Discerning The Times (Part 2)

Understanding the Times We Live In

We are soon approaching the New Year 5779 on the Hebrew calendar. It was several years ago that the Lord begin to reveal to me the importance of understanding the Hebrew calendar. This last decade from 2010 to 2019 has been all about “seeing” what God is saying about you, about your life, about the plans he has for you and for the world around us. God has been inviting us to “see” what He is saying  to the Church (Rev. 2:29). This I believe will be a very significant year. Our hearts and minds must be open to hear the prophetic word and align ourselves with what God’s plans.

We have have been in “AYIN“ (pronounced “ah-yeen”) which is the sixteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet having the numeric value of 70. The pictograph for Ayin looks something like an eye. The Meaning of Ayin or the word Ayin means “eye,” “to see,” to understand and obey (ref. Jer. 5:21, Isa. 6:10, Matt. 13:15, etc.) [1]  We are blessed when our eyes see.

Ayin also represents the primeval light, that is, the spiritual light of God mentioned in Gen. 1:3: “Let there be light.” This the message that has been spoken to us. “God is light.” 1 John 1:5 Our spiritual eye can behold the presence of His radiance, but only by means of inner eye given by the Ruach HaKodesh. [2]

“Ayin is sometimes described as having two eyes that connect to a common “optic nerve” that leads to the brain. The two eyes represent choice or the actions of the will (i.e., the heart). We can choose whether to use the good eye or the evil eye to perceive things; we can choose to see the glass as half full rather than half empty.”

This resonated with me because earlier this year in May I experience an issue with my optic nerve where I lost sight in my right eye. I wrote a post “Light & Darkness” in June about natural and spiritual sight. I also chose to believe that the Father would restore my natural vision. I visited my ophthalmologist in August and was told that my vision was normal. God makes good on His covenant promises. Praise God!

This is part of what Jesus meant when He said, “The eye is the light of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” (Matt. 6:22-23).

The Gematria or numeric value of Ayin is 130 a combination values of Yod (10) and Zayin (7)); as 70 which suggests that the spiritual eye sees the Torah ( the law of God as revealed to Moses) the means of approaching God. The wrote today in the The Crucified Life (Part 2) blog post of being proned to wander away from God and the importance of returning to God and not neglecting the Word. [3]

Rosh Hashanah 2018 will begin in the evening of Sunday, September 9 and ends in the evening of Tuesday, September 11. It is the Jewish New Year festival, held on the first (also sometimes the second) day of Tishri (in September). It is marked by the blowing of the shofar, and begins the ten days of penitence culminating in Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah, literally meaning the “beginning [of] the year.” It is both a time of rejoicing and of serious introspection, a time to celebrate the completion of another year while also taking stock of one’s life. [4]

The Lord has also placed on my heart to minister more about the impact that sin has on our lives and our nation. I’ve written a few blog post already in hopes of encouraging the Body of Christ to begin to examine ourselves to make sure we are living in accordance with God’s truth.

This is a significant time in which the eye of the Lord is toward the righteous. In the Scriptures, God’s intimate knowledge of our lives is sometimes referred to as the “Eye of the Lord.” Adonai’s eyes are in every place, observing both the good and evil (Prov. 15:3). The LORD’s eyes focus throughout the whole earth to defend the righteous (2 Chr. 16:9) and to sustain and deliver those who are hoping in His chesed (faithful mercy). [5]

The offspring of Issachar had understanding of the times – knowing what Israel out to do (1 Chr. 12:32). Understanding the times we live in, knowing God’s timing and what to do to align ourselves  with God’s plans is paramount to our success this year. We must be willing to see beyond our present circumstances and position ourselves to receive the goodness God has planned  for your life.

May the grace, joy, and peace of God be yours through Jesus Christ our loving Lord. To Him be glory, now and forever.

Endnotes

1. The Letter Ayin, Hebrew4christians.com
2. Ibid
3. Ibid
4. Rosh Hashanah 101, myjewishlearning.com
5. The Letter Ayin, Hebrew4christians.com

Blessings,

Dr. Francine