Watch Focus - MOED: “the SET TIME”
God has a calendar. On it He has certain set times particular to His divine purpose. The Hebrew word for set time is moed, used for all the sacred festivals of Israel—Passover, Pentecost, Yom Kippur, etc. In the middle of Psalm 102, the psalmist reminds God the set time to favor Zion has come. This week, at Passover, we enter the historical breach between present world affairs and the ultimate purpose and plan of God revealed in scripture. We remind God of His calendar. Isaiah tells us when the watchmen raise their voice in agreement with God’s plan, Zion and Jerusalem will shine as a city on a hill. When that occurs, the glory of God will be revealed to all the Gentile nations and their rulers (Isaiah 62).
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PRAY SCRIPTURE:
God says: “SING WITH GLADNESS FOR JACOB and SHOUT among the chief of the nations ... say, ‘O Lord, save your people, the remnant of Israel’ … Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud on their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations and punishments on the peoples; to bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron to execute on them the written judgment. This honor have all His saints,” (Jeremiah 31:7, Psalm 149:5-9). This week we counter the demonic chants raised across this nation calling for death to Israel and America. The watchmen lift our voice with praise and a shout!
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PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, prosperity within your palaces.’ For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, ‘Peace be within you.’ Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek your good,” (Psalm 122:6-9). In a time of economic downturn and threat of financial catastrophe, those who love and pray for Jerusalem will prosper, and their families and churches will be blessed.
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CONFESS AND REPENT
“To the men of Judah, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, those near and those far off, in all the countries to which you have driven them, because of the unfaithfulness which they have committed against you. O Lord, to us belong shame of face, to our kings, our princes and our fathers, because we have sinned against you,” (Daniel 9:7-8). He says, “We have sinned (not they have sinned) and committed iniquity. We have done wickedly (not they have done wickedly) and rebelled, even by departing from your precepts and your judgments.” (Daniel 9:5). Daniel recognized the moed, God’s set time, to bring Israel out of bondage in Babylon and restore His city, Jerusalem. Daniel’s response was identifying with the people and with their sin and interceding in repentance.
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THE SET TIME
In Psalm 102:8, the psalmist says, “My enemies reproach me all day long; those who deride me swear an oath against me.” There is no remedy until suddenly, “But you, O Lord, shall endure forever, and the remembrance of your name to all generations. You will arise and have mercy on Zion, for the time to favor her, yes, the set time has come. For your servants take pleasure in her stones and show favor to her dust,” (Psalm 102:12-14). Those who serve the Lord favor Israel. “So the nations shall fear the name of the Lord, and all the kings of the earth your glory. For the Lord shall build up Zion, He shall appear in His glory,” (Psalm 102:15-16). God’s intervention on behalf of Israel is destined to demonstrate His glory to all kings and Gentile nations.
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ONE NATION SOLUTION
When God brought Jacob back to his promised inheritance, he learned that his brother was coming with hundreds of armed men. Esau had vowed to murder Jacob over the land. A mysterious stranger, a Man, an Angel, whose name was wonderful, wrestled with Jacob all night. In the morning he said, “I have seen God face to face.” The result was reconciliation with his brother. Likewise, Hagar, the mother of Ishmael, fled persecution in Abram’s house. The Angel of the Lord met her. He said, “Return to your mistress, and submit yourself under her hand. I will multiply your descendants exceedingly…” World rulers continue to call for a two-state solution with Jerusalem divided between those who serve the God of Jacob and those who serve to the god of Islam. Peace in the Middle East has no solution except for Jew and Arab encounters with the Man, the Angel, and God, who wrestled with Jacob, the father of Israel, and who met Hagar, the mother of Ishmael. A real revelation of Jesus, the Prince of Peace, as Lord and Savior is the only remedy. No event in the world will demonstrate the glory of God like the two brothers turning to God and one another in repentance and reconciliation. That is the only solution. And that will cause all nations and their kings to see God’s glory.
“We have heard a voice of trembling, of fear, and not of peace. Ask now, and see, whether a man is ever in labor with child? So why do I see every man with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor, and all faces turned pale? Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it; and it is the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it. ‘Jacob shall return, have rest and be quiet, and no one shall make him afraid. For I am with you,’ says the Lord, ‘to save you; though I make a full end of all nations where I have scattered you, yet I will not make a complete end of you.’
‘Then I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach Me; for who is this who pledged his heart to approach Me?’ says the Lord. ‘You shall be My people,
And I will be your God.’ Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord goes forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind; it will fall violently on the head of the wicked. The fierce anger of the Lord will not return until He has done it, and until He has performed the intents of His heart.
In the latter days you will consider it.” Jeremiah 30:5-7, 10-11, 21-24
O Lord, save your people, the remnant of Israel! Redeem Jacob out of all his troubles.
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Previous Watch Focuses
God has a calendar. On it He has certain set times particular to His divine purpose. |
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“Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, the strength of salvation; the fear of the Lord is his treasure,” Isaiah 33:6. |
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Isaiah 33:22 and 24, “For the Lord is our Judge, The Lord is our Lawgiver, The Lord is our King; He will save us…” And the inhabitant will not say, “I am sick”; The people who dwell in it will be forgiven their iniquity.” |
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For thus has the Lord said to me: “Go, set a watchman, let him declare what he sees.” And he saw a chariot with a pair of horsemen, a chariot of donkeys, and a chariot of camels, and he listened earnestly with great care.” Isaiah 21:6-7 |
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