Menachem Av: Perceiving Truth, the Rule of Mercy, and Discovering Sonship
By Amy Thomas Davis
The month of Av is significant, painting a picture of the time and season we are approaching. Often, the Lord uses the characteristics of Hebrew months to reveal to His beloved where we are on His calendar. We are watching and waiting with expectation for the entire month of Av, emphasizing the 15th day and what it represents. The Spirit prompts us to understand its truer meaning.
The first half of Av can be related to a painful transition, such as a metamorphosis, representing a time of growth into maturity. The bride of Christ no longer identifies with the sorrow or hopelessness of the previous season but emerges into the joy of resurrection life. The process recognized in the month of Av will be birthed in us and through us. It is a personal experience representing the more excellent restoration of the Lord’s Beloved and emergence into mature sons.
The time between the 4th and 5th months (for 21 days) is commonly known as the “time of dire straits” or “between the straights.” Three weeks of mourning and sorrow commemorate the destruction of the temples, amongst many other catastrophic events that took place throughout history during the 9th of Av. It has been a time of tragedy over the years, typically remembered for its history of great suffering. Av does not end in grief and destruction but glory. The greatest, most celebratory day on the Hebrew calendar is recognized midway through the month with expressions of joy and love. Through the illustrative significance of Av, we discover sonship, resurrection power, and the birthing of faith.
Lev Shomeia: A Heart that Listens
In some Jewish thought, Av is considered a time of rectification and reformation of our hearing so that we can mature into wise servants who listen and hear carefully. In Mark 4, Jesus says: If anyone has an ear, let him hear.” Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
The sense recognized in the month of Av is “to hear.” The word “to hear” means to hear God’s voice and prompt Him to birth faith within. The birthing of faith is by hearing and through hearing the Word of Christ. In his wisdom, Solomon said, “Give me Lev Shomeia.” Which means, “Give me a listening heart.” It is the heart that is postured to hear His voice and receive the true knowledge of God.
Jesus declared, “Whoever has ears, Let them hear.” There is a divine partnership between the words of Jesus and the position of our hearts. As we say, “Lord, give to me Lev Shomeia.” His response is, “Let them hear.” These words are a command to perceive truth, which releases us into the next stage toward mature sonship.
There is an unlocking and opening of the ears which motivates us to draw near to the message of His heart. “Let them hear” means “Let them perceive what the Spirit is saying.” Having a hearing heart that identifies and receives truth is critically important. As a result, more will be added. Meaning: More truth will be revealed, and we will have wisdom with understanding. We are His oracle: Sons of God who pay attention and speak His words in due season. In this stage of maturity, let us receive with a listening heart.
A More Excellent Way
Prophecy, signs, visions, and dreams marked the previous era of charismatic church culture. Of course, this was not a first introduction to the supernatural; however, leaders in this era certainly normalized visionary encounters, giving an eccentric community freedom to express Godly experiences. Many leaders of that era encouraged a parabolic language that motivated the bride to connect with God and seek Him in their visions and dreams. The Lord was in this movement and utilized the dream world to reveal His plans, warnings, and strategies.
Undoubtedly, we are transitioning into a new era—the era of the midnight-hour prophets—a time in history that we call Omega Time. The Omega people honor and appreciate dreams and visions from God but are not dependent on these gifts alone. They understand what Paul describes in 1 Corinthians 12:31 when he says, “Let me show you a more excellent way.”
Gifts, prophecy, and tongues will cease, and the partial will be done away with when the perfect comes. We will no longer operate as a child but as a mature man who is fully known and fully knows the greatest love of all through union with God (1 Corinthians 13).
Let us observe the connection between hearing God and moving into the true knowledge of who He is. John 16:13 says: “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”
The Spirit of Truth speaks according to what He hears in the depths of the Father. The Spirit, who is from God, searches the depths of God. We also must listen intently and pursue the depths of God. His Spirit will sharpen our discernment, and we will become an oracle of God. There is a place in union we only know by hearing Him. Faith comes by hearing and by hearing a rhema. We don’t attain this revelation in dreams and signs alone. The admonition given by Jesus to pay attention to what we hear is imperative to move fully into our role as Omega people who have eyes to see and ears to hear what the Spirit says. The word of God uttered in this hour draws us closer into union with Him.
A Better Day
As Omega people, we are now entering the better day: the glory of the latter days. The shout of grace has gone out over the Omega people (Zechariah 4), causing us to move deeper into God than previous generations. The true knowledge of who He is captivates us by faith.
Av is recognized as a month of new beginnings, the end of one cycle and the start of another. Well-known biblical history repeatedly proves the power of God through beautiful people who overcome the stings of death and pursue a more excellent way.
We remember the story of the Israelites (also remembered on the 9th of Av). The day the foolish believed a bad report instead of choosing, by faith, that God would see them through to the promised land. They died in the wilderness. The next generation was granted access to the glory of the promised land. Thus, the beginning of the new cycle. On the 15th of Av, we celebrate the joy of this breakthrough (more on this in our article, “Message of Tu BAv: Let the Living Separate from the Dead.”). The Israelites heard the wrong report, and so they fixed their heart in fear and died as a result. Caleb and Joshua were the only spies who heard God’s voice and birthed faith within. They believed in a better day. As a result, the next generation was re-birthed into glory.
A better day is being birthed in what we do not see. Faith is the certainty of things hoped for, a proof of things not seen. Biblical heroes gained approval through faith (which comes by hearing). We understand that the world has been created by the word of God so that what is seen has not been made out of visible things.” (Hebrews 11)
Metamorphosis
Ultimately, we desire to truly become His Oracle (Voice) through union with Him. Becoming His voice requires a transformation of hearts and ears. Our life now is likened to a metamorphosis. We can tuck away with God in the chrysalis of His lovingkindness as He unlocks this transformation by the Spirit of Truth.
Furthermore, we are being transformed into an overcoming remnant who appropriate God’s promises and become a reflection of His image. This requires “ears to hear,” which is the admonition given to each of the seven churches of Asia Minor. Spiritual ears (revelation and insight) are necessary to overcome the spirit of the age and experience the great benefits and privileges promised.
While writing this article, we are raising butterflies. This is not a venture we set out for but a prophet’s privilege. We returned home after a trip to find the dill plant covered in black swallowtail caterpillars. Later, we discovered that several Monarch caterpillars had appeared as well. They likely joined our butterfly farm in a Fennel plant I brought home from the nursery. I decided to give them a chance at their wings by bringing them into a safe place under our covered patio, away from predators and the raging sun. Observing the stages first-hand has allowed me to come into a deeper understanding of the spiritual season.
The stages of a butterfly amaze me. Each stage is crucial, from the first birth as an egg to the second birth into adulthood; roughly 1-5% of eggs laid make it to adulthood. In simple terms, the metamorphosis process of a butterfly is as follows: egg, larva, pupa, adult.
During the Larva (feeding) stage, they eat, eat, and eat some more. They shed their skin 4-5 times. The food they eat is stored and used later in adulthood. They multiply in size 100x in just a couple of weeks.
Just hours before transitioning into the pupa stage (transformation), the caterpillar finds a safe space and then hangs in a “j hang.” It sheds the body again and is liquified within the chrysalis. The transformation is unlocked so the special cells (that were in the caterpillar) can rapidly grow. The cells are now becoming all the parts of the butterfly. The original cells will now provide energy for the growing adult cells.
During metamorphosis, the caterpillar undergoes the physical change into adulthood as a butterfly. The pupating process is less than ten minutes, but once tucked away in the chrysalis, it experiences intense chemical reactions that unlock the true transformation. There is a remarkable resemblance between the life from egg to butterfly and the stages of the sons of God to spiritual maturity. As the seed within us is unlocked, the characteristics of God emerge from within, which include His invisible attributes, divine nature, and eternal power, thus transforming us into mature sons conformed to the image of Christ.
You are a son of God by birth, not by doctrine or philosophy. The proof of your sonship is entwined within the fabric of your being, and the overcoming son moves through every stage of growth and into maturity. The eventual butterfly (mature son) starts as an egg and moves through many phases as caterpillar. Finally, it translates into the pupa stage, where it remains girdled in silk and swaddled in chrysalis for a time.
Throughout the next few months (even up to a couple of years), the emerging Omega generation will experience transformation in the chrysalis. We are in this transitionary phase between what was and what will be, much like the pupa stage of a butterfly. We are greatly encouraged to rest in the quietude of His presence during this phase of our story. In the waiting and the forming, let us consider the transformation a glorious work of righteousness.
The waiting is not due to delay. We have undeniably closed out the previous era, evidence that delay is broken. We are in chrysalis, preparing for the Omega era and all it includes. Consider this time in hiddenness a promotion in the spirit that leads to hearing the voice of the Father. Welcome the quietude of His rest, for in His rest we experience the workings of righteousness mentioned in Isaiah 32:17:
“And the work of righteousness will be peace, And the service of righteousness, quietness, and confidence forever.”
It is through continual transformation that we come into synchronization with the Father. The inheritance of sonship requires the death of our old man and renewal into a new self, which, in the likeness of God, has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth (Ephesians 4).
Resurrection
One of the beautiful aspects of metamorphosis is the resurrection power of God present during the transformation from death to life and into a mature son. There is a connection between resurrection power and identity.
The revelation of our identity comes from the knowledge of God. I am destined to encounter the depths of God. I am created to know Him and be transformed into maturity according to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. I am compelled by my true identity in Him to undergo metamorphosis. This metamorphosis requires resurrection life.
The beautiful process of metamorphosis is necessary for maturity, but it is also a requirement for accessing the depths of God. We are changed as we go deeper into Him. I explain this process in my book “Divinely Powerful: Introducing the Coming of Age.” This excerpt from chapter one insightfully describes metamorphosis as it relates to accessing realms of glory:
“In my prayer space, I reached for Him in deep longing for communion—to eat of His flesh and drink of His blood. I petitioned the Lord for a revelation to make this simple soul operate divinely powerful in dimensions of wisdom and authority surpassing human understanding. I had been in the resurrection process but awaited my identity in Him. I was coming alive again. I know now that the realm of the spirit of knowledge continues to show me who He is and, therefore, who I am. Identity is a motivator of resurrection power. It is a mystery revealed in the Spirit of Knowledge.
Later that evening, after many hours of meditation, a presence entered. An atmosphere resembling a star-filled sky covered the room from wall to wall. The Creator of the universe came and stayed awhile, beckoning me into light. It felt as though I was corralled with His glory. True knowledge began to fill the space around me. He was guiding me into a new dimension. I had tasted the direction and eaten His Word. What did this light have for me now? I had left the toxic atmosphere. The dimension of light awaited my visitation. I could feel its pull on my chest like a piercing, even “as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow” (Heb. 4:12). The impression of abounding thunder shook me to my core. I had left “time” and entered the glory of another realm, the realm of the Spirit of Knowledge.
It felt as though the Lord had ceased time to bring me into a hidden place encountered only by the sons of God. I was drawn into a dimension where peace is complete. This is the Kingdom where glory dwells. I struggle to express the magnitude of His design. Who could describe deity unmatchable? I understand why unwritten revelations are recorded in the secret place and concealed until the fullness of time. Perhaps it is far too much for a soul to bear.
The Door
The door between this land and the heart of my Father is very thin, though accessing it is not an easy venture. I entered through a gateway to the realm of the Spirit of Knowledge. This gateway is made up of two layers with a room in between. These layers were something like skin or a soft skin-like chrysalis. I have heard others describe this door as a veil. That is the only language I had for it. However, these layers of skin did not
resemble a typical veil as we would understand it. I entered rather quickly through the first layer; it felt as though I was pushed through a birth canal into a new dimension. Even so, this was the easiest layer. I knew in my spirit that this dimension is the realm of “the change.” This “change” is not like deliverance but a transformation into glory.
Paul describes it in 2 Corinthians 3:17-18:
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same divinely powerful image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.”
I entered through the first layer, complete with thoughts and emotions. Once I had entered, I remained in what seemed like a vestibule or an antechamber of the Lord’s palace; this is where I went through a cleaning
process, but only for a moment, for another layer quickly engaged me. The cleaning process was done between the two layers. It was quick and relatively painless. At this point, I had no conscious thought of where I was or where I was going. It seemed to be a place seldom journeyed.
Finally, I made it to the next portion of the doorway. However, the second layer was agonizing, separating my soul from spirit. I would have to leave a few things behind to go beyond into the palace of His heart. I left my conscious thoughts, will, and emotions. My soul’s unsanctified opinion is not relevant in the land of Love’s heart. This final layer of chrysalis painfully and graciously separated my soul and left it at the foot of the door.
I understood that the entrance to the Spirit of Knowledge is a door of hope—the perfect design to prepare me to dwell in the secret place. The gateway is His Word. For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
I find myself encompassed by the dangers of this Love, marveling at such perfect design. His Spirit must permeate my soul, or my soul could never bear His glory.” (Divinely Powerful :Introducing the Coming Age)
I am recurrently drawn into Him. He reveals the ways of His heart and moves me to spiritual growth. We will be judged according to what He gives in each phase, and much is required (Luke 12). Exploring God’s depths is a holy process with many levels and opportunities for change. We are created for this growth: To be transformed multiple times from glory to glory. It is the process of sonship.
In addition to yielding to the transformation, I am instinctively drawn to it. We are made in His image and are coming into the fullness of our identity in Him by the Spirit of Knowledge and resurrection life. Each stage of the new man is brought forth by resurrection power, and our truest identity is revealed to us in the depths of God.
The Rule of Mercy
“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” Romans 11:33
Most recently, I experienced a deeper dimension where surrounding sounds traveled far from every passageway. I discerned that the depths of God span eternally in every direction. His formation is endless. The sound of God reverberates from every channel. I tuned into the Spirit who searches the depths of God to learn what is heard, for I know He will reveal the things that are to come.
I heard words of destiny spoken throughout the ages and prophetic promises that have yet to be expressed in the natural. Ultimate judgment ruled over every word. They are His words created in His infinite wisdom, yet still, He chose to rule and agree with His promises. The promises are commandments from His heart. He rules in agreement with His design. God recalls all of His creation and says, “Behold, It is good.” (Genesis 1:31)
In this place of decision, He distinguished each word of hope and every rebuke, bringing them into His counsel. He judged them by the rule of mercy. I asked the question, “Who can understand Your ultimate rulership?” I discerned that I was experiencing the law of liberty. He rules according to this law, and the merciless are shown no mercy. He, having cosigned all to disobedience, that He may have mercy on all. He rules in kindness to those who continue in kindness and in severity for those who have fallen in unbelief (Romans 11). And He will bring every deed into judgment with every secret thing, whether good or evil (Ecclesiastes 12).
The heart of God is a realm of ultimate rule, where mercy is the pulse beat and rhythm. He judges the world with righteousness according to His infinite power and rules the people with equity. He judges according to the rule of mercy bringing clarity to the verse, “Mercy triumphs over judgment.” (James 2:13) We recognize the priority of mercy in each of the Lord’s decisions. By rule of mercy we are transformed, as the word of God judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. In unfeigned delight, we align with His law and are moved deeper into Him.
Many Jewish scholars consider an overarching theme for the month of Av to be “the mercy of the Father.” Av means “father.” The name of the month is traditionally recognized as Menachem Av which means “the Comfort of the Father” or “the Comforter of Av.” The demonstration of mercy in Av is a precursor to the next month, Elul, commonly known as a month of mercy. The characteristics of His mercy are demonstrated considerably through His comfort as a loving Father who brings us into the full measure of our promise and mature sonship.
In the previous season, we discovered the beauty of yielding, which freed us from delay. We are currently exploring the depths of God as we practice the art of stillness. He has been preparing us to dwell in union with Him all along. Each phase of our existence brings us deeper into Him by rule of mercy. Recognizably, our transformation is not a process we can force but a movement we are called to—a divine privilege.