On the 24th day of the Ninth Month

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Haggai 2:20-22:  The word of the LORD came to Haggai a second time on the twenty-fourth day of the [ninth] month: Tell Zerubbabel, governor of Judah, that I will shake the heavens and the earth. 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.

Yesterday morning the LORD spoke to me in my prayer time and said, "I want you to study the book of Haggai with me this week."  I read through the whole book and when I got to this last paragraph (above), my spirit was greatly quickened.  These verses are a continuation from verse 18, where the prophet mentions the "twenty-fourth day of the ninth month." The ninth Hebrew month is Kislev, the month we are in right now. The 24th day was yesterday (Tuesday), the day the LORD asked me to study this prophecy.  I never cease to be utterly amazed by God's perfect timing in all that He does and all that He shows us!  He led me to a prophecy that was given ON THIS DAY in approximately 538 B.C.! Zerubbabel, the governor of Judah had returned from Babylon along with the remnant of about 50,000 Jews. In verses 10-18, on the twenty-fourth day of Kislev (the ninth month), Haggai is drawing upon priestly knowledge to tell the people that the LORD is able to bless their meager crops and offerings to make clean what is unclean through their re-building of the Temple.

So, last evening was the first day of the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah, and this feast recalls the cleansing of the Temple altar by the Maccabees after it was horribly desecrated by the edict of the evil ruler Antiochus Epiphanes.  

So, you're saying, "Great, what does this have to do with me today?"  It has everything to do with where we are today, in terms of Israel, Jerusalem, and also many of the "foreign kingdoms" spoken about in this prophecy!  As we look through spiritual lenses, through the eyes of Haggai the prophet, we see that this prophecy was fulfilled on the 25th of Kislev in 165 B.C.E. by the Maccabees, who cleansed the temple and re-lit the lights of the menorah; and we also look ahead to 2017 when events seem to be fulfilling this prophecy a second time.

God says that on this day He will be shaking the heavens and the earth, and overturning royal thrones, shattering foreign kingdoms. Anything outside the borders of Israel is considered "the nations" or "foreign kingdoms." So, are we not seeing a day in which Saudi Arabia has arrested eleven of their princes and assassinated many of them? How about the nation of Lebanon, where the Prime Minister fled to Saudi Arabia and there offered his resignation from office? Do we not live in a "foreign kingdom" where the government offices are cleansed of evil and wickedness, and where even Hollywood celebrities, and high business and corporate officers are being exposed and arrested? God is even now overturning and overthrowing that which is "unclean" and opposed to HIS Kingdom!

And as if that were not enough to take my breath away, we have just witnessed the Proclamation going forth from this nation that Jerusalem is indeed the Eternal Capitol of Israel, which has sparked much discussion regarding the re-building of a third Temple in Jerusalem!  

The LORD also speaks of shaking the heavens and the earth, and on this same day in 2017, there were two significant earthquakes in the Middle East, centered in Iran, arguably the most fierce of all Israel's enemies. As God is shaking and overturning wickedness and shattering the power of foreign nations, He is also preparing us for the war that is very soon to come - "horses and riders will fall, each by the sword of their brother."

We see these prophecies being fulfilled before our eyes and we are astonished; but we do not fear. Hanukkah is the season of cleansing, but it is also the season of LIGHT.  The Jews have passed on the story from generation to generation, how the menorah in the Temple was lit with just enough oil for one night, but it kept burning and did not go out! That is a picture of Yeshua. He is the lampstand, the Light of the world. His light never goes out!  He said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

How gloriously the LORD led me to these passages in Haggai, where He showed me events coming to pass, even in this week of Hanukkah, thousands of years after the prophet spoke it.  Let us be FILLED with the light of Yeshua/Jesus, in this season of light, and let our hearts - the temple of the Holy Spirit - be cleansed and made ready for His soon return!

Shalom and blessings,
Kelly

On a personal note: We at Doorkeeper Ministries are involved in much work of visitation and prayer over the elderly, the sick and those who are getting ready to go home.  We are seeing many miracles in these days! We are also planning ministry trips for 2018 and we expect this will be a year in which our God moves very powerfully.

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