The fourth captain for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him: and in his course were twenty and four thousand. (1 Chronicles 27:7)
We have now entered the fourth month of the Biblical calendar during the year Ayin Dalet. The month of Tammuz is the month of refined vision, the month of worship and the time to look at our progress and allow the Lord to direct our paths. This month is very key every year because it is the month historically when Israel sinned in the wilderness by worshiping the golden calf and when the twelve spies were sent into the promise land. Again this is highly significant this year, the year to see your open doors of destiny, because God is forming us as His glorious bride to become the dwelling place of His glory and make His enemies our footstool. It’s time to reject every form of godliness that lacks kingdom power and worship our King in the outpouring of His glory!
The month of Tammuz is the first month of the summer season, which is comprised of the three months of Tammuz, Av and Elul. The three tribes corresponding to the months of spring are Reuben, Simeon and Gad; who in the desert encampment around the tabernacle were situated to the South. Their joint camp was known as the camp of Reuben, whose name means “Behold a son”. Every year during the summer season we press through the narrow place to experience a new level of God’s glory. Maintaining our place of worship becomes highly significant during this time of the year. The summer season brings distractions designed to pull us away from our communion table with the Lord, as seen in the history of Israel choosing a golden calf during this time.
Tammuz is also linked with the Tribe of Reuben, who was Jacob’s first son born to Leah. When Reuben was born Leah said, “Surely the LORD hath looked upon my affliction; now therefore my husband will love me”, as such his name means “behold a son”. The root word for his name, raah, means to see or to behold. When Jacob blessed Reuben he said, “Reuben, you are my firstborn, my strength, the child of my vigorous youth. You are first in rank and first in power.But you are as unruly as a flood, and you will be first no longer. For you went to bed with my wife; you defiled my marriage couch”. When Moses blessed Reuben he said, “Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few”. This reveals to us how unbridled desires cause us to forfeit our birth right but as we behold the Son we become heirs of the promise.
The Lord is continuing to release a grace to us that will enable us to complete things that need to be completed as we continue press into the 52 day time frame leading into July 30th. We are being awakened as heirs to the throne in a new way. Jesus is ready to release to us more authority to destroy the works of the devil. Get ready to turn the world upside down as He forms us into a bride filled with His glory!
The Month of Refined Vision
Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year, in the fourth month, in the fifth day of the month, as I was among the captives by the river of Chebar, that the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God.(Ezekiel 1:1)
Ezekiel’s vision among the captives in Babylon is one of the most phenomenal depictions of God’s characteristics in the bible and its full meaning is still greatly debated today by scholars and theologians. This vision took place in the fourth month, the month of Tammuz, as Ezekiel was among the captives in Babylon by the river Chebar. I find this to be very interesting because Ezekiel, who’s name means God Strengthens, seemingly saw what Moses, who’s name means to be drawn out, asked to see but was denied; God’s glory revealed in the whirlwind of fire. I believe God revealed Himself this way at this time, during the captivity, to ensure His people that the destruction of the Temple was not the end of His glory but was the beginning of something much more glorious. This vision came as a sign to them, He was coming to strengthen them in the midst of their captivity and reveal His plan to prosper them and multiply them.
Up to this point in history the people were very familiar with the glory of God because they experienced it multiple times as they journeyed through the wilderness into the Promised Land. His glory was seen among the Tabernacle in the wilderness and in the Temple that Solomon had built. The Temple and the Ark of the Covenant had become symbols of the one who was to be glorified; Immanuel, God with us. But as time went on their focus strayed away from the one who inhabited the Temple and they began to view the Temple itself as the source of glory, rather than the God who chose to dwell in it. Because of this God proclaimed to them that He was going to send the armies of the north, Nebuchadrezzar’s Babylonian army, to destroy the thing they had come to trust in more than Him.
There are many who would view this as cruel and unusual punishment but even though many continued to reject God by refusing to believe the words of His prophets, He continued to find individuals who would receive His vision and release it to the people. In the midst of captivity, or apparent failure, we can find an open heaven that allows us to refine our vision and see the God who comes to strengthen us. At His core God is not judgmental and cold and harsh but He is holy, just and righteous filled with mercy and love. If you have found yourself in a place where you feel as if you have been forsaken or you are unsure of your next move, this is the time to press forward in worship and allow the prevailing love of God to overshadow every failure. He is ready to reveal to you your path of breakthrough and reveal to you the glory He has for you. Even if all is going well in your life I encourage you to ask God to reveal to you His vision for your future because He always reveals in part and there is always a new place of glory being prepared for us.
This truth is revealed in the historical account of the Lord speaking to Ezekiel near the river Chebar, which in Hebrew means a length of space or a continuance of time. This proper noun is the same as the adverb chevar, which means now or already. These two words come from a root verb which means to bind together, to make strong or to multiply. In essence this river where the people had gathered themselves in the place of captivity was a portal that revealed God’s plan of future redemption available to them “now” if they could perceive it by faith. No matter how far away we get from God, He has a “now” plan to strengthen us and allow us to prosper and multiply as we intertwine ourselves with Him by faith!
The Month of Worship
And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.(Exodus 32:1)
The historical account of the people requesting gods to worship seen in Exodus 32:1 took place during this month, the month of Tammuz. In this account we see that the people felt as if they had been abandoned in the wilderness by God and Moses. They formed a mob and confronted Aaron demanding that he make them gods which were to go before them. Somehow the people had become desensitized to the glory of the Lord that was still visible over the mountain where He was speaking to Moses. He had already gone before them to prepare the Promised Land, all they needed to do was worship while they were waiting.
There is a great danger of falling prey to the same type of rebellion when we find ourselves waiting. I have found that worry and anxiety are two enemies that creep in when it seems nothing is happening. These will cause us to move to quickly, devise a plan of our own and lead us to a place of hope deferred if we allow them to. Worship is the key that unlocks the destiny that God has predetermined for us. He has already gone before us and prepared the time and the space where our destiny will be fulfilled, all we have to do is worship Him while we are waiting.
The prophet Samuel said that rebellion is like witchcraft and stubbornness is like idolatry (I Samuel 15:23). When we are rebellious and stubborn we reject God and fail to see His path for our lives. Instead we choose an inferior reality and do what we feel is right based on our own desires. There is nothing in this world that can separate us from God and keep us from experiencing His promises besides our choice to reject His truth and choose our own way. We see this illustrated in the life of Saul who chose to disobey God. When the prophet Samuel confronted his disobedience he chose stubbornness rather than repentance and God’s presence left him. Samuels judgment on the matter is one of the most frightening statements in the bible, “So because you have rejected the command of the LORD, he has rejected you as king”.
Just like the people of Israel in the wilderness who chose to worship the golden calf Saul chose to worship his own way. I believe what led them to the place of rebellion was not intentional maliciousness but a failure to keep the main thing the main thing. The presence of God should ALWAYS be our measure of success. The children of Israel seemed so focused on the promise land they were willing to get there by any means possible; failing to realize the presence of God was still visible on the mountain. Saul was so focused on the victory and the spoils he failed to realize that obedience to God is better than sacrifice. When we exalt our promise above the one who gave it or our breakthrough above the one who produces it we forfeit our place in His presence and fail to see the fulfillment of our destiny.
I encourage you to worship the Lord throughout this time with great fervency. Make special time to worship Him, especially when it seems that you have been delayed in what you believe He is taking you into. New songs break old cycles so ask Him to release to you the new song that will cause barrenness to turn into fruitfulness. Psalm 96 gives us our instruction for this month. O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth. Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. (Psalm 96:1-3)