The New Songs of Heaven

I saw this Birthday card for my brother last month and it had three whales on the front. I kept trying to look past the whale card because I thought he would find it odd of me to choose it of all the cards that were lining the shelves of the store. Anyone who has gone birthday card shopping has seen the intensity of the process with rows and rows of cards and categories. Yet, my attention kept coming back to the simplicity of the card with the three blue whales etched on the front of the card. Inside the card, if you must know, said “Waaaa Waaaa Waaa I hope you have a whale of a time on your birthday.” It was kind of quirky and funny so I decided to buy it.

When I got home I began to pray about the card to direct what I would like to write to him for his birthday blessing. The Lord was saying something to me about these whales for my brother, but also that there was symbolism in these whales for the year 2021 for many others. I kept sensing in my spirit that 2021 was going to be the year of the whale. Blue whales are beautiful majestic creatures of the sea. When they come up and do a spin you can’t help but gasp in elation, wonder, and awe at what your eyes witnessed. I believe that this year many of us will be gasping with elation, wonder, and awe at the beautiful majestic nature of our Father and how he uses us and nature to advance His kingdom on the dry and barren lands around the world. We will see waves rock boats that grab the attention of those on board. Those who have little or no faith at all will be drawn back to the Father. It is in these moments of deep despair and darkness that peoples attention will look back to the Father. The Lord is yearning for relationship with His children like the desperate hauntingly beautiful melodic song of the whale swinging through the ocean blue.

The more I contemplated the beauty and sound of whales, I thought about what they represent in the Bible, which brought me to the story of the Prophet Jonah. I realized so many parallels to whales and prophets. Whales are sensitive, dive deep, and communicate through song. Similarly, prophets are sensitive to the spirit realm and they are messengers and revelatory of the deep things of Gods heart. Prophets love to reveal the heart of God and they always seem to be the most peculiar and unique individuals, especially in the way that they deliver Truths just as the whale sends out their song in their own unique way. Whales, therefore, represent prophetic ministry and the current prophetic movement. The story of Jonah and whale has such deep meaning in an of itself, but when juxtaposed to our lives in contemporary society it prompts one to realize so much about who God is and at what lengths He is willing to go to protect us and keep us focused on what He has called each of us to do.

Jonah was called to be a Prophet. Yet, he ran from his call from God to go to the people of Nineveh. Jonah saw no point in going. He lamented to God that this city of Gentiles would never listen to him, so why bother. He, like many of us, tried to runaway and hide from what he knew he was called to do. He went to such lengths to runaway that he got on a boat and hid in the bottom of the boat. Yet, while he tried to hide there was a raging storm and the men on the boat threw him overboard in hopes of saving their own lives when they realize he was disobeying God. Drowning in the sea and suffocating from seaweed that had wrapped around his neck and face a whale comes up and swallows Jonah whole. This moment was a symbol of God always ready to protect us and extend his mercy even in our moments of great despair and disobedience. Jonah in turn shows thanksgiving to God for His mercy, repents, and submits to what he is called too prophesy throughout all of Nineveh. God has the whale spit him out onto dry land where he would then begin his travels to Nineveh.

This is a beautiful story of how our doubts and fears will forever be trumped by the mercy and grace of our Father in our lives. He will chase us down and draw us into a place that feels like we may never get out of just to spit us back out to be back where we started to complete what we are called to do. I believe there is a new song like that of a whale that modern day prophets of God will be prophesying to the nations around the World. I believe it will be songs of warnings of what is to come, but I also believe it will be songs of peace and joy as people are invited into relationship with Christ. God will be pushing these hidden prophets out of what feels like the depths of the sea from inside the belly of a whale to new places to preach the gospel and too prophesy of the new things to come. There is an invitation for us all to tend to our communications with others out of a place of His Love, to strengthen those who feel weak and oppressed with the Word of God, and to bring the heart beat of God back into Nations. The year of the whale has begun, let us listen intently to the peculiar frequencies of their bellowing cry, it might just be the same frequencies of heaven trying to get our attention.