Hebrew Month of Av

 

"For my people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the Source of living water, and they have hewed themselves cisterns-broken cisterns that can hold no water."  Jeremiah 2:13

 

 

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 16^th 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 17^th of that month and the 9^th 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.

portions taken from Israel prayer list