As we entered the Jewish New Year, I began to study the prophetic insight on this coming year 5776/2016. For the past few years I’ve noticed some patterns that seem to present themselves with each year.
For instance, last year, 5775/2015, had a meaning “to see the wind or breath.” And from last year until now we have seen exactly that as it relates to the body of Christ. We saw God breathe and bring life to things we thought were dead; we saw the wind of God come in and separate the wheat from the chaff. We also saw winds of doctrine infiltrate churches and ministries as it relates to the legalizing abominations, etc. I was interested to see what insights could be found for this year.
The Hebrew alphabet is alpha-numeric; it also has word pictures associated with its letters. The letters associated with this Hebraic year 5776 are the ayin and the vav. The ayin has a numerical value of 70 and the vav has a numerical value of 6 forming the “76.” The word picture associated with ayin is an “eye” and the word picture associated with the vav is a “peg, nail,or hook.” When one puts the pictures together it could be said that the year 5776/2016 would be a year “to see the peg,” or ” to see the nail or hook.”
As I looked at the Scriptures regarding a peg, nail or hook, I believed there is some insight that can be gleaned on what to look for in this upcoming year 2016/5776. Practically speaking a peg, nail or hook is and was used to secure and connect things. One of the places to see the picture of the peg in Scripture is found in the tabernacle. The peg was used in several places to secure the curtains of the inner veil and the pillars of the outer wall (Ex. 26:32, 27:17).
Just as last year we saw the wind come and separate, I believe this year will be a year for the things to be connected and made secure. This year will be a year to see positions, partnerships, and purpose become secure so that strategies will be released to advance the kingdom.
In the book of Judges, we see that victory was secured with a tent peg: “Then Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg and a hammer in her hand and went quietly to him, for he was fast asleep and tired. She drove the tent peg into his temple, and it went down into the ground, so he died. Now as Barak had been chasing Sisera, Jael came out to meet him and said, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you seek.” When he came in, there was Sisera fallen dead with a tent peg in his temple.” (Judg. 4:21-22, MEV).
The battle was going on in the field but victory was secured in the house. She secured the victory by going “softly” or “secretly” towards the enemy. We must wage war from the secret place of the presence of God. We must wage war in the secret place of prayer. I believe this is key in the days ahead. There may be all types of battles and chaos going on around us in the field, but we must secure the victory in the house. We must make sure our houses are secure and in order before we can impact what is around us and this comes through prayer. Jael drove the peg into the head of the enemy.
Jael functioned in the place of her authority (her house) and finished the fight completely by attacking the head. She used her dominion mandate to destroy the enemy. The best way to kill a snake is to take off its head (Gen. 1:28, 3:15). She took the hammer of God’s Word (Jer. 23:29) and the peg of the prophetic (Judges 4:14) and drove it completely through to the ground. This is a picture of a complete victory by using God’s word and waging the warfare with the prophecies that has been spoken (1 Tim. 1:18).
Another thing to look for in 2016/5776 is for God to exalt and secure the position He has for you in the kingdom. In Isaiah 22:15-25 we will find the story of Shebna and Eliakim. Shebna who’s name means “youthful,” “youthfulness,” and “vigor,” was trying to promote himself in the kingdom. He did this by building a tomb so he could be placed among the rich and royal of the day.
“Thus says the Lord God of Hosts: Come, go to this treasurer, even to Shebna, who is over the royal household, and say: ‘What right do you have here? And whom do you have here that you have dug out for yourself a tomb here, as he who hews out for himself a tomb on high, and who cuts a habitation for himself in a rock?'” (Isa. 22-15-16, MEV).
God saw that Shebna’s motives were not pure. He wanted to advance himself in the kingdom more than he wanted to advance the kingdom. Shebna’s labor was in vain. (Psalm 127:1).
Any time man tries to advance himself in the kingdom, the only thing he really ends up building is a tomb. We must learn to remain humble with a heart of a servant and let God advance and position us in HIS timing. In verse 25 we see that the Lord removed the “tent peg” of Shebna because of self-promotion.
“In that day, says the Lord of Hosts, the nail that is fastened in the firm place shall be removed, and be cut down and fall. And the load that was on it shall be cut off, for the Lord has spoken it.'” (Isa. 22:25, MEV).
The Lord will not leave a position void in HIS kingdom. He is always looking for one to stand in the gap. (Ezek. 22:30) Eliakim fills the role that once seemed like a secure position for Shebna. Eliakim’s name means, “God raises,” “God sets up,” or “God establishes.” The servant Eliakim was called, clothed, strengthened, and positioned in the kingdom by God. He was promoted and raised up by God and not man. What Shebna forfeited God fortified with Eliakim. He was given the “key of David” to open things that were shut, and to shut things that were open (Isa.22:22).
The Scripture states that God would fasten Eliakim as a nail/peg in a sure/secure place and he shall be for a glorious throne to his father’s house.
“I will fasten him as a nail in a firm place, and he shall become a glorious throne to his father’s house” (Is. 22:23, MEV).
Look for God to remove things you thought were secure, things that were actually built on self-promotion and not true servanthood. “Kingdom connections,” ministries, and relationships in your life that are more about themselves than having a mutual advancement of the kingdom will be removed. The Shebna’s in your life and ministry will be removed and God will raise up the Eliakim’s that will have the key of David to close doors that need to be closed and open doors that need to be opened. This is a time of being established strengthened and secured in your position in God’s house to advance the kingdom (Isaiah 22:23, 54:2).
Has there been a space of grace in 5776 shown to us that we may have revival in America? In the book of Ezra we can see another reference to the use of a tent peg or nail.
“Yet now for a little while, there has been a favorable response from the Lord our God—leaving us a remnant to escape, giving us a tent peg from His holy place, having our eyes enlightened by our God, and giving us a little reviving in our bondage. For though we were slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage but has extended mercy to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, granting us a reviving for the rebuilding of the house of our God, for the repairing of its ruins, and for giving us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem” (Ezra 9:8-9).
I believe there has been a space of grace given for the believers to recognize their position in the holy place, and to have our eyes enlightened to the Scriptures so that even though the nation may be going slipping into bondage with its abominations, we will still have revival in the midst of it. God always has a remnant that is secure and will not bow their knee to any false images of religion and false doctrines of devils out there (Dan. 3; 1 Tim. 4:1).
The vav when added to the beginning of any word creates the meaning “and.” When writing a sentence, the “and” is the “peg” or “hook” that connects a word or clause to the next. We first find the vav written in Genesis 1:1 when it speaks of the heavens and the earth. This is why the vav is known in some traditions as the divine connector. It connects the heavens with the earth.
Again, a tent peg was used all throughout the tabernacle in the wilderness. The tabernacle was a picture of the blueprints of heaven manifested on the earth (Ex. 25:9, Heb. 5:8). On a practical perspective look for God to breathe a fresh wind on tent revivals this year. It’s already started in some places throughout Kentucky, Ohio, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. The Lord is strengthening the stakes/pegs so that we can take territories for the kingdom. The tabernacle in the wilderness and the tents God is moving in now are places for divine connection with the presence and power of God.
“Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your habitations; spare not, lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes” (Isaiah 54:2, MEV).
With that said there is a greater divine connector that we have now and his name is Jesus. He is the prophetic tent peg that has secured our position in HIM by nailing the ordinances against us to his cross. Let this year be a time of finding your place in Him and in doing so you will understand your position in the kingdom making your calling and election sure (2 Pet. 1:10).
“From him comes the cornerstone, and from him the tent peg. From him comes the bow for battle, and from him every ruler goes out, all these together. And they will be as mighty men, who trample down in the muddy streets in battle. They will fight because the Lord is with them, and He will put to shame those riding on horses” (Zech. 10:4-5, MEV).
“He blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us and contrary to us, and He took it out of the way, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed authorities and powers, He made a show of them openly, triumphing over them by the cross” (Col. 2:14-15).
Watch for God to secure your position in Him and in the kingdom. Watch for the removal of those with selfish ambition and those that are about self-promotion. Watch for a space of grace and for a reviving in the midst of bondage. Watch for partnerships and purpose to become secure so that strategies and victories will be released to advance the kingdom.
Jason Armstrong is the founder of Remnant Fire Ministries based in Cleveland, Tenn. Jason travels as a prophetic teacher releasing kingdom strategies, prophetic insights, and practical revelation to ignite individuals, families, churches, and nations with a burning heart for God and His kingdom. Connect with Jason online at remnantfireministries.org
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