It is God’s will for us that we as His people increase in the strength of the LORD as we are centered and bonded in His joy (cf. Nehemiah 8:10c).
Nehemiah 8:10c:
‘… 10c Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’
‘… 10c Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.’
In connection with the joy of the LORD and His strength, I was led to the Bible passage from 2 Chronicles 26:9-10, where it tells of king Uzziah who built towers in Jerusalem in special places. These were the Corner Gate, the Valley Gate, the place at an angle, as well as towers in the wilderness, and in addition, he dug many wells.
2 Chronicles 26:9-10:
9 Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate and at the angle of the wall, and he fortified them.
10 He also built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, because he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain. He had people working his fields and vineyards in the hills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil.
9 Uzziah built towers in Jerusalem at the Corner Gate, at the Valley Gate and at the angle of the wall, and he fortified them.
10 He also built towers in the wilderness and dug many cisterns, because he had much livestock in the foothills and in the plain. He had people working his fields and vineyards in the hills and in the fertile lands, for he loved the soil.
The name of the king ‘Uzziah’ translated means ‘My strength is YAHWEH.’ which is an indication that the LORD wants us to increase in spiritual strength and kingship in Christ Jesus.
The establishment of the towers by Uzziah in the four places mentioned can be described in a prophetic context as the following events:
- corner gate => place of decision,
- alley gate => humble attitude of heart,
- at the corner => place of conversion/repentance,
- in the desert => place of testing.
Spiritual Overview
Here it is important to the LORD that we have a spiritual overview enriched with revelation in the form of wisdom and knowledge in order to make the right decisions according to the will of God and to go forward in it with a humble and repentant heart. This is indicated by the wells that Uzziah dug. One of the Hebrew words used for ‘well’ in the Word of God is ‘Ayin’, which also means ‘eye’.
Especially in times of spiritual testing, it is required to have a prophetic overview and not only walk through the wilderness, but also survey the area of testing from an elevated position in order to move forward with confidence toward the Lord and His Word.
It says in 2 Chronicles 26:1 that Uzziah became king after the death of his father Amaziah.
2 Chronicles 26:1:
1 Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.
1 Then all the people of Judah took Uzziah, who was sixteen years old, and made him king in place of his father Amaziah.
Here the whole people of Judah had an important role, which is an indication of the merging of strength within praise, which has as its basis the walk in the joy of the LORD.
The first names of both kings (Note: Amaziah, Uzziah) translated means ‘My strength is YAHWEH!’, where the name ‘Uzziah’ starts with the Hebrew letter ‘Ayin’ and ‘Amaziah’ with an ‘Aleph’. In this context, the LORD reveals that it is about a greater weightiness or quality in terms of developing strength in the sonship of Christ.
The first names of both kings (Note: Amaziah, Uzziah) translated means ‘My strength is YAHWEH!’, where the name ‘Uzziah’ starts with the Hebrew letter ‘Ayin’ and ‘Amaziah’ with an ‘Aleph’. In this context, the LORD reveals that it is about a greater weightiness or quality in terms of developing strength in the sonship of Christ.
The Quality of God’s Strength
In connection with this, I was led to the Bible passage from Judges 9:51-53, which is about a strong tower in the midst of the city of ‘Tebez – white brightness’, as a reference to the center of the righteous. It is about those who have intensified their quality in the strength of the LORD, which includes walking in the center of God’s joy.
Judges 9:51-53:
51 Inside the city, however, was a strong tower, to which all the men and women – all the people of the city – had fled. They had locked themselves in and climbed up on the tower roof.
52 Abimelek went to the tower and attacked it. But as he approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire, 53 a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull.
51 Inside the city, however, was a strong tower, to which all the men and women – all the people of the city – had fled. They had locked themselves in and climbed up on the tower roof.
52 Abimelek went to the tower and attacked it. But as he approached the entrance to the tower to set it on fire, 53 a woman dropped an upper millstone on his head and cracked his skull.
It is the LORD’s concern that we run into the increase of His strength in order to stand in a greater quality of strength, that is, on the roof of the strong tower. From there, as the bride of Christ, we respond with the works of righteousness toward the adversary who is targeting the church – Ekklēsia, which is young in spirit. We are supposed to reign in order to stop the enemy in his plans (cf. Psalm 61:3; Proverbs 18:10 i.c.w. Matthew 18:6-7).
Psalm 61:3:
3 For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.
3 For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe.
Proverbs 18:10:
10 The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
10 The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.
Matthew 18:6-7:
6 ‘If anyone causes one of these little ones – those who believe in me – to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung round their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!
6 ‘If anyone causes one of these little ones – those who believe in me – to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung round their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
7 Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come!
Where the enemy has planned a time of destruction of righteousness, represented by the head of Abimelek, it is our task as the church – the Ekklēsia from a higher place of God’s strength, represented by the roof on the strong tower, to destroy the enemy’s planning center by the decrees of righteousness.
Amen and Amen.
In His Wisdom,
Daniel Glimm
