What if your shut doors, detours, and delays are a divine setup?
What if God closes a door to open windows of opportunity?
What if there are sudden, "BEHOLD!" surprises and redirections coming your way?
We are at the starting point of a new year on the Hebrew calendar. It's a time to reflect, remember, repent, and seek Jesus about the new season unfolding before us. We need a word from Heaven—it's time to tune into God's broadcast over our lives and the nations of the earth.
The following word is part 2 to my prophetic insight and encouragment for Rosh Hashanah and Hebrew Year 5785.
You can read part 1 here: Windows of Divine Opportunity.
Prophetic Insight: Hebraic Year 5785
We are in the decade of the PEY, meaning "mouth" in Hebrew.
We are now in the 5th year of the Hebrew HEY (ה).
Hey Defined:
Heh ( Hei) (Hey) (ה) is the fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet
Numerical value: 5
Sound: "H"
Meaning: 1. here is 2. to be disturbed 3. behold (Source: Chabad.org.) The Hebrew HEY (ה) has several meanings including to behold, revelation, breath of God, a window, and God's grace.
In the first part of my word, I focused on divine windows of opportunity. We talked about how when God closes a door, somwwhere he opens up a window.
Today, in part 2, I will share about prophetic insight behind the term "Behold."
Prophetic Insight: BEHOLD!
Have you ever seen God move in such a profound, astonishing, or even bizarre way that has left you in a state shock and awe?
Another meaning behind the Hebrew Hey is "to behold" "to look" or "to be disturbed."
The word behold beckons us to PAY ATTENTION. Something is immediately happening, something new is coming, a change is here. It speaks of a REVEALING and UNVEILING.
Are you paying attention? Are you preparing? It's time to behold the new thing God is doing.
I have had a few profound "behold" moments in my own walk with Jesus. I want to share one particluar testimony with you as we dive deeper into this prophetic insight.
My "Behold!" Testimony
(This testimony is also an excerpt from my new book, Prophetic Promises: Navigating Your Adventure to God's Promises.)
During a season of transition, I started seeking God for my next steps. I had been living at home for about a year after finishing ministry school, working as a nanny. I felt in my heart that a significant change was right around the corner. To prepare, I began to increase my prayer life by praying Isaiah 22:22 as often as possible—that God would shut the wrong doors in my life and open the right ones.
I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David; what he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. Isaiah 22:22 NIV
I started planning to move to Atlanta to pursue a career in film. I found a house to rent with three good friends—it seemed like the perfect opportunity.
A few days after signing the lease, a new friend invited me to a revival event in their city. I had never been to this city before, but I felt a prompting from the Lord that I should go.
I typed in the location, and it was precisely 2 hours and 22 minutes from my address.
While driving to the revival, I saw the car’s license plate in front of me with 2222 on it. I looked over, and there was a truck with the numbers 222-2222 on the side of it. Directly above it, I saw a billboard with the phone number 222-2222.
It seemed like a convergence of God’s signs confirming my Isaiah 22:22 prayer—he was opening the right doors and shutting the wrong ones in my life.
I had a great time at the revival. Many people were saved, healed, and delivered at the event. It was powerful! I enjoyed exploring a new city and made several new friends.
Right before I left to head home, I got a phone call from one of the girls I was supposed to move in with. They told me the lease had fallen through on the house, and they had already found another place to live … without me. The door slammed shut.
I had been praying so much that I was not upset when they told me the news. I knew God must have a different plan for me.
Like I talked about in part one of this prophetic insight for 5785, when God shuts a door, he often opens a window of opportunity.
When I returned home, I continued to pray about my next step.
As I cleaned my room one day, I heard a voice say, “Behold!”
I looked around, startled. The voice continued, “This will be a sign to you: when the woman you’re nannying for is pregnant, your job with them will be done.”
Did I just make that up? I thought to myself. I probably made that up! If I didn’t, the woman I am nannying for has been struggling with infertility. What if that means I have to stay at this job for a few more years? That probably wasn’t God's voice…
I brushed off the thought and forgot about it for the rest of the day.
When I arrived at my nanny job the next morning, the mother sat me down at the kitchen table
“Mariel, we don’t need you to nanny for us anymore. I am pregnant with twins. I am going to quit my job and be a stay-at-home mom,” she said.
She slid the black and white pictures of the ultrasounds across the table to me. As I looked at the photos in disbelief, she grabbed her keys and rushed out the door to work.
An hour later, Ellen, one of the leaders of the revival event, called me and asked if I needed a job. I was stunned. I told her I had just lost my job and would be happy to move and work for the ministry for the summer.
God opened a window of opportunity after the door slammed shut.
A few months later, the leaders of that ministry invited me to teach on the prophetic gift for an evangelism conference in a small town in Alabama. As we drove to the event, I fell asleep and had a dream.
I saw a door an inch from my face when it suddenly flung up. I was so close to the door, and it felt so real that I awoke with a start.
I heard the Lord say, “I am opening the door of opportunity to launch you into prophetic ministry.”
That trip was the first of many opportunities I would take with that ministry for the next two years. God opened the door to help me step into my calling to teach on the prophetic gift at different churches around the United States and Canada.
(You can read this chapter and more prophetic encouragement in my new book Prophetic Promises.)
One Word from God Changes Everything
Reflecting back on my story, one word from God changed everything: "Behold!"
In the middle of shut doors, that one word prepared me to recieve new direction and instruction for my life's purpose.
We are leaving the year of the DOOR (5784)—a year that has been full of many shut doors for God's people.
But now, it's time to prepare for the year of windows (5785) of opportunity.
Here are some Bible verses that contain the word "behold":
5 Bible passages Including "BEHOLD"
Isaiah Announces a New Thing
Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. Isaiah 43:19 ESV
Noah Beholds Dry Ground
Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry. Genesis 8:13
Shepherds Behold a Sign
And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. Luke 2:10
Mary Beholds Her Promise
And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her. Luke 1:38
David Beholds God's Beauty
One thing have I desired of the LORD, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple. Psalm 27
Lastly, I want to focus on a passage of Scripture where the word "behold" appears: the parable of the wise and foolish virgins in Matthew 25.
Behold the Bridegroom
“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Matthew 25:6 NKJV
In the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, all of the women knew the bridegroom was coming—they just didn't know the exact day or hour he would arrive. When he was delayed in coming, they all fell asleep.
At the midnight our, the cry rang out, "Behold! The bridegroom is coming!" His arrival caught them all by surprise. Only five of the ten women were prepared for this "behold" moment. These wise ones had oil for their lamps to give them light to go into the dark and meet the bridegroom. The ones without oil were unprepared ... they didn't get oil during the delay. Let's pick up in the story.
“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
“Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
“But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
“Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour." Matthew 25:10-13
Keep Watch and Prepare
We can learn a lot from their story. While we may not know how God is going to show up in our situaton with an open door, a new window of opportunity, a surprise "behold!" moment ... we can still get ready.
How do you prepare for a surprise? We need to get the oil that comes from spending time in God's presence. We need to behold Jesus during the waiting, transitions, and delay. We get oil by abiding in Jesus and pursuing his presence. Through prayer, reading the word, worship, and cultivating time spent with him in the secret place, we can be ready to hear his voice when he says "Behold! I'm here! Your window of opportunity has come!"
For like the unwise ones in the parable, they only had a short window of opportunity - a short time frame - to enter into the wedding feast.
We need to be ready when God opens a window, because we too, may have just a short window of time to respond to his invitation when it comes.
In the year of the HEY, it's time to expect the Bridegroom to show up in an unexpected way in our lives and situations."HEY! BEHOLD! The bridegroom is coming!"
I hear the Lord say, "Behold!"
I hear the Lord say, “BEHOLD, I am coming at an hour you do not expect in your situation. Keep watch and stay awake! I can surprise you at the midnight hour, leaving you in shock and awe. Do not waste this waiting time. Do not let disappointment steal your perspective, trust, and hope in me. I had to shut doors to prepare a new way for you. I am providing a window of opportunity and the shut doors have been My window of escape for you, even when you did not understand.
As you abide in me and spend time in my presence, I will fill you to overflowing with oil. This oil for your lamp will not only help you see in the dark, but it will bring light to a hurting, lost, and confused world around you. I am calling you to come get fresh oil so you can be a lamp set on a stand to bring light to the world around you.
As you focus on me, you will grow sensitive to the sound of my voice, my promptings, my signs, me still, slight whispers and confirmations leading you into the new open windows I have for you in this season. Prepare your heart for a surprise by remembering nothing is too hard for me—I am the God of the breakthrough. I can show up at the midnight hour.
So do not grow weary and fall asleep during what seems to be my delay in your life. Prepare anyway. Keep watch and pray. Let me fill your lamp with oil—and encourage others to get my oil, too.
Be prepared to be amazed when you hear the cry, "Behold! I am moving in your situaton!"
3 Ways to Activate this Prophetic Insight
1. Reflect: What are You Beholding?
“Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a musty cellar.” Matthew 6:22-23 MSG
There is a famous saying, “Eyes are a window to the soul.” What are you BEHOLDING with the WINDOWS of your soul?
God is calling his people to a deeper purification in what we are beholding with our eyes.
The gates of our eyes must be guarded and protected. Pay attention to what you watch and set a new standard for yourself.
One of my favorite songs in this season is SEU Worship’s Deep Dive.
Show me what's breaking Your heart
Even if it messes me up
'Cause I don't wanna know You in part
I wanna know You, really know You
Don't wanna reach the end of my life
Knowing there was more I could find
Oh, I don't wanna know You in part
I wanna know You
The heart behind these lyrics has been resonating with me. Are you willing to repent and ask the Lord during these days of Awe: “Lord, show me what is breaking your heart in my life? Help me turn away from every useless thing so I can go deeper into your heart. I don't want to miss anything You have for me.”
Behold His Beauty
One thing I have desired of the LORD, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the LORD, And to inquire in His temple. Psalm 27:4 NKJV
In this season, behold Jesus in the secret place. In the waiting and the worshipping, you are filling your lamp with fresh oil. Even when you don’t know when or how God will arrive to bring a breakthrough in your life, you will be awake and ready. As you behold Jesus in the secret place, you will be prepared when the cry rings out, “BEHOLD! The bridegroom is coming!”
Prepare for Windows of Opportunity and Behold Surprises
Cultivate the skills you need for where you want God to take you.
Let God refine your character and do not despise the day of small beginnings.
Allow God to complete the work he wants to do in your life in this season, and be ready to take windows of opportunity from the Lord when they open up.
Let your lamp be filled with oil as you spend time seeking his face.
Awe in the Days of Awe
I pray this word encouraged you! Here's a prayer you can pray: Dear Heavenly Father,
Make me ready! I want to behold you so I am ready for "behold" moments and windows of divine opportunity! I trust that in the delays, shut doors, disappointment, and uncertainty, you are working all things together for my good according to Romans 8:28. Increase my faith and hope in this season, and fill my lamp to overflowing so I can have light for life and be a light to those around me, for Your glory. In Jesus' name, amen.
I pray this word encouraged you! Be sure to follow along for more.
P.S. Have you gotten my new book, Prophetic Promises, yet? Check it out here! It's all about navigating your adventure to God's promises for your life. I hope it encourages you! All the love,
MARIEL VILLARREAL
About the Author: MARIEL VILLARREAL
is a writer, speaker, and prophetic mentor. Her heart is to encourage this generation with right-now prophetic words that reignite hope during the waiting between a prophetic promise and its fulfillment. Through her ministry, the Embolden Co., she holds seasonal prophetic mentorships, training programs, and retreats to empower people around the world to develop their spiritual gifts and hear God for their lives—so they can bring revival to the nations. Follow her on Instagram here.
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Blog tags: Prophetic, prophetic words, prophetic word Hebrew year 5785, Hebraic calendar, Christian Prophetic ministry, prophetic word of the year, prophetic gift, daily devotional, prophetic words 2024, prophetic message, prophetic word 5785, Prophetic Insight: Windows of Divine Opportunity | Rosh Hashanah and Hebrew Year 5785 | Part 1
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