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alert, aware, confessing sins, Moshe (Moses), Mount Sinai, prepared, rapture, repentance, Season of Teshuvah, spiritual preparation, Tablets, Ten Commandments
Adonai said to Moshe, ‘Write these words down, because they are the terms of the covenant I have made with you and with Isra’el.’ Moshe was there with Adonai forty days and forty nights, during which time he neither ate food nor drank water. [Adonai] wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Words. When Moshe came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, he didn’t realize that the skin of his face was sending out rays of light as a result of his talking with [Adonai]. ~ Exodus 34:27-29, CJB
Teshuvah is the 40-day season of turning back to God (the season of true repentance). For the nation of Israel, Teshuvah pertains to the days Jewish people spend spiritually preparing for their High Holy Days of the Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah) and the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). In other words, during the season of Teshuvah, the entire nation of Israel is repenting and confessing sins. Therefore, the Jewish 6th month of Elul represents the time of national sin and the forgiveness the Jewish nation, as a whole, obtains by means of Teshuvah.
Teshuvah’s 40 days actually include the 30th of Av, the entire month of Elul, plus the 10 High Holy Days of Tishri that end on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). This 2012 season of Teshuvah is as follows:
Elul 1 – The official beginning of the Season of Teshuvah
– Sunset August 19th, 2012
Tishri 1 – The Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Hashanah)
– Sunset September 17th, 2012
Tishri 10 – The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur; Teshuvah Day 40)
– Sunset September 26th, 2012
Now, according to ancient Jewish tradition, the month of Elul also represents the time following the Israelites’ idolatrous incident with the Golden Calf. Thus, the 40 days of Teshuvah are the days Moses spent on Mount Sinai, preparing the second set of tablets on which were God’s Ten Commandments. Apparently, Moses ascended Mount Sinai on Elul 1 and descended Mount Sinai 40 days later, on the 10th of Tishri, which was the end of the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), when Jewish people’s repentance would be complete.
Why is Teshuvah important to 21st century believers who are born again, saved, and indwelt and infilled with the Holy Spirit? Here’s why.
While Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets) is referred to as Yom Teruah (the Day of the Awakening Blast), and while the theme associated with Rosh Hashanah is “to awake,” the great reawakening (warning) that will precede the Lord’s return for His Bride happens daily during the entire 6th month of Elul—the official beginning of the special season of Teshuvah. Once again, Teshuvah is the 40-day period consisting of the 30-day process of personal examination and repentance that prepares God’s people for the 10 days of Tishri (the Days of Awe) that begin on Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets) and end on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). However, as the 5 unprepared, negligent, and unaware (foolish) Virgins demonstrate (see Matthew 25:1-13), the sad truth is that even with all of the prophetic warnings and with all of the recurring seasons of Teshuvah there still will be too many believers who will not have any Oil in their lamps (will not be FULL of the Holy Spirit) and, therefore, they neither will be watchful, nor prepared, nor aware of the imminent Rapture.
For the above reasons, this Teshuvah 2012, let us be aware, watchful, and prepared to go up and meet our Lord in the air. In other words, let us be ever-ready to respond faithfully and obediently to our Lord’s Voice (His midnight cry), the archangel’s call, and the last blast from God’s Shofar (cf. 1 Thessalonians 4:16). Amen.
This is so timely ….. I know that the Lord has led me to it. I am about to start a time of consecration to the Lord and wow …. the date fits right in. Amazing ! Lord I praise & bless your Holy Name ! (Thank you Nadine)
Michael,
You certainly are welcome, and I truly thank, praise, and give all the Glory to our Lord and God for leading you to this blog posting. May God continue to bless you richly, and may His Holy Spirit continue enlightening your soul during your period of consecration. I pray that we remain ever-ready to respond faithfully and obediently to our Lord’s Voice (His midnight cry), the archangel’s call, and the last blast from God’s Shofar. Shalom….
yes, me too. I have be enjoying Teshuvah for many years and this year I almost forgot until the Lord reminded me.
Hope Aytchan,
Thank you for visiting my blog and for commenting on this posting. I am also so happy that you enjoy Teshuvah. Continue to enjoy this season of spiritual preparation. Many blessings to you and to yours.
Nadine
Wonderful blog. You explain these truths with so much real life application as we expect the return of our Saviour. Thanks.
As always Ross, I am very appreciative of the kindness and brotherly love that you always show to me. Additionally, I have to confess that I am heavily indebted to God’s Grace and His Holy Spirit for anything that I am given to post on this blog. While I do accept yours and others’ earnest comments, I also must give all of the thanks, praise, and glory to God, for He alone uses whatever I write to bless whomever needs to be blessed the right way he or she should be blessed. Again, much love and thanks to you Ross, and many blessings to you and yours, as well.