2025: THE YEAR OF THE UNPRECEDENTED
un·prec·e·dent·ed (ŭn-prĕs-ĭ-dĕn'tĭd) having no precedent; unparalleled; never previously done, known or experienced (Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford University Press)
When I asked the Lord about this new year of 2025, I kept hearing a single word: UNPRECEDENTED. I pondered and prayed about the implications of such a word and then finally decided to see if that word was ever used in the Bible. I found a single instance of its use in a couple of English Bible translations of Numbers 16:30.
But if the Lord brings about something unprecedented….
Numbers 16:30 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
I will give you the full verse momentarily, but first – the context. The children of Israel had come out of slavery in Egypt, led by a God appointed leader – Moses. It had not been an easy trek through the wilderness toward the Promised Land, but God kept helping and providing for them during the journey. Some of the men confronted Moses and his brother Aaron, questioning their leadership and trying to insert themselves into the positions God had given exclusively to Moses and Aaron. God was not happy about that, and told Moses that He would deal with it in a spectacular (unprecedented) way. So, Moses told the people who were watching the confrontation – to back away from the tents of those rebellious men.
26He warned the community, “Get away now from the tents of these wicked men. Don’t touch anything that belongs to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins.” 27So they got away from the dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Meanwhile, Dathan and Abiram came out and stood at the entrance of their tents with their wives, children, and infants.
28Then Moses said, “This is how you will know that the Lord sent me to do all these things and that it was not of my own will: 29If these men die naturally as all people would, and suffer the fate of all, then the Lord has not sent me. 30But if the Lord brings about something unprecedented, and the ground opens its mouth and swallows them along with all that belongs to them so that they go down alive into Sheol, then you will know that these men have despised the Lord.”
31Just as he finished speaking all these words, the ground beneath them split open. 32The earth opened its mouth and swallowed them and their households, all Korah’s people, and all their possessions. 33They went down alive into Sheol with all that belonged to them. The earth closed over them, and they vanished from the assembly.
Numbers 16:26-33 (Holman Christian Standard Bible)
Before you allow fear to grip you about 2025 being filled with negative unprecedented events like this one – consider what the Lord showed me about this incident.
- This harsh judgment came only upon people who had “despised the Lord.” (Num. 16:30)
- God warned the innocent people in advance so they could be safe. (Num. 16:26)
With regard to 2025, I do believe we will see some unheard of and unparalleled events in the earth. The Bible clearly states that as the end times grow closer, perilous times will come. (2 Timothy 3:1) But for those who love and follow the Lord closely, there does not need to be any fear. However, it will be essential to stay close to the Lord and listen to His voice in all decisions that you make, especially involving travel. God knows the future and will protect you if you ask Him before making any major decision. I recall reading a vivid example of this type of protection from an incident which occurred during World War II. It is taken from a book entitled, “Evidence Not Seen,” by Darlene Deibler Rose.
A missions organization informed its missionaries it was ready to evacuate them from Indonesia as the war was creeping ever closer to the islands. A boat which was evacuating others, had been arranged to carry them out of harms way. All of the missionaries prayed, asking the Lord whether they should leave on that boat. Every single missionary felt led to remain. The boat left without them and not long afterwards was torpedoed and sank. There were no survivors. God will advise you if you ask Him for wisdom in every decision!
If you consider the entire text of the Bible and examine the “unprecedented events” that God brought to pass, you will find that the majority were miraculous acts of healing, deliverance from danger, supernatural provision, or miraculous breakthroughs. Here are a few examples of the intervention of God which were all UNPRECEDENTED:
MIRACULOUS HEALINGS: Jesus performed many miraculous healings while he walked on the earth. John 9 records the healing of a man born blind, which by the words of the man who was healed, was unprecedented! Since the beginning of time, it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. (John 9:32)
DELIVERANCE from unjust persecution: God sent an angel to break the apostle Peter out of jail because King Herod was planning to try him and then execute him. (Acts 12:1-17)
DELIVERANCE from enemies: After the Israelites marched out of Egypt with Pharaoh’s permission, the Egyptian leader had a sudden change of heart realizing he just lost his entire slave labor force. So, he sent his entire army on horseback and in chariots to chase the Israelites and force them to return to Egypt. God did the unprecedented miracle of splitting the Red Sea, allowing the Israelites to walk through it as if on dry ground. When the Egyptians tried to follow, the water returned to cover them, and they were all drowned. (Exodus 14:10; 21-29)
PROVISION of food: Manna was sent from heaven which lasted 40 years as the Israelites journeyed through the wilderness and fed an estimated number of more than one million souls each day. (Exodus 16)
PROVISION of water: The Israelites came to a place in their wilderness journey where there was no water to be found for their families or their animals. God instructed Moses to go to a certain rock and strike it with his staff. God caused a supernatural flow of water to come forth from a rock and fully satisfied their thirst. (Exodus 17:1-6)
MIRACULOUS BREAKTHROUGH: After the death of Moses, his protégé, Joshua, was leading the people of Israel toward the Promised Land. They faced a major blockade, a walled city whose soldiers were not going to allow them to pass. They needed a miracle because they were not warriors, they were a ragtag group of descendants of former slaves with young families. God instructed Joshua to have the people march in silence around the walls of the city for six days. On the seventh day they marched around the city seven times and then gave a shout of victory. God caused the walls of Jericho to supernaturally fall down, giving them the miraculous breakthrough they desperately needed. (Joshua 6:1-20)
These six examples are all UNPRECEDENTED historical occurrences. They are supernatural interventions of God that had never been seen or heard of before. They brought miraculous healing, deliverance, provision and breakthrough for God’s people in both the Old and New Testaments. God wants you to experience the unprecedented intervention of God in your life in 2025.
Pray in faith for this New Year:
Lord, I thank you for this UNPRECEDENTED New Year of 2025.
I thank you for bringing UNPRECEDENTED blessing and favor into my life.
I thank you for UNPRECENDENTED healing for me and my family.
I thank you for a year of UNPRECEDENTED deliverance, rescue and protection from
unjust persecution and every other strategy of the enemy.
I thank you for UNPRECEDENTED financial provision during 2025.
I thank you for UNPRECEDENTED breakthrough in my studies, my work, and my family.
I thank you that Your word never returns void, and that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living in 2025. Amen.