week is a Judges 4-6 week. The second three chapters of the seventh book of the Bible is applicable to the second week in the seventh 49 days of the year. Deborah and Barak emerged in the fourth chapter and defeated Jabin’s army that was under the command of Sisera in the fifth changer. Gideon emerged in the sixth chapter; empowered by the spirit of God to lead Israel to battle against the Midianites. God used women to do great work in the first two chapters. God sends help from despised and unexpected quarters in 44th seasons like this 44th week.

The 44th week is a book-of-Acts week. The book of Acts is the 44th book of the Bible; and is applicable to the 44th week. In this book, God sent the Helper, the Holy Spirit to the Church. He was the secret behind the phenomenal growth of the church in the book of Acts. In the book of Acts, the authorities did everything to put the Church of Jesus Christ in check. The church submitted to God rather than submitting to the dictates of the human authorities. They said, “We would obey God rather than men”. There were reactions from the authorities (false accusation, physical abuse, imprisonment, and killings) but God always proved Himself greater than the authorities and their schemes. He granted mysterious escapes and deliverances to His persecuted people. God demonstrated His Superior Power to thwart the monopoly of hindering and opposing human authorities; and advance His church. He granted power for miracles and amazing signs to His Christ-followers; and opened prisons mysteriously to release His servants. The church was unstoppable in the book of Acts. The 44th week is when God makes way, forcefully, where there is no way. God sends help in second seasons like this44th week. The 44th week could be a season of harassment and intimidation through persecution; a season arrests, physical abuses, and incarceration; but it is also a season of mysterious deliverances and escapes. The 44th season is a season of conflict between liberals and conservatives, between, those who know God and those who do not; and between the weak and the strong.  The seasons compels those who know God to call upon Him for help and intervention. It is a season of conflict between the gods and God; in which God demonstrates His sovereignty and superior majesty. The word ‘prison’ appears in 66 verses in the entire New Testament (NKJV). Twenty-nine of those verses are in the book of Acts. In this book, God demonstrated that human prisons and security guards were like toys before Him. Through prayer and manifestations of the power of God, the Church remained unstoppable; and even wore out the human authorities. The 44th season is a season of intense battle. The Lord clothed His Church with power at the beginning of the 44th book of the Bible because the 44th season is for ‘clash of powers’ and ‘show of force’. As the Church was unstoppable in the 44th book of the Bible, that is how you should be unstoppable this 44th week of the year. 

How has the mystery of the 44th season played out in modern history?

THE YEAR 1944

1944 was a year of mass escape attempts from prison. The Cowra breakout of August 5 involving over 499 Japanese POW, the great escape of March 1944 involving 75 Royal Air Force POWs, and the ozbalt raid leading to the escape of 105 people. 1944 was the year of Operation Overlord when the strength of the Nazi adversary was broken at the Battle Normandy – the beginning of the end of the War. 

THE 44TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

In the season of the 44th president of the United States, the strong man of Al-Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, and the strong man of Libya, Muammar Ghadafi, fell. There was also persecution against those who stood against same-sex marriage laws. 

THE 44TH YEAR OF NIGERIA 

In the 44th year of Nigeria (October 2003 – October 2004), there were violent clashes in Portharcourt and Yelwa – Plateau State and Kano. That was about the first year of Obasanjo’s second term. Boko Haram launched their first attack in Yobe State in the 44th year of Nigeria (between December 23-31, 2003). 

This week in Nigeria (2018), Shi’ite Muslims backing the cause of Zakzaky, and demanding his release from prison will protest in Abuja for three days. They are daring the government and also seeking to possess the airspace over Aso Rock. The 44th season is a season of clashes with authorities. 

This week, the Lord will deliver you from haters and persecutors of the guiltless and innocent. Receive strength to pray; and expect supernatural intervention in your circumstances. This 44th week of the year, God will send you needed (but unexpected) help as He did in the 44th book of the Bible. Mysterious interventions are on the way. Someone is praying for you!  Happy 44th week!!!