DISCERNING THE TIMES | Otunba Samuel Martins

"of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do..." (1 Chronicles 12:32)

I really don't know how to say this, but I sense very strongly that we are on the verge of something extremely significant in Time and History. According to Jewish history and as documented in Exodus 12:2 

“This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you."

As a matter of fact, there will be a total eclipse of the sun for two minutes over the North Pole on Friday, March 20, the day of the Spring Equinox which coincides with the beginning of the Hebrew month of Nisan, the first month in the biblical calendar year, a solar occurrence that has likely never happened before in human history.

A total solar eclipse at the North Pole on the first day of spring occurs once every 100,000 years. For it to occur on the first day of the first month of the biblical calendar year is, however, entirely unprecedented since this is only the year 5775 according to Jewish tradition, meaning that there has never been such a solar occurrence in human history.

"For I will pass through the land of Egypt on that night, and will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt..." (Ex 12:12-13)

Rewind to the days and times of Nehemiah, Nehemiah 2 documents that it was in this month of Nisan that Nehemiah recieved the Kings approval to go and rebuild the City of Jerusalem and not only that, he recieved needed resources from the king as well.

Going further to the days of Esther, according to Esther chapter 3 it was also in this month of Nisan that Hamman ploted the anihilation of the Jews. But we all know how it ended.

Now consider the following events:

1. Nigeria elections was postponed from February to March. February would have made it fall in the month of Adar, the period set by Hamman for the anihilation of the Jews. "...but the opposite happened."

2. Benjamins Netanyahu Likud Party just won re-election by some miraculous twist in the elections. Especially during the time America wants to carry out some funny negotiations with Iran regarding their nuclear program.

3. Benin, Burundi, Burkina Faso, Comoros, DRC, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guniea, Ivory Coast, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mali, Moroco, Namibia, Nigeria, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo and Zambia all have various forms of elections This year 2015.

In trying to piece it all together, I've had to ask these pertinent questions:

1. Didn't we just overcome an Ebola outbreak? which is instructive because the Passover in the days of Moses was preceded by certain plagues and especially since the Passover this year also coincides with another Eclipse, a Lunar eclipse like no other, a Full Blood Moon (April 4). Bill Gates is also quoted yesterday (march 19) to say that "If there is any good to have come out of the Ebola crisis it is that it has acted as a early warning, a wake-up call. Meanwhile the world needs to be prepared for the next Disease epidemic."

2.  Why was the Nigeria Election postponed from February to March, during the Eclipse window and season of Passover?

3. Why this very particular Solar eclipse taking place at the North Pole??

Whilst I may not have direct answers to these questions and many more questions that have also popped up in my mind, I have concluded thus:

From the aforementioned, this season is a season coming with a strong shift and change of guard. Africa and especially Nigeria is at the threshold of a major shift. How Christians pray will determine if the shift will be for good or bad. But I trust God that Nigeria's shift will be for good. Daniel 11:14 says “Now in those times many shall rise up against the king of the South. Also, violent men of your people shall exalt themselves in fulfillment of the vision, but they shall fall." All opposition to the current president will fall.

The shift and change of guard will also happen in our individual lives. If we truly turn to God in this season, a great and effectual door is open to grant us enablement to shift certain things in our lives for our favor especially in business, career, marriage, finances etc.

This season also is a season of Passover for the saints. Our testimony shall be that "It is the Passover sacrifice of the Lord, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households." Ex 12:27.

May the good Lord grant us all the grace to experience passover from every coming evil.

Make no mistake, the coming days are going to be loaded with a lot of activity, both good and bad. So we need to take charge and declare relevant scriptures to capture the day before others so that we are well positioned to take what belongs to us.

Take communion regularly. I take it daily with the family.

You can use the following scriptures to form prayer points:

Psalm 19

Psalm 121:3-6

3. He will not allow your foot to be moved;He who keeps you will not slumber

4 Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand.

6 The sun shall not strike you by day, Nor the moon by night.

Psalm 68:30

Rebuke the beasts of the reeds, The herd of bulls with the calves of the peoples, Till everyone submits himself with pieces of silver. Scatter the peoples who delight in war.

Job 5:12-16,22,24

12 He frustrates the devices of the crafty,So that their hands cannot carry out their plans.

13 He catches the wise in their own craftiness,

And the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them.

14 They meet with darkness in the daytime, And grope at noontime as in the night.

15 But He saves the needy from the sword, From the mouth of the mighty, And from their hand.

16 So the poor have hope,

And injustice shuts her mouth.

22.You shall laugh at destruction and famine, And you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth.

24. You shall know that your tent is in peace; You shall visit your dwelling and find nothing amiss.

2 Thes 1:6-9

 it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you,

7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels,

8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power,

Psalm 81:3-7

3 Blow the trumpet at the time of the New Moon, At the full moon, on our solemn feast day.

4 For this is a statute for Israel,A law of the God of Jacob.

5 This He established in Joseph as a testimony, When He went throughout the land of Egypt, Where I heard a language I did not understand.

6 “I removed his shoulder from the burden; His hands were freed from the baskets.

7 You called in trouble, and I delivered you; I answered you in the secret place of thunder;

- Otunba Samuel Martins