As we move deeper as God’s people into the promise God has given us, we are called to move forward in the triumph of Christ in the form of the ‘three days’, which includes His victory over sin, death, and the devil (cf. Mark 9:31 i.c.w. Colossians 2:13-15).
Mark 9:31:
… 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, ‘The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.’
… 31 because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, ‘The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise.’
Colossians 2:13-15:
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having cancelled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.
15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.
We are told in Numbers 10:33-36 that the people of Israel traveled from Mount Horeb/Sinai three days’ journey, while the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD passed before them.
Numbers 10:33-36:
33 So they set out from the mountain of the Lord and travelled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest.
34 The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.
35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses said, ‘Rise up, Lord! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you.’
36 Whenever it came to rest, he said, ‘Return, Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel.’
33 So they set out from the mountain of the Lord and travelled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest.
34 The cloud of the Lord was over them by day when they set out from the camp.
35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses said, ‘Rise up, Lord! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you.’
36 Whenever it came to rest, he said, ‘Return, Lord, to the countless thousands of Israel.’
In a prophetic context, this points to the walk in triumph and resurrection power in Christ Jesus, accompanied by His glorious presence, guiding our way into the future (cf. Micah 2:13 i.c.w. Psalm 119:105).
Micah 2:13:
13 The One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out. Their King will pass through before them, the Lord at their head.’
13 The One who breaks open the way will go up before them; they will break through the gate and go out. Their King will pass through before them, the Lord at their head.’
Psalm 119:105:
105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
The reason is because in the Ark of the Covenant were the three elements in the form of the golden jar of manna representing the prophetic word as the testimony of Jesus, the sprouting almond staff of Aaron representing God’s direction on the basis of a blossoming and fruitful time as the almond tree heralds the springtime in Israel and also the two covenant tablets representing God’s standard of values.
Christ, the Trailblazer and the Right Time to Go Ahead
In all of this, it is necessary that when we find ourselves in a period of time where the adversary is vehemently opposing us to stop us in going forward with Christ, we should first pay attention to whether the glorious presence of our breaker – Jesus Christ is in front of us. It is so that with Him as the ‘spearhead’ in the form of His triumph on the cross of Calvary, we can pierce through the enemy’s resistance in order to continue to go ahead secured in the victory in Christ.
If we, as God’s people, move forward without His presence and act on our own will, even when we have repented of made mistakes, it can bring devastating consequences, much like what the people of Israel experienced (cf. Numbers 14:40-45).
Numbers 14:40-45:
40 Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country, saying, ‘Now we are ready to go up to the land the Lord promised. Surely we have sinned!’
41 But Moses said, ‘Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? This will not succeed!
42 Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies, 43 for the Amalekites and the Canaanites will face you there. Because you have turned away from the Lord, he will not be with you and you will fall by the sword.’
44 Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up towards the highest point in the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord’s covenant moved from the camp.
45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.
40 Early the next morning they set out for the highest point in the hill country, saying, ‘Now we are ready to go up to the land the Lord promised. Surely we have sinned!’
41 But Moses said, ‘Why are you disobeying the Lord’s command? This will not succeed!
42 Do not go up, because the Lord is not with you. You will be defeated by your enemies, 43 for the Amalekites and the Canaanites will face you there. Because you have turned away from the Lord, he will not be with you and you will fall by the sword.’
44 Nevertheless, in their presumption they went up towards the highest point in the hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord’s covenant moved from the camp.
45 Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites who lived in that hill country came down and attacked them and beat them down all the way to Hormah.
This is why we should act accordingly at the time God has appointed according to His will, so as not to thwart our moment brought about by God. However, if we do not respond according to His will at the right time, it may cause us to be pushed back by the enemy in our path, resulting in loss and confusion.
In order to discern when or in what way the glory or presence of God moves, knowledge of the biblical months and the three biblical feasts ordained by God – Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot is of great significance (cf. Matthew 16:2-3 i.c.w. Exodus 23:14-17).
Matthew 16:2-3:
2 He replied, ‘When evening comes, you say, “It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,”
3 and in the morning, “Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.” You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
2 He replied, ‘When evening comes, you say, “It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,”
3 and in the morning, “Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.” You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.
Exodus 23:14-17:
14 ‘Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival to me.
15 ‘Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread (Note: Passover); for seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv, for in that month you came out of Egypt. ‘No-one is to appear before me empty-handed.
16 ‘Celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field (Note: Shavuot – Feast of Weeks/Pentecost). ‘Celebrate the Festival of Ingathering (Note: Sukkot – Feast of Tabernacles) at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.
17 ‘Three times a year all the men are to appear before the Sovereign Lord.
14 ‘Three times a year you are to celebrate a festival to me.
15 ‘Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread (Note: Passover); for seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv, for in that month you came out of Egypt. ‘No-one is to appear before me empty-handed.
16 ‘Celebrate the Festival of Harvest with the firstfruits of the crops you sow in your field (Note: Shavuot – Feast of Weeks/Pentecost). ‘Celebrate the Festival of Ingathering (Note: Sukkot – Feast of Tabernacles) at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field.
17 ‘Three times a year all the men are to appear before the Sovereign Lord.
These three biblical feasts, appointed by God, carry within them a threefold cord that must be judged spiritually correct. This is about:
1. the power of the blood of the Lamb,
2. the power of the Holy Spirit based on the given Word of God,
3. the power of the glory of God.
When we align with this knowledge by faith, as well as celebrate the biblical feasts in the freedom of the Spirit based on the truth of God’s Word, and not out of religious legalism, it results in the wonderful intensification of God’s presence in our lives.
In order to experience the glory or presence of God in our lives more intensely, there is a need for a space of descent for His presence. This is evident from the fact that God honored His two created beginnings of the year by fulfilling these established holy places in the time of Moses at the completion of the tabernacle in the first biblical month of ‘Nissan/Aviv’ (Note: beginning of the holy, biblical year) and in the time of king Solomon at the consecration of the temple in the seventh biblical month of ‘Tishrei/Ethanim’ (Note: beginning of the biblical, civil year). Accordingly, it is also important for us as His people to recognize the value of time in a biblical context and to respect it by also preparing in faith a place for God’s presence in time for these time frames so that He can spread out with His presence to the following months (cf. Exodus 40:1-2.16-17 i.c.w. 1 Kings 8:2.8-12).
Exodus 40:1-2.16-17:
1 Then the Lord said to Moses: 2 ‘Set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, on the first day of the first month. …
16 Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded him.
17 So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year.
1 Then the Lord said to Moses: 2 ‘Set up the tabernacle, the tent of meeting, on the first day of the first month. …
16 Moses did everything just as the Lord commanded him.
17 So the tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month in the second year.
1 Kings 8:2.8-12:
2 All the Israelites came together to King Solomon at the time of the festival in the month of Ethanim, the seventh month. …
8 These poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today.
9 There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.
10 When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord.
11 And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled his temple.
12 Then Solomon said, ‘The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud; …
2 All the Israelites came together to King Solomon at the time of the festival in the month of Ethanim, the seventh month. …
8 These poles were so long that their ends could be seen from the Holy Place in front of the inner sanctuary, but not from outside the Holy Place; and they are still there today.
9 There was nothing in the ark except the two stone tablets that Moses had placed in it at Horeb, where the Lord made a covenant with the Israelites after they came out of Egypt.
10 When the priests withdrew from the Holy Place, the cloud filled the temple of the Lord.
11 And the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled his temple.
12 Then Solomon said, ‘The Lord has said that he would dwell in a dark cloud; …
The Two Biblical Time Cycles and the Cloud of God
In order to understand the appointed time of God, it is critical to know that there are two biblical time cycles. The first time cycle is the biblical civil year, which means the blessing cycle and is aligned from the time of man’s creation, when God blessed Adam. (Note: beginning in the fall; The blessing cycle begins with the seventh biblical month ‘Tishrei/Ethanim’).
The second cycle of time is the cycle of redemption in the biblical holy year, which begins with the biblical month of ‘Nissan/Aviv’, which aligns with the blood of the Lamb of God shed at Passover (Note: beginning in the spring). ‘Nissan/Aviv’ is the month after which all other biblical months must align (cf. Exodus 12:1-2 i.c.w. Exodus 34:18).
Exodus 12:1-2:
1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 2 ‘This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. …’
1 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, 2 ‘This month is to be for you the first month, the first month of your year. …’
Exodus 34:18:
18 ‘Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread (Note: Passover). For seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv, for in that month you came out of Egypt.
18 ‘Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread (Note: Passover). For seven days eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you. Do this at the appointed time in the month of Aviv, for in that month you came out of Egypt.
God’s presence accompanies us on our ‘way of the day’ in the form of a cloud, which in Hebrew is called ‘’ānān’ and ends twice with the Hebrew letter ‘Nun’, which among other things means ‘fish’.
Since fish live in water and thus reside in a hidden world from the human eye, this is related to the mysterious presence of God through which the LORD communicates the wisdom and knowledge hidden in His Son Christ Jesus (cf. Colossians 2:2-3).
Since fish live in water and thus reside in a hidden world from the human eye, this is related to the mysterious presence of God through which the LORD communicates the wisdom and knowledge hidden in His Son Christ Jesus (cf. Colossians 2:2-3).
Colossians 2:2-3:
2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
2 My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
This communication is akin to the two fish that, in conjunction with the five loaves, contributed to the blessing in the form of a multiplying miracle Jesus did when He responded to the hunger of the people (cf. Matthew 14:16-19).
Matthew 14:16-19:
16 Jesus replied, ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.’
17 ‘We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,’ they answered.
18 ‘Bring them here to me,’ he said.
19 And he told the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
16 Jesus replied, ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.’
17 ‘We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,’ they answered.
18 ‘Bring them here to me,’ he said.
19 And he told the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.
Furthermore, this type of divine communication can be initially disconcerting to inexperienced believers or even cause fear due to a lack of knowledge, similar to what happened to the people of Israel when the LORD settled His dark cloud on Mount Horeb/Sinai, thus covering or wrapping Moses (cf. Exodus 19:16; Exodus 20:18-19.21).
Exodus 19:16:
16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled.
16 On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled.
Exodus 20:18-19.21:
18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, ‘Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not let God speak to us or we will die.’ …
21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance 19 and said to Moses, ‘Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not let God speak to us or we will die.’ …
21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
Due to the lack of knowledge, some believers may title this presence of God as sorcery and divination or the like, but this should not prevent trained or mature saints in the presence of God from stepping back from it, but acting sovereignly from this divine presence to convey the direction of God.
For example, the prophet Daniel, because of his intimate relationship with God and the anointing assigned to him by God, was placed by king Nebuchadnezzar above all the magicians, astrologers, enchanters, and soothsayers (cf. Daniel 5:11-12).
Daniel 5:11-12:
11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners.
12 He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.’
11 There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. Your father, King Nebuchadnezzar, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners.
12 He did this because Daniel, whom the king called Belteshazzar, was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams, explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel, and he will tell you what the writing means.’
This means that even if people cannot correctly discern the God-given anointing toward us, we should act sovereignly in what we know without being intimidated or pushed back in our mission.
The presence of God in the form of the dark cloud – ‘’ānān’ is His external glory that precedes Him, so that His heavy and thick presence – kābôd appears in conjunction with the presence of His indwelling glory – Shekinah.
This external glory – ‘’ānān’, is the presence of the LORD that accompanies us on our personal journey with Christ (Note: symbol of the Ark of the Covenant), while the heavy and indwelling glory – kābôd/Shekinah accompany the establishment of the dwelling place in the place where the LORD wants to settle.
For us as God’s people, this means that is required that we allow the glorious presence of the LORD represented by the Ark of the Covenant to go before us as a trailblazer and to find for us a resting place that corresponds to His will and the time of His visitation (cf. Numbers 10:33).
Numbers 10:33:
33 So they set out from the mountain of the Lord and travelled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest.
33 So they set out from the mountain of the Lord and travelled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the Lord went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest.
Amen and Amen.
In His Wisdom,
Daniel Glimm
