The Last Judge and the First Prophet - The Season of Birthing - Part Two
Samuel was Israel's last judge and first prophet. His ministry bridged the gap between two distinctive times in Israel's religious history as well as her national identity . Israel went from being ruled by judges to being ruled by a king. We in the body of Christ are facing a similar time of transition today from what we've always known as Christianity and what is on the horizon very soon. Change is coming to Planet Earth. Hanna's prayer gives us insight to the faith needed to endure the last days. Samuel was Israel's first prophetic voice and his supernatural beginning makes him a type of Israel's other major prophet - THE LORD JESUS.
By Chris McDonald
TEXT: 1 Sam 3:19-21 - And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD. 21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD. (KJV)
Samuel was the last judge and the first prophet of Israel. His ministry represented a time of transition between the time of the judges and the time of a fresh prophetic word from heaven that eventually established the kingship and the Davidic Covenant. Samuel anointed the King (David, who was a type of Christ) who would rule over Israel and bring the nation back to God after a horrible cycle of bondage, delusion and debauchery. We as the 21rst Century church have been called to be a “Samuel” generation and pave the way for the SOON COMING KING- King Jesus. We are the forerunner generation and we are living in the season of transition. Repentance is the key to all revival be it during the time of Samuel or be it now. The choice is ours – revival or death.
1 Sam 3:19-21
19 And Samuel grew, and the LORD was with him, and did let none of his words fall to the ground.
20 And all Israel from Dan even to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established to be a prophet of the LORD. 21 And the LORD appeared again in Shiloh: for the LORD revealed himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the word of the LORD. (KJV)
As we stated in part one of this journal, Samuel was a transitional leader for Israel between the time of great national declension and apostasy during the days of the judges and the time of David’s glorious rule of kingship when the nation returned to worshipping the true and living God. Israel had never seen a season like she saw Samuel’s reign. Samuel was Israel’s last judge AND Israel’s first prophet. The Bible says that Samuel spoke with so much authority that “none of his words fell to the ground.”
In part one of this journal series we took a look at the time of transition itself. In this journal we want to actually go back to an earlier part of Samuel’s life – his birth – and take a look at the type of faith his mother Hannah had in “birthing” this great prophetic voice in Israel’s history. Hannah’s faith is the type of faith that we as the 21rst Century must exhibit in these transitional days if we plan to see the fulfillment of God’s harvest in the Earth prior to judgment. Events are transpiring rapidly that echo the coming Antichrist on the world’s scene. Trouble is on the way. There will be both persecution and victory for the child of God in the coming days ahead. It will require prophetic FAITH and anointing to resist the powers of darkness that will befall millions in these waning hours of this age. MANY will give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. MANY shall depart from the faith going into apostasy. There is coming a great falling away.
1 Tim 4:1-3
1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
2 Tim. 3:1-8
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. [2] For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, [3] Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, [4] Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; [5] Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. [6] For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, [7] Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. [8] Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds reprobate concerning the faith.
I have talked to several prophetic type people over the past several weeks and all agree that both the warfare and the rumblings in the Spirit world have tripled in both intensity and nature over the past several months. Something is up friends! Jesus Christ is coming soon. The rapture of the church could take place at any moment. I know some believe and teach otherwise but whether the rapture takes place before the Tribulation or in the middle I know that the signs we see before our eyes indicate, “there is something in the air.” Lanny Wolfe penned these same sentiments in his song, “The Sounds of His Coming”:
“I can hear the sound of fig leaves rustling in the summer breeze, as I see the Lord restore Jerusalem. And I can hear a sound from heaven as a mighty rushing wind, as God pours His Spirit out upon all men. And when I see revival sounds not just here but everywhere, then I KNOW It’s almost over, I CAN FEEL IT IN THE AIR.”
Oh Glory to God. Lanny wrote that song nearly 20 years ago and I can hear Ted Garrett from Baton Rouge, LA (Jimmy Swaggart Ministries) sing that right now and it’s making me want to shout. I don’t know how to shout and type at the same time but I sure am trying right now. Praise the Lamb forever.
The church is in for a rude awakening, especially here in America. The day of play-church is about to end and come to a close. One season is about to give way to another. We’ve enjoyed a season of blessing for so long I’m afraid we don’t know and will not know how to handle the seasons of trials and testing that are ahead. And preacher, please hear what I say to you if you are reading this.
As we said in part one of this journal, the KEY to ALL preaching in these last days is hearing from heaven. That is really the simplest definition of prophetic preaching and prophetic anointing. It is NOT getting behind your pulpit reading your notes for 30 minutes and having people hear you preach on the same things you preached on 30 years ago. Prophetic words are FRESH, not necessarily new, but FRESH. There is nothing new under the sun. The gospel cannot be preached any differently than the way Paul preached it, or Peter, or the early Church preached it. The message has always been JESUS SAVES, JESUS HEALS, JESUS BAPTZIES IN THE HOLY GHOST and JESUS IS COMING AGAIN. All four of those “messages” find their meaning in the CROSS OF CHRIST. I will GLORY in the CROSS-and nothing else, the great Apostle wrote. He said he was determined to “know NOTHING” but Christ and Him Crucified. Neighbor that is the cry of the spirit in this hour for the church to get back THE MESSAGE and THE MINISTRY that has been lost over the centuries to the love of money.
1 Cor. 2:2
For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
1 Cor. 1:18-22
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. [19] For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. [20] Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? [21] For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. [22] For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
1 Tim. 6:18-21
That they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate; [19] Laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. [20] O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: [21] Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.
Galatians 6:4
But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.
2 Tim. 4:1-6
I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. [3] For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; [4] And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. [5] But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry. [6] For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
The harvest of the last days is going to usher in Messiah’s Kingdom. During this harvest many people will die and many others will be martyred. Great judgment is going to fall on Planet Earth in the midst of the greatest outpourings of the Holy Spirit known to mankind ever.
An interesting pattern of scripture is that whenever there is a great outpouring of the Spirit, great judgment always follows. Joel speaks of the last days as being a time when God “pours out His Spirit upon ALL FLESH,” followed by the sun turning to smoke and the moon to blood. In the early church, the initial outpouring of the Spirit was followed by judgment hitting the church in the persons of Ananias and Sapphire. And immediately following the salvation of the 144,000 Jewish witnesses during the Tribulation, all hell will break loose on Planet Earth. And Isaiah’s great Messianic prophecy of the last days’ outpouring of the Holy Spirit is wrapped within warnings of great judgment “line upon line,” and “precept upon precept.” Judgment will be laid to the line of the last days! Yes we’ll be speaking in tongues but we had better know more about God than just an experience!!!!
Isa 28:10-19
10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little:
11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people.
12 To whom he said, this is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.
13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
14 Wherefore hear the word of the LORD, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.
15 Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves:
16 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste.
17 Judgment also will I lay to the line, and righteousness to the plummet: and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.
18 And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.
19 From the time that it goeth forth it shall take you: for morning by morning shall it pass over, by day and by night: and it shall be a vexation only to understand the report.
So if we are on the brink of a great outpouring of God’s Spirit, which I believe we are, we can be sure that judgment is soon to follow soon after. That’s how LATE it is getting and neighbor if you don’t hear anything else I write or say here in this journal – hear this – IT’S GETTING LATE.
Hanna And Samuel’s Birth – Prophetic Faith And Intercession For The End Times.
Samuel, whose name means, “I asked God for Him and He will hear,” was born to a woman named Hannah, a wife of Elkanah, a Levite of the Kohathite branch of the priesthood <1 Sam. 1:1--2:21>. Unable to bear children, Hannah suffered ridicule from Elkanah's second wife Peninnah, who bore the priest several children. Hannah vowed that if she were to give birth to a son, she would devote him to the Lord's service. The Lord answered her prayers, and to her was born the prophet Samuel.
Hannah was faithful to her promise. Making what must have been a heart-rending sacrifice, Hannah took Samuel to the Temple after he was weaned, there to "remain forever" <1:21>. God rewarded Hannah's piety and faithfulness with three more sons and two daughters. Hannah's beautiful thanksgiving psalm <2:1-10> is similar to the song of Mary when she learned she would be the mother of Jesus <Luke 1:46-55>. David would use Hannah’s prayer as part of his own in the 113th Psalm as well. It’s the spirit of the KING that will “raise up the poor” and “cause the beggar to sit on a throne” one day. Not just any king- but the KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS.
In type, Samuel was Israel’s prophetic redeemer at the time of her greatest apostasy. Yeshua IS and will be Israel’s prophetic redeemer (HE already has taken that position today – but one day He will redeem Israel TOTALLY from her physical enemies as well as her spiritual ones) and will save her at the time of HER greatest FUTURE apostasy and desperate hour at the end of the Great Tribulation. Today, He has redeemed Her spiritually. One day He will return to Jerusalem and redeem her physically. ALL OF ISRAEL SHALL BE SAVED!!! The transitional season we are in now is gearing up for that great event. EVERYTHING goes back to two things in God’s plan for Man – THE CROSS and ISRAEL! Think about that. All that Yeshua came to do was redeem fallen humanity. But His FIRST priority was to present Himself to Israel as HER redeemer FIRST. THROUGH ISRAEL was to come the salvation of the world in the form of her descendant YESHUA! The world was to be blessed as it related to Israel. When Israel rejected her Messiah, the plan of God never changed, it just took on a different form – the CROSS-.
What Satan meant for evil, God turned it into mankind’s greatest moment – the salvation that the prophets foretold and the world cried for without even knowing it had been given on the hill called Golgotha. Neighbor if that don’t make you feel SOMETHING you’re just not saved! I mean my Lord, I feel the HOLY GHOST all over me writing these words to you. I know He is speaking to someone reading this right now. Sir, that salvation that was paid for at Calvary was paid for with Blood shed for YOU! It was paid for with BLOOD shed for ME. And one day, Israel will see that the one she rejected and crucified WAS the Messiah that she had so longed looked for and Mary prayed for. And Hannah prophetically for without knowing who the Redeemer would be or that her son’s birth was a prophetic foreshadowing of HIS birth – SUPERNATURAL. Oh, Glory to God. Don’t you feel that?
1 Sam 2:1-10
1 And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoices in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.
2 There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.
3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogance come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
4 The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
5 They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.
6 The LORD killeth, and makes alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
7 The LORD makes poor, and makes rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.
8 He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and he hath set the world upon them.
9 He will keep the feet of his saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.
10 The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed. (KJV)
Luke 1:46-55
46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,
47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.
49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
51 He hath showed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
54 He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;
55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
(KJV)
Psalm 113:1-9
Praise ye the Lord. Praise, O ye servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord. [2] Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and for evermore. [3] From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised. [4] The Lord is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens. [5] Who is like unto the Lord our God, who dwelleth on high, [6] who humbles himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! [7] He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill; [8] That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people. [9] He makes the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.
Hannah’s Barrenness Of Soul Is A Requirement For The Last Days
1 Sam 1:5-10
5 But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb.
6 And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb.
7 And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat.
8 Then said Elkanah her husband to her, Hannah, why weepest thou? and why eats thou not? and why is thy heart grieved? am not I better to thee than ten sons?
9 So Hannah rose up after they had eaten in Shiloh, and after they had drunk. Now Eli the priest sat upon a seat by a post of the temple of the LORD.
10 And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore.
(KJV)
1 Sam 1:20-28
20 Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.
21 And the man Elkanah, and all his house, went up to offer unto the LORD the yearly sacrifice, and his vow.
22 But Hannah went not up; for she said unto her husband, I will not go up until the child be weaned, and then I will bring him, that he may appear before the LORD, and there abide for ever.
23 And Elkanah her husband said unto her, Do what seemeth thee good; tarry until thou have weaned him; only the LORD establish his word. So the woman abode, and gave her son suck until she weaned him.
Hannah’s barrenness of soul is a requirement for the last days. That statement may sound strange but it’s true. The problem with us in the modern church, myself included, is the fact we are spoiled with luxury and ease. We don’t know what it’s like to have to totally depend on God. It was while Hanna’s soul was BARREN a supernatural BIRTH took place. This “birthing” gave Israel her first prophetic voice ever. Think about that. Neighbor that’s the pattern for true end-time revival and harvest.
We have got to get so desperate for God that we “pour our hearts out before the Lord.” We don’t know how to do that today. My generation was raised with microwaves and instant coffee. We don’t like to wait, nor do we try to wait. We get things done NOW no matter whether God is in it or not. TRUE PROPHETIC ministry in these last days will be ministry that waits on the Lord and if the Lord doesn’t say, “GO” then we don’t “GO”!
Much of the “building” men do in the name of God is nothing more than charismatic witchcraft birthed by the spirit of Jezebel. The spirit of Jezebel always controls finances so it can rob the Kingdom of needed funds to feed the hungry, evangelize the lost and bless ministry in the name of building programs.
My wife Lisa works at an inner city daycare where a couple recently came in and asked for help to pay their light bill. Lisa got a $100 donation from the United Way but that still left the couple owing about $150 to keep their lights and heat from being turned off during a very cold weekend in Knoxville.
Lisa proceeded to get on the phone and call around to every major church in the greater Knoxville area only to be told either “we don’t have a benevolent fund for such,” to “we don’t give out money like that in situations like this.” Three of these churches that told her this were churches currently involved in MAJOR BUILDING PROGRAMS that are smoke screens to edify man and not God. Now friend I’m not a rocket scientist but if a church has close to a million dollar budget and NO MONEY is allocated for local hurting and hungry families there is something WRONG! You can’t tell me either with a straight face or any other face that helping a family pay a $150 light bill is a hardship for a church with that type budget.
But when a church has thousands perhaps millions of dollars in the bank without a care in the world and no need to depend on God – guess what? That church usually ceases to depend on God and then turns inward with its ministry and ceases to be the type church Jesus bought with His blood. The other horrific part of this story is that my dear wife could not find ANY churches for that matter to help this couple. That is the rub of the last days. We’re “rich, increased with goods” and think we have “need of nothing.”
Rev 3:16-19
16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knows not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eye salve, that thou mayest see.
19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
(KJV)
All of our activity and motion looks very pious and holy to the world and it sounds good to even many within the Body, but the Lord Jesus sees the TRUE nature of our condition. The rub of the last days may be we are rich with goods, but the plumb line in the sand as to whether or not we’ll see harvest will be whether we recognize our TRUE condition. That was the call of Yeshua to LAODICEA. He knew they were poor, blind and naked spiritually already. He challenged them to see it for themselves.
The key to revival in the end times is for us to recognize we are BARREN in our souls and cry out to God like Hanna did for a season of birthing. The birth pangs of revival fire are being felt all over the world right now. Paul talked a great deal in the 8th chapter of Romans about the whole creation “GROANING” for the redemption from the curse. The earth even is crying out to the heavens to be redeemed in these last days. Those “groanings” are about to become birth pangs very soon that will bring forth a man-child in the earth just as Hannah’s birth pangs brought forth the man-child Samuel.
Every time the word “travailed” is used in scripture it always was tied into a season of birthing:
Gen 35:16
16 And they journeyed from Bethel; and there was but a little way to come to Ephrath: and Rachel travailed, and she had hard labour. (KJV)
Gen 38:28
28 And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first. (KJV)
1 Sam 4:19
19 And his daughter in law, Phinehas' wife, was with child, near to be delivered: and when she heard the tidings that the ark of God was taken, and that her father in law and her husband were dead, she bowed herself and travailed; for her pains came upon her. (KJV)
Isa 66:7
7 Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child. (KJV)
Isa 66:8
8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children. (KJV)
Rom 8:19-27
19 For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.
20 For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the Firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searches the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
(KJV)
The 21rst Century church may go down in eternity as a church of many things. But I firmly believe an earmark of this generation is the fact that we will be a “travailing” people before it’s all said and done. The pattern is real simple to follow in these verses – travail-pain-birth. Neighbor, the Holy Spirit is wailing right now and travailing over planet Earth. The pains of labor are about to come upon a people waiting to be snatched up. What is about to be birthed is the man-child, which will trigger the last harvest on Planet Earth. We’re that close!
Give Strength To The King And Exalt The Horn Of Your Anointed
1 Samuel 2:10c - out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the LORD shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed. (KJV)
The travail of Zion in the last days will bring forth her children. This is a direct and indirect reference to the 144,000 Jewish evangelists that will spring forth from the Earth to spread the gospel in the end times after the rapture of the church.
Rev 7:4-8
4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nephthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.
7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.
8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
(KJV)
Rev 14:1-5
1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the Firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb.
5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.
(KJV)
The pattern of Samuel’s birth was a prophetic foreshadowing of Messiah’s birth and the pattern also for the birthing of the man-child in the earth in the last days. Many teach that the man child are the 144,000 Jewish evangelists that will roam too and fro across the earth in the Tribulation period evangelizing the lost and bringing great revival to Planet Earth. They are in fact the catalyst for the great outpouring of the Holy Ghost I believe as spoken of in Joel. They will be as John wrote in Revelation the “first fruits” redeemed from the earth of the Great Tribulation unto God and to the Lamb. Samuel became Israel’s prophetic redeemer through intercession. Messiah Yeshuah also became Israel’s, as well as the entire world’s redeemer through prophetic intercession. The Man-Child of the Tribulation will also be brought forth by the intercession and travail of Israel. Why? Because after it’s over the earth and heaven will “give strength to THE KING!” And when that happens the HORN OF THE ANOINTED ONE – the CHRIST – will reign and rule over Planet Earth for 1,000 years.
Hannah’s voice became a voice of prophetic intercession, which in turn became a voice of judgment through Samuel to Saul but a voice of grace to King David. The Church in these last days must return to prophetic intercession so we can become a voice of judgment to the world (not in the condemnation of others but in the condemnation of unrighteousness) so that one day there will be millions giving a voice of PRAISE for the GRACE of our KING!
Our silence in this transitional season of birthing will mean the eternal death of millions if we don’t speak up. Whether our voices are heard through prophetic preaching or prophetic intercession our WORDS are vital in this time we are living in. Our prayers are paving the way for Messiah’s soon return. Think about that statement. Let it sink in DEEP to your soul. That is the season we are in!
Our continued obsession with riches, entertainment and worldly pleasures are going to destroy us and the souls of millions if we don’t repent and come back to God. As I heard one evangelist say recently, any preacher who don’t preach the cross to his people is basically telling the entire world and his people to “go to hell.” I know that those are strong words but friend without the blood of Jesus – HELL is exactly where you and I will wind up! Heaven will not be full of perfect people – it will be full of REDEEMED people, washed in the blood of the Lamb. HIS BLOOD is OUR PERFECTION. HIS SACRIFICE is the test that we cannot pass. HIS BLOOD is the door to the portals of glory. HIS BLOOD is the reason we are free today both as a nation and as an individual. And the day is coming very very soon when we as all humanity will GIVE STRENGTH TO THE KING!
The church’s greatest ministry right now is her ministry TO the King. Our greatest honor is not to build fancy buildings or have big ministries in a man’s name and honor but to MINISTER TO THE KING. When we intercede and find a place of intercessory communion with Him, we are giving strength to the King. We are called to do that in this modern 21rst Century as Hannah prayed those words so long ago. Her prayer was prophetic for the time we live in today.
Samuel gave “strength to the King (DAVID) and exalted the horn of God’s anointed.” The day Samuel poured that flask of oil on David’s head it was a picture of the church pouring the flask of oil on Yeshua’s head through our worship and adoration. My, my, my…don’t you feel that? Glory to God. I mean neighbor this is the ministry of the end time church. This is the faith that it will take to get us through the dark days ahead. I mean when all hell is breaking loose on planet Earth and your neighbors see you doing nothing differently than you’re doing now and that’s just simply loving Jesus – believe me – they will want to know HOW you’re able to do that!
Out Of Heaven He Shall Thunder Upon Them…
1 Samuel 2:10-11 - The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; out of heaven shall he thunder upon them: the Lord shall judge the ends of the earth; and he shall give strength unto his king, and exalt the horn of his anointed. [11] And Elkanah went to Ramah to his house. And the child did minister unto the Lord before Eli the priest.
Heaven is about to “thunder” upon planet Earth and God is about to judge the ends of the earth. Judgment is coming ALL will be there. Those who’ve rejected, those who’ve refused. There is a storm coming. I can hear the rumbles of distant thunder. I can see the distant flashes of jagged lightning. I can see the dark clouds racing quickly from above the horizon, getting darker as they approach and looking more ominous as they draw near. I can feel the shift in the winds of the Spirit of Almighty God signaling a change is about to take place on Planet Earth that time as we know it may not be the same any longer. I sense a moving of God right now that signals that “rain is coming,” and it’s time to get the harvest ready for reaping.
In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, all the church will be raptured off planet Earth. When that happens, God will finally judge the Earth for its sin and neighbor it’s not going to be a pretty sight. Mankind has heard heaven’s thunder before but the thunder that is about to come to humanity is a thunder unlike any in its history. Thunder in scripture always denotes lightning, fire, God’s voice, etc. Elijah heard the “thunders”, John heard the “thunders,” Daniel heard the “thunders.” And neighbor we all are about to hear God’s thunder. The days of us playing our church games are about to be over. We’re about to see the KING>!
In Closing
The life and ministry of Samuel, beginning with his birth, are a foreshadow of the generation we live in today. That should give us pause to take a look at our lives and see where we are at with the Lord. That should really make us stop and think about where we are going in the next century and decade should the Lord tarry. I honestly don’t believe we have centuries left or even decades. Years? Yes, maybe. More than likely, but who knows? Yeshua can come at any moment for the church. Not one single solitary prophecy has to be fulfilled for the rapture of the church to take place. Several things must take place for Him to come back WITH the church at His Second Coming in Jerusalem, but neighbor, we don’t have much longer.
The last judge and first prophet has given us a look at our call in this last generation. There is a time of transition going on right now and we’re living in the middle of it. What’s ahead will require Hannah-like faith to endure the days ahead and a Samuel like anointing to hear from heaven and become prophetic people. Being prophetic people means we are hearing what the Lord is saying FOR THE MOMENT, FOR THE SITUATION AT HAND and FOR the PEOPLE we are ministering too. It’s about the last days. We’re living in them right now. Boy it sure is exciting isn’t’ it? Yes it is, but it’s late neighbor it’s getting late. God Bless.