2002 - A YEAR OF DIVINE INTERVENTION
by Bill Burns
Faith Tabernacle
P. O. Box 1148
Kremmling, Colorado 80459
http://ft111.com
ft111@earthlink.net
January 8, 2002:
Today is the eighth day of the first month of a new year. Eight is the number of new beginnings.
Isaiah 42:9 Behold, the former things have come to pass, And new things I declare; Before they spring forth I tell you of them.
2002 will be a year of divine intervention in which God will move sovereignly to bring about His purposes in this world. If we add up the numerical value of the year 2002, we have the total of four. The number four represents the sovereignty of God's creative works.
Four is also the number of the Trinity plus man in his relation to the material world as created by God. It was on the fourth day of creation that God completed the material world. Therefore, the number four represents material completeness. There are four elements -- earth, air, fire, and water. There are four regions of the earth -- north, south, east and west. There are four division of the day -- morning, noon, evening and midnight. There are four seasons of the year -- spring, summer, fall and winter.
When I say that 2002 will be a year of divine intervention, I mean that God will sovereignly bring about circumstances in the material world, which will bring His people into the fullness of His purposes. These circumstances will produce blessings for some and curses for others.
The Lord used two mountains (His material creation) to illustrate this concept to His people.
Deuteronomy 11:26-29 "Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you today; and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have not known. Now it shall be, when the LORD your God has brought you into the land which you go to possess, that you shall put the blessing on Mount Gerizim and the curse on Mount Ebal."
The name "Gerizim" means "to cut off" and represents the blessings of God that will come to those who have cut off sin and who are wholly following the Lord. This will be a year of material blessings to those who have camped out on Mount Gerizim in obedience to the Lord. Those who have camped out on Mount Ebal, which means "bare mountain," will endure circumstances which will result in material loss.
The Lord used an old movie title (The Good, The Bad and the Ugly) to define three categories of religious people in whom His divine intervention would be know in this coming year.
The Good:
These are those who love the Lord with all of their hearts and obey His word. They are overcoming evil with their goodness. These will receive the blessings of the Lord in 2002, which will come through God's divine intervention in their circumstances. The glory of the Lord's presence will abide upon the righteous and keep them in safety during these troubled times. This is the season of fruitfulness for the faithful who have continued to serve their Creator.2002 will bring closure to the circumstances that have hindered the remnant who have chosen to follow the Lamb wherever He leads. The blessings of the Lord will abound as many are set free from past bondages. Many will be set free from weariness that their circumstances have contributed to. This will be a season of harvest for "the good."
The Bad:
The bad are those in Christendom who give lip service to God, but their hearts serve the world and self. These are lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; they are lovers of themselves. The Lord will bring circumstances that will activate curses against those who are disobedient. It is the Master's desire that the adverse circumstances that bring material loss will awaken "the bad" and cause them to turn to the Lord in repentance.The Ugly:
These are those who are actively working against "the good," and the ministries that God has given them. The Lord will no longer tolerate those who speak and work against His servants. He will orchestrate circumstances that will lead to the destruction of those who practice the ugliness of persecution, slander and gossip.The Lord gave me Psalm 4 as representative of the year 2002. This Psalm confirms that which I was told concerning the season that is before us.
Psalm 4:1-8 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; have mercy on me, and hear my prayer. How long, O you sons of men, will you turn my glory to shame? How long will you love worthlessness and seek falsehood? Selah But know that the LORD has set apart for Himself him who is godly; the LORD will hear when I call to Him. Be angry, and do not sin. Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still. Selah. Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD. There are many who say, "Who will show us any good?" LORD, lift up the light of Your countenance upon us. You have put gladness in my heart, More than in the season that their grain and wine increased. I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
The Prophets
The Lord also told me that the year 2002 will bring the manifestation of two prophetic types in the similitude of two Old Testament prophets.The first will be known as the Jonah's. These are some of those who have prophesied judgment upon America and more specfically the Church. These prophets will become discouraged because their words of doom and gloom have not yet come to pass. These, like Jonah, want to see their words come to pass more than they want to see the mercy of the Lord take place. Not all prophetic words of judgment will come to pass. This was true in Jonah's day because Nineveh repented, and it is still true today.
It was God who gave these Jonah's the plant (prophetic word), but the worm of self-desire is about to remove the prophetic mantle that these prophets have worn. This will happen because of the hardness of their hearts, because their words have been tainted by bitterness.
On a positive note, the Lord is about to release a company of Elisha's. These will be given the gift of discernment, and this acute discernment will enable the Elisha's to see and know the enemy's plans. They will know the intentions of man even as Elisha did. The operation of this gift will disable the ability of the enemy to gain any victory over God's glorious Church.
The Apostles
The birthing of the manchild (Revelation 12:1-5), which began in 1999, will be fully birthed in this year (2002). The shoulders of this child began to come forth last year. This year will bring forth the whole body of the manchild. This means that some churches (bodies of believers) will begin to function under true apostolic leadership. These bodies will produce apostolic authority and power, which will establish God's divine government in the earth. The woman (Church) has been in labor for some time now to bring forth the manchild who will rule with a rod of iron (divine authority).Isaiah 66:7-9 "Before she was in labor, she gave birth; before her pain came, she delivered a male child. Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, she gave birth to her children. Shall I bring to the time of birth, and not cause delivery?" says the LORD. "Shall I who cause delivery shut up the womb?" says your God.
The apostles that are now coming forth have been in a birthing process in which Christ is being fully formed in them. These apostles have grown in maturity and wisdom even as Christ did (see Luke 2:40-52). These will have understanding of the times and seasons that the church is in, and they will know what to do to prepare the Church for what is coming upon the earth.
A key scripture that the Spirit of the Lord gave me concerning 2002 is Habakkuk 1:5 "Look among the nations and watch; Be utterly astounded! For I will work a work in your days Which you would not believe, though it were told you."
As we watch among the nations this year, we shall witness the sovereign divine intervention of the Lord bringing about the circumstances (events) that will bring forth divine alignments and associations both in the Church and among the nations. These alignments and events will bring forth the Lord's purposes in the process of the restoration of all things.