A Season Of Lights: 8 Days of Consecration for 2008

December 4th-12th

 
As I have reflected back over this last year, I’m amazed at what the Lord has done with the body of Christ in this nation.  When the year began, many of us were suffering from great discouragement and hope deferred.  Sovereignly the Lord carried us through until the summer when He called us to set aside 52 days to rebuild the walls of faith in our lives, families, churches, cities, provinces and nation.  Like the children of Israel at Gilgal, this was a time of great circumcision and healing as the Lord supernaturally encountered us and rolled away the reproach and shame of the past season from our lives.

Since the end of the consecration call, which coincided with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year (September 13th), we have been in a season of tremendous upheaval and transition.   7 in the Bible symbolizes completion and I believe that as we come to the end of 2007 a cycle is ending. At the same time, the number 8 in scripture represents new beginnings and I believe 2008 will witness an acceleration of God’s purposes as we begin to enter into the Promised Land and possess not only our own inheritances but those that have been stored up for the Church over the ages.

As I have been praying and discerning with other leaders in the nation, many of us felt there was something the Lord wanted us to do as a final act of sealing the past season and positioning ourselves for the new journey that is ahead of us.  Then the Lord began to speak to us about the Jewish festival of Chanukah.

Chanukah – A Time of Rededication
Chanukah, which means “dedication” or “consecration” in Hebrew, is the Jewish festival which marks the rededication of the Temple and commemorates the miracle of the oil. 

A few hundred years before the birth of Jesus, the lands of Syria, Egypt and Palestine were conquered by Alexander the Great.  Alexander’s rule was a relatively benevolent one which allowed the conquered peoples to maintain their own religions and some degree of autonomy.  In this time, many Jews were assimilated into the Hellenistic culture, adopting the language, customs and dress of the Greeks.

A century later, the story changed dramatically under Antiochus IV. He oppressed the Jews severely, placing a Hellenistic priest in the Temple, prohibiting the practice of the Jewish religion, and desecrating the Temple by requiring the sacrifice of pigs on the altar. At this time the Maccabees (a nationalistic group) arose and began a revolt against both the assimilation of the Hellenistic Jews and oppression by the Greek government. Eventually the revolution succeeded and the Temple was rededicated.

At the time of the rededication, there was very little oil left for the Temple menorah (which was supposed to burn throughout every night) that had not been defiled by the Greeks. In fact, there was only enough oil to burn for one night.  Yet miraculously, the oil burned for eight days, which was the length of time it took to press, prepare and consecrate fresh olive oil.  An eight-day festival, Chanukah, also known as the Festival of Lights, was declared to commemorate this miracle.

A Call to Rededicate Ourselves – the Temple Of God
Before we pass from this year of completion to the year of new beginnings, the Lord is calling us as the church in Canada, His living holy temple, to a time of rededication and consecration over the 8 days of Chanukah (sunset December 4th to sunset December 12th).  In this time we want to present ourselves to the Lord and ask Him to purify us from the ‘wisdom of Greece’ that we might be true sons of Zion.  The ‘wisdom of Greece’ is the force of rationalism which elevates human thought and plans over the simple walk of the sons of God, who hear the voice of the Lord and are led by His Spirit.  (Romans 8:14)

Sometimes when we look at our lives or the state of the church it’s easy to become discouraged.  We seem a long way from the Kingdom Jesus taught about and the transformation needed to see the church walking as true sons of God seems too great.  But we have this hope that we serve a God of the impossible!  Just as God was able to multiply the oil needed to keep the light burning in the temple, He is able to supernaturally make all grace abound to His church.  In His goodness and His faithfulness, we can securely rest.

A Call to Seek the Lord as a Nation
On the first night of Chanukah, church leaders from Vancouver Island to Newfoundland and Toronto to Qikiqtarjuaq (Baffin Island, Nunavut) will gather together just outside of Montreal to worship and wait on the Lord for 3 days.  Amazingly the Lord led us weeks ago to plan a national leadership gathering for this exact time, but we only found out about the dates of Chanukah a few days ago.  It seems once again God is leading us where He wants and when He wants! 

We believe this gathering will be a very key time as we press in to hear the Lord concerning the next national gathering, the Promise in Montreal, as well as for God’s wisdom in establishing the canopy of His presence throughout the provinces and cities of our nation.  Please contend in faith with us, joining in prayer and worship during these days, asking the Lord to reveal His heart for the church of Canada in 2008, this pivotal year of new beginnings.

If  the Lord speaks to you through a dream or vision, a revelation, a scripture, an impression at any time during these 8 days, please send it to us at kingdom@watchmen.org or click here to fill out the “sharing what you are hearing” form on our website.  We will also be sending out exhortations by email as often as the Lord releases them to us.   

Finally, during the gathering, all of the leaders will have the opportunity to sow a seed by faith into the new season and the new journey we are beginning in 2008. We want to encourage you to join with us in this act of faith.  Ask the Lord to speak to you what He would have you give and when you sow, do it with joyful obedience. 

If you would like to give online by credit card you can access our secure server by clicking here.  If you prefer to send a cheque or money order you can mail it to our office at

Watchmen for the Nations
PO Box 23125
Kelowna, BC V1X 7K7

Thank you for your faithfulness to stand for God’s heart for our nation. We have not been this way before and we are in for the most exciting journey of our lives!

all my love

David
On behalf of the Watchmen Leadership Team