The biblical month of ‘Elul’ is the sixth month in the biblical calendar. It is the month that is also called the ‘full stop or point month’, which directs to understand the beginning, in order to start to reach an end (Note: to successfully complete the yearly cycle of God's blessing that is coming to an end in order to lead to the new yearly cycle of God's blessing).
Elul means ‘futile, good for nothing, grape or month of the grape’ and it is the month that is aligned with Gad who was the 7'th son of Jacob and the first son of Leah’s maid Zilpah (Note: means ‘bowl, large bowl, shell’).
The name of Gad means ‘fortune or plight’ (cf. Genesis 30:9-11).
Genesis 30:9-11:
9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.
10 And Zilpah Leah’ maid bare Jacob a son.
11 And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.
9 When Leah saw that she had left bearing, she took Zilpah her maid, and gave her Jacob to wife.
10 And Zilpah Leah’ maid bare Jacob a son.
11 And Leah said, A troop cometh: and she called his name Gad.
The Characteristic and Potential of Gad
Jacob blessed his son Gad to be a warrior and to walk and live in triumph (cf. Genesis 49:19).
Genesis 49:19:
19 Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.
19 Gad, a troop shall overcome him: but he shall overcome at the last.
Gad is where the capacity to wage warfare is trained. In this realm, there is harmony, disharmony and dissonance. This time includes a phase in which we learn harmony from disharmony and resonance from dissonance.
Gad reflects the dimension where God puts His arsenal. In the sphere of Gad we experience the arsenal and meet angels of warfare (cf. Jeremiah 50:25).
Jeremiah 50:25:
25 The Lord has opened his arsenal and brought out the weapons of his wrath, …
25 The Lord has opened his arsenal and brought out the weapons of his wrath, …
And Moses blessed the tribe of Gad to be a triumphant warrior to establish the righteousness of the Lord for all those who would recognize his potential (cf. Deuteronomy 33:20-21).
Deuteronomy 33:20-21:
20 About Gad he said: “Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain! Gad lives there like a lion, tearing at arm or head.
21 He chose the best land for himself; the leader’s portion was kept for him. When the heads of the people assembled, he carried out the Lord’s righteous will, and his judgments concerning Israel.”
20 About Gad he said: “Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain! Gad lives there like a lion, tearing at arm or head.
21 He chose the best land for himself; the leader’s portion was kept for him. When the heads of the people assembled, he carried out the Lord’s righteous will, and his judgments concerning Israel.”
Gad’s domain implies to war from rest in order to impart God’s righteous will. The function of rest is a renewal of strength. The weakness of rest is laziness.
The strength of warriorship is the capacity to get supply anywhere and to strike fear in the hearts of people. The weakness of warriors is fear and anxious restraint.
The Emblem of the Tribe of Gad
Furthermore the emblem of the tribe of Gad is a war tent. This points to the place of the relationship with God as a supernatural warrior and to understand His weapons as well His war which isn't fleshly (cf. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5).
2 Corinthians 10:3-5:
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; …
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: 4 (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) 5 Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; …
The Treasured Possession
The name “ELUL” is an Acronym of the scripture of Song of Songs 6:3a, which is:
“I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine; …”
In Hebrew, the first letter of each word in that phrase spells out the name of this month abbreviated: ELUL.
This phrase directs to the knowing that we are Jesus’ treasured possession and He is ours through a real love relationship by the spirit. It as well points to the coming of Jesus as king into the city of Jerusalem which is in the spirit realm the structure of the bride of Christ (see Revelation 21:2.9b-10).
Revelation 21:2.9b-10:
2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. …
… 9b “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. …
… 9b “Come, I will show you the bride, the wife of the Lamb.”
10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a mountain great and high, and showed me the Holy City, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.
The King is in the Field
Elul is the month where the King is in the field. It means that the Lord makes Himself accessible to us and surprises us with His kingly presence. It is the presence of the ‘riding of the Lord Jesus Christ’ (cf. Matthew 21:5-9; John 12:13 i.c.w. Revelation 19:11-16).
Matthew 21:5-9:
5 “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.
7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on.
8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
5 “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ ”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.
7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on.
8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
John 12:13:
13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!”
13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!”
Revelation 19:11-16:
11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.
12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.
13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.
11 I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.
12 His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.
13 He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
14 The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
15 Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
16 On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.
Elul is the picture of the earthly ministry of Jesus as He became flesh to dwell among us (cf. John 1:14).
John 1:14:
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Let us approach Jesus as the King of Kings and allow Him to shine with His countenance on us.
The ‘Full Stop – Point Month’ and the Sound of the Shofar
Elul as the ‘full stop or point month’, which directs to understand the beginning, so that you can start to reach an end, gives us the opportunity to successfully complete the yearly cycle of God’s blessing coming to an end in order to lead to the new yearly cycle of God’s blessing.
Elul is the month, in which the sound of the Shofar is blown every day until the day before Rosch ha-Schana. It is the time to get awakened by the prophets to position ourselves rightly to receive the blessings of God in the new cycle of blessing (cf. Amos 3:6-8).
Amos 3:6-8:
6 When a trumpet sounds in a city, do not the people tremble? When disaster comes to a city, has not the Lord caused it?
7 Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.
8 The lion has roared – who will not fear? The Sovereign Lord has spoken – who can but prophesy?
6 When a trumpet sounds in a city, do not the people tremble? When disaster comes to a city, has not the Lord caused it?
7 Surely the Sovereign Lord does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets.
8 The lion has roared – who will not fear? The Sovereign Lord has spoken – who can but prophesy?
The sound of the Shofar carries the potential to unlock a new spiritual dimension similar as the apostle John experienced it (cf. Revelation 4:1).
Revelation 4:1:
1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”
1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.”
The Season of Self-Denial
It is the season of self-denial, which means, that we have to understand, we are chosen by God’s grace to run God’s race because Elul is the month of preparation for the ‘high holy days’ in the coming month of Tishrei. (cf. Matthew 16:24; Galatians 2:20 i.c.w. Ephesians 2:8-10).
Matthew 16:24:
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.
Galatians 2:20:
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Ephesians 2:8-10:
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Gad, the ‘Warrior of Justice’ – The Power of the Lion (Head) and the Gazelle (Feet)
The symbol of the tribe of Gad is a war tent or warrior, who has the power to push the raiders-troops of the enemy away (cf. Genesis 49:19; Deuteronomy 33:20-21 i.c.w. 2 Kings 13:20-21; 1 Chronicles 12:8).
Genesis 49:19:
19 “Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels.
19 “Gad will be attacked by a band of raiders, but he will attack them at their heels.
Deuteronomy 33:20-21:
20 About Gad he said: “Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain! Gad lives there like a lion, tearing at arm or head.
21 He chose the best land for himself; the leader’s portion was kept for him. When the heads of the people assembled, he carried out the Lord’s righteous will, and his judgments concerning Israel.”
20 About Gad he said: “Blessed is he who enlarges Gad’s domain! Gad lives there like a lion, tearing at arm or head.
21 He chose the best land for himself; the leader’s portion was kept for him. When the heads of the people assembled, he carried out the Lord’s righteous will, and his judgments concerning Israel.”
2 Kings 13:20-21:
20 Elisha died and was buried. Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring.
21 Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.
20 Elisha died and was buried. Now Moabite raiders used to enter the country every spring.
21 Once while some Israelites were burying a man, suddenly they saw a band of raiders; so they threw the man’s body into Elisha’s tomb. When the body touched Elisha’s bones, the man came to life and stood up on his feet.
1 Chronicles 12:8:
8 And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains; …
8 And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains; …
The time frame of Gad implies a phase to get trained to transmute our spiritual body in order to reflect the four faces of God in the way like God desires it. This is about the connection between the apparition and the motion during a warfare season in order to reveal God's being.
The dimension of Gad is a mixture of warfare (Note: face of the lion) and music (Note: feet of the gazelle; cf. 1 Chronicles 12:8).
David is an example of this kind of mixture. He created many instruments of music and warfare. The reason of this mixture is because rest results in warriorship.
One must operate from a seat of rest in order to be a great warrior and not a destructive one.
A warrior needs to be creative. This implies, that which comes to destroy will be destroyed, so that which is productive will remain. That is what a good warrior does.
True warfare is taking the nonproductive things that are not supposed to be there and leaving the productive.
It is similar to the calling of the prophet Jeremiah, who was able to destroy and raise things up through the power of the Word of God (cf. Jeremiah 1:9-10).
Jeremiah 1:9-10:
9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth.
10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”
9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth.
10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”
In this revelation, it is possible for us to strategically remove all that the Holy Spirit has already identified as not fruitful and dishonorable in our lives during this biblical month and move forward in deeper relationship with Him.
Amen and Amen.
In His Wisdom,
Daniel Glimm
