WORD FOR 2023/5783
A Watchman's View for the Coming Year!
Source & Credits: The Global Watch
For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion,
that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved!
Romans 11:25
A. THE WILL OF GOD FOR 2023/5783
What is on the mind of God concerning the year 2023? Common threads and prophetic insights we are seeing are setting the pathway towards the focus of “Reformation.” What does that mean? We have all desired revival and fervently prayed for it, with a transformative effect happening in many places. However, we are in a war. As lawlessness increases, the Word of God will be vital to keep our love from growing cold. The pathway forward will require a visionary force with practical steps to foster reformation. It’s time for turn-around, to take action and pursue God for these three reasons:
1. To avert judgment
2. To attract His presence
3. To release His power on earth.
So, the Lord is saying 2023 is a year to focus on reformation by returning to the Word and the fear of the Lord. Much is weighing in the balance. This is a corporate word from the Global Watch Council. We pray it gives hope, encouragement, depth of perspective and vision for your lives for the coming season.
B. BIBLICAL PATTERNS FOR 2023
2023 is the 23rd year of the 21st century, and Bible passages mentioning "the 23rd year" point in the direction of reformation and returning to God or the consequence of failing to return to God.
1. GOD'S PEOPLE TO TAKE ACTION FOR CHANGE IN THE 23RD YEAR
2 Kings 12:1-10 : "In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba. [2] Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him. [3] But the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. [4] And Jehoash said to the priests, "All the money of the dedicated gifts that are brought into the house of the LORD-each man's census money, each man's assessment money-and all the money that a man purposes in his heart to bring into the house of the LORD, [5] let the priests take it themselves, each from his constituency; and let them repair the damages of the temple, wherever any dilapidation is found." [6] Now it was so, by the twenty-third year of King Jehoash, that the priests had not repaired the damages of the temple. [7] So King Jehoash called Jehoiada the priest and the other priests, and said to them, "Why have you not repaired the damages of the temple? Now therefore, do not take more money from your constituency, but deliver it for repairing the damages of the temple." [8] And the priests agreed that they would neither receive more money from the people, nor repair the damages of the temple. [9] Then Jehoiada the priest took a chest, bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of the LORD; and the priests who kept the door put there all the money brought into the house of the LORD. [10] So it was, whenever they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king's scribe and the high priest came up and put it in bags, and counted the money that was found in the house of the LORD".
2. GOD REACTS AGAINST EVIL IN THE 23RD YEAR
2 Kings 13:1-3: "In the twenty-third year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years. [2] And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin. He did not depart from them. [3] Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel, and He delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Ben-Hadad the son of Hazael, all their days".
3. THE 23RD YEAR IS THE TERMINUS OF DIVINE SILENCE AND THE BEGINNING OF REACTIONS
Jeremiah 25:1-11: "The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), [2] which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the people of Judah and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying: [3] "From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, this is the twenty-third year in which the word of the LORD has come to me; and I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, but you have not listened. [4] And the LORD has sent to you all His servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear. [5] They said, 'Repent now everyone of his evil way and his evil doings and dwell in the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers forever and ever. [6] Do not go after other gods to serve them and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands, and I will not harm you.' [7] Yet you have not listened to Me," says the LORD, "that you might provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt. [8] "Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Because you have not heard My words, [9] behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,' says the LORD, 'and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations. [10] Moreover, I will take from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. [11] And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years".
A Watchman's View for the Coming Year!
Source & Credits: The Global Watch
For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion,
that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved!
Romans 11:25
A. THE WILL OF GOD FOR 2023/5783
What is on the mind of God concerning the year 2023? Common threads and prophetic insights we are seeing are setting the pathway towards the focus of “Reformation.” What does that mean? We have all desired revival and fervently prayed for it, with a transformative effect happening in many places. However, we are in a war. As lawlessness increases, the Word of God will be vital to keep our love from growing cold. The pathway forward will require a visionary force with practical steps to foster reformation. It’s time for turn-around, to take action and pursue God for these three reasons:
1. To avert judgment
2. To attract His presence
3. To release His power on earth.
So, the Lord is saying 2023 is a year to focus on reformation by returning to the Word and the fear of the Lord. Much is weighing in the balance. This is a corporate word from the Global Watch Council. We pray it gives hope, encouragement, depth of perspective and vision for your lives for the coming season.
B. BIBLICAL PATTERNS FOR 2023
2023 is the 23rd year of the 21st century, and Bible passages mentioning "the 23rd year" point in the direction of reformation and returning to God or the consequence of failing to return to God.
1. GOD'S PEOPLE TO TAKE ACTION FOR CHANGE IN THE 23RD YEAR
2 Kings 12:1-10 : "In the seventh year of Jehu, Jehoash became king, and he reigned forty years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Zibiah of Beersheba. [2] Jehoash did what was right in the sight of the LORD all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him. [3] But the high places were not taken away; the people still sacrificed and burned incense on the high places. [4] And Jehoash said to the priests, "All the money of the dedicated gifts that are brought into the house of the LORD-each man's census money, each man's assessment money-and all the money that a man purposes in his heart to bring into the house of the LORD, [5] let the priests take it themselves, each from his constituency; and let them repair the damages of the temple, wherever any dilapidation is found." [6] Now it was so, by the twenty-third year of King Jehoash, that the priests had not repaired the damages of the temple. [7] So King Jehoash called Jehoiada the priest and the other priests, and said to them, "Why have you not repaired the damages of the temple? Now therefore, do not take more money from your constituency, but deliver it for repairing the damages of the temple." [8] And the priests agreed that they would neither receive more money from the people, nor repair the damages of the temple. [9] Then Jehoiada the priest took a chest, bored a hole in its lid, and set it beside the altar, on the right side as one comes into the house of the LORD; and the priests who kept the door put there all the money brought into the house of the LORD. [10] So it was, whenever they saw that there was much money in the chest, that the king's scribe and the high priest came up and put it in bags, and counted the money that was found in the house of the LORD".
- When the king saw the priests had been receiving money but had done nothing by the 23rd year, he took action, changed strategy and insisted the right thing be done. The 23rd year is a season of action and a time to end procrastination. It is a time of awakening towards delayed revival projects.
2. GOD REACTS AGAINST EVIL IN THE 23RD YEAR
2 Kings 13:1-3: "In the twenty-third year of Joash the son of Ahaziah, king of Judah, Jehoahaz the son of Jehu became king over Israel in Samaria, and reigned seventeen years. [2] And he did evil in the sight of the LORD, and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin. He did not depart from them. [3] Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Israel, and He delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Ben-Hadad the son of Hazael, all their days".
- Change in the 23rd year should be one that advances the will of God and honours Him. Otherwise, judgment could follow.
3. THE 23RD YEAR IS THE TERMINUS OF DIVINE SILENCE AND THE BEGINNING OF REACTIONS
Jeremiah 25:1-11: "The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), [2] which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the people of Judah and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying: [3] "From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, this is the twenty-third year in which the word of the LORD has come to me; and I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, but you have not listened. [4] And the LORD has sent to you all His servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear. [5] They said, 'Repent now everyone of his evil way and his evil doings and dwell in the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers forever and ever. [6] Do not go after other gods to serve them and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands, and I will not harm you.' [7] Yet you have not listened to Me," says the LORD, "that you might provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt. [8] "Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Because you have not heard My words, [9] behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,' says the LORD, 'and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations. [10] Moreover, I will take from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. [11] And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years".
- Jeremiah preached to the people for 22 years (from the 13th year of Josiah's reign). There was no change. By the 23rd year of his ministry, he announced that a 70-year captivity was on the way.
- In the same way, God made heaven and earth and man in the first book of the Bible. In the 23rd book of the Bible, he called heaven and earth to witness against man.
- Malachi 4:5-6, the last verses of scripture before 400 years of silence carry significant weight. The spirit of Elijah is rising in the nations. As the nations rage and the anti-christ spirit intensifies, Malachi 4:5-6 is coming into view. God is moving to release the spirit of Elijah as a restorative force in the world and an intergenerational grace to connect and build is underway.