TOMORROW—REVOLUTION 2015! With Chuck Pierce, James Goll, others. Receive fresh fire this Hanukkah! To register click here.
Jolene and I are just now home, safe and sound! This Hanukkah we’ve been standing together for God to light the flame of a new Jesus Revolution. We knew we needed to be in Jerusalem the first day of Hanukkah to bring home this torch.
Lamplighter family, thank you for your prayers. Because what just happened to us in Israel—during our 12th anniversary, actually on the ride to the airport—is staggering. God lit the flame of our menorah again. Not in the exact same way, but in a way just as profound.
And all I can say is, get ready for another Jesus Revolution. Because this torch has already been lit, and it’s coming your way.
Vision—Igniting the Fire of a Jesus Revolution
Igniting the fire of a Jesus Revolution. I first saw this invitation prophetically while conversing about the Revolution gathering with Charles Stock, senior pastor of Life Center. In a vision I saw us lighting our menorah together with Charles and other leaders. I knew we had to carry this fire back from Jerusalem for this to occur.
And honestly, while driving from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, I thought we had missed our opportunity. Due to time constrains I wasn’t even able to purchase candles for our menorah until the first day of Hanukkah—until yesterday. My “on the fly” plans were to light our lamp at the Western Wall before leaving for the airport. But that got messed up when both Jolene and I felt clearly prompted by God’s Spirit that we needed to get to the airport early instead.
So I felt like we had come all this way for this very moment, only to miss our opportunity. At God’s unmistakeable leading.
But what I didn’t understand was that God had other plans all along to light our lamp. And our obedience to His prompting, against my own desire, helped bring this miracle to pass.
Vision—An Angel Threw a Torch
It all began with a feeble attempt to meet an immediate felt need—for a restroom. We were traveling from Jerusalem to the Ben Gurion airport, and the signs we followed took us on a route we had never before been on. A northern route along the barbed-wire border of the West Bank.
That’s when nature called. We decided to forego the off-ramps to Ramallah and just wait till we got to the airport. But when signs for the Israeli city Modi-in appeared not too far away, we took the ramp towards the Promised Land.
Shopping center… supermarket… restroom. Amen!
That’s when I remembered a conversation earlier in the afternoon with Rick and Patti Ridings. They told us over lunch about how they visited a national historical site, featuring the burial sites of the Maccabees, near this very city!
And as I glanced over at the tall apartment buildings and modern homes, I saw a brief but tangible vision. A large angel of the Lord was throwing a torch to us!
Maccibim Graves
Friends, we did not do this intentionally. I had no idea Modi-in was on this route. This trip was my first time ever driving in Israel. We had made a wrong turn, following signs that sent us way far away from our normal route to the airport.
So after our respite, we asked the supermarket cashier where the memorial to the Maccabees is. He did’t know. So he asked another cashier—loudly, in Hebrew. Another cashier got involved, then some customers. Suddenly the whole store was giving us directions!
So grateful for Jewish hospitality. For real. They were angels too, giving us the direction we needed.
And with the help of these angels, an impromptu bathroom break on a road truly less traveled suddenly became an appointment with destiny. Because just up the highway, past the gas station was a dirt road marked “Maccabim Graves.”
We took the exit and drove into a forest. After a few wrong turns, we saw a line of Israeli flags and followed them. In a barren field marked primarily by rocks and trees, we finally saw one memorial stone, then another.
Nobody was there with us. But on the base of each we discovered a simple candle had been placed. Signaling to heaven and earth a remembrance of their legacy.
Fire of the Maccabees—Jesus Revolution!
OK follow this. We’ve been praying for God to ignite another Jesus Revolution this Hanukkah. Patterned after the Maccabees, spiritual revolutionaries who risked all to confront the strongest army in the Mideast to take back the Temple Mount and the Temple of the Lord. They are the ones who overcame the anti-christ forces of their day, against all odds. They are the ones who restored the fire of the Menorah to reconsecrate their defiled Temple back to the Lord.
They are the ones who saw a miraculous supply of oil, patterned after Zechariah 4, to keep their fire burning in the Temple.
And when it was time for Messiah to come to earth, it was their sacrificial devotion that formed a gateway for the Light of the World to come. Some say Jesus was born over Hanukkah, but the historical records of priests convey how He more likely chose Hanukkah as His time of conception.
Think of it. The Light of the World conceived in Miriam’s womb over Hanukkah. And it is this same Messiah who is bringing another Jesus Revolution in our hour. It was on “Thanksgivukkah” two years ago that Bob Jones actually saw this move of God come into the earth realm. The day we chose to officially release Crown & Throne.
And in His sovereignty Jolene and I were directed not to the commotion and bluster of the Temple Mount, but to the simple graves in the Jewish historical memorial to the Maccabees.
Torch Passed—Lighting Our Menorah
On a simple memorial stone there was a candle glowing through the night. Through tears Jolene and I immediately knew what we were to do. We brought out our menorah—the one God lit at our wedding— to this rock-covered garden. I took our middle candle and lit it from the candle at the Maccabee grave. And through more tears we together lit the candles on our menorah.
In a way only the God of hosts can orchestrate, a sacred torch has indeed been passed. A new generation of Maccabees, spiritual revolutionaries, is arising to receive this sacred flame, and the legacy of devotion to which it bears witness.
Note that it is only made available only by the Spirit of God. We can’t wait to pass it on to you.
What an incredible way to come home.
Wow! What an incredible story! Like Jon always says… “you can’t make this stuff up.” So thankful for how God led you while in Israel. Excited to see manifestation here!
Absolutely amazing how God led you to those distant lights you could only discover by faith and perseverance – and courage (WEST BANK)! And when I look at the huge lit stones in the picture (like us the living stones) all gathered together in that certain place at the appointed time (like Revolution2015), I see SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION breaking out even now!! Lord, we’re gathering with GREAT EXPECTATION for the spiritual explosions from this spontaneous combustion transferred supernaturally from The Land to us! What an awesome God YOU ARE!!!! Love you Papa & Mama Hammer! So looking forward to tomorrow night!!
What an awesome testimony! This is just so God! I choose to be one of those new revolutionaries. Your visit to the graves of the Maccabees was so very God-ordained. May God bless you!