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What's So Great About 2008? Spiritual Significance of the Year of New Beginnings
2008, what makes it so special and why is it called the year of new beginnings? First, let's get acquainted with the Hebraic calendar. God works in cycles and within these cycles specific things are accomplished which are predetermined by God as part of his Master Plan.
Last year, 2007, which is known on the Hebraic calendar as 5767 is known as the year of completion. God began bringing to completion promises or circumstances in your life that He started. As these opportunities in your life have reached fulfillment, the next year 5768 has begun. In the bible the number "7" is always associated with the end of a cycle or movement and means 'that which is spiritually complete'. An example of this is God setting Israel's cycle of captivity to a period of 70 years, while the cycle of restoration of Israel was 70 weeks. You can read more about these stories in the book of Daniel 9, verse 2 and 25.
New Beginnings and Revival for Youth in 2008 There is other spiritual significance associated with the number eight that involves resurrection. The number 8 is also linked with miracles and miraculous events. Many miracles will be performed by the Lord in 2008 and we can give God all the glory for these miraculous events. These miracles are available to those who believe Mark 16:17-18. This scripture is spoken by Jesus who says "And these signs will accompany those who believe in my name; they will cast out demons... they will speak in new tongues... they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover." When we as the body of Christ begin by faith to believe this we will have the miracle working power of Christ within us and all of heaven will rush forth to cause these miracles to manifest themselves on Earth!! There are two decisions we need to make in order to receive the new beginnings and power available to us in 2008. First, we have the responsibility of keeping expectation in our hearts which will in turn raise up faith in our spirits or inner man. As we begin to release our faith we will be filled with new hope and excitement that God will be moving in our life. We also need to let go of our our past. When we give up negative attitudes, bad habits and alliances with those people and things that are not of God we are in essence allowing those things to die within us. This is important because it gives God the opportunity to resurrect our dreams and plans we've held on to for so long and give them over to His power. These dreams will never come to fruition until we allow God to take them over. Eight is the number associated with resurrection and regeneration. The scriptural part of this is that there are 8 resurrections recorded in the Bible(excluding the resurrection of Christ and the Saints). Here are the references to these verses: 1 Kings 17:17-24 II Kings 4:32-37II Kings 13:20-21 Luke 7:11-18Luke 8:40-42 and Luke 8:49-56 John 11:39-44 Acts 9:36-43 Acts 20:7-12 However the most important resurrection of all was that of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 2008 is the year of new beginnings because Jesus was resurrected on the first day of the new week. Since there are 7 days of the week, the first day of the new week is day 8. Just let that soak into your system for a while. Through Christ we have been restored to a position of power, authority and dominion over the earth. With the advent of 2008, we need to claim, through the mighty name of Jesus, that power which belongs to us. As we repent of our sins and receive a refreshing from the Lord in this year of restoration, God can send his Son at the appointed time. God has planned this year of restoration since the beginning of time and this must be accomplished so that His divine plans and purposes can be fulfilled. In other words, in 2008, we should eagerly turn our backs on our past and claim the new beginnings God has in store for us!
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The most exciting thing about 2008 is that it is known as the year of new beginnings! How often do we have a fresh slate and get to start over leaving our past behind and pressing into all that God has for us? God wants us to forget the past so he can begin to unleash all he has for you in 2008. Isaiah 43:19 says "Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert". The most important part of this revelation is that it requires us to let go our hurts, mindsets and ideas from the past. If we do not let go of things wrapped up in our past, then God cannot unleash and release the new annointings he has for us in 2008.
In the Hebraic calendar 2008 which is known as 5768 has special meanings relevant to us. The number 8, otherwise known in Hebrew as sh'moneh means 'to super-abound' or 'make fat'. The Hebraic name for 2008 is Samekh Chet which means we are coming into a new beginning. An interesting point about 2008 is that God commanded Moses to perform circumcisions on the 8th day. Circumcisions in the Bible are commonly referred to as cutting away of something old and beginning something new in our lives. The Bible also refers to circumcision when He circumcises our hearts and removes the old sinful nature and replaces it with a regenerated, spiritually new heart that beats for Christ. The number 8 signifies the covenant God has made with us. He promised to resurrect us from spiritual death and our old nature so we could begin a new victorious life with Christ.