CONGREGATION MELECH YISRAEL OF TORONTO

Back to Archives

A Messianic Jewish Newsletter for the sake of רבינו ישוע מלך המשיח אדונינו Rabbeinu Yeshua Melech HaMashiach Adoneinu!

.

           I just mentioned the three spring feasts also called the Latter Rain feasts (there are two rainy seasons in Israel; spring and fall, the rest of the year is dry). Each one of these Latter Rain prophetic feasts have been fulfilled in Yeshua's first coming. However there is another set of feast days which take place in the fall, they are called the Former Rain feasts. Now, just like the spring feasts, these fall feasts have special Messianic, prophetic significance. Take for instance the month of Elul.

             Elul is the month of understanding, it is a time of intro- spection, a time of return to our first love. Why is the month of Elul considered a time of return to our first love and not all the other months? For two reasons. The first and most obvious is because Elul precedes the feasts of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, both solemn feasts of judgement and atonement. Secondly, because the name itself "Elul," has been interpreted as an acronym. It's Hebrew letters "Aleph," "Lamed," "Vav," "Lamed" represent the initials of three important passages in Scripture.

The first is Devarim / Deuteronomy 30:6 And the L-rd thy G-d will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the L-rd thy G-d with all thine heart and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. The initials of the Hebrew words "thine heart, and the heart of" spell "Elul," and this entire passage refers to the repentance of sin committed during the year.

Secondly, Shemot / Exodus 21:13, And if a man lie not in wait, but G-d deliver hin into his hand: then I will appoint thee a place whither he shall flee. The initials of Hebrew words "I will appoint thee" also spell out "Elul." and this passage represents repentance for a sin committed unwittingly.

Finally, Shir HaShirim / Song of Songs 6:3, I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine:he feedeth among the lilies. Likewise the Hebrew isitials of the bold words in this passage spell out "Elul." Now thes verse represents prayer and the return to our first love.

When combined, these three passages are what the month of Elul is all about:

• Repentance for sin committed during the year;
• Repentance for sin committed unwittingly
• Return to our first love.

The whole purpose of the month of Elul is the preperation of our hearts and lives for the coming of Rosh Hashanah, the day of judgement. So what is it that G-d is showing us here? He's showing us that the month of Elul is a picture of the church age, the age we are living in now. It's the age just prior to the catching away of believers to meet Yeshua in the clouds preceding judgement of the earth. We are living in the age of preperation, of the Great Commission. Our call to preach the gospel to the four corners of the earth, calling on mankind to repent of sin and return to their first love.

This is our time believers, to warn a lost and dying world of the impending Rosh Hashanah (Day of Judgement). The month of Elul is our wake up call to be evangelists for G-d. Will you heed that call? Will you take the Great Commission seriously or have you already relegated it to second, third or even fourth place in your list of priorities of life?

"Leshanah Tovah U'Metukah" "A good and sweet year"

High Holy Day seating at Congregation Melech Yisrael are free!

YYYYYYYYYYYY
Baruch HaShem
Rabbi Jack (Yaacov) Farber