What is Elul?
As I write this we are almost halfway through the month on the Hebrew calendar called “Elul.” Elul traditionally falls in August-September on the Gregorian calendar and proceeds the start of what is known as the Fall Feast/Festival days. Traditionally, the month of Elul is a month of reflection, preparation, and repentance before “The Ten Days of Awe.” The ten days of awe start with the Feast of Trumpets, also known as Rosh Hashanah (the start of the Jewish civil calendar), and continue with Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement).
The month of Elul is traditionally a hard time for many. There are tests and trials, and whether we search our own hearts or not, it is normally a time when the Lord puts us in situations to reveal to us where we are spiritually. This has its roots in Jewish tradition as well as many major events have been reported to have happened during the Biblical month of Elul. It is Jewish tradition that Moses began his ascension on Mount Sinai for the third time during Elul. It is also Jewish tradition that the spies gave their “bad” report of the Land of Israel. According to Nechemiah the wall surrounding Jerusalem was finished during the month of Elul after the Diaspora of Babylon.
The Hebrew word “Elul” contains four letters that can stand for “Ani LeDodi, VeDodi Li,” which means in English “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine,” which comes from the Song of Songs chapter 6 verse 3. This statement is a reminder that despite our shortcomings God’s great love for His people should be reciprocal.
Repentance is more than saying “I’m sorry.” It is acknowledging our missteps and turning from our previous behavior. It is more than words, as words mean very little without a heart and physical change in posture towards those behaviors. It’s a physical and spiritual act of acknowledging that while we were yet sinners Christ gave His life for us. We don’t continue to cause shame to our Savior and salvation by continuing in our wickedness. We too must repent, turn, so that our sins may be blotted out. Peter writes of this in Acts chapter 3 verses nineteen through twenty-one.
“Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah appointed for you, Yeshua, whom heaven must receive until the time [season] for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.” - Acts 3:19-21
We cannot run from trials, tribulations, and the testing that God is using to refine us. We cannot take a posture of well I’ll do better. We must have a contrite heart before God searching, eradicating, and making right the wrongs that we have done, and ask the only one who can take away our sins and the punishment of those sins……Jesus. It is only Jesus who can wash our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. This is crucial so that we don’t come to the Feast of Trumpets, a day of shouting, and traditionally thought of as the day of the return of Messiah with stained hands and an un-pure heart. Jesus deserves more than our leftovers. He is to be enthroned in our lives, our relationships, and our praises.
The Hebrew month of Elul is a time for us to be honest with ourselves. We sin, we are messed up, we have made errors, we have caused harm, and even sometimes we did so knowingly and willingly. It is unpopular to talk about sin and punishments, but our sins hurt us and others around us. We enslave ourselves and others through our sins. We cause life-altering hurt and pain and we cannot remove our responsibility to others just by acting like well I will do better next time. During this month especially, we must acknowledge our sinful nature and the fact that we have harmed ourselves and others and do something that can help release the damage we have done to ourselves, our families, our friends, and others. You cannot go before the Lord and ask for forgiveness without first going to your brother and sister and attempting to make it right. This is just one form of confessing our sins.
“If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sin, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” -1 John 1:9
God does what He says! If we confess our sins and work to make it right, He is faithful to forgive us and cleanse us. It is only by the blood of Jesus we can be cleansed. The blood of bulls and goats were only a temporary atonement for the work of the cross.
During this month I pray you search your heart, search your home, and make ready as if this was the year Jesus was returning on the Feast of Trumpets. Our sins and unwillingness to do what the Bible says in repentance and reconciliation have caused generations of divisions. God wants to restore and heal but we must do our part to walk in the commands He has given us.
