Over the years, thousands of people have had some input into my life. Each of those people, in turn, have also been the product of many teachers and experiences. We are all dependent upon a host of people that we have never met in ways that we cannot possibly know.
My greatest teachers have been the biblical writers, of course, but whenever someone shares insights that were revealed to him or her, we all benefit. As time has passed, I have found that fewer and fewer people have new insights that I find helpful and useful. But occasionally, I run into someone who has some genuine revelation of the Word that I had not seen.
I received a veritable banquet on November 20, 2011, as I attended a little church nearby, and this has inspired me to write this current FFI. The pastor is from South Africa, and he invited me to teach and fellowship with his church about two years ago. I have often enjoyed his teaching and hearing his testimony of how God has done so many miraculous things in his life. But on Nov. 20, he gave me a feast of insights.
Jacob Claims to be Esau
Most of us are familiar with the story of Jacob and Esau. We know how Jacob and Esau struggled in the womb, how Esau was born first, and how Jacob was born holding on to Esau’s heel. Hence, he was given the name Jacob, which means a heel-catcher, signifying a deceiver, supplanter, or usurper. (See Gen. 25:26.)
The manner of his birth was prophetic, and so the prophecy was given before the twins were even born that “the older shall serve the younger” (Gen. 25:23). This prophecy reflected the divine plan and ultimate purpose, but the manner of their birth also prophesied of the course of history that would bring about this final end.
When the boys grew a little older, Isaac became blind prematurely. Then he became quite ill and thought that he was going to die soon. Isaac was only 123 years old at the time. He did not know that he would recover and would live another 57 years to the ripe old age of 180 (Genesis 35:28).
Isaac wanted to pass the birthright down to his oldest son, Esau, who was nicknamed “Edom,” or Red. Instead, Jacob dressed up like Esau and deceived his blind father by claiming to be Esau. Genesis 27 says,
21 Then Isaac said to Jacob, “Please come close, that I may feel you, my son, whether you are really my son Esau or not.” 22 So Jacob came close to Isaac his father, and he felt him and said, “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are hands of Esau.” 23 And he did not recognize him, because his hands were hairy like his brother Esau’s hand; so he blessed him. 24 And he said, “Are you really my son Esau?” And he said, “I am.”
This is how Jacob usurped the birthright of Esau. We may argue that the divine plan gave Jacob the right to possess the birthright, but there is no excuse for lying. Jacob’s method was wrong. One cannot obtain the promises of God by unlawful methods. Paul says in 2 Tim. 2:5,
5 And also if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules [i.e., “lawfully”].
In essence, Jacob won the competition, but he was disqualified by breaking the rules. For this reason, he did not receive the official recognition from God until many years later when his name was changed to Israel.
Jacob’s Identity
When Jacob confessed to his father that he was Esau, that confession of identity was imprinted upon him in ways that even he did not understand. He stole Esau’s identity and thereby cursed himself. Jacob supplanted Esau and thereafter struggled with a dual identity.
Edom and Adam are similar names. Edom means “red,” while Adam means “ruddy, or reddish.” Both were prophetic representatives of the carnal man. Paul develops this theme by showing that the “old man” within us is Adam, and the “new man” is Christ.
In other words, we too struggle with two identities, and we are who we believe ourselves to be. In past time we claimed heritage through Adam, who was sentenced to death for sin. In fact, we were naturally born into that heritage, and as a result we were born mortal.
But when we were begotten from above, we received a new Father and were impregnated by the seed of the Gospel by the Holy Spirit. This gave us a second identity, and the real purpose of spiritual growth is to regain a single identity by putting to death the old man and identifying with the new man that is Christ in you.
The Biblical Number of Identification: 34
Genesis tells us the story of how Jacob supplanted Esau, but it does not date the event. To find the date, one must go to the book of Jasher, which is mentioned in Joshua 10:13 and again in 2 Sam. 1:18. This long-lost book was re-discovered in 1613 in a rabbi’s office in Venice, Italy and translated into English in 1840.
Jasher 29:11 records this:
11 And Jacob was very much afraid of his brother Esau, and he rose up and fled to the house of Eber the son of Shem, and he concealed himself there on account of his brother; and Jacob was sixty-three years old when he went forth from the land of Canaan from Hebron, and Jacob was concealed in Eber’s house fourteen years on account of his brother Esau, and he there continued to learn the ways of the Lord and his commandments.
The account goes on to tell us that Jacob returned to his father’s house 14 years later, but this only inflamed Esau, who then plotted to kill him. Jacob then fled to Haran to work for his uncle Laban, as Scripture also tells us.
Jacob was 77 (63 + 14) when he fled to Haran. He worked for Laban a total of 20 years and then returned to Canaan in the 21st year when he was 97-98 years old. On his way home, he was attacked by an angel of God, which resulted in a fresh revelation of Peniel, the face of God.
Not only was Jacob’s identity changed from Jacob to Israel, but likewise, his identity was changed from Esau to Israel. This was the point where his lie was overthrown. He had confessed to being Esau 34 years earlier. Now as a result of the wrestling match with the angel, that carnal identity, that identity theft, was wiped clean, and he became a new man. He was given a new name, coming from the face of God.
The biblical number 34 is the number of identification. Ed Vallowe’s book, Biblical Mathematics, says that 34 means “The Naming of a Son,” but upon deeper study, I have found that it means “Identification.” He was not far off, but the meaning is a bit broader than simply naming SONS.
For example, the 34th time that Jesus’ name is mentioned in the book of Luke is found in Luke 8:30,
30 And Jesus asked him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Legion,” for many demons had entered him.
This clear example has nothing to do with naming a son, but it has everything with naming, or identifying, the entity called “Legion.”
The name Shem has a numeric value of 340, which is 34 x 10. Shem means “name.” A name is one’s identity and prophetically represents the character of the person. This is how so many biblical characters received new names when their character changed or they were given some new calling or authority in life.
So I find it significant that Jacob was 63 when he usurped the name of Esau, and 34 years later he was given a new name, Israel, at the age of 97-98.
2011: The Year of Identification
A year ago, on Nov. 20, 2010, it was revealed that we should begin to declare our identity in Christ and to repudiate our identification with the old man (Adam).
I published a model prayer the next day to assist people in this, telling people to look themselves in the eyes through a mirror and to prophesy to their inner man. It was designed to make people aware that they were new creatures in Christ and that they were no longer identified with the old, carnal, Adamic man.
One year later, on Nov. 20, 2011, my pastor friend preached a very inspiring message which opened up this new understanding of Jacob’s identity theft of Esau’s name and its 34-year effect upon him that was overcome only with a new identity being given to him: Israel.
It has taken a full year to really comprehend what this means to us today. As believers, we have been like Jacob. We have been given a promise, but we have tried to obtain the promise by identifying with Esau-Edom (i.e., Adam). We thought that our Adamic man could be trained to qualify for the birthright inheritance. We thought we could reform the old man. Yet we were not really that old man at all, for we knew that we were new creatures in Christ. Nonetheless, our identification with the old man caused us to work hard to accomplish the impossible.
It is only when we understand the distinction between Adam and Christ that we can begin to repudiate the old man and to put on the new creation man that has been begotten in our hearts. We are to identify with that new man even as Paul did when he said in Rom. 7:16-18,
16 But if I [Adamic man] do the very thing that I [Christ man] does not wish to do, I [Christ man] agree with the Law, confessing that it is good. 17 So now, no longer am I [Christ man] the one doing it, but [the man of] sin which indwells me. 18 For I [Christ man] know that nothing good dwells in me [Adamic man], that is, in my flesh.
So a year ago we were led to take steps to identify with the New Creation Man within us. This was not a new revelation, of course, but nonetheless in the big picture, God was marking the Year of Identification in order to prepare our hearts for the next year: the Year of the Awakening (2012).
November 11: the New Prophetic Year Begins
Each new Prophetic Year begins shortly after the feast of Tabernacles. It starts with 2 periods of 76 days as “cleansing” periods. The Year of the Awakening has now begun on Nov. 11, 2011 and should culminate on the last day of Tabernacles in 2012.
We first took note of this day when we realized that it was 490 days after we cast barley meal into the Mississippi River (July 9, 2010). Recall that this was to fulfill the 8th sign of Elisha in 2 Kings 4:38-41. That sign was the Gulf Oil Spill, which had occurred April 20, 2010. It was the “death in the pot” (i.e., the Gulf Basin). The oil spill was then capped 144 hours later on July 15, 2010.
Nov. 11, 2011 was 490 days later, so we thought it was likely that this was a watch date for the 9th sign of Elisha. The date was certainly important, but there was more to this than we could see at the time.
Entering the Millennium of Rest
Ten years ago, from Nov. 1-14, 2001, we held a prayer campaign called “Entering the Millennium of Rest.” On Oct. 30, 2001 we were led to decree it to be unlawful to perform human sacrifice in America. Certain Satanists did so anyway on their high holy day, Halloween, Oct. 31. This gave us legal cause to take them to the Divine Court the next day. We won the case, of course, and then we were led to make some decrees regarding the Restoration of All Things. In particular, these decrees involved opening the eyes of the people to see and hear the Truth. We believe, of course, that if people can hear the Truth, they will come to understand Universal Reconciliation.
So now we have come to the full Hezekiah cycle of ten years. Earlier this year we expected to see the results of all the spiritual warfare that was accomplished back in 2001. This “Millennium” prayer campaign was the culmination of all those battles in 2001, so we have known for many months that we would see the results of this in November.
The picture was incomplete until we were able to overlay the events in 2001 with the events in 1996. This is because the Hezekiah Factor involves two time cycles: 10 and 15 years (2 Kings 19:6, 10). The way that God has woven these two cycles into a single picture is really quite amazing.
Back in 1996 is when the Hezekiah Factor was first applied in a major prophetic manner. God turned the clock back ten years on the Day of Atonement in 1996. At the same time, He granted a 15-year extension to the life of Hezekiah. Hence, we could look backward ten years to 1986 as well as ahead fifteen years to 2011.
So in one sense, we are seeing the results now of the “Millennium” prayer campaign in 2001, but we are also seeing the 15-year extension completed since 1996.
The Reign of Manasseh
The “Millennium” prayer campaign ten years ago ended on Nov. 14, 2001 with the coronation of the overcomers. This date correlated with the moving of the Coronation Stone from London back to Scotland in 1996. At that time, the stone left Westminster on Nov. 14 and arrived at the oak table in Edinburgh on Nov. 30.
Hence, Nov. 14, 2011 was the point of contact between the 15-year cycle from 1996 (when the Stone left Westminster) and the 10-year cycle from 2001, when we saw the Coronation of the Overcomers at the end of the prayer campaign.
So the main prophetic events this past month really began on Nov. 14. It was plain that we were to watch the end of that cycle on Nov. 30, which was precisely 15 years after the Coronation Stone was placed on the oak table in Scotland.
The Remnant was crowned formally on Nov. 30 after taking the throne October 8. When a monarch dies, his son takes the throne immediately, while preparations are made for a more formal and official coronation ceremony that comes later. That is what is now happening, I believe. Manasseh, the Remnant Company, took the throne on October 8, 2011, but the coronation parade (or procession) took place Nov. 14-30 according to the pattern laid down 15 years ago with the Coronation Stone (Nov. 14-30, 1996).
The Coronation: November 30, 2011
In the last two weeks of November, the Lord began to speak to me about the Great Pyramid and its revelation. Finally, on Nov. 29 I was led to build a scale model of the Great Pyramid out of white foam board. I was then led to put the missing capstone on it the next day, Nov. 30, at the church pastored by my friend, David.
This was a Coronation ceremony, and so it was important that David be present. Psalm 118:22-24 says,
22 The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone. 23 This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
This was a reference to the Great Pyramid, which was missing its Capstone that represented Jesus Christ. It pictured the fact that He was rejected in His first appearance in Judea, but that in His second appearance He will become the “head of the corner” (KJV), or “the chief corner stone” (NASB).
In other words, He will be accepted and put in His rightful place in our time.
When that day arrived, it was “the day that the Lord has made.” We are used to quoting this in relation to the day that we meet to worship God—and certainly, that is applicable. Every time we worship Him, we exalt Him as King. But from a long-term prophetic standpoint, we are now seeing its application to Nov. 30, 1996 and again on Nov. 30, 2011.
Toward the end of the day on Nov. 30, I placed the Capstone on the Pyramid that I had built. I did not know until later that the stock market (Dow) had risen 490 points that day. Likewise, on the S&P 500, out of the 500 companies represented, 490 of them had risen in value that same day.
The odds of these two numbers occurring on the same day are astronomical, but for them to occur on such an important Coronation Day bears witness that we have entered Blessed Time (490). It may take a while to fully understand what this means in the outworking of the prophetic history of the Kingdom.
The Sons Coming Out of Egypt
The placement of the Capstone fulfilled the Word of the Lord given in late November of 1988. We were living in Memphis, TN at the time, and I asked the Lord when He intended to bring us “out of Egypt.” Instead of answering directly, He said, “Call your son, and I will give him two verses which will be the number of chapters and verses beginning with the book of Joel.”
I called Ryan, my first-born son, who was just 8 at the time, and God gave him 54 and 40. I then started counting 54 chapters beginning with the book of Joel. It took me to the first chapter of Matthew. I then counted 40 verses to Matt. 2:15,
15 and was there until the death of Herod, that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, “Out of Egypt did I call My son.”
“Are we going to leave Egypt soon?” “Call your son.” Of all the Scriptures, this is the one that was given to me. The relevant dates in 1988 were Nov. 29 and 30. A year later, I received a job offer on Nov. 29, 1989, which led us out of Memphis and also “out of Egypt.” Hence, the fulfillment of this occurred 22 years ago (1989-2011), because 22 is the number of “the sons of light.”
So are we really “leaving Egypt” now? Certainly in some manner as it applies to us today.
The New Birth
To leave Egypt is also a New Birth, because when Israel left Egypt, it was the birth of the Nation-Son. In Exodus 4:22, 23 God says to Moses,
22 Thus says the Lord, “Israel is My son, My first-born. 23 So I said to you, ‘Let My son go, that he may serve Me’; but you have refused to let him go. Behold, I will kill your son, your first-born.”
We received a telephone call after midnight on Dec. 1 from our youngest daughter in Dallas. She informed us that her water had broken, and that she was in labor. We learned this morning that she was almost ready for delivery of her first-born son. Since she was actually due the end of December, this took us by surprise.
God loves to give us signs that surprise us.
