Interesting Discovery!

 

A recently discovered portion of a wall (lower two rows of stones above) on the southern slope of the Ben Hinnom Valley, thought to have been built by King Hezekiah. A section of the wall around Jerusalem was later repaired by Nehemiah upon his return from Babylon, and finished during the month of Elul.

 

"So the wall was finished on the twenty-fifth day of Elul, in fifty-two days. And it happened, when all our enemies heard of it, and all the nations around us saw these things, that they were very disheartened in their own eyes; for they perceived that this work was done by our God!

(Nehemiah 6:15)

 

 

THE SIXTH MONTH, THE MONTH OF ELUL

 

Wednesday August 7th begins the month of Elul, the 6^th month in the Hebrew religious calendar and the 12^th of the civil year. This is traditionally a month of self-examination and repentance before the Lord in preparation for the High Holy Days of Yom T'ruah (The Day of Trumpets/Rosh Hashanah) and Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement). As a call to this, it is customary in some Jewish circles to blow a blast on the shofar each morning (except the Sabbath) throughout the month. A further ancient practice is to recite Psalm 27 each day from the First of Elul through the "Last Great Day" of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). This wonderful psalm reaffirms our trust in the Light and Salvation of our LORD (vs. 1), the importance of seeking His face, dwelling in His presence and gazing on His beauty (vss. 4,8), our place of safety in His sukka-"shelter" and tent (vs. 5), and our utter dependence on Him to deliver us from our adversaries (vs. 12). As quoted beneath the picture in the heading, it was during this month of Elul that Nehemiah finished rebuilding the Wall around Jerusalem (Nehemiah 6:15).

We see this as a time for inspecting our "walls," securing all breaches, all places of vulnerability along our 'borders'.

 

PLEASE PRAY:

*For revelation that it is the Lord's kindness (Romans 2:4b) that leads us to repentance; that many Jewish people will sense the Holy Spirit drawing them and will respond.

*For an awareness amongst believers of the importance of examining and securing our spiritual borders.

*That as with the returned remnant from Babylon (Ezra and Nehemiah) the LORD release spiritual guidance and leadership upon His returned people in our day. 

*That He define Israel's physical borders and the lines of Jerusalem according to His desire (Psalm 147:14), in such a way as even Israel's enemies will "perceive was done by God" (Nehemiah 6:16). 
 
*That He Himself becomes a "wall of fire around Jerusalem, and her Glory within" (Zechariah 2:5)!