The Eighth Hour

The Eighth Hour

My friends can tell you that the number 8 has been very significant in my life. It is one of those numbers that has so many meanings and even though I was never a “number girl”, this number just showed up way too many times in my life for me to ignore it.

Some of the meanings of this number are:

It is a sign of God’s Covenant as we remember that God made a covenant with Himself, walking in a figure 8 through the sacrifice Abraham made, whilst Abraham was sleeping.

Circumcision for all boys has to happen on the eighth day and it is seen as a sign of the covenant.

This is also why Joshua had the next generation of the wilderness circumcised as they were neglecting this commandment during that period. This was needed as they were about to go into battle in Canaan. They needed to stand in covenant with Him for the battle to come.

In Biblewheel we read that the transcendence associated with the Number Eight - recognized by both Jews and Christians - ultimately manifests in the everlasting New Beginning found in the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Biblewheel 8)

Romans 8: 28

For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Circumcision is not just about the cutting off of the flesh, but what the act in itself means. Yes, the obvious meaning is that of dying to self and allowing the Lord to circumcise our hearts. But, the purpose of the circumcision is covenant. In covenant both parties cut their hands in order for blood to flow. They then shake hands and the blood is mixed typifying my life is yours, and yours are mine. What I have is yours, my enemies are yours, my strength and resources. All that I have is yours and visa versa. Such is the essence of the covenant God has made with us. The difference is that His Son was the sacrifice on this altar and we get His life in exchange for ours. It was made during the 8th hour which is between 3:00 – 6:00pm. And because we stand in covenant with Him through the sacrifice He has made, we may enjoy the benefit of that sacrifice, which is Resurrection Life. Interesting enough in Romans 8 we read that heaven and earth is awaiting the manifestations of the sons of God, and it specifically discusses the flesh being removed.

Romans 8: 22 - 23 22

For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.

When you read Romans 8 it starts with the fact that there are no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who no longer walk after the dictates of the flesh, but are controlled by the Spirit. The beginning (number 8 means new beginning) of the chapter is actually about a lifestyle where the foreskin of our hearts have been cut off and the Child of God is no longer walking after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Which is Resurrection Life now. But the second half of this chapter is also about the redemption of our bodies. Where the first circumcision is of the heart, the next part is of the Body. We will receive our glorified bodies. So in Christ we can now enjoy Resurrection Life, but there is about to be Resurrection of our bodies.

This also the reason we have to understand that we are about to go into an eighth day of a 7 year cycle, where the tribulation is very soon to start. Taking into consideration what I have just explained about the number 8, one can see why the Lord places a high value on this number and have chosen the 8th day to signify the redemption of our bodies. Very exciting to say the least. There is a lot more one can say regarding the number 8, but the reason I am actually writing about this number is because in my previous post, the Lord gave me a word in which He said that He is about to pour out abundantly His oil into those who trim their lamps in this eighth hour.

At the time I thought that odd, not knowing what He meant by the 8th hour. So last night I woke up at 2:03 and decided to look up the number in the Strong’s Concordance.

H203 akrobystía – properly, uncircumcised; (figuratively) a person outside of God's covenant, i.e. who does not belong to the Seed (Christ, the Messiah).

This was all before I even had any intention of writing about the number 8. Then I went to sleep again, but this time Father dropped into my spirit the following words. “Watch, in the hour they least expect it, I come.” The part that immediately perked my interest was watch and hour. The “they” are basically those who are not even looking, the sleeping Church, just as Jesus said in Luke 21:36 – 

Watch and pray that you may be accounted worthy to escape ALL these things that is about to come upon this world.

This then reminded me about the word He gave me about the 8th hour on my previous post and I realized that He wanted me to look up the meaning of the 8th hour. The 8th hour is also referred to as the 8th Watch. There are all together eight watches for intercessors. Which means it is the final watch. The eighth watch is during the time of 3:00 – 6:00pm, which was the same time the covenant Father made with us by sacrificing His Son. It is the time of the covenant. So it makes perfect sense why He would choose this hour to pour out His Spirit, His oil upon those who have trimmed their lamps. (Please read my post Abundant Oil) The trimming of our lamps is that circumcision which is a sign of our covenant with Him. Those who stand in covenant with Him will reap the benefits of the covenant, but this can only be if both parties fulfill the requirements. The reason why He made the covenant with Himself is that we need to understand that without Him, we cannot circumcise our own hearts. Even that He has to do for us, but unless we come to Him and allow Him to do just that, how can we have part of the benefits, which is Resurrection Life?

The 8th hour is the covenant hour. I believe He is saying we are at the 8th hour. The hour of the infilling is soon approaching and those who stand in covenant will be filled with the abundant oil of the Spirit.

We know that our Lord went to the Mount of Olives that night He was arrested. There He cried out to His Father to let this cup pass by Him, but also for not His will but Father’s will to be done. We read in Isaiah 53 that it pleased the Lord to smite and make Him sick. It pleased Him not because He is vindictive, but because this was the fulfillment of the covenant He made those many years ago when He walked in a figure of 8 around an animal sacrifice, whilst Abraham was sleeping. Abraham sleeping was a type and shadow of faith, which is the rest of God we read in Hebrews 4. Faith to trust the Lord to do in us what we cannot do ourselves…we have to rest in Him. We have to walk by faith. It pleased Him to keep His word and to fulfill this covenant, knowing that He would through this offering bring many sons to glory. Have you been to your own Mount of Olives? Not just once saying Lord “I want in on this deal.” But to the extent that you laid your life down there? I have often said, the first drop of blood fell in the garden from His forehead. From that hour, He was a dead man walking. How many times have you left your Mount of Olives, but still the same? Have you allowed Him to crush you so that out of you may flow the oil that signifies I life laid down? Have you endured in that Garden what is necessary for Him to do in you, which is to cut covenant with you that you too may bleed? For life is in the blood. From out of Him came blood, but out of us will come oil, empowering us to become the light of the world.

We read in Hebrews 12: 3 - 4 the following:

3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. 4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

In this chapter it is talking not just about the sacrifice Jesus made, but the fact that He resisted sin to the point of blood. Does that mean we are to bleed physically? No. He did that for us. But the fight is real and unless we are willing to lay all on the altar, how are we then keeping our end of the covenant? Are we then not breaking the covenant? Once again, we cannot keep the covenant in our own strength. And the issue is not perfection. The issue is willingness. What have you not given up yet, but know you have to? What have you not with all your might fought in the spirit with the absolute dependence on the Holy Spirit, but only brushed off with “please forgive me Lord”? God is not mocked. That which is sown in the flesh will reap corruption, but that which is sown in the Spirit, everlasting life. Why do we think we do not need to keep our side of the covenant as if He did not provide the means to circumcise our hearts in order to keep it? Circumcision is the sign of the covenant and not only is the 8th day upon us, but the 8th hour! It is time that we seek Him with earnestness.

There is a reason why He wanted me to understand the significance of the hour. He is warning His people to see how late it is in the day. May we earnestly seek Him and make time to enter into the garden often that He may do what is necessary in our hearts, which is to cut off the flesh. He says in Hebrews while it is still today, harden not your hearts.  The word hour in the Bible is a reference to a moment or a look. This both makes me think of anytime and also the eyes, with which we look. We are told in a twinkling of the eye…which is only but a moment, He will come to get His Bride. An hour was also considered as the 12th part of the day, which was from sunrise to sunset. Jesus said in John the following:

John 11:9

9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

Understand that when He says this is the 8th hour, He is in fact saying this is the 12th hour (the moment). In the Word He gave me (Abundant Oil), He said: “Therefore, occupy while it is still day, for night is at the door.” He is saying it is the 12th hour (the 8th hour). I pray you hear what the Spirit is saying to His children and seek Him in this 8th hour. Amen.

Please Read:

Psalm 50: 5 - 6; 14 - 17

Gather My saints together unto Me, those that have made covenant with Me by sacrifice.  

And the heavens shall declare His righteousness: For God is judge Himself. Selah

Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High.

And call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee and thou shalt glorify me.

But unto the wicked God saith, What hast thou to do to declare My statutes,  or that thou shouldest take My covenant in thy mouth?

Seeing thou hatest instruction, and castest My words behind thee.

John 8: 1 - 11 

Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. 2 And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. 3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.