Sound the Horns of Justice in the Land!

Two days before Rosh Hashanah or the Feast of Trumpets began, I had an interesting encounter with the Lord. It was in the early morning hours and I was in that place between sleeping and waking when I heard the words to an old folksong in my head. Songs are a common way that God speaks to me, but this was very unusual as I normally hear words to worship songs or hymns. This is what I began to hear that morning:

"Can't you hear the whistle blowing? Rise up so early in the morn.

Can't you hear the captain shouting, 'Dinah blow your horn!'"

(from the folksong, "I've Been Working on the Railroad")

As I began to meditate on what the Lord might be saying through this song, I felt led to look up the story of Dinah in Genesis 34. This is a story of great conflict and injustice.

It is also clearly a story of justice gone awry as it is taken into the hands of men. There is clear fault lying with Dinah, Jacob, and his sons, but also terrible injustice done to Dinah as she was raped and defiled by prince Shechem who was defended by his father, Hamor. Jacob's sons took justice into their own hands and the result was a vengeful slaughtering of every male in that city and the seizing of all of their women, children, wealth and possessions. This is considered a shameful moment in Israel's history from every angle.

The name Dinah means "Avenged, God will judge, or vindicated". As I have prayed about the message I hear the Lord speaking, I feel it is one of a cry for true justice to be released. It is time for the horn of justice to blow loudly and clearly. We have stepped into a time where many are questioning and asking the question, "Where is true justice to be found?" Kingdom justice must come forth!

I also couldn't help but notice the phrase, "Can't you hear the whistle blowing?" in the song I heard that morning. I felt "whistle blowing" was an interesting play on words as hardly a week goes by now without a new "whistleblower" being highlighted in the news. These whistleblowers are often taking great risk to come forward and expose hidden evil. Situations that have been waiting for a movement of justice and righteousness are beginning to see the recompense for which they have longed. At the same time evil is seeking to advance, our God is clearly advancing and He will have His way.

Psalm 89:14 tells us that righteousness and justice are the foundation of God's throne. The word for justice and righteousness are very close in this verse and the Hebrew word "Tsedeq". According to Strong's it means, "What is right, just, normal, rightness, justness, of weights and measures." There is a heart cry for true justice in the world right now. It is time for the weights and measures of God's kingdom to be released on earth. In fact, God's throne finds its foundation or habitation in this place. Righteousness and justice are where He dwells.

God is issuing a call for a pure justice movement to rise from His Ekklesia in this hour. The Church has been in a season of sifting and pruning and a righteous remnant will rise from the purging pressures everyone has experienced. There is a separating and a calling forth of an army that is truly Spirit led and walking in kingdom authority, righteousness, truth, and justice. The army that God assembles will defy human reasoning and logic.

Gideon and His Army

The story of Gideon and his army is a good example of an army that defied human logic and reasoning as well as an army that blew the trumpets of warfare and justice.

Gideon was hiding and threshing wheat in a winepress when he had an encounter with the angel of the LORD that called him a "mighty warrior" when Gideon felt like anything but that. Many find themselves in that place now where fear has overtaken them, but God is reinforcing our true identity and calling His Bride to a place of courage in this hour.

When it was time for Gideon to summon his army, Judges 6:34 tells us, ".....he blew a trumpet....". Then, well over 32,000 gathered, but the LORD whittled away at the army until only 300 remained. Those who "trembled with fear" were allowed to leave. The 300 who remained were given trumpets to blow and glass jars with torches. There is something powerful released in the spirit realm when we choose to sound the alarm and blow the horns of God's justice.

"When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords..." Judges 7:22

It is clear that something other worldly was happening in this battle. God gave the battle plan, and as foolish as that plan may have sounded, their faith and obedience brought forth the power of God to defeat their enemies. This is not so different than what Paul talks about in 2 Corinthians 10:3-4,

"For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds."

The Bride of Christ is learning that She must rise up with weapons not of this world. We have seen the failures over and over of battles fought in the flesh. God has already armed us with the weapons of our warfare and it is time we learned to use them well.

Joshua and the Fall of Jericho

Joshua was one that the Lord trained in using weapons not of this world as well. In Joshua 5, Joshua had an encounter with the Captain of the army of the LORD that caused him to fall facedown in reverence. Shortly after this, the LORD gave Joshua the battle plan for taking the city of Jericho. Again, it defies human logic that the warfare plan involved blowing rams' horns and marching around the city seven times. This army operated in obedience that brought the victory as seen in Joshua 6:10, "Do not give a war cry, do not raise your voices, do not say a word until the day I tell you to shout. Then shout!"

We know the end of the story. The trumpets sounded, the army shouted, and the wall surrounding Jericho collapsed. The releasing of a sound was integral to God's plan. The releasing of voices and sounding of horns was key to trigger the victory that God wanted to release.

Joshua clearly heard his "Captain" shouting to blow the horns of God's justice as did Gideon. I believe God is again raising up an army of those who will give themselves to this call.

It is clear that we are in days of increasing warfare and battle. It can be mind blowing just to watch the news. God is calling us to commit ourselves to operating according to His Spirit and seeking Him for the battle plans that only He has the wisdom to give. He is also calling us up to a higher place of courage and abandoned commitment to hear and obey His voice above all others. He has given us a voice to use for the advancement of His kingdom, His righteousness, and His justice. Together let's join with Him to sound the horns of His justice in our land!