"So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life."
Genesis 3:24 (NKJV)
"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV)
Genesis 3:24 (NKJV)
"For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
Hebrews 4:12 (NKJV)
2017, Hebraic year 5777 is a year of 7’s. Throughout history, there is a definitive punctuation of God’s intent and purpose when 7 is reached. The number 7 is not just a number, it carries meaning. The Hebrew letter for 7 is “Zayin.” It means “weapon,” and looks like an ax, or a sword with a handle. We also know that in the Scriptures it is a number for completion. The number 7 appears more than 600 times in scripture and carries a weight of God’s perfect timing, His completion, but also His beginning. A number of prophetic words and convenings have already confirmed this focus. However, in a recent vision, this revelation came into bold relief and plunged me into the reality of what this means.
The Vision/Word/Revelation
Vision: Recently, I woke up shortly after 3am. In the corner of the dark room was a distinct form of light. As I blinked, I saw the form of an angelic being sitting on a chair scripting in a book. There was no noise. It was just there. I don’t know how long it had been there. The stillness in the room was unlike anything I have ever witnessed or experienced. The glow from it was steady and uninterrupted. The Presence of the Lord was there. All I could do was to lie still and focus on His Presence and wonder why this was happening. Scriptures began to run through my head. As that happened, the overwhelming sense of His love came upon me, and the fear of the Lord gripped my heart.
Word: After the encounter, this word came forth. “This year My Word shall become a mighty weapon and consuming fire in the hearts of My people. You will know Me and My Word in new ways. It will not be just a kindling and a comfort, but a consuming fire carrying My will and purpose for those who wield it. It shall come upon you in the middle of the night. It shall come upon you in the middle of the day. It shall come upon you in your coming and in your going. Where it has become dull of hearing and not heard, it shall become sharpened as a double-edged sword and its full sound released. It will be a torch by night and a burning fire by day. The dust of fallow ground shall break open as new springs of revelation gush forth as rivers of living water.
You will be thrust into places where trust in My Word will be the dividing line for the darkness you see before you. Though it may seem dark and impossible to you and the fear of man may grip you, My Word will not fail. Hold fast! For you will see My Word break open strongholds of the past that have kept My people in captivity for I am coming as a consuming fire. What has seemed impossible in the past, is not now, for My time has been determined. I am a jealous God, there is no other. As you trust in Me and My Word, you will know My Word as living and active and My love will burn it into your heart. Take My Sword. It is My Word. Wield it with strength for I am watching over it to perform it. For I am a consuming fire, and My Word will be your dividing line this year.”
Word: After the encounter, this word came forth. “This year My Word shall become a mighty weapon and consuming fire in the hearts of My people. You will know Me and My Word in new ways. It will not be just a kindling and a comfort, but a consuming fire carrying My will and purpose for those who wield it. It shall come upon you in the middle of the night. It shall come upon you in the middle of the day. It shall come upon you in your coming and in your going. Where it has become dull of hearing and not heard, it shall become sharpened as a double-edged sword and its full sound released. It will be a torch by night and a burning fire by day. The dust of fallow ground shall break open as new springs of revelation gush forth as rivers of living water.
You will be thrust into places where trust in My Word will be the dividing line for the darkness you see before you. Though it may seem dark and impossible to you and the fear of man may grip you, My Word will not fail. Hold fast! For you will see My Word break open strongholds of the past that have kept My people in captivity for I am coming as a consuming fire. What has seemed impossible in the past, is not now, for My time has been determined. I am a jealous God, there is no other. As you trust in Me and My Word, you will know My Word as living and active and My love will burn it into your heart. Take My Sword. It is My Word. Wield it with strength for I am watching over it to perform it. For I am a consuming fire, and My Word will be your dividing line this year.”
Biblical significance of 7
Seven marks the end of one cycle and the beginning of a new. Biblical examples of the significance of 7:
- 7th day ended the cycle of creation with a day of rest; Genesis 2:3
- Noah’s ark rested on Ararat on the 17th day of the 7th month
- on the 2nd month, 27th day, the earth was dried. Genesis 8:4-14
- Passover instituted ending with a holy convocation on the 7th day. Exodus 12:15-16
- Joshua took the city of Jericho by marching around it for 7 days silently, Joshua 6.
- 7 priests carrying ram's horns led the procession
- They marched silently for 6 days once around the city. On the 7th day, they marched around the city 7 times blew the trumpets, shouted…when they did so, the walls of Jericho collapsed and they took the city. Joshua 6:20
- After 7 years of hiding Joash, the rightful king of Israel, Jehoiada and Jehosheba the priests set up the watch ending the reign of Athaliah who was killing the children of inheritance and the righteous heirs of the throne of Israel, 2 Kings 11
- David was the 7th son of Jesse, 1 Chron 2:15 and the 14th generation from Abraham; Matthew 1:1-6
- After 70 years of captivity, the people of Israel gathered as “one man” in Jerusalem to re-establish temple worship and read the law of Moses in the open square. Ezra 3:1-2; Nehemiah 8:1-12
- Cycle of fasting in the 5th and 7th month over grievous incidents in Israel's history noted in Zechariah 7:5, was changed into joy and gladness, Zechariah 8:19
- Child raised from the dead in the 7th hour, John 4:47:52
Significance of the Sword
In this year of 7’s the Word of God, the sword of the Lord, is going to be a plumbline and distinctive. A number of prophetic words and convenings have already been held with a clear focus on this. The sword is symbolic of the definitiveness of His Word. Hebrews 4:12 declares, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
The decisiveness of the sword in mankind’s history is reflected soberly in Genesis 3:23-24. Flaming swords were held by the cherubim as God defined our boundaries and evicted us from the Garden of Eden, “Therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.”
The decisiveness of the sword in mankind’s history is reflected soberly in Genesis 3:23-24. Flaming swords were held by the cherubim as God defined our boundaries and evicted us from the Garden of Eden, “Therefore the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.”
Interpretation for the coming year
We are in a mighty battle for Truth. An end-time war for the minds and hearts of men is upon us. Warnings from scriptures of false prophecies deceiving the elect (Matthew 24:24), and people not enduring sound doctrine (2 Timothy 4;2-4) are before our eyes. As such, the testings, shakings, and upheavals ahead will require a life gripping trust in His Word
A parallel example of the times today, a training exercise Navy SEALS must go through is called “Draeger Hell Week,” a week of rigorous deep sea diving using “bubble-less” equipment. The chemicals in the gear turn carbon dioxide into oxygen for breathing. On exposure to water, however, it turns to acid that can burn the face, mouth, and lungs…obviously a danger when in the deep part of the sea. One of the required tests during this week is to be dropped into a dark ocean in the dead of night with this gear and only a compass and watch. They are given coordinates of a target and are required to reach it in a certain amount of time. That’s it. There are no lights. They can only see the compass and watch with a pin light in the depths of the sea. They do not know the obstacles, currents, piers, sharks, dolphins, that will hinder them or push them off target. The compass is their only guide. In fact, they can’t see any obstacles or the target until they are almost upon it. When they encounter an obstacle, they have to be prepared to deal with it. The compass is their mainstay in a world of dark obstacles that threaten their task and can dangerously get them off course. Those who fail to make it, quickly learn they have to drop some of their equipment, to make themselves lighter and able to navigate to the target without using so much oxygen.
As the darkness over the earth deepens and a thick darkness is over the people, God is calling us to a higher level of spiritual intervention. Obstacles of false doctrines and social agendas threaten God’s Word being a lamp to our feet and light to our path at every turn. His Word will be used strategically to break hindering cycles of the past holding His Body, His bride in bondage to its grip. His Word will be a compass to guide us past obstacles we have not yet conquered to reach strongholds and targets not yet attained. If we are to reach the targets God has for us, His Word, like the compass, will have to carry the navigational weight of life and death itself. As we wield His Word with clarity and strength, we will find ourselves in a “set time” of exponential favor as God watches over His Word to perform it in this year of the “777.”
Some targets emerging requiring the compass of His Word this year:
Individual Target: “Find your Word, and walk in it!” Psalm 139:16; Psalm 16:5-6
Breaking corporate cycles with the power and accuracy of His Word wielded under the power of His love:
A set time is upon us when cycles of the past are going to break as His Word is declared. The dividing line between light and dark has come. The time of favor of the Lord is upon us when a declaration of His Word will carry exponential weight for it is His “set time.” It is not to say the battle will be easy, but rather it will be accurate, targeted and greatly fruitful for the advance of the Kingdom. May the Word of God grow strong in us all as we wield the sword as a compass, hit the target, and see His glorious light dispel the darkness.
Clinging to the compass,
Sue Rowe
A parallel example of the times today, a training exercise Navy SEALS must go through is called “Draeger Hell Week,” a week of rigorous deep sea diving using “bubble-less” equipment. The chemicals in the gear turn carbon dioxide into oxygen for breathing. On exposure to water, however, it turns to acid that can burn the face, mouth, and lungs…obviously a danger when in the deep part of the sea. One of the required tests during this week is to be dropped into a dark ocean in the dead of night with this gear and only a compass and watch. They are given coordinates of a target and are required to reach it in a certain amount of time. That’s it. There are no lights. They can only see the compass and watch with a pin light in the depths of the sea. They do not know the obstacles, currents, piers, sharks, dolphins, that will hinder them or push them off target. The compass is their only guide. In fact, they can’t see any obstacles or the target until they are almost upon it. When they encounter an obstacle, they have to be prepared to deal with it. The compass is their mainstay in a world of dark obstacles that threaten their task and can dangerously get them off course. Those who fail to make it, quickly learn they have to drop some of their equipment, to make themselves lighter and able to navigate to the target without using so much oxygen.
As the darkness over the earth deepens and a thick darkness is over the people, God is calling us to a higher level of spiritual intervention. Obstacles of false doctrines and social agendas threaten God’s Word being a lamp to our feet and light to our path at every turn. His Word will be used strategically to break hindering cycles of the past holding His Body, His bride in bondage to its grip. His Word will be a compass to guide us past obstacles we have not yet conquered to reach strongholds and targets not yet attained. If we are to reach the targets God has for us, His Word, like the compass, will have to carry the navigational weight of life and death itself. As we wield His Word with clarity and strength, we will find ourselves in a “set time” of exponential favor as God watches over His Word to perform it in this year of the “777.”
Some targets emerging requiring the compass of His Word this year:
Individual Target: “Find your Word, and walk in it!” Psalm 139:16; Psalm 16:5-6
- Retrieve the words spoken over you in the past by others or through scriptures that have carried a weight of God’s Presence in your life. God is the great economist. He is watching over His Word to perform it. Declare His Word over your word and watch the fetters fall and favor be released for your purpose and destiny.
- Use your “word” to build others up, collaborate.
- Seek Him with due diligence for not only clarifying and renewing the past but revealing fresh revelation for the future, Isaiah 43:19-21
Breaking corporate cycles with the power and accuracy of His Word wielded under the power of His love:
- Millennial confusion, hurt from a fatherless generation will shift as God turns the hearts of the fathers to the children and children to the father, Malachi 4:6.
- “New” generation leadership, i.e. all generations working together, will emerge in revival culture and blessing. Malachi 4:6; 1 Kings 2; 2 Timothy 1:1-6
- Trust through relationships will build community and dispel the divisiveness propagated through religious and political strongholds Acts 2:46
- A culture of honor amongst Christians will emerge as the Ekklesia find their place and people engage with their “spiritual authority.” Matthew 16:18
- Trust will develop amongst Christians as we recognize, engage, and work in our God-given “Spiritual authority.” Psalm 16:3-6
- Transformation of communities will occur as Christians carry their spiritual authority and influence their cultural spheres in creative God-given strategy.
- Peace-making will take over peace-keeping as God makes way for the sons of God to emerge. These peace-makers will be marked with profound favor as they hold on to God’s Word and His principles and not be ruled by the fear of man or give in to its taunts, and threats. They know the Kingdom of God suffers violence and the violent take it by force, and will not be afraid to use it if the ultimate manifestation of His Word will bring peace. Matthew 5:9
- Conviction towards covenantal issues in marriage and family will ultimately be restored as broken relationships and social justice aligns with God’s healing Word. Genesis 2:18-24
- Strongholds of deception will break as the saving light of God's Word penetrates spiritual barriers and paves the way for the message of the gospel to go forth. Ephesians 6:10-18
A set time is upon us when cycles of the past are going to break as His Word is declared. The dividing line between light and dark has come. The time of favor of the Lord is upon us when a declaration of His Word will carry exponential weight for it is His “set time.” It is not to say the battle will be easy, but rather it will be accurate, targeted and greatly fruitful for the advance of the Kingdom. May the Word of God grow strong in us all as we wield the sword as a compass, hit the target, and see His glorious light dispel the darkness.
Clinging to the compass,
Sue Rowe
"Yes, the Almighty will be your gold; And your precious silver;
For then you will have your delight in the Almighty, And lift up your face to God.
You will make your prayer to Him, He will hear you, And you will pay your vows.
You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you;
So light will shine on your ways."
Job 22:25-28 (NKJV)
For then you will have your delight in the Almighty, And lift up your face to God.
You will make your prayer to Him, He will hear you, And you will pay your vows.
You will also declare a thing, And it will be established for you;
So light will shine on your ways."
Job 22:25-28 (NKJV)