Welcome to the third week of the year! This is the second major ‘3rd’ in the year. The first was the third day. The others are the third month and the third seven weeks (49 days). The third week of the year has its pattern in the 3rd day of creation narrative; the third book and chapters of the Bible, the third seven books of the Bible, and the third seven chapters of Genesis, the first book of the Bible. The third week of the year is a prototype of the third seven weeks of the year.
Week 3 is a third-day-of-creation week. God did three things on the third day of creation: Firstly, He commanded the waters under heaven to be gathered together in one place; and named the gathering together of the waters sea. The moving of the waters is like dismantling the barrier between heaven and earth. Secondly, He commanded the dry ground to appear; and named the dry ground earth. Thirdly, He commanded the dry ground to bring forth seed-yielding grasses and fruit-yielding trees. This is the first delegation of duty revealed in the Bible. The third season is for overthrowing top hindering-forces, manifesting hidden platforms, and releasing productive systems.
Week 3 is a book of Leviticus week. Leviticus is the third book of the Bible and is about Israel’s spiritual platform and foundation – consisting of the priesthood, the offerings, tabernacle, and festivals. The priests and Levites were also called and consecrated to serve Israel full time. The were in the service of God as the God called the dry ground to bring forth and uphold vegetation. The book of Leviticus is about purity, offerings, and sacrifices. God demands purity, holiness, devotion, and consecration, in the third season. The ministry of the priests in the book of Leviticus is to ensure there is no sin-barrier between heaven and earth. On the third day of creation, God removed the water-barrier between heaven and earth.
Week 3 is a third-chapters-of-the-Bible week. There are 60 third chapters in the Bible and they reveal, among other things, that:
1. The third season is a game changing season. That is when the direction of the future is determined. Everything changed for man and the earth in Genesis 3.
2. The third season is the season of the call of God. Moses Samuel, John the Baptist, and Jesus of Nazareth, received the call of God in the third chapters. Those were also turning point chapters.
3. The third season is a season of sacrifice. The first sacrifice is recorded in Genesis 3. Solomon, the third king of Israel, offered a great sacrifice in the third chapter of First Kings and had a life changing divine visitation in his dream.
4. The third season is a season of breakthroughs when barriers are removed. Israel crossed Jordan in Joshua 3.
Week 3 is a Genesis 15-21 week. From this third-seven chapters of Genesis, we learn, again, that the third season is a season of bringing forth. In Genesis 15, God spoke to Abram about the multitude of children, innumerable as the stars, that would come from him and his wife. In Genesis 16, Hagar gave birth to Ishmael for Abram. In Genesis 17, God changed Abram’s name to Abraham; and Sarai’s name to Sarah. Circumcision was instituted as a token of covenant with God. In Genesis 18, God reiterated his promise to Abraham and Sarah and gave the appointed time for the birth of the child to be the following year. This was fulfilled in Genesis 21. Abraham and Sarah were like dry ground bringing forth vegetation on the third day of creation.
Week 3 is a third-seven-books-of-the-Bible week. The third seven books of the Bible are Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. They are books revival, restoration, devotion, and wisdom. They are books of deep spirituality. These books indicate that the third season is a recovery and restoration. They are also teach that the third season is a season of great devotion and commitment to God, His word, and ways. Thirdly, the third seven books reveal that the third season is an anti-death season for devoted saints. The books say a lot about deliverance and escape from death.
Week 3 is a Ecclesiastes-to-Amos week. Going through any 49-day season, 49-week season, or 49-year season is like taking a journey through the Bible. In a 49-day season (like the first 49 days of the year) the first 4 weeks is the Old Testament side of the seven weeks or 49 days. The last 3 weeks of the seven weeks is the New Testament side of the 49 days. The third 10 books of the Old Testament is applicable to the 3rd week in the 49-day season. The third 10 books of the Bible are Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Joel, and Amos. The Holy Spirit allowed the placement of the major prophetic books in this section of the Bible because it reveals that ‘the third’ is the season of the Voice and Word of the Lord. Those prophets expressed the Voice of God.
CLOSING: Welcome to the week of change of story and direction. Welcome to the turning point week. Welcome to the week of assignments. This is beginning of the third week of the year (day 15 – day 21). The waters and the dry ground (things already existing) heard God’s voice on the third day of creation and responded. Vegetation was born! Adam and Eve heard the voice of God in Genesis 3 but hid themselves. Moses heard and responded to the call of God in Exodus 3. Samuel heard the voice of God and became a prophet in First Samuel 3. Solomon heard the voice of God that changed his life in First Kings 3. John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth received the voice from heaven in the third chapters of Matthew and Luke. Be sensitive to hear and respond to the Voice of recruitment coming this week. A new chapter is opening this week for individuals, families, organizations, and nations. Change is in the atmosphere. Get ready! Be sensitive and wise. Adam and Eve opened a negative new chapter for humanity in Genesis 3. In Exodus 3, a new chapter opened, leading to Israel’s deliverance from Egyptian bondage. In Esther 3, a new turning-point chapter opened with Haman’s promotion and his clash with Mordecai. It changed the story line. With the healing of the lame man at the Beautiful Gate in Acts 3, everything changed for the apostles and the early church. The church at the upper room returned to ground-level operations to shake and change the world. As watchmen and gatekeepers, we must seize this gate of time and do the needful this week.
This week, may your life, family, territory, and our world, experience the Voice of God and other third-season things that follow. Happy third week.
PRAYER POINTS FOR THIS WEEK
1. Let this third week of the year be a season of containment for dysfunctional waters hindering or limiting the manifestation of God’s purposes in the nation – as it happened on the third day of creation.
2. Let this week be a season for the emergence and manifestation of hidden but productive people and platforms in the land (Moses, Samuel, Mordecai, Shedrach and friends, John, Jesus, Apostles). Let it be for the manifestation of sacrificial servant leaders.as with the Levites in the third book of the Bible.
3. Pray that this is a week of stepping out of the water as in Joshua 3, Matthew 3 and Luke 3
4. Let this week work against death and dryness. Pray against the partnership between the third season and the spirit of death (Genesis 3; Esther 3 and Daniel 3). This week, let life triumph over death as dry ground brought forth vegetation on the third day of creation and as Jesus rose from the dead on the third day.
