Those Who Love His Appearing (Part 1)
100 Days of Strategic Prayer and the Significance of the Month of Av
Recently, I entered 100 days of focused prayer as directed by the Lord. He drew me into a deep, restful place and brought me into the Spirit, highlighting specific dates and revealing strategies for the forerunners. I could feel His presence like rolling thunder. I often hear the sound of His thunder when He imparts Truth and reveals a dimension of His self to me. We are pursuing great days of glory. I believe more intimate revelation will happen in great measure for those forerunners on the earth who are willing to move in complete surrender. This surrender will bring a substantial spiritual impact.
August through October 2024 are significant. The consequential dates will bring and represent a great transition coming to the body of Christ. The significance of these days will have everlasting value for Israel as well. I will be laying out the strategies that the Lord revealed to me. It will take some time to pen them; I will share them incrementally. As an introduction, I will outline these crucial dates and their significance.
The days of focus begin in the month of Av on the Hebrew calendar. There is a strong emphasis on the 15th day of the month of Av (August 18) and the seven weeks directly following, which lead to the Feasts of Trumpets on October 2.
October will be a time of chaos in the world. We must be Kingdom-minded. Our homes should be harmonious and in order. We should put aside projects that bring chaos and strife into our lives. Our hearts should be humble and quiet. We have the next couple of months to get ready. I believe those seven weeks between Tu B’Av (the 15th day of Av) and the Feast of Trumpets will be a time to hear what His Spirit says. The sound of thunder will come; many will Hear His voice. They will be given clarity in vision for the coming season.
Some will need extra time to steady their soul. They will receive an extension for those seven weeks as preparatory time and healing. It is better if we are already sound-minded and operating in the order of the Kingdom of Heaven by Tu B’Av. Those who have surrendered to God’s plan will receive Godly vision and wisdom during those seven weeks leading to October.
As we discuss the time and season we are entering, I will not share many details about the woes that will happen in the world; we already know that there will be many. We should not focus all of our attention on these issues. Jesus has overcome the world. Likewise, let us learn the posture of an overcomer.
Understanding Av
As mentioned, we are waiting with expectation for the month of Av. This year (due to the extra Adar) Av is pushed out to August. It will begin August 4. The 15th day of Av will begin August 18 at sundown. The first half of Av can be related to a painful birthing process. What is birthed in Av, symbolically, will be birthed in us and through us. It is a personal experience and also, a representation of the greater restoration coming to the Lord’s Beloved. We are receiving strategies that align us with Heaven so that we can pray that which is on God’s heart.
Av is generally labeled a month of suffering and catastrophe because of the destructive events chronicled on the 9th day. The 9th Day of Av is considered the saddest day on the Hebrew calendar. While the 15th day of Av is noted as the happiest day on the Hebrew calendar. Historically, the 9th of Av has had multiple sorrowful events- including the destruction of Solomon’s Temple and the Second Temple. Those twin destructions labeled this day as a time of mourning- marked by a 24-hour fast (recognized in Zechariah 8), directly following the three weeks of sorrow. The fifth month fast leads to seven weeks of comfort from the Father. Av means “father” or “comfort of the father.”
The 9th of Av is believed to be a day destined for tragedy. Many individuals in the family of God live their lives with a similar mentality: Assuming that they are destined for tragedy, they identify with the suffering of Av because of the destruction within their own lives, relationships, and the church. I saw the turmoil inside the hearts of the people. The turmoil within will come to an end. Overcomers in Christ will rejoice over the goodness of God as He restores the fallen house of David within them. This reality is for a specific people: The healing anointing will bring us deeper into restoration. What He has torn, He will heal; what He has stricken, He will bind up (Hosea 6).
The Joy of the Dancers
Tu B’Av (the 15th of Av) is considered the Love Day on the Hebrew calendar (similar to Valentine’s Day). As of the 15th of Av, the 3 weeks of sorrow and mourning are over. The time to rejoice has come.
Historically, the maidens of the land who were wishing to marry would take this day to dance joyously for a groom. It is recorded in the book of Judges that the tribe of Benjamin had acted wickedly; as a result, they were almost entirely decimated (similar to Sodom and Gomorrah). Several hundred Benjamites remained with no women for them to marry. The situation for the Benjamites was further complicated due to the vow: “cursed be he who gives a wife to Benjamin.” The other tribes repented from their anger toward Benjamin and came up with a plan for them to be able to marry. The women of Shiloh came out in their dresses, dancing. Each man would then come and snatch his wife for himself thus marking the beginning of this historic ancient festival. The maidens would dance in white gowns on the 15th of Av in a vineyard. They would dance with joy, rejoicing over their bridegroom. It is symbolic of the midnight cry and the Lord’s return. He will come to snatch away His bride.
Judges 21:16-21: .
Then the elders of the congregation said, “What shall we do for wives for those who remain since the women of Benjamin have been destroyed?” And they said, “There must be an inheritance for the survivors of Benjamin, that a tribe may not be destroyed from Israel. However, we cannot give them wives from our daughters, for the children of Israel have sworn an oath, saying, ‘Cursed be the one who gives a wife to Benjamin.’ ” Then they said, “In fact, there is a yearly feast of the Lord in Shiloh, which is north of Bethel, on the east side of the highway that goes up from Bethel to Shechem, and south of Lebonah.”
20: Therefore they instructed the children of Benjamin, saying, “Go, lie in wait in the vineyards, 21: and watch; and just when the daughters of Shiloh come out to perform their dances, then come out from the vineyards, and every man catch a wife for himself from the daughters of Shiloh; then go to the land of Benjamin.
The dancing maidens in white dresses noted in the book of Judges (chosen by their husbands) are considerably like those wise virgins of Matthew 25 who are called into the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. The wise virgins wait for their Bridegroom with oil in their lamp. The oil in their lamps represents (in part) the joy of the Lord in the heart of His Beloved. The Beloved does not wait for Him in grief and sorrow; we joy at the revelation of His coming even as the maiden dancers move in joy while they dance in love for their husband— for they love His appearing.
2 Timothy 4:8
Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
Rebirth into Happiness
The heart of the month of Av is: What was meant for destruction will be turned into a celebration of healing and for good. What began as a time of Godly sorrow will be turned into joy and dancing. The pain of the past will come to an end and the Father will bring comfort, restoration, and joy! It is not a joy that can be forced, fabricated, or misplaced. It is a rebirth into happiness. The strong symbolism of Av will be modeled in the coming days as we switch from a time of sorrow into joy. He will turn our mourning into dancing and clothe us with gladness that we may praise Him (Psalm 30).
I believe that prayers for this summer are imperative for the breaking forth into this realm. Many will be giving birth to this joy. The pain of the past will be turned into a celebration of healing. A people willing to surrender will soon experience the breaking through into joy. Joy lives in the Kingdom and the Kingdom is within us. The pressing has come to bring forth the joy of the Kingdom. Let us pray for the experiential knowledge of this realm so that we might be of those who rejoice at the coming Bridegroom’s glorious return, for He will irrefutably snatch us up and bring us to Him. And when He comes we will have our lamps full with the oil of joy.