Av - The Month of Simeon
8th July to 5th August 2013
Historically this month was a sad month . Israel had the opportunity to enter the promised land on the 9th of AV but decided to believe in the 10 spies who said the enemy was too big. God had brought them out of Egypt miraculously but they did not believe God. They entered the sin of unbelief and so put themselves under a curse. So many things have happened to Israel on this date . Both temples in Jerusalem were destoyed on this date , the first in BC 587 and the second in AD 70 , the Jews were sent to death camps from Warsaw on this date. Jews were expelled from England in AD 1290 and from Spain in AD 1492 In AD 2005 the Jews start to be expelled from Gaza on this date. There are too many things that have happened on this date to make it a coincidence ....it is a curse and will only be broken when as the word promises they will believe in the Messiah - Yeshua . Deut.9
For us we have a similar choice this month to believe the promise of God that He has spoken over us or enter into unbelief and receive a curse. It is a dangerous month when we can either be at the high point of the year through obedience and faith or a low point which will follow us all year because of our unbelief and disobedience.
We need to be very careful what we hear , what we allow access to our ear gate. We can either reject that which does not build or we accept it and go on the destruction path. This month we need to “tune “ our ears to what Heaven is saying . This is underlines by understanding that the star sign for this month is “Leo” which represents the will of the Father. Amos 3:8
As we roar with the Father so we create a prophetic covering .
He will hone our senses if we give Him access. We will increase in discernment .
Av also means “Father” . We must hear what the Father is saying and do what He directs.
Psalm 32
He destroys and takes away and takes apart this month to bring about a “new “ construction in our lives. It may seem hard at first but if we know that God always thinks good about us then we will trust Him and allow Him to bring the changes that are needed . This is to fulfill His timing for our destiny. The month of Av is a month when God the Father brings a lot of changes . Sometimes He will take down something that to us seemed good and beneficial but to God it is not good enough and does not fit the service that must be brought forth for His divine plan to be accomplished in this season .
God is the God of second chance and when we repent of our past iniquities we are forgiven by God .We continue to hold responsibility to stay out of that iniquitous behaviour . When we can experience total freedom from past iniquity by not entering that area of our life again that is when we know that we are free from it’s influence. The blood of Jesus sets us free from all iniquity but we must maintain our freedom .
This month is when the earth begins to contract and so this causes earthquakes in the natural . Watch and see where they are developing in the earth.
The letter associated with Av is “tet” which is a picture of a womb . Many things will be conceived this month that will be seen later .
We need to be careful of our partnership and covenant relationships to ensure we align with the right thing otherwise we will pay the price later on in the year.
If we received advice we will prosper but if we decided to ignore the wise counsel then we will begin to experience the consequences for disobedience and pride.
Supplementary Notes : Prayer Update from Israel - Martin and Norma Sarvis - Jerusalem
1. NEXT MONDAY BEGINS THE HEBREW MONTH AV-AND THAT EVENING THE MUSLIM MONTH OF RAMADAN.
"From the straits I called to Yah. Yah answered me in a wide-open place. The LORD is for me, I shall not fear. What can humankind do to me...All the nations surrounded me. With the LORD's name I cut them down. They swarmed round me, oh they surrounded me. With the LORD's name I cut them down.You pushed me hard to knock me down, but the LORD helped me. My strength and my might [song] is Yah, and He has become my rescue [Hebrew: yeshuah/salvation]" (Psalm 118:5-14-Robert Alter translation).
Next Monday (starting at sundown the evening before) marks the beginning of the Fifth Month in the Hebrew calendar, the month of Av. The ninth of this month (July 16th this year) will be the "fast of the fifth month" (Zechariah 8:19) commemorating the burning of the First Temple in 586 BC. As we wrote at the beginning of Tammuz, the three weeks between the 17th of that month and the 9th of Av are known as Bein haMetzarim or the "Dire Straits" (Lamentations 1:3b)-an annual period within which much sorrow and calamity has historically come upon the Hebrew people. It is also a time, especially during the first nine days of Av, within which there is much superstition and, amongst certain religious streams of Judaism, many self-imposed strictures and austerity measures. "When Av comes in," says the Talmud "joy is diminished". Yet, we believe that Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) came that, even in hard times, our joy might be full! God longs for His children to trust in Him, and even in tight places to be strengthened with His grace. "When I call, answer me my Righteousness-God-In a narrow place you have made wideness for me. Grace me and hear my prayer!" (Psalm 4:1). Salvation comes by grace through faith. This month is a time of exercising our faith by choosing to call out to Him.
PLEASE PRAY:
*That God's protection, in particular through the first nine days of Av, be upon His people Israel. That their trust and faith be awakened to reach out to Him.
*That light be revealed regarding the His Son Yeshua, in whom it is possible to rejoice, even though now for a little while, if need be, we are grieved by various trials (I Peter 1:6).
*For Believers in Israel during this month-that vigilance, wisdom and faith attend our decisions. That we look forward to God's redemptive purposes for this month in faith and great joy.
AV - "FATHER"
Although Babylonian in origin, the month-name Av happens to be spelled and pronounced exactly as the Hebrew word for "Father". There is a tradition amongst some religious Jews actually to refer to the month as Menakhem Av-"The Comfort of the Father"-looking to Zechariah 8:19 which promises that this fast will one day become "joy, gladness, and goodly feasts for the house of Judah". For seven weeks after the 9th of Av¸ the readings from the prophets (Haftarot) will focus upon the God who comforts His people.
"Will you not from this time cry to Me, 'My Father, You are the guide of my youth?'"
(Jeremiah 3:4).
"All things have been handed over to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him" (Luke 10:22).
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Messiah Yeshua, the Father of Mercies and God of all Comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God" (II Corinthians 1:3-4).
PLEASE PRAY: That during this coming month the Holy Spirit reveal to Israel the Father. That there be revelation of the Father-Heart of Israel's "Guide since her youth" (See above)-and of His Son, her Messiah and Savior.
RAMADAN
This year the beginning of the Muslim month of Ramadan again coincides with the first day of Av, beginning in most countries on Monday evening as Rosh Chodesh is drawing to a close. Ramadan means "intense scorching heat or dryness, especially as of the ground." Fasting during daylight hours (Including from both food and water) is one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The month migrates backwards through the seasons, coming each year about eleven days earlier than that previous. This means that this year it begins in the very heat of the fierce Middle Eastern summer, placing a frightfully difficult physical hardship on those Muslims living and working here. It is sometimes explained that Ramadan "scorches out sins with good deeds, even as the sun burns the ground." Yet "without the shedding of blood, there is no remission for sins" (Heb. 9:22)-Dependent only upon his own righteous works, man remains under a curse (Jeremiah 17:5-6) and only the dryness remains.
PLEASE PRAY:
*For mercy for the millions of Muslims who will be fasting each day of Ramadan and trying to do good deeds for cleansing from sin. That they will be freed from the bondage of the "scorching heat and dryness" of Islam, and will come to the Waters of Yasua (Hebrew: Yeshua/English: Jesus; Some believers coming out of Islam use the name Issa.). Pray for miracles of illumination amongst Muslims-that those who are truly seeking Truth will find it and be set free.
* For the Body of Messiah in Israel and throughout the world to be awake and stand in vigilance and attentiveness to the Holy Spirit during this time when there are great stirrings and strivings in the heavenlies released from this time of fervent fasting and worshipping to another god.
*For the sound of worship to the God of Israel break through the heavenlies during these days, supernaturally over-riding the sound emanating from the mosques.
