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Above: at the excavation of palace of Judah Macabee in Jerusalem’s Old City.

I don’t usually do this. In fact, I can absolutely attest to the fact that I have never done this.

It is 5:08 am in Jerusalem, and we just finished another unexpectedly historic call. The anointing and presence of Holy Spirit is still so strong I’m not even going to try to sleep. Thank you Lord Jesus!

Tonight I unexpectedly felt an unusual grace from The Lord to share on God’s Lamplighters, and prophesy from Zion the release of these spiritual revolutionaries in Israel, America and the nations. Until now I haven’t directly written much nor shared much on this subject. Jolene and I have never wanted to draw people to ourselves but to Christ. And even using the name “Lamplighters” to describe emerging forerunners seemed a little self-focused.

But I have to say that when God called forth “Lamplighter Ministries,” He had much more in mind than He initially revealed to us. A company of “lamplighters” is emerging. In a moment I’ll share a few remarkable signposts of this. But first, lets take a look at the legacy of God’s lamplighters from the Word.

John the Baptist called by Jesus “the burning and shining lamp.” He was sent ahead of Jesus to prepare the way of The Lord. This same anointing will be released on a global level to prepare the way for our Messiah’s return. Friends, we may not be those ultimate expressions of burning and shining lamps ourselves—though this is our heart’s desire. We together might be the “lamplighters” who light the lamps and pass the sacred torch to a generation of emerging forerunners.

Legacy of Burning Lamps
The history of God’s covenant with His land and people began with a smoking firepot and a burning and shining lamp. And from then on, the release of God’s fire demarcated either the establishment of His covenant with His people or the restoration of His covenant with His people. Fire fell from heaven when David repented and renewed covenant with The Lord at the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite on what is now called the Temple Mount. Fire fell from heaven when Solomon consecrated the Temple. Fire fell from heaven when Elijah repaired the altar of The Lord on Mt. Carmel.

Jesus spoke of a culminating hour in history when the wise and foolish virgins would awaken to to a midnight cry. They would light their lamps, and go out to meet the Bridegroom!

Gideon won an entire battle when his army simply lit their lamps. Their enemies freaked out, turned on each other, and vacated the premises. Maybe that’s a prototype for God’s end-time victories!

Later in history, a warrior-priest named Judah Macabee led an army into battle to retake the Jewish Temple from the Romans. The miracles surrounding his victory are celebrated as Hanukkah, or the Festival of Lights. Antiochus Epiphanes, whom many regard as a prototype of the antichrist, had turned the Temple of God into a temple for Zeus—even having the audacity to sacrifice a pig to completely desecrate it. And it almost goes without saying that the fire on the altar—from the menorah—was quenched.

Judah Macabee broke through the lines of the enemy’s defense and retook the temple. These warrior priests cleansed the temple and relit the menorah to renew covenant and reconsecrate this sacred space to The Lord. Most of you know the miracle that ensued. Though they only had enough oil to keep the lamp burning for a day, the menorah miraculously burned for eight days, until fresh oil could be obtained!

Our Hanukkah Miracle
Jolene and I ourselves experienced a Hanukkah miracle. We were married on the first day of this Festival of Lights back in 2003. Jolene had received a dream from The Lord a decade before, instructing her that December 20 would be the date she would be married. And December 20 happened to be the first day of Hanukkah!

For this reason, we purchased a menorah from Jerusalem and had it shipped home in time for our wedding. We planned on lighting the center candle in our unity ceremony. But to our amazement, during a time of worship at the beginning of our wedding, that center candle suddenly “lit itself.” God lit the flame of the menorah, in front of everybody, on the first day of Hanukkah!

We are still in awe of Jesus’ amazing work. Needless to say, this supernatural confirmation of covenant has set the course of our relationship and ministry ever since.

The Well of Judah Macabee
Fast forward to our Israel tour. Because the tour was arranged in conjunction with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office, we were escorted to a few places that most tours don’t go. With this legacy from The Lord, you can imagine how incredible it was to unexpectedly find ourselves in an underground excavation in Jerusalem during our Israel tour… in what turned out to be the very palace of Judah Macabee.

A holocaust survivor and his dear wife purchased a home in the Old City back in 1970. They immediately felt compelled to initiate private excavations under their home. Thirty years later, they began to unearth “Macabee stones”—building blocks chiseled in a way unique to Judah Macabee. They found an ancient bathroom, and an ancient cistern.
And Jolene, myself and the incredible team we were with suddenly found ourselves prophesying about the uncapping of the “well” of Judah Macabee, and the release of this legacy by the Holy Spirit again in the earth. During the Feast of Tabernacles, the very time The Lord highlighted for His new move to be birthed.

Beloved, you just cannot make this up.

Calling Forth God’s Lamplighters
My biggest frustration is that this is so much more sacred than my own words can convey. We have taken much time with the Lord, pondering this in our hearts. And it was honestly a delightful surprise when Holy Spirit quickened me to release this word during our call. Amazing to join with so many of you to declare and call forth God’s lamplighters from Zion, and from Washington to Washington!

And I have every confidence that God is now raising up His lamplighters, after the order of Abraham and Gideon, Elijah and John the Baptist, David and Judah Macabee. These forerunners will break through the enemy’s resistance and restore God’s covenant flame in the earth. Like redeemed Paul Reveres, they will resound with a midnight cry that will awaken the Bride and compel her to trim the lamps and go out to meet the Bridegroom.
Friends, I wholeheartedly believe this move of God has now begun. Amen! And covenant blessings from Jolene and me… from Washington to Washington to Jerusalem.