Shevat 5781 / 2021

Shevat 5781 / 2021

This is the month to enter through the Water Gate, receive refreshing and renewal for the preparation to enter into Abba’s promises for this month. It is the month check our roots to be sure of our fruit, and to receive the abundance of blessing that is coming, regardless of the intimidating letters and lies of the enemy that try to keep us from it. It is the month to decide if we will let the enemy steal our inheritance in Adonai, or stand firm in the authority Christ has given us to receive His allotted portion for this season. Do not let the thief into the orchard and steal all that has been labored over and waited on. Are your walls up, are the watchmen on the ramparts or are the walls still unfinished?

This month Adonai is asking what do you see as a watchmen, not what do you see in the world, but what is He showing you despite what is happening around us? Shevat is the 11th month of the Biblical calendar lasting from January 14th to February 12th in the Gregorian calendar. it is the second of the winter months in Israel, and the height of the rainy season, as well as when the celebration of Tu B’Shvat (New Year of Trees) which takes place on Shevat 15 (January 28). It is time to enter into the gate of this new Biblical month, so let us enter together armed with the victorious blueprint of heaven.

CONSTELLATION: ID DLI

The actual word Shevat refers to the heavy rains of the month as winter draws to a close in Israel. It is no coincidence that the constellation above Israel during Shevat is Id Dli meaning Water Urn, otherwise known as Aquarius. So let’s unpack the blueprint of Shevat from the heavens down shall we? Id Dli pictures a man pouring fresh water from an urn for the fish below. As well as it having a natural parallel to the current rainy season, there is also a very spiritual parallel. In this constellation, the man represents God, the water as the Holy Spirit and the fish as us, God’s children receiving the Holy Spirit. It shows us this month as a month of both natural and spiritual abundance from Adonai. How can that possibly be though, you might ask with all of the turmoil and strife happening in the United States and around the world?

Id Dli is a reminder that no matter the circumstance or situation, Yeshua has prepared a way for us so that we will never have to worry or be anxious of the next moments and days. His way, the Way does not worry about the giants, but instead rejoices over His promise knowing that if He promised it, He will also remove the giants from our path if we cross the proverbial Jordan river into the promised land. He ascended to the right hand of the Father so that we would receive the Holy Spirit, “Who knows the thoughts of the Father…so that we may know and understand the [wonderful] things freely given to us by Adonai” (1 Corinthians 2:11). Isaiah 44:3 characterises this month beautifully saying, “I will pour out water to quench your thirst and to irrigate your parched fields. And I will pour out my Spirit on your descendants, and my blessing on your children. They will thrive like watered grass, like willows on a riverbank.” The Father is pouring out both His Spirit and His blessings in a double portion this month, but expect to be surprised at how He does it, and don’t be disappointed when it doesn’t happen the way you expected it.

Just know that everything has already been prepared. Do you think Yeshua’s disciples knew how they were going to spend the Passover with Him in Jerusalem when He was the most wanted man in Israel? No, but they knew they would. “He said to them, Behold, when you have gone into the city, a man carrying an earthen jug or pitcher of water will meet you; follow him into the house which he enters, and say to the master of the house, The Teacher asks you, where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover meal with My disciples” (Luke 22:10-11). Everything had already been prepared before hand with every detail already taken care of. This is symbolic of any kind of provision we need in our lives. Not only did Yeshua tell his disciples where the man would be, but He also put the word in their mouths for the occasion when they met face to face. He gives us everything we need for the season we are in, but it is up to us to to actually take the steps to accomplish the task. When Adonai gives the vision as He did to His disciples, He also gives the provision, everything we will need to fulfill that vision. If Yeshua told you face to face to go and do something for Him, I imagine you would do it to perfection. If you know you have a calling, vision or promise from God, act as though Yeshua is standing right in front of you telling you He has given you everything you need to make it happen, and take a step of faith, then another and, another until it is accomplished. Just as Id Dli is depicted in the night sky, Adonai has poured out His Spirit giving us all we could need to accomplish with Him the task set before us.

The Watchman Tree

The Almond Trees, also know as the Watchman Trees, are blooming in Israel! It is at this time that the sap begins to rise in the fruit trees unseen by the naked eye, but the Almond Trees know what is coming, and acts as the Watchman Tree, blooming before even its leaves grow to let man and the rest of nature know the time and season we are leaving and entering into. In Hebrew, Almond or “Shakay” has as its root word “Shamar” which means to watch over, put protective hedge around, to protect or defend. It is the same word used in Genesis 2:15 when YHWH told Adam and Eve to cultivate and keep the Garden of Eden. When they were kicked out of the garden, the Cherubim was set at the entrance of the gate into Eden to “Shamar” the entrance to the Tree of Life (Genesis 3:24).

Just like watchmen on the walls who see from the high place what is coming in order to tell the rest of the city what to be prepared for, so too is the Almond Tree. Jeremiah 1:11-12 perfectly embodies what it means to be a watchmen of the Kingdom, what we are called to be this month. “The word of the Adonai came to me, saying, “Jeremiah, what do you see?” And I said, “I see the branch of an almond tree.” Then Adonai said to me, “You have seen well, for I am [actively] watching over My word to fulfill it.” It is time to go up to the heavenly ramparts, the throne room of heaven (Matthew 16:19), to know what is the current situation and what is coming to give a true report to both ourselves and the Body of Messiah for what is to come. This is who we have been called to be, watchman who know the times and seasons like the Sons of Issachar. Do you know the time and season and what to do? Are you seeing from the heavenly perspective, or from the ground standing behind the gate guessing at what is coming?

Asher: The Tree of Life

Asher was the 8th son of Jacob, the second son of Leah born of her servant Zilpah. The meaning of Asher is happiness. When Moses prophesied over the twelve tribes, he said of Asher, “Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil” (Deuteronomy 33:24). Located in the northwest corner of Israel, Asher had the coast of the Mediterranean Sea as its western border and was a very fertile land. They received more rain than the most of the nation of Israel with rich pastures and orchards, and were particularly known for their abundance of olive trees that produced huge amounts of olive oil. They had wheat, water, wine and oil aplenty, with more than enough to export as well. Asher produced so much olive oil in fact, that their tribe’s insignia is the olive tree. Psalm 1:3 tells us that “Every righteous person is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.” Now the question is to ourselves, How are your roots in this season and where are they planted? What kind of fruit am I bearing? Not just financial fruit, but what are my relationships like with the people around me and most importantly with Yeshua? How do I treat myself and others? Are you living from the love of the Father or for grind of the world? Are you happy? To fix the fruit we have to start with the root, and to know if the fruit is good, we need to know what good fruit looks like according to the Word. If your family crest was the Olive Tree, which looks like the tree of life, you would certainly want to represent that crest with honor, and we are being called to do just that as ambassadors of Christ as one Kingdom family.

Isaiah 11:15 gives us a great start in understanding how we can check and reset according to the Word. Speaking of Yeshua, it says, “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.” The true root of Yeshua is the Father, and as the Branch, He took on the 7 attributes of the Holy Spirit. This is the Menorah, the 7 lamp stands spoken of in Revelation. These are the 7 branches, but what about the fruit?

“But the fruit of the Spirit [the result of His presence within us] is love [unselfish concern for others], joy, [inner] peace, patience [not the ability to wait, but how we act while waiting], kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

From the roots to the fruit we are being called to examine ourselves before entering through the Water Gate of this new Biblical month of Shevat. Knowing that we all need help in doing so, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16).

Entering The Water Gate

On the very first day of this Biblical month, Moses recited the entire book of Deuteronomy for 37 days. It was both a rebuke and encouragement to Israel. It was a reminder of the fact that 40 years prior, because of their unbelief when they were about to enter the promised land, they were sent in to exile. Now a new generation was at the same mile marker, and Moses once again relayed to them the laws given on Mount Sinai, relaying to them the blessing that would come about if they followed the statutes of God, and the curses if they neglected to. Before ascending to Mount Nebo to die, Moses encouraged Joshua and all of Israel before they crossed he River Jordan into the promised land, “Be strong and courageous, for you will go with this people into the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you will give it to them as an inheritance. It is the Lord who goes before you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or abandon you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

This leads us to another great parallel to this moment, when Israel had yet again returned to the promised land after exile in Babylon when Nehemiah had just finished rebuilding the walls and restoring the gates of Jerusalem in the face of great resistance from their enemies who did not want to see the walls go up. The greatest challenge then quickly came from within the walls however amongst the people of Jerusalem. Are your walls up even in the face of your enemies who wish to keep them down? Without walls, the temple of YHWH in Jerusalem was defenceless, and so are we, living temples of the Holy Spirit, without our defences up as well. Once that is established however, the greatest threat becomes division from within. In Nehemiah 8, after the walls of Jerusalem had been repaired and manned, Ezra, in front of the Water Gate assembled the people and read the law, just as Moses had read it to Israel before entering the promised land. The people’s hearts were convicted and they wept because they realized just how much they had defiled the Law, but on that same day it was literally a day of celebration, the Feast of Tabernacles, when they would live in tents made of different types of trees and branches, remembering the exile of Israel through the wilderness and how YHWH provided every step of the way. A conviction of heart, but also a joyful awakening took place as Ezra read the Word in front of the Water gate. So convicted of their sin were they that the names of those who had married foreign wives who worshipped foreign gods were publicly displayed, causing all who had transgressed the law to publicly leave their wives, setting an example of repentance and returning to Adonai’s statutes.

A Watergate Moment

With all of this in mind for Shevat, we cannot help but see the parallels with the current situation in The United States. This is a reminder to America whose forefathers arrived after fleeing religious persecution 400 years ago signing the Mayflower Compact declaring that their reason for settling the land was for the glory of God and the spreading of the Gospel of Peace. It is a reminder of 1776, the singing of the Constitution of the United States creating one nation under God that was only possible through an impossible victory, not because of superior intellect, strength or culture, but because of prayer and divine intervention. This is now a Watergate moment. Many of us remember when former President Nixon nearly got away without outright election fraud except for two brave news reporters who brought everything to the light forcing him to resign. Now there is yet another Watergate moment when a usurper is about to get away with outright systemic voter fraud, but this time the press is on his side unlike the time of President Nixon.

The Water Gate, where Ezra read the Word of God is called the Water Gate because it is where the Pool of Siloam is located, where Yeshua healed the blind man. That pool is fed by the Gihon Spring, where Solomon was anointed King. Now more than ever we need to have our eyes on Yeshua, and we find ourselves in such a moment that Solomon found himself in before being anointed when Adonijah had proclaimed himself King with most of Israel celebrating, except for the remnant close to King David who knew who David had chosen to be his successor. Now we find ourself in an even greater moment of decision in the United States, and it is not a Biden Trump decision. We are at an Elijah moment no matter what nation we are in, when we are being asked what God will you serve? However, Adonai is only anointing One to have dominion over America and the world, and that is the Lion of Judah because He is the only One Who can save this nation and the nations. He is at the gate, and when He steps through He will roar, bringing America into a position of justice and righteousness. It will not happen how we expect, but His will will be done. So be prepared brethren, now is the time to step through the Water Gate cleansing ourselves through repentance, and brushing aside the lies of the enemy that do not align to the Word of Adonai so that we can see clearly Yeshua standing before us and hearing His voice above all other voices.

Letter

Tzadik is the eighteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet and means righteous one. When written, it even forms an image of a servant with their hands raised in humility to the Lord. Tzadik is also the most similar letter to Aleph, the first letter of the alphabet which represents the beginning or foundation which is Yeshua. Tzadik is known as the mate of Aleph, like the Bride and the Bridegroom.

We are the witnesses and messengers of Adonai here on earth and are meant to be a reflection of Yeshua. We are meant to be Tzadik, righteous, and can only be righteous through Yeshua. We are to be Psalm 1 people who are rooted in Him, nurtured by Him and taught by Him. Tzadik is a reflection of the Aleph, just as we are meant to be as His children. During this month of Shevat we are reminded to be righteous men and women, unless we prefer the way of the wicked who “are like chaff that the wind drives away” and who’s destiny is death (Psalm 1:4). In this month of Shevat, the abundance of Adoani is being poured out, and our job as His children is to shout from the mountain tops all that He has done for us, and be a walking talking testimony of His perfect love.

Numbers

11

There are two numbers that represent this month, 11 and 15. The number 11 symbolizes disorder, chaos and judgment. In the Bible, 11 is used twenty-four times and “11th” 19 times.
Coming after 10 which represents completion, law, and responsibility, the number eleven 11 represents the opposite, which is being irresponsible and breaking the Law, bringing disorder and judgment. The consequences of going against The Great I Am all throughout the bible are clear.

One very pertinent example of this is a direct parallel to the times we are living in now, Genesis 11. Nimrod rebelled against Adonai, and instead of the people using their unified language to do God’s will, they did their own, resulting in YHWH making them speak different languages and scattering them throughout the earth. Today, more than any other time since then we are the closest the world has come to having the same conditions as Nimrod did, with a universal language, the wish to be like God, cloning, Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, and clearly rebelling against Him at every level on a massive and well planned scale.

15

The number 15 also represents Shevat as Tu’Bishvat is on the 15th. In the Bible 15 pictures rest, which comes after deliverance, represented by fourteen. 15 is the opposite of the chaos and confusion represented by 11. The 15th day of the month in the Bible is chock full of examples of rest and happiness. The 15th day of Nisan is the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a day of rest for the children of Israel and for Believers. The 15th of Tishrei begins the Feast of Tabernacles, also a day of rest. The 15th of this month is the New Year for Trees, a time to rest and partake of the fruit of the trees.

After dying on the cross, Jesus’ body was placed in a garden tomb as the sun was setting to begin Nisan 15. We see clearly that 15 symbolizes rest, but also remembrance. Just as Moses reminded Israel of all that God had done before they entered into the promised Land, we must remember all He has done for us, to celebrate Him, rest in Him, and walk with Him. Even during a time on the earth when people are trying to play God and seemingly everything is becoming relative and permissible, our rest comes from Adonai and we will do so this month even and especially in the unideal situations and circumstance. Chaos, confusion, and judgement are from and for the enemy. Rest, order, and blessing are for us through Christ, and we declare that victory and blessing is the only outcome for us in every moment of every day this Shevat.

Conclusion

The rain is pouring out this month, a rain of blessing, of nourishing, and cleansing. His voice will be heard like many waters, like rolling thunder, and the lightning strikes will turn night into day revealing the plans and schemes of satan to the light. It is time to ask for Yeshua to wash our eyes clean like He did to make the blind man see, so that we will stop seeing what the enemy wants to distract us with, and just like the once blind man, see only Yeshua and through His eyes the world around us. When He asks us who do you see, it is a month that we should yearn to hear Him say, you have seen correctly. Just like the tree of Asher whose family crest was the olive tree, we must look to our roots and our fruits, check what is wrong and right, and even if that means uprooting completely to do it knowing that Adonai our helper is here to make it a successful move.

Just like the walls of Jerusalem, which were finished even in the midst of great opposition and outside threat, this is the month to have the same determination as Hezekiah to seal the walls and gates for good. Instead of letting the enemy take the battle to us, this month we will also win our internal battles with the Word of Adonai that renews our minds through the teaching of the Holy Spirit so that instead of being immobilised we will be empowered to take ground, paving the way for Yeshua’s return. As we are empowered, the enemies positions, fortresses, and bunkers are destroyed in the Spirit, and what was once hidden, then becomes exposed. This is what happens when we pray fervently and live our lives with the gifts and fruits of the Spirit. The Lion of Judah is about to roar, and I would much rather be roaring with Him than against Him. Yeshua, the Lion of Judah is in us, and us in Him, so let’s let Him teach us how to really roar and watch the demons flee while the righteous restore. Adonai bless you and keep you kingdom family!