As 2020 began emerging into what many thought was a year from hell, it became evident that the Church in particular, was thrown into a crucible of sorts. Many began speculating as to the reason. There are actually too many reasons to discuss here. Instead, I’d like to offer my individual perspective.
2020 could be viewed as the year of clarity and vision, as 20/20 vision is something that we are all familiar with. The old quote “hindsight is 20/20” comes to mind, but I have to ask the question, “Are we being refined?” If you do a Bible word search of refining, you will find over 100 verses in the Bible where God speaks to this refining process, and compares it to gold. Here are just a few:
But these only reveal the sterling core of your faith, which is far more valuable than gold that perishes, for even gold is refined by fire. Your authentic faith will result in even more praise, glory, and honor when Jesus the Anointed One is revealed.
1 Peter 1:7 ESV
Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. Isaiah 48:10 ESV
He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the Lord.
Malachi 3:3 ESV
But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold.
Job 23:10 ESV
The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.
Proverbs 17:3 ESV
As poetic as these verses sound, they don’t really bring any comfort, especially from the perspective of the gold. I think it’s safe to say that we’ve been in the crucible, the fire, in a refining process. So, where do we go from here? A good question to ask ourselves is, “What needs refining in my life?” Frankly speaking, I don’t like the refining process. Can we please just skip the crucible and jump to the pretty shiny part, where I’m all pretty and sparkling gold? Unfortunately, the answer is no. The refining process is necessary to bring out all the good stuff that we already have inside us and to rid us of the gunk that we hold on to. Life, through its circumstances, has a way of pushing all the good stuff way down inside us, covering it up with impurity. We need the refining process to burn off the gunk so that we are instruments ready to be used by God for His purposes in order to attract others to the Kingdom of God. Why would anyone want to be part of a kingdom that is impure and covered up in junk? They wouldn’t. So, God, through His love for the world, allows us to be refined so that we can be attractive for the sole purpose of attracting more people into the kingdom.
So, now that we’ve been in the crucible, what’s next?
The Jewish New Year begins at Rosh Hashanah in September, so according to the original (before the Gregorian calendar was instituted in 1582 by Pope Gregory), we are now in the year 5781. Now here is where it gets interesting. If you were to add up the digits in the year 5781, you would get 21 (2021). Can you see a divine pattern where God is speaking to a timeline?
According to Chabad.org, a Judaic informational clearinghouse, the readings from the Torah on Rosh Hashanah in September were about God’s covenant or a promise between God and man. 2021 could be the year of the covenant or, in other words, the year of a promise kept. As we move out of 2020 (vision and the refining process), could 2021 represent something extraordinary? I got a little curious and began looking at science, specifically earth science. I'm not sure why I began looking at this, but it's where I ended up. I looked up what is assigned to the number 21 on the Periodic Table of Elements, and it is the mineral Scandium. This mineral is used mainly to create high-intensity lighting like that used in photography and movie studios. It is also used in ion batteries. Perhaps 2021 is the year of illumination and power. Specifically, that which comes from God and is promised in Scripture. Take a look at this passage from Luke.
19 Now you understand that I have imparted to you all my authority to trample over his kingdom. You will trample upon every demon before you and overcome every power[a] Satan possesses. Absolutely nothing will be able to harm you as you walk in this authority.
20 However, your real source of joy isn’t merely that these spirits submit to your authority, but that your names are written in the journals of heaven and that you belong to God’s kingdom. This is the true source of your authority.”
21 Then Jesus, overflowing with the Holy Spirit’s anointing of joy, exclaimed, “Father, thank you, for you are Lord Supreme over heaven and earth! You have hidden the great revelation of this authority from those who are proud, those wise in their own eyes, and you have shared it with those who humbled themselves. Yes, Father. This is what pleases your heart and the very way you’ve chosen to extend your kingdom: to give to those who become like trusting children. Luke 10:19-21
As great as verse 19 is because we have the power to trample over the kingdom of darkness, which is the opposite of extreme light, that in itself should cause every believer to rise up in courage and boldness to do just that, but look at verse 21. After all, we are about to enter into 2021, so let’s look at that verse.
“Father, thank you, for you are Lord Supreme over heaven and earth! You have hidden the great revelation of this authority from those who are proud, those wise in their own eyes, and you have shared it with those who humbled themselves. Yes, Father. This is what pleases your heart and the very way you’ve chosen to extend your kingdom: to give to those who become like trusting children.”
God has chosen to extend His kingdom to those who trust Him like children, and He gives this power and light to them!
Oh my! I pray we, as believers, begin to understand and believe that Jesus has promised us this light and power. Let us move into 2021 with joy and revelation that what has passed has prepared us to take our place as kingdom builders, trampling on the kingdom of darkness, bringing light that is powerful to the world, and delivering people from bondage.
Now let's look at the Hebrew numbers of the year 5781 and see if it reveals anything interesting. In the Hebrew language, every letter is assigned a number and each one has its own glyph (symbol). This is not numerology but rather it’s just the way the Hebrew language is written.
I’ve divided each number of the year 5781, which is our 2021, and jotted down some interesting facts about these numbers to reveal a pattern. The glyphs assigned to each number are as follows:
5 an eye: (vision/spiritual eyes)
7 a plow: (preparing/cultivating the soil)
8 a fence: (separation or protection)
1 the Ox: (biblically, the ox represents strength)
The 5,7, and 8 were included in 2020 (as we can add up those digits and get 20). You can see how these numbers and their glyphs certainly applied to 2020. We had our spiritual eyes opened, and we were separated by social distancing. Perhaps this year was a year of cultivating the soil for God’s Word to grow. I think it’s safe to say that the Church (Christ-followers) has grown in ways we did not plan on.
Can we consider that this next year is going to be one of illumination? Perhaps, but definitely revealing – (eyes/vision) Perhaps 2021 will reveal how determined we are to go forward in cultivating the soil of our hearts as well as the soil of the Kingdom of God (Plow). Perhaps we will learn that boundaries are a good thing (fence) and that we, as warriors for the Kingdom of God, are strong and powerful in that kingdom. (The Ox).
Let’s take one more step into this prophetic way of thinking. January 1, 2021 (1-1-2021): Add the digits. It equals seven. Seven represents restoration. You can learn more about this in my book, Dressing for the Battle, Armed to Win. (shameless plug, I know).
Be of great cheer and courage, my friend. God is always in control, and He gives us the authority and power to be over-comers. I leave you with the words of Jesus:
I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Revelation 3:18 ESV
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