In our lives, we can get into situations in which it seems that we have lost something promised, which the adversary wants to use to stop us on our way with Christ Jesus.

 

When God meets us with a greater presence of Himself than we knew before, it is possible that we enter into new challenges that are designed by God to expand us in our spirit man to stand on a new level.

 

This is clearly illustrated, for example, by the encounter of the prophet Elijah with the widow who, in the midst of a famine, was chosen by God to first give the prophet some of the food left that she had prepared for herself and her son (cf. 1 Kings 17:9-13).

 

1 Kings 17:9-13:
9 ‘Go at once to Zarephath in the region of Sidon and stay there. I have instructed a widow there to supply you with food.’
10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, ‘Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?’
11 As she was going to get it, he called, ‘And bring me, please, a piece of bread.’
12 ‘As surely as the Lord your God lives,’ she replied, ‘I don’t have any bread – only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it – and die.’
13 Elijah said to her, ‘Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son.

 

The widow had already experienced a loss in her life at this point, as her husband had died earlier.
When the prophet Elijah entered her life and she served him with her food, she experienced increasing provision with her son in the midst of a famine (cf. 1 Kings 17:14-16).

 

1 Kings 17:14-16:
14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: “The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.” ’
15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.
16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

 

After experiencing the miracle of provision, she entered her next challenge, which involved the loss of her son while the prophet was present (cf. 1 Kings 17:17).

 

1 Kings 17:17:
17 Some time later the son of the woman who owned the house became ill. He grew worse and worse, and finally stopped breathing.

 

Since the widow had previously been chosen by God to honor His prophetic presence in the form of providing for the prophet Elijah, it shows that she was at the center of God’s will despite the impending death of her son.

 

Thus, it is so essential that we do not judge from an earthly point of view the circumstances we get into. We should be aware that God is always in control and has a very specific purpose, which is akin to the process of a computer while ‘updating’ in the form of ‘downloading’ to ‘uploading’ (cf. Romans 8:28).

 

Romans 8:28:
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

 

The process of ‘downloading’ in order to ‘upload’ includes as a result a higher and better quality in our lives. It is similar to the process of updating a device by downloading a new version of a program. To activate this installation, it occasionally requires the so-called ‘reboot’, which requires shutting down the system.

 

This updating process involves letting go of things so that they come to the center of God’s communication for the future, which is represented by the presence of the prophet Elijah. The widow, after the death of her son, was told to give the body from her lap to the prophet so that he would bring the son into the higher realm of divine expansion and promise, which is represented by the bed in the upper room (cf. 1 Kings 17:19).

 

1 Kings 17:19:
19 ‘Give me your son,’ Elijah replied. He took him from her arms, carried him to the upper room where he was staying, and laid him on his bed.

 

It is the adversary’s plan that we embrace the sorrow of loss and unite it with the pain from the past to block us in our path of God’s promise. Therefore, like the widow, it is important that we have prepared a place for the prophetic anointing wherein it can activate in order to bring forth the new or higher quality.

 

The area of the upper room prepared by the widow with the bed for the prophet reveals the potential of the quality located there.

 

This is evident from the Hebrew word used for ‘upper room – ‘ălîjāh’. It means a ‘room on the top floor, a room on the roof’, or ‘something lofty, like a stairway leading up’. Figuratively, it also means ‘sky’. (part excerpt from the Elberfelder Study Bible on the word Hebrew for ‘upper room – ‘ălîjāh’ with word key number 6062 and Strong's concordance with word key number: H5944)

 

The Hebrew root word for ‘bed’ is ‘nāṭāh’ and means, among other things, ‘to stretch out, to spread out.’

 

Based on the meaning of the word, it reveals that it is in God’s interest to bring us to a higher place with His given promises and to stretch out in the dynamic of the new wine in order to carry greater capacity for the time to come.

 

The promise given by God to the widow in the form of her son was overshadowed by the prophetic presence assigned by God as Elijah bent over the dead body of the boy three times. This was the process of extension through the action of the prophetic anointing, which involves the communication of God’s will (cf. 1 Kings 17:21-22).

 

1 Kings 17:21-22:
21 Then he stretched himself out on the boy three times and cried out to the Lord, ‘Lord my God, let this boy’s life return to him!’
22 The Lord heard Elijah’s cry, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived.

 

The resurrection resulted in the widow’s entering into a higher knowledge of revelatory truth, as is evident from her statement to the prophet (cf. 1 Kings 17:23-24).

 

1 Kings 17:23-24:
23 Elijah picked up the child and carried him down from the room into the house. He gave him to his mother and said, ‘Look, your son is alive!’
24 Then the woman said to Elijah, ‘Now I know that you are a man of God and that the word of the Lord from your mouth is the truth.’

 

It was the spirit of prophecy that contributed to the ‘upgrading of quality’ in the widow’s life, in that Elijah, as a prophet, placed the boy’s body in the upper room in his bed previously prepared by the widow and brought him back to life by the power of God. After the boy came back to life, he brought him downstairs to his mother’s house.

 

From this it shows that it is required that we should already have a place prepared for the prophetic anointing to allow the Lord to speak to us in times of challenge the revelatory truth that we need in order to align ourselves according to His will for the coming time and to walk in it.

 

A similar situation of ‘upgrading of quality’ occurred at the time of the prophet Elisha, where also the promised son of a wealthy woman died. However, this was a married couple who lost their son together. They too had prepared an upper room for the prophet, in which there was a bed, a table, a chair and a lampstand (Note: menorah; cf. 2 Kings 4:8-11.18-21.32-35).

 

2 Kings 4:8-11.18-21.32-35:
8 One day Elisha went to Shunem. And a well-to-do woman was there, who urged him to stay for a meal. So whenever he passed by, he stopped there to eat.
9 She said to her husband, ‘I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God.
10 Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.’
11 One day when Elisha came, he went up to his room and lay down there. …
18 The child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the reapers.
19 He said to his father, ‘My head! My head!’ His father told a servant, ‘Carry him to his mother.’
20 After the servant had lifted him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died.
21 She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, then shut the door and went out. …
32 When Elisha reached the house, there was the boy lying dead on his couch.
33 He went in, shut the door on the two of them and prayed to the Lord.
34 Then he got on the bed and lay on the boy, mouth to mouth, eyes to eyes, hands to hands. As he stretched himself out on him, the boy’s body grew warm.
35 Elisha turned away and walked back and forth in the room and then got onto the bed and stretched out on him once more. The boy sneezed seven times and opened his eyes.

 

From the two events of the recovery of the promise mentioned above, it can be seen that it was the prepared upper room of the prophets that played a major role in the raising of the dead.

 

Elijah, through his prophetic ministry, brought a destiny back to life and Elisha, through his prophetic ministry, restored the order and power of the spiritual war unit called family represented as a family in the form of father, mother and child as the origin of ekklesia, so that they were able to defend the field of the future harvest from darkness and cultivate it before their eyes.
Both sons were placed in the bed of a prophet in the upper room because in it was the power of the testimony of Jesus, which is the spirit of prophecy (cf. Revelation 19:10e).

 

Revelation 19:10e:
‘ … 10e For it is the Spirit of prophecy who bears testimony to Jesus.’

 

 

The prophet’s upper room is the place that calls for resting in the center of God’s promise that has come upon a person through prophecy. But it is also a reference to true fellowship with Christ (Note: table), His kingship (Note: chair), as well as His revelatory power (Note: lampstand; cf. 2 Kings 4:10).

 

2 Kings 4:10:
‘… 10 Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.’

 

On the basis of Elisha’s action toward the dead body of the boy and the three objects located next to the bed in the room, namely the table, the chair and the lampstand, I received a revelation regarding the carrying of spiritual burdens until the time of the so-called spiritual birth.

 

If you connect the first Hebrew letter (Note: ‘Peh, Ayin, Yod’) of each of the words for ‘mouth, eyes’ and ‘hands’, you get the Hebrew word ‘pā'î’, which is derived from the Hebrew root word ‘pā'ā’ and means ‘to groan, in birthing’. (part excerpt from Strong’s Concordance to the Hebrew words ‘pā'î’ and ‘pā'ā’ with word key number: H6463; H6464).

 

This Hebrew word occurs only once in the Word of God in Isaiah 42:14, where the LORD previously appears as a hero and then gives birth in the form of a pregnant woman.

 

Isaiah 42:13-14:
13 The Lord will march out like a champion, like a warrior he will stir up his zeal; with a shout he will raise the battle cry and will triumph over his enemies.
14 ‘For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held myself back. But now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out, I gasp and pant.

 

Furthermore, the LORD places His emphasis on the respective first three Hebrew letters (Note: ‘Shin, Kaph, Mem’) of the three located objects (Note: table, chair, and lampstand) in Elisha's upper room.

 

If you connect the first Hebrew letter of each of the words for ‘table, chair’ and ‘candlestick’, you get the Hebrew words ‘šākam’ and ‘šĕkäm’, meaning ‘to get up early, to do something early’ and ‘shoulder, neck, back’. (part excerpt from the Elberfelder Study Bible on the Hebrew words ‘šākam’ and ‘šĕkäm’ with the word key number: 8201, 8202).

 

Through the word explanations it clearly shows that we enter the new day prepared by God and move forward in it in the responsibility assigned by Him with His anointing given to us. We administer things accordingly so that Jesus Christ as the Son of God comes to glory in a new way (cf. Matthew 11:29-30 i.c.w. Isaiah 10:27).

 

Matthew 11:29-30:
‘… 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.’

Isaiah 10:27:
27 In that day their burden will be lifted from your shoulders, their yoke from your neck; the yoke will be broken because you have grown so fat (Note: by the anointing).

 

Amen and Amen.

 

In His Wisdom,

 

Daniel Glimm

(artwork from the team of CRAZYCHRISTIANS)

 

Beloved People of God,

 

according to 1 Corinthians 13:9 we know in part, therefore we want to use our prophetic perspective regarding the new biblical year 5783 on the basis of this scripture.

 

1 Corinthians 13:9:
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, …

 

On the eve of the 25’th of September 2022 we as the Body of Christ together with the Jewish people enter the new biblical year 5783 also called the cycle of blessing or ‘civil year’. For us, who have been grafted as wild olive shoots into the precious olive tree, it is vital to acknowledge this, because we partake in the fatness of the root, in the anointing contained therein (cf. Romans 11:17-18).

 

Romans 11:17-18:
17 If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, 18 do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.

 

 

According to Zechariah 2:8b, Israel is the apple of God’s eye with Jerusalem functioning as His pupil; so for us as Christians from the gentile nations it is beneficial to look at our lives and environment through Israel. This will result in walking confidently and with enlightened eyes into our future with Jesus Christ.

 

Zechariah 2:8b:
… 8b for whoever touches you (Note: Israel) touches the apple of his eye.

 

The revelations we receive by this approach contain strategies helping us to position our lives in the center of the will and peace of God, just as Epaphras prayed (cf. Colossians 4:12).

 

Colossians 4:12:
12 Epaphras, who is one of you and a servant of Christ Jesus, sends greetings. He is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.

 

 

As God’s people we are currently in the biblical cycle of the ‘eighties’ linked to the Hebrew letter ‘Pe’ which, amongst others, means ‘mouth’.

 

This is the decade connected to the verbal ‘expression of knowledge’, and it brings forth that which was spoken through words. Moreover, according to this, in its beginning it also forms the basis for further years within this biblical decade (cf. Habakkuk 2:14 i.c.w. Proverbs 18:21).

 

Habakkuk 2:14:
14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.

 

Proverbs 18:21:
21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

 

 

The biblical year 5783 is linked to the Hebrew letter ‘Gimel’, which also has the numeric value of ‘3’ and is a reference to God’s form of appearance as ‘Elohim’; this name has a plural form and thus points to the presence of the triune God (Note: Father, Son, Holy Spirit), just as it was with Abraham near the great trees of Mamre, where the LORD approached him in form of three men to visit him (cf. Genesis 18:1-3).

 

Genesis 18:1-3:
1 The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day.
2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
3 He said, ‘If I have found favour in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by.

 

=> The Hebrew name of God ‘Elohim’ describes God as the Most High, the Eternal, the Almighty, who is the creator of the universe. Most teachers agree that the name ‘Elohim’ represents the greatest power. He is the Existent to whom all power belongs. The name is attributed an independent, unrestricted and unlimited power. <= (The text set in ‘=>’ is a part excerpt from the book ‘The Names of God’ by Abraham Meister; ISBN: 3-85810-092-7.)

 

The Hebrew letter ‘Gimel’ is closely associated with the Hebrew word for ‘camel’ and means, on the basis of the Hebrew root words, ‘to accomplish, let mature, bring to maturity, weaning, to do/bestow something to someone, bridge, goodness’. In addition, pictographically the ‘Gimel’ shows a ‘camel’ as well as a ‘person walking towards the left-hand side (Note: towards the north)’.

 

Thus it becomes evident that in this biblical year 5783 we may expect that the LORD wants to meet us with a new fullness of His presence. This requires a humble attitude of heart on our part, as well as a healthy regard for the finances and resources allotted to us by God. We can see this on the basis of Matthew 19:24, where Jesus said that ‘it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God’.

 

What is more, camels are pack animals, which, amongst others, are associated with the future glory of Zion and bring gold and incense (cf. Isaiah 60:6).

 

Isaiah 60:6:
6 Herds of camels will cover your land, young camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.

 

We can also see the camels as a servant-ship on behalf of the LORD contributing to the intensification of faith as well as to the reverence of God (cf. Revelation 3:18a).

 

Revelation 3:18a:
18a I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so that you can become rich; …

 

=> Furthermore, gold is an element, that symbolises the refinement of the spirit; royalty and transcendence. Gold is representative of the spirit. Opulent wealth and spiritual power. <= (The text set in ‘=>’ is a part excerpt from the ‘Prophet’s Dictionary’ by Paula A. Price, PH. D.; page 239.)

 

=> Incense means purity or also holiness or consecration. It is a gum resin extracted from the inner wood of the incense tree (Olibanum).

 

In the Hebrew language the word is derived from a root word meaning ‘pure’ or ‘white’ because of its sparkling, milky-white ‘resin tears’.

 

When burnt these ‘tears’ give off a strong scent or balm fragrance. The finest incense is so pure that it produces white smoke as it burns. It symbolises spirit-filled prayers prayed in accordance to God’s will in front of His throne (cf. Revelation 8:3-4).

 

According to Revelation 8:3-4 God added the incense to the prayers of the saints and hence it also points to the Spirit of the Father. This pure incense was part of the holy blend of incense used in the desert sanctuary (cf. Exodus 30:34-35).

 

It represents the purity of the consecration of the risen Christ in His service or ministry for our sake (cf. Romans 8:34). Our Lord Jesus sanctified Himself or set Himself apart (cf. John 17:19). He did this before the Father as the ‘holy, blameless, pure’ high priest (cf. Hebrews 7:25-26) in the order of Melchizedek ‘to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own’ (cf. Titus 2:14).

 

When Christ appears in glory we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. All who have this hope in Him purify themselves, just as He is pure. (cf. 1 John 3:2-3). <= (The text set in ‘=>’ is based on an exposition to ‘incense’ from the book ‘Heaven Awaits the Bride’ by Anna Rountree, page 259; text paraphrased)

 

 

Consequently it is God’s intent that we grow in faith in this biblical year by positioning ourselves in the centre of His holiness which is His consuming nature that is fire (cf. Deuteronomy 4:24 i.c.w. Hebrews 12:29).

 

Deuteronomy 4:24:
24 For the LORD your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.

 

Hebrews 12:29:
‘… 29 for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’

 

As a result we are actively interceding in a spirit-filled manner according to the will of God so that His plan can manifest in the earth, and at the same time His glory may spread across the earth (cf. Revelation 8:3-5 i.c.w. Haggai 2:6-9).

 

Revelation 8:3-5:
3 Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne.
4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand.
5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.

 

Haggai 2:6-9:
6 ‘This is what the LORD Almighty says: “In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land.
7 I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory,” says the LORD Almighty.
8 “The silver is mine and the gold is mine,” declares the LORD Almighty.
9 “The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,” says the LORD Almighty. “And in this place I will grant peace,” declares the LORD Almighty.’

 

This glory that is accompanied by shaking is based on the victory of Christ on the cross at Calvary, so that we are able to release the aroma of His knowledge in our field commissioned to us (cf. 2 Corinthians 2:14-16a i.c.w. Matthew 27:51-53; Matthew 28:2-3).

 

2 Corinthians 2:14-16a:
14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere.
15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.
16a To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. …

 

Matthew 27:51-53:
51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split 52 and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life.
53 They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

 

Matthew 28:2-3:
2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it.
3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.

 

The aroma of the knowledge of God carries in itself revelatory truth and is a blessing for those who accepted Christ’s work of redemption; but it will also become an offence for those who reject His work of redemption.

 

 

As we are moving in the decade of ‘Pe – mouth’, from which the ‘Gimel – camel’ emerges, we can recognise an admonition towards maturity and patience incorporating the two Hebrew letters. They make up the Hebrew word ‘פג – paḡ’, which means ‘unripe fig’ and only appears once in the Word of God in Song of Songs 2:13. (Note: part excerpt on the Hebrew word ‘פג – paḡ’ from the Elberfelder Study Bible with word key number: 6422*)

 

From the gospels we learned that Jesus and His disciples went to a place called ‘Bethphage’ and which is linked to the preparation for Jesus entering Jerusalem as king (cf. Mark 11:1-4.11).

 

Mark 11:1-4.11:
1 As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 saying to them, ‘Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no-one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here.
3 If anyone asks you, “Why are you doing this?” say, “The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.” ’
4 They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it,. …
11 Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.

 

‘Bethphage’ means translated ‘house of unripe, small figs – it describes the fig that positions itself in front of the leave and therefore remains unripe’.

 

The fig tree is a representation for the people of Israel and it is one of the most important fruit trees in Israel. Moreover, it carries fruit three times a year, namely during the times of the biblical feasts of Passover, Shavuot, Sukkoth (cf. Exodus 23:14-17) ordained by God, whereat the figs in springtime are inedible and point to the sacrificial death of Jesus at Pessach/Passover.

It is no coincidence that the fig tree is indirectly mentioned by name in the creation report (cf. Genesis 3:7-8).

Genesis 3:7-8:
7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realised that they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden...

We can surmise that at the time of their fall Adam and Eve stood near or even beneath the fig tree, so as to use its leaves to cover their nakedness and they possibly also stood behind the tree in an attempt to hide from God.
God had said that Adam and Eve were allowed to eat from all the trees in the garden, apart from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the middle of the garden (cf. Genesis 2:9.16-17).

Genesis 2:9.16-17:
9 The LORD God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground – trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. …
16 And the LORD God commanded the man, ‘You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you.

 

Thus it becomes clear that God set the fig tree apart from the other trees in the garden i.e. marked it, so that it received the position of a chosen tree by placing it in the middle of the garden.

 

In a similar way God chose His people Israel and their capitol Jerusalem as His special possession from among all the peoples of the earth and placed them in the centre in the midst of the peoples of the earth (cf. Deuteronomy 7:6-7 i.c.w. Ezekiel 5:5).

 

Deuteronomy 7:6-7:
6 For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession.
7 The LORD did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples.

Ezekiel 5:5:
5 ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: this is Jerusalem, which I have set in the centre of the nations, with countries all around her.

 

It was the fig tree that became the test for Adam and Eve, namely, to submit to God’s direction to live in a pure relationship together with God or to oppose His direction and be removed from the immediate vicinity of God.
This statement also makes it clear that God challenges us as mankind by requiring us to decide whether or not to choose His chosen people (Note: Israel).

 

 

The fig tree is associated with the assessment of the heart as the place, where we make our decisions. Therefore, it is indispensable that we carry the truth of God’s Word firmly anchored within us, agree with it, and be aware of our God-given responsibility. Only in this way are we able to exercise them and not be seduced by the adversary while making short- and long-term decisions.

 

The state of ‘the still unripe figs that positions themselves in front of the leave and therefore remain unripe’ is a call to us to go ahead with Christ in patience and persistence without running ahead of Him, even if we are aware of Him revealing Himself in greater glory in the near future.

 

Furthermore, from the still immature fig state, we can see that before Jesus Christ comes in a new and powerful way, it is preceded by the process of people carrying out their own plans, because they are impatient. By not being patient, but acting hastily, they cannot, as a consequence, enter into true spiritual maturity or relationship as God defines it in His Word.

 

At the same time, believers who are close to the heart of God and know His will find themselves in a phase of going higher spiritually and are called to approach Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom, as described in Song of Songs 2:13.

 

Song of Songs 2:13:
‘… 13 The fig-tree forms its early fruit (Note: Hebrew: ‘paḡ’); the blossoming vines spread their fragrance.
Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.’

 

Song of Songs 2:13 is the first and only place, where the Hebrew word for ‘unripe fig – paḡ’ is being used, and this has a special meaning, because every first belongs to the LORD (cf. Exodus 23:19).

 

Exodus 23:19:
19 ‘Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God. …’

 

The ‘going higher’ in the form of ‘arising’, as described in Song of Songs 2:13, is accompanied by the intensification in relationship (Note: darling) and radiance or glory (Note: beautiful one).

 

The so called ‘going higher’ includes leaving the old environment and breaking with wrong or iniquitous thought patterns, which only hinder us and lead to wrong conclusions.

 

It is necessary for us to make the decision to unite with the assigned presence of God and His thoughts. The reason is that the glory of the Son – Jesus Christ is approaching and the glory of the Father wants to rise upon it (cf. Isaiah 60:1-3).

 

Isaiah 60:1-3:
1 ‘Arise (Note: leave your old environment/thought pattern), shine (Note: become one with the presence of God allotted to you and His thoughts), for your light has come (Note: presence of the Son – Jesus Christ), and the glory of the LORD (Note: presence of the Heavenly Father) rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the Lord rises upon you and his glory appears over you.
3 Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

 

 

The Herrenhuter motto of the year for the Gregorian calendar year 2023 is taken from Genesis 16:13 where it states:

 

“She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: ‘You are the God who sees me,’ (Note: EL-ROI), for she said, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me.’“

 

This scripture is about the statement of the Egyptian slave Hagar, and it reveals the potential of God’s guidance as ‘EL-ROI’, who is the shepherd taking care of us, so that we lack nothing (cf. Psalm 23:1).

Psalm 23:1:
1 A Psalm of David.
The LORD is my shepherd (Note: Hebrew ‘rā’āh’), I lack nothing.

 

Consequently it becomes clear that God’s provision is connected to His guarding eye from the facet of the shepherd, so that our environment is flooded with the light of God’s revelation according to the principle of the ‘light of the eye’. With unveiled faces we can perceive the provision He already established (cf. Matthew 6:22a; James 1:17 i.c.w. 2 Corinthians 3:18).

 

Matthew 6:22a:
22a ‘The eye is the lamp of the body. …’

 

James 1:17:
17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

 

2 Corinthians 3:18:
18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the LORD’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the LORD, who is the Spirit.

 

 

It was the Egyptian slave Hagar, who, because of the unbelief of Abram, who was later renamed by God as Abraham, conceived a son from him, which had been revealed to her by the angel of the LORD in the desert (cf. Genesis 16:1-2.11).

 

Genesis 16:1-2.11:
1 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, ‘The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.’ Abram agreed to what Sarai said. …
11 The angel of the LORD also said to her: ‘You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard of your misery.

 

Although, Abram acted in unbelief of his wife Sarai, later renamed by God as Sarah, which was sin (cf. Romans 14:23b), it did not mean for Hagar that she acted in a sinful pattern since she was submitted to them.

 

Romans 14:23b:
… 23b and everything that does not come from faith is sin.

Hence it becomes apparent from this that, even if authority figures set over believers fail by making a wrong decision, it doesn’t necessarily mean that believers miss out on God’s promise for their lives (cf. Romans 8:28).

Romans 8:28:
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

 

God saw Hagar walking in the wilderness pregnant with a son, so He surrounded her with His revelatory presence in the form of the angel of the LORD, who let her know that she had a promise within her that she had not been able to define until that time. This becomes clear, because the angel of the LORD instructed her to name her promise ‘Ishmael – God hears’.

 

The angel of the LORD also commanded her to return to her mistress Sarai, Abrams wife (cf. Genesis 16:9).

Genesis 16:9:
9 Then the angel of the LORD told her, ‘Go back to your mistress and submit to her.’

Through Hagar God wanted to reveal to Abraham and his wife that He was not sorry for giving promises, even if authority figures fail, because He also wants them to come into agreement with the will of God. This was the reason for this instruction (cf. Genesis 16:15).

Genesis 16:15:
15 So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne.

At this it is important not to rise above those, who previously made mistakes, but to proceed in a humble attitude of heart, and this is connected to grace and the elevation of the LORD at the right time (cf. 1 Peter 5:5-6).

1 Peter 5:5-6:
5 In the same way, you who are younger, submit yourselves to your elders. All of you, clothe yourselves with humility towards one another, because, ‘God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble.’
6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

 

Based on the verse of the year for this new Gregorian year 2023 we can see that in the midst of challenging circumstances in our daily lives we as Ekklesia are encouraged to trust in the provision the LORD has already made available to us, and that He will reveal the source of provision to us for this time and the future.

 

From this statement by Hagar, ‘I have now seen the One who sees me,’ arises the principle that the LORD coming from the future meets us in our present and passes through, while we perceive Him in our future, where He already meets us with prophetic revelation in a caring way.

 

This caring prophetic guidance of God complies with the statement of Jesus, who said about Himself that He is the door, His sheep hear His voice and follow Him, and as a result will find ‘green pasture’ (Note: God’s presence; cf. John 10:9.27-28 i.c.w. Revelation 4:3).

 

John 10:9.27-28:
9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. …
27 My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.
28 I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no-one will snatch them out of my hand.

 

Revelation 4:3:
3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald (Note: green in its colour) encircled the throne.

 

Let us focus on complete devotion to the ministry in God’s Kingdom according to this time preordained by the Father, and let us live our lives wholeheartedly and diligently in Christ as carriers of the glory of the LORD.

 

A spirited and sweet year 5783,

 

Daniel & Tina Glimm

 

translation by: Margit Kelly