I recently took some time off to fast and pray through the fall feasts on the Jewish calendar to hear from the Lord regarding a shift I sensed would be coming after the Feasts—and how to be positioned for it! I would like to highlight a passage of Scripture God has laid on my heart over very many years that I sense He is now putting some weight on.
‘Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the Lord’s temple was laid—consider it: Is the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded fruit. But from this day I will bless you'” (Hag. 2:18-19, NKJV).
We have just entered the month of Kislev on the Jewish calendar that falls from November through to December. This is a very special month for many reasons. In the month of Kislev, Nehemiah received word of the condition of Jerusalem and cried out a mountain-moving prayer to the God of Israel, asking for favor from the king that he might return to rebuild the walls of the city. I believe this relates to a rebuilding of relationships, especially amongst leaders that God is about to use in significant ways—the gaps must be closed.
Through the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, his contemporary, God admonished Israel, the governor, the priests and everyone to finish the work of building the House of God and warns of a coming day when He would shake everything and overthrow the power of all nations. The book of Hebrews confirms this passage and adds that only the things that cannot be shaken will remain—these are things founded in Christ!
“For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Once more (it is a little while) I will shake heaven and earth, the sea and dry land; and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory,’ says the Lord of hosts” (Hag. 2:6-7).
In the book of Haggai, the fixed date, the 24th day of Kislev—the ninth month is highlighted four times where the word of the Lord came to the prophet to say that God would bless Israel from this day forward: “But from this day I will bless you.” On Kislev 24, the Maccabee revolt ended when they defeated the enemy; they cleansed and rededicated the temple on Kisev 25. There was a cleansing of the idols and a rebuilding of the altar of worship, as revealed in the historical account in the book of Maccabees 4.
The whole army was assembled and went up to Mount Zion. There they found the Temple abandoned, the altar profaned, the gates burned down, the courtyards grown up in a forest of weeds, and the priests’ rooms torn down. In their sorrow, they tore their clothes, cried loudly, threw ashes on their heads, and fell face down on the ground. When the signal was given on the trumpets, everyone cried out to the Lord. Then Judas ordered some of his soldiers to attack the men in the fort, while he purified the Temple. He chose some priests who were qualified and who were devoted to the Law. They purified the Temple and took the stones that had been defiled and put them in an unclean place. They discussed what should be done with the altar of burnt offerings, which had been desecrated by the Gentiles, and decided to tear it down so that it would not stand there as a monument to their shame. So they tore down the altar and put the stones in a suitable place on the Temple hill, where they were to be kept until a prophet should appear and decide what to do with them. Then they took uncut stones, as the Law of Moses required, and built a new altar like the old one. They repaired the Temple, inside and out, and dedicated its courtyards. They made new utensils for worship and brought the lampstand, the altar of incense, and the table for the bread into the Temple. They burned incense on the altar and lit the lamps on the lampstand, and there was light in the Temple! They placed the loaves of bread on the table, hung the curtains, and completed all the work.
The miracle of the increasing supply of the oil for rededication of the temple supernaturally lasted eight days when they possessed only a small cruse. The 25th became the day upon which the Feast of Hanukkah was established.
In another related and significant event of history, on Sunday, Dec. 9, 1917, the British forces led by Gen. Allenby defeated the enemies of Israel—the Ottoman Empire, liberating Jerusalem for the first time in many centuries. That date on the Jewish calendar was also the 24th day of the ninth month, the month of Kislev! The Jewish soldiers that were in the British army were able to celebrate Hanukkah in their newfound freedom, with joy and with the blessings of God.
In this notable month of Kislev, on Dec. 6, 2017, President Donald Trump announced the United States’ recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and moved the U.S. Embassy to this city. After 2,000 years, the city of Jerusalem was returned to its God-ordained position as the eternal capital and city of the great King, as momentum presently builds and accelerates toward an explosive climax of the history of this land and its people.
“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of drunkenness to all the surrounding peoples, when they lay siege against Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it” (Zech. 12:2).
These accounts are all related to the reestablishing of God’s purposes in Jerusalem and God’s desire for the return of His people, both Jew and Gentile, to build and complete the house of God. This is the era we are presently living in and God is calling His leaders and saints to return to build the house of God; one that is founded on His heart and mind, blueprinted by Him, its great architect.
Jewish writings declare that Kislev is the month of dreams, having nine readings of Scripture in the Parshah relating to dreams. I believe we are now at the beginning of the fulfillment of dreams we have long held dear to our hearts; dreams that are united to the release of God’s purposes in this hour. In 2021, the 24th of Kislev falls on Nov. 27 at sundown. I sense God is saying, “Get positioned and ready for things to begin to shift for you.”
God is now releasing His angels to take you to a higher level, to open doors for you that only He can so that you may fulfill the destiny He has prepared for you from eternity past for this momentous hour of history! {eoa}
Faith Marie Baczko is the president of Headstone Ministries International — a ministry that is rich and robust in the purposes and plans of God. She is a prophetic teacher and author, bringing significant revelation to mobilize, equip and strengthen the body of Christ for this momentous hour of history. Faith is an international speaker and has garnered enduring relationships with leaders united in a passion for truth and enduring revival. Faith is an author of several books; her latest release is available on Amazon: A Rising Called For! You can also purchase The Arising Army of God from Amazon. Contact her at [email protected].
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