Numbers | Mark Rowan

5783 – Awakened or Exposed

Mark — Sat, 17 Sep 2022 13:55:08 +0000

The Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) of 5783 kicks off on September 25-27, 2022. Many in prophetic ministries release words in regards to the meaning of the year and numbers and how they speak of what is coming. I decided to search the number out in the Bible to see what possible message was there for us.

While I was already aware that there are no 57:83 bible verses, there are two 57:8 verses: Psalm 57:8 and Isaiah 57:8. Not only are these relevant for this coming year but they are for the entire decade of 5780. Psalm 57 is primarily the narrative for the righteous while Isaiah 57 details the state and the fate of the wicked.

The theme of Psalm 57 is about God's glory covering the Earth. It addresses the challenges facing the righteous as well as their ascendance. The entire chapter is an accurate parallel to the journey we have been on since 2020 and speaks to the glorious outpouring we are entering into. Verse 8 is the cry of David for his glory to be awakened despite his struggles as Saul tries to kill him. In our day, God is looking for our glory, gifts and callings to be awakened so that He will be exalted in the Nations as it states in verse 9.

"Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!"
Psalm 57:8 ESV

Conversely Isaiah 57 is addressing Israel’s illicit relationship with idol worship and ends by saying there is no peace for the wicked in verse 21. As we read the context of this chapter, the Prophet Isaiah delivers God's message to those that trust in idols and not Him. The imagery describes covenants made behind closed doors. God sees it all and the ways of evil will not profit them even though God has held His peace for a long time (Verses 8-12).

“Behind the door and the doorpost you have set up your memorial; for, deserting me, you have uncovered your bed, you have gone up to it, you have made it wide; and you have made a covenant for yourself with them, you have loved their bed, you have looked on nakedness.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭57:8‬ ‭ESV‬‬

I recommend reading and meditating on both of these chapters. I believe they have significant relevance to what we are currently experiencing. There are several messages and parallels throughout these passages.

Strong's 5783 - Laid Bare

I also looked up 5783 in the Strong’s Concordance. It is only used one time in the Bible in Habakkuk 3:9. It’s the Hebrew word that’s transliterated as ur which means exposed or laid bare. The similar theme from Isaiah 57:8 is apparent with “nakedness” and being exposed.

“Thy bow was made quite naked, According to the oaths of the tribes, even thy word. Selah. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.”
‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭3:9‬ ‭KJV‬‬

As you read on in this chapter, the theme also revolves around the wicked being dealt with. While it’s a different word used in verse 13, once again we see the imagery of being laid bare here:

“You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck. Selah”
‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭3:13‬ ‭ESV‬‬

In both Isaiah 57 and Habakkuk 3 there is a message of the righteous being saved in one form or another. Isaiah 57:13 speaks of those that take refuge in God possessing the land and inheriting His holy mountain. Habakkuk speaks of salvation of the “anointed” and “your people” as well as finishing the chapter declaring that God is his salvation no matter what natural provision is cut off.

What to Expect in the New Year

In summary, I believe we will see extensive exposure of the wicked in the coming months. Many prophetic voices have proclaimed this for the last two years. Now we will see a marked increase in the wicked being exposed. While there will be trouble all around God will prove himself faithful to His people. An increase of His glory in and through us should also be expected for those that find their hope in Him. He is raising up his children to tread on high places.

“God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringed instruments.”
‭‭Habakkuk‬ ‭3:19‬ ‭ESV‬‬

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Israel 2017

Mark — Tue, 06 Jun 2017 14:33:00 +0000

(This was the letter I sent to friends and family when I was raising funds to take a trip to Israel. Yesterday 4/5/20, was my 43rd birthday and God showed me some additional things that relate to this trip and time in my life. The post has been set to the original date of writing the letter. Also, check my related post about turning 40.)

My church announced early this year that they would be taking a group to Israel in November. Immediately my heart jumped as I felt I should go. Well, it didn’t take long for me to forget about that. Could’ve been everyday life, more pressing issues or the fact that I didn’t see how it was possible but I moved on from that thought.

Fast forward to the last day of April. I was listening to Lance Wallnau talk about the significance of 2017 as it pertains to the nation of Israel. May 2nd was going to be the 50th anniversary of Jerusalem coming back into Jewish hands in 1967. This year also marks the 70th anniversary of the 1947 UN Resolution 181 that led to Israel becoming a nation. Finally, this November marks the 100th anniversary of the Balfour Declaration of 1917 in which Great Britain stated that the Jews could return to Palestine as their home. I was partially aware of these events but this immediately brought back to my mind the Israel Trip and a strong desire to go.

A couple of years ago while doing some research I discovered that I was born during Passover in 1977. If you understand the Jewish calendar, you know that the Feasts of the Lord move around on our Gregorian calendar. Born a year before or after on the same day and I would have missed Passover. Somehow there is a special connection in my heart for the land of Israel and the Jewish people and it’s probably been there since birth.

For those of you that have difficulty with math, I turned 40 in April this year. The number 40 in the Bible is often associated with testing and the wilderness. (i.e. the Israelites’ 40 years in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land and Jesus’ 40 day fast in wilderness before starting his ministry.) I have had a sense that God is taking me somewhere with Him I have not been before — a spiritual Promised Land so to speak. Now, I feel the Lord has laid on my heart to take this trip to the original Promised Land. What God will do, I do not yet know. Today was the day I made the decision I was going. A couple hours before typing this letter I opened my email and read this, “Come Out of the Wilderness and Into Your Purpose!” Hmmm.

Twenty years ago, in December 1997, was the one other time I went to Israel. It was a study trip with my college Liberty University. The trip was funded by my Granny who was coincidentally born in 1907. (That’s the 7th “7” date mentioned in this letter … FYI.)

PS: (2020) Obviously, from the photo I made it to Israel in 2017. It was an amazing trip and a true marker in my life. Thanks to all that made it happen! Be blessed!

The post Israel 2017 first appeared on Mark Rowan.

40 Years

Mark — Fri, 26 May 2017 01:41:29 +0000

I was born April 5, 1977. That means this year, 2017, I turned 40 years old. For some that signifies the beginning of the end … over the hill, middle age, mid-life crisis, etc. Generally speaking, society portrays it as a negative experience. But I have been filled with expectancy and excitement.

Since the beginning of the year I have had a sense that God was going to do something special for my 40th birthday. There was no spectacular handwriting on the wall that informed me of this. Gabriel did not wake me from a deep sleep to announce the glory of the Lord would be descending upon me. Nothing like that. Just a feeling that God had something in store for me.

Something out of the ordinary began happening a few days before my birthday. I was waking up in the middle of the night and I couldn’t go back to sleep. This led me to go downstairs and pray. Praying wide awake at 3:00 AM is a very rare occasion in my life. Rare like never. In these moments of prayer and worship I had “downloads” or “revelations” about God that seemed somewhat simple in some facets. In others, it was an awakening of my heart to the heart of God. I was seeing things differently. I was experiencing His compassion on a deeper level. I was being changed.

April 4, 2017

Then came April 4, 2017 — the day before my birthday. It was a “download” moment. In my journal I wrote:

God so loves the world! I just had a moment with the Father. An outpouring of His love. Not just on me, though. I began to feel His love for people. It was just a glimmer — a taste but very powerful. People are precious. Every soul is important, is treasured, is valued. Every individual hand-knit by a loving, doting, caring, Daddy.

And it happened right there when I wrote the word “Daddy.” You see up until that point I knew the spiritual significance of “Abba” Father. I knew that we had the theological or positional right to call God our Daddy. I knew it was okay … in my head. But somehow my heart was not connected to that truth. Whenever I thought about it or said it in prayer, I balked internally. My heart was not yet convinced. That changed on April 4th. Back to my journal:

I just had a cry break — literally a break of something inside me where I was truly able to call on God as my Daddy. I just cried for two or three minutes. My “inner child” was calling out “Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!” over and over. I could hear my voice as a small child.

Later I wondered aloud to Jenny why this happened the day before my birthday and not on my birthday. She reminded me that God knows us in our mother’s womb. As a side note, the date was 4/4/17. Adding those numbers together results in 4+4+1+7=16 or 8+8=16. In the Bible, the number eight is symbolic of new beginnings. My 40th year has been a new beginning no doubt.

40 Years in the Wilderness

Speaking of numbers … one day I was talking to my Dad (Dennis Rowan – earthly Dad) about the experiences surrounding my 40th birthday and the significance of the number 40 in the Bible. He immediately commented that I was coming out of my wilderness. In the Biblical context, forty is often associated with testing, difficulty or the wilderness. After leaving slavery in Egypt, the people of Israel wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before entering the Promised Land. Rain came down for 40 days and 40 nights during Noah’s flood. Jesus was tested in the wilderness for 40 days before launching into His ministry.

Don’t get me wrong. My life has not been 40 years of hell on Earth. I’ve been blessed but at the same time I know this year is significant as it pertains to stepping into my greater purpose or stepping into my promised land. In that, I believe I have left the wilderness so to speak. Exactly one month after my April 4th experience I committed to go to the actual Promised Land (Israel) with my church.

May 17, 2018

“I woke up at 1:04 AM and felt I was supposed to read Isaiah 40:1.”

That was the first line of my journal from May 17. Why I thought to read that? Only the Holy Spirit, I guess. I began to read that chapter and I was struck by verse 3: “A voice cries: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.'” Chapter 40 of Isaiah mentions wilderness …

I decided to read every 40 chapter in the Bible. Coincidence of coincidences, there are 7 books in the Bible that have 40 chapters. Seven is the number of completion. Also, all seven books are in the Old Testament (old covenant, old way of doing things): Genesis, Exodus, Job, Psalms, Isaiah, Jeremiah and Ezekiel. I began to notice a similar theme running through each chapter.

Genesis 40 – Joseph is in jail and interprets the dreams of the baker and the cupbearer. This is the last chapter before he rises to his ultimate purpose as second in charge of Egypt.
Exodus 40 – There are 40 chapters in Exodus that detail the Israelites journey out of slavery and through the wilderness. This chapter focuses on the Tent of Meeting and how the Israelites would worship God in the wilderness.
Job 40 – Job was tested maybe more than any other individual in the Bible. This chapter is part of God’s response to Job at the end of the testing.
Psalm 40 – The theme of this chapter is a cry for deliverance from God and the process of waiting on God to move. The final verse ending with “You are my help and deliverer; do not delay, O my God.”
Jeremiah 40 – This chapter details Jeremiah’s release from chains as he chooses to stay in Jerusalem while the Israelites are sent into Babylonian exile for 70 years.
Ezekiel 40 – While exiled in Babylon, Ezekiel has a vision and God transports him to Israel and gives him a tour of the temple.

Somehow every “40 chapter” has this interconnected theme of testing, bondage, exile, wilderness or a need for deliverance. I find it interesting that the final 40 chapter ends with a vision of the temple of God. A future temple … possibly one that is promised to come. To date the temple that is described in Ezekiel 40 has never been built. It is much larger and grander than any former temple built in Israel.

When I sat down to write this post I pulled out my journal to look at the information I just shared. I saw the date that I woke up at 1:04 and read Isaiah 40 … 5/17/18. I had a double take.

No way.

I pulled out my calculator to check the math. I had to be sure.

And yes, 5+17+18 does in fact equal 40.

The post 40 Years first appeared on Mark Rowan.