020 The Third Month of Sivan

The Watchman discusses the third month of Sivan and how the months of Nisan and Iyar prepare one for that which is coming in this exciting month.

The Old Watchman Website
The Old Watchman - Facebook
The Watchman Speaks - Facebook
The Old Watchman - Twitter

Transcript

020 The Third Month of Sivan

Welcome to The Watchman Speaks! I’m your host, Lonnie Richardson.

At the airing of this episode, we are in the 2nd day of the third month of Sivan, or Sewan as it is pronounced. And again, I’m speaking in terms of God’s time and how God created the time and seasons in which He works.

Sewan is the third month of God’s calendar. Sewan is mentioned in Esther 8:9 by name which makes the name of Sewan a post Babylonian exile name. Prior to the Babylonian Exile, the third month was simply known as the third month. 

So, what happened in the Bible during the third month?

Well, in Exodus 19:1 Moses led Israel into the Sanai wilderness in the third month on the fourteenth day. And, God called Moses and Israel to the foot of Mt. Sanai with the sound of a Ram’s Horn shofar. It’s that thing about the sound of the shofar is that which is like the voice of God that was reiterated in Revelation 1:10 and 4:1.

In Numbers 16:9-10 God said that Shavuot or the Feast of Weeks was to be celebrated seven weeks after Passover. In Leviticus God is more specific and states that Shavuot was fifty days after Passover. Shavuot was when the wheat crops came in. It was a harvest time. It is when God poured the blessing of grain for bread upon Israel. Subsequently, this coincides perfectly with Pentecost in the Book of Acts 2:1 in the New Testament. It references the Day of Pentecost, which means in Koine Greek, means literally “50 days”. It was 50 days after Passover. It was when God poured out His Holy Spirit upon all flesh. 

Thought I’d just give you that little note in case you might be thinking that they weren’t still observing the Passover after Jesus had left the scene. They certainly were! It is when Jesus sent Holy Spirit!

And Guess what? Pentecost does not always fall on Sunday as the western church would have you believe. You will not find “Pentecost Sunday” anywhere in the Bible. I reckon the Jews may not have the actual sabbath misplaced after all. 

In II Chronicles 15:10 it was in the third month that King Asa of Judah brought about reforms that brought Judah back into alignment with God in the third month.

In II Chronicles 31:7 Heaps of First fruits offerings began to accumulate in the third month to restore the temple and continued into the seventh month which would take the tithe offerings from The Feast of Weeks through the Feast of Trumpets into the Feast of Tabernacles. From Feast to Feast. Which would indicate that from the Feast of weeks, Pentecost, until the Feast of Trumpets is a time in which we, as the temple of God, accrue blessings through First Fruits at the beginning of each month. This year, Shavuot or Pentecost begins at sunset May 25 and goes through May 27. However, May 26, Saturday is the actual day of Pentecost.

In Esther 8:9 Mordecai had scribes write out the orders that would save the Jews from annihilation throughout all Babylon on the 23rd day of the Third Month.

In Ezekiel 31:1 God spoke through the prophet Ezekiel to warn Pharoah of Assyria’s doomed fate and destruction. 

As I’ve already mentioned in regard to Numbers 16:9-10 and Leviticus 23:16, Shavuot or the Feast of Weeks begins on the 7th day of Sewan which is, of course, known as Pentecost. The western church, having grown out of the orders of the Roman Empire, namely Constantine, celebrates Pentecost on Sunday instead of the actual day of Pentecost. Therefore, we have “Pentecost Sunday”. It’s more convenient that way. However, I maintain that God is not a God of convenience. God is a God of order and He has stated that He has His appointed times. God has made an appointment. God is never late for an appointment. To maintain obedience to God’s Word, we should know these appointed times and keep those appointments. 

As I have already mentioned in previous episodes of The Watchman Speaks, the first month of Nissan and the second month of Iyar are significant in God’s time and seasons. Not to mention that God operates in certain ways during His seasons. What’s that? You didn’t listen to those episodes? It’s okay. Those episodes are still available for you to listen to. Go back and listen to them. They will help you in understanding this journey of God’s time that I’ve made available to you as a Bible study every month. 

I’ll just briefly recap and review.

In the first month of Nisan, or Aveev, is the Lord’s Passover. It is when God brought the sons of Israel out of Egypt. It is when our Lord and Savior died on a cross in our place, redeeming us with His blood. It was when God began fulfilling His promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to give them a land. He also fulfilled His promises to Israel to sanctify them, deliver them, redeem them, and to give them joy. Exactly the same things Jesus did for us on the cross, except we are looking not for a land, but a kingdom. Nissan is a time to re-confirm our covenant with God through Jesus Christ. In the modern church it is sometimes known as a re-dedication.

In having done that, we are prepared for the Covenant Names of Promise of God in Exodus 15, 16, and 17 in the second month of Iyar. In Exodus chapter 15 God establishes His covenant name of “Yhwh Raphe”, God is My Healer, when He healed the bitter waters

. In Exodus Chapter 16 God re-establishes His Covenant name of “Yhwh Y’reh”, God who sees and provides when He provided manna. In Chapter 17 God establishes His covenant name “Yhwh Nissi”, or God is my Banner of Victory when the Amalakites attacked Israel and Moses stood on a hill with Aaron and Hur holding up his hands until the battle was won. 

In the second month of Iyar, after we confirm our side of the covenant in the first month, we can bask in God’s Healing, His provision, and His Victory.

Which leads us into the third month of Sewan and the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost.

The month of Sewan is associated with the tribe of Zebulon, or rather, Zebulon is associated with the month of Sewan.

When the tabernacle moved in the days of Moses, Zebulon was the third tribe to move out. Judah went up first with praise and in war. Issachar moved second with knowledge of the times, signs, and seasons. Zebulon moved out third and were basically the supply train for Judah and Issachar. The tribe of Zebulon were business men who knew how to procure provisions that were needed.

Zebulon seems to be a tribe that, by and large, were faithful to the Lord. Zebulon is not mentioned by name in regard to the massacre at Shechem or in the selling of Joseph. And the tribe of Zebulon is not mentioned in any of the rebellions in the wilderness that I can find. 

Zebulon fought alongside Deborah and Gideon in the Book of Judges and Elon, a Zebulunite, judged Israel for ten years.

Some 50,000 men of Zebulon are said to come to help David and served him “with undivided heart”. Something that was not said of any other tribe. Zebulon brought the provisions for the feast of David’s coronation at Hebron. 

The constellation associated with Sewan is Gemini. I’m not talking about the Zodiac or Astrology. We’re speaking in astronomical terms. Gemini were twins and there were two tablets of the Commandments. It is a strong link between this month and the strength of receiving the Law and the outpouring of Holy Spirit upon all flesh. 

So, what does all this mean and how do we apply it?

 Let me give you an example of how it applies and how good God is at orchestrating things.  

Last week I told you about my brother’s passing and how my nephew preached his first sermon the day before we buried my brother. I informed you that four addicts were saved as the results of that sermon and how my nephew was faithful to God in delivering that sermon even though his father lay in a casket.

Here’s how it plays out.

In Exodus 6 God made some promises to sanctify the sons of Israel, deliver Israel, redeem Israel, and to be the Joy of Israel by taking the people of Israel out of Egypt. In Chapter 12 of Exodus the Lord’s Passover was instituted and Israel was taken out of Egypt and given the land of Canaan, eventually.  

Jesus began fulfilling those promises again on Passover when He died on the cross, but instead of a land we are promised an inheritance in a kingdom.  

It was about this time that my brother’s condition began to worsen. He had electrical conductivity issues with his heart, and he was scheduled for a dual pacemaker and a new defibrillator. It was about this time that my nephew Jamie began to really chase after God seriously, asking for healing for his dad. He committed himself to God not only on behalf of my brother, but on behalf of the addicts that were recovering as he was. He dedicated himself to God for the benefit of others. As I’ve said before, this is a time that many Christians would refer to as re-dedication. My nephew, Jamie, had been sanctified, delivered from addiction, and redeemed. He knew that God was the only hope that one could place hope in. 

In Exodus chapter 15, in the second month of Iyar, God healed the bitter waters and instituted His covenant Name Yhwh Raphe. God is my healer. Jamie was healed of his addictions as he collected his 11th month sobriety coin. He sought healing for his dad and for others. But his dad’s condition worsened and he spent 18 days in a hospital only to find out that he not only had conductivity issues in his heart but bladder cancer as well.  

In Exodus chapter 16, God re-iterates His covenant Name, Yhwh Y’reh or God who sees and provides, when He provided manna from heaven for Israel to eat. Jamie was hoping for the best and preparing for the worst as his dad’s condition worsened. But God provided the desire, the strength, the endurance to maintain Jamie’s faith.

In Exodus Chapter 17 of Exodus, in the second month of Iyar, the Amalekites attacked Israel. Moses went up onto a hill and as long as he held his hands up in praise, Israel prevailed. Israel learned something about praise that day in that as long as God was praised the battle would be won. This initiated God’s third Covenant Name in the second month, “Yhwh Nissi” or God is My Banner of Victory”.  Jamie was praising God that four addicts were delivered the day before he buried his dad. Even in death God is praised. Jamie knew where his dad was. 

The following weekend, Jamie returned to that same rehab facility where 4 addicts had been saved and baptized 13 more! Praise God! I wonder if God was the Banner for those 17 total?

Which brings us to the third month of Sewan. What happened when Holy Spirit was poured out on all flesh? Only three thousand were saved. Are you kidding me? 3000??!!! 

Jamie has confirmed his Covenant with Christ. He has seen and experienced the three covenant names of GOD in the second month, although he may not as yet be aware of it. Now, with this preparation and this momentum, I can’t wait to see a fresh pouring out of the Spirit in the third month of Sewan! 

Now some of you may be wondering why God chose not to heal my brother. I don’t have a definitive answer. I do know this. Because of my brother’s death a fire has been stoked within my nephew. I know that by Holy Spirit engaging through His efforts that 17 addicts have been saved and baptized. 17!! 

That’s more than most churches baptize in six months or a year! Because of this Holy Spirit fire burning within my nephew there are 17 empty parking spaces in hell. I’d say that my brother’s death Glorifies God by the continued actions of his son. 

Now, in case you didn’t know, my nephew, Jamie, is a recovering addict himself. A year ago life was so hopeless for him that he hanged himself. My brother and sister-in-law cut him down and he survived with no long term ill effects. He is a walking miracle. He has a million dollar testimony that he doesn’t want anyone else to have. He’s out to share Jesus and win just one more person. He is obedient to the call and purpose on his life. 

Are you? Do you share Jesus to win just one more? He deals with addicts in particular. Imagine how many “no’s” he hears before he gets a “yes”.

It is the third month of Sewan and America, my goodness the church, needs a fresh outpouring of Holy Spirit in the worst kind of way. As I have said, God works in His time and in His Seasons. Are you prepared for Pentecost? Do you even observe Pentecost? Or do you merely tip your hat and continue along the way blindly?

I am The Old Watchman, Ezekiel. When God makes appointments, He keeps them. Do you keep those appointments? You have been warned.

The Old Watchman
FaceBook - The Old Watchman
Twitter - The Old Watchman
YouTube - The Old Watchman