222

Today I spent time with the prophet Haggai - a place in the Bible I've not spent much time before! Haggai prophesied to the Jewish people after they returned to Jerusalem from the Babylonian exile; but he also has words for us today that really spoke to me. In fact, the LORD gave me two new understandings of the number 222, which He has so strongly quickened to my spirit over the past 3 years. Although Haggai begins by prophesying to the Jews of his time, he issues a second decree at the end which is clearly intended for the "end times." When we see the Hebrew idiom "in that day" we know the day referred to is "The Day of the Lord," or the "end of the age." In Haggai 2:22 the LORD says, "I will overturn royal thrones and shatter the power of the foreign kingdoms. I will overthrow chariots and their drivers; horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother."

Chariots and horses in Scripture refer to human strength. That is why the psalms warn us not to trust in the strength of chariots and horses. To do this is to trust in man, rather than in God. "Foreign kingdoms" refers to kingdoms other than the Kingdom of God, whose Throne is seated in Jerusalem, the City of the Great King. So this "222" warning is yet another assurance from Yahweh that He will come to the defense of His people by causing His enemies to turn on one another - just as they did in 2nd Chronicles Chapter 20, and just as they are doing now among the various sects of Islam. In 2nd Chronicles Chapter 2o the Israelites did not have to shoot an arrow or draw a weapon; they simply praised Yahweh and while they were in prayer and worship, the armies of the enemy killed one another. "Their horses and their riders will fall, each by the sword of his brother." Already around the world we see Muslim brothers killing one another in the name of their false moon god, Allah!

Then the Spirit took me to another "222" in 1 John 2:22: "Who is the liar? It is the man who denies that Yeshua is the Messiah. Such a man is the antimessiah - he denies the Father and the Son." Verse 23 goes on to say, "No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also." Why does John make this point? Because the Father and the Son are ONE GOD. You cannot have one and not have the other; you cannot deny one and not deny the other!

You may remember that originally the Spirit showed me the meaning of the number 222 in the Hebrew gematria: 200 = the Head, 20 = to cover, 2 = the family or household. The Head (Yeshua) covers the family. It is a number of His divine protection. But in these two scriptures above it is also a strong warning that the family of God must stay awake and watch for the liar who will come to deceive many by saying he worships God, but "God has no Son." This lie is at the core of Islam. But this lie of Satan will fail, as Yahweh overturns royal thrones and shatters the power of foreign kingdoms, overthrowing chariots and their drivers, their horses and riders falling, each by the sword of their brothers.

Be strong - and keep the faith!