Elul:
The Divine Plan for the Middle East
Ron Ross
BFP News
Email: ronrossbfp@hotmail.com
15th August 2006
Every bride knows how focussed they are on wedding preparations when there is just thirty days to go to the much anticipated ceremony.
In Jewish terms and expectations we can see the month of Elul in that mode. Elul begins around August. This year it starts August 24. It is a time of preparation for the "30 Days of Awe" the most joyful and holy time on the Jewish calendar.
The name Elul (in Hebrew spelled Alef-Lamed-Vav-Lamed) is believed to be an acronym which is from Song of Songs 6: 3 "I am my Beloved's and my Beloved is mine." In Jewish belief the Beloved is God and the "I" represents the Jews.
Elul means "search" and appropriately this is the time the Jews are called upon to search their hearts and to repent before the festivities of Rosh Hashanah and later the thought-provoking Yom Kippur. (Both feasts are worthy of more serious study).
From the second day of Elul to the 28th day, the shofar is blown after morning services every weekday.
The shofar is not blown on Shabbat (the weekly rest day for the Jews).
The shofar is the ram's horn and is described in some places as `the trumpet of the Lord.'
Fathers of the Jewish faith teach that the blowing of the shofar is a wake-up call to sleepers. It is blown to stir the people from any complacency. It is a call to repentance.
"Elul is the month when we should tremble," one Jewish teacher said.
The focus for Elul is repentance and renewal, which seems to be an appropriate word for Israel during the current painful Middle East crisis. The application becomes more vivid when we find they recite Psalm 27 each morning and evening throughout Elul.
Why Psalm 27? There is no specific mention of "The Days of Awe?" Nevertheless the content of this Psalm speaks directly to the Israel situation today.
The author (believed to be David) proclaims "The Lord is my light and my help, whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life, whom shall I dread?"
He is surrounded by angry armies, but the psalmist says he has no fear. At least that is what he seems to say at the start of his testimony. He moves into the second phase with a very different tone. He cries out to God - "Hearken to my voice!" (v7); "Do not hide your face from me." (v9). He's pleading now.
Fear should overwhelm any believer who does not sense the face of the Lord is with them. It is appropriate to cry out to Him for that relationship to be restored quickly, and that fellowship cannot be restored without repentance. (It's not just a prayer. It is repentance).
The psalmist has a number of false witnesses opposing him. He has many troubles. So what did he mean when he wrote 'whom shall I fear' and `whom shall I dread?"
These phrases now appear to be questions. "Which one of my enemies should I fear?" 'Which of my enemies shall I dread?"
Is he asking God to shed light on his situation? "The Lord is my light." Maybe by asking the `who' question he believed God would show him the right way forward.
Most of us believe Israel dithered during the first month of their war with Hizbollah. They had advice coming in from many international leaders. The government tried to please too many `others' and forgot to make decisive decisions to defend Israel.
Psalm 27 turns up for them at a most appropriate time.
In the final section of the Psalm, the author (believed to be David) really sounds desperate but begins to remind himself God is with Him. This is essential for any army of the Lord to know.
"Though my father and mother abandon me, the Lord will take me in." (10).
Israel leaders recently have looked to the air force, the army, the USA for their might. They need to read this psalm and consult the One who stood with David.
David cried out: "Show me Your way, O Lord and lead me on a level path because of my watchful foes." (v11) He remembered the promises: "Had I not the assurance that I would enjoy the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living." This is the security for Israel.
It is the ground upon which their confidence can be founded. It is all to be found in the promises of God.
I still remember the secular votes which went against the religious candidates in the last national elections here. About 12% of the population voted for religious leaders in Tel Aviv. Some have been deceived to think Israel was so gifted it could achieve great deeds in education, medicine etc without acknowledging God.
They dragged Jewish pioneers out of Judea and Samaria in a program endorsed again by the election of Ehud Olmert and the Kadima Party.
For some in senior leadership positions the time for searching the heart and repenting is at hand.
If they follow that great wisdom from the psalmist David, they would know the kind of victories he achieved by the hand of the Lord.
I hear many Christian leaders quoting the great and mighty promises God has given to the Jewish people as if He will wave a magic wand and all the enemies and trials will disappear. His face will return to His people when they return to him by searching their hearts and repenting. We pray that this revelation will come before more serious consequences develop.
The final verse of Psalm 27 sums it up nicely. "Look to the Lord; be strong and of good courage! O look to the Lord." (v14)
Many are praying for Israel to defeat her enemies. Every day throughout the month of Elul they will be reminded of the process God has given for that success.
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Three years ago he joined Bridges for Peace in Jerusalem to establish international radio news and an audio service webcast at www.bridgesforpeace.com Ron was Sports Editor of WINTV for 20 years before joining the full-time missions. You can contact Ron at : ronrossbfp@hotmail.com |
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