1^st of the 10^th month 2019/2020

Shalom all,

With today being the 1^st of the 10^th month, I thought it would be very fitting to expand on something unique that took place on this day, in Scripture, and the prophetic announcement that was fulfilled, giving us a wonderful celebration of the Good News of our deliverance.

Most of what I am sharing, in this message, is contained in our Torah commentary notes on Berěshith/Genesis 8, however, I decided to prepare an expanded message, that is uniquely focused on this day, as a stand-alone document for study purposes and quicker topical reference.

To start, let us take a look at the first mention of this date, in Scripture:

Berěshith/Genesis 8:4-5 “And in the seventh new moon, the seventeenth day of the new moon, the ark rested on the mountains of Ararat. 5 And the waters decreased steadily until the tenth new moon. In the tenth new moon, on the first day of the new moon, the tops of the mountains became visible.”

In this chapter, we are given the account of what took place, after Noaḥ and his family had been in the ark for 150 days, along with all the animas that entered too.

 

In verse 4, we see that on the 17^th day of the 7^th month, the ark came to rest on Mount Ararat, and in Hebrew, the word אֲרָרַט Ararat – Strong’s H780 means, ‘the curse reversed, reversal of the curse’.

From the meaning of the name of this mountain, we are able to see here, a wonderful prophetic shadow picture of the work of Messiah, who takes away the curse of the Torah, which is death.

 

The ark coming to rest on this Mountain, is a powerful picture of the great provision of Elohim, for all who have responded to His call to come out of darkness, and find refuge and rest in Messiah our King!

Though the ark had come to rest, on the 17^th of the 7^th month, the waters were still receding, and it was only on the 1^st of the 10^th month, that the tops of the mountains become visible.

With the mountains becoming visible, on the 1^st of the 10^th month, I find a very powerful prophetic promise being given here, especially as we consider the ark coming to rest on the mountain that means, ‘the curse reversed’.

From this account, we are able to see the clear prophecy of Messiah, The Rock of our Deliverance, coming forth, as the Promised Seed, to take away the curse, which is death, in order to renew His Covenant and give us life in Him.

This account is a prophetic shadow picture of the conception of Messiah, as announced in the promising prophetic words contained in Yeshayahu:

Yeshayahu/Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore יהוה Himself gives you a sign: Look, the ‘almah’ conceives and gives birth to a son, and shall call His Name Immanu’ěl.”

Here in this prophecy on the conception and birth of Messiah, we are able to link up picture of the tops of the mountains of Ararat becoming visible, with the conception of Miryam, and the timing of this, being very clear, in fitting with the Scriptural pattern, which announces the Good News, which is יהושע Messiah!

This prophecy speaks of the conception of the almah and the birthing of the son, who shall be called Immanu’ěl, highlighting for us the clear timing of conception to birth, which we know is a 40-week period!

 

The Hebrew word עַלְמָה almah – Strong’s H5959 means, ‘a young woman, virgin, maiden’ and speaks of a young woman who had not yet known a man, (i.e. still a virgin) and the Hebrew word that is translated as ‘conceives’ is הָרָה harah – Strong’s H2929 which is a primitive root verb that means, ‘to conceive, become pregnant’.

 

For most of us, this is a clear prophecy that we do know, and I am simply highlighting the Hebrew root words that confirm this fact. In a further prophecy of the Son who would be born unto us, we see something unique in the Scriptural text, highlighting the clear expected promise of the almah who would bring forth the Promised Son.

This is seen in:

Yeshayahu/Isaiah 9:6-7 “For a Child is born unto us, a Son is given unto us, and the rule is on His shoulder. And His Name is called Wonder, Counsellor, Strong Ěl, Father of Continuity, Prince of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His rule and peace there is no end, upon the throne of Dawiḏ and over His reign, to establish it and sustain it with right-ruling and with righteousness from now on, even forever. The ardour of יהוה of hosts does this.”

 

As you will notice above, I have highlighted the phrase, ‘of the increase’, and it is this phrase that bears a unique witness in the Hebrew text, confirming the conception of the almah (virgin).

 

In the Hebrew text, these two verses are 5 and 6 and the term/phrase ‘of the increase’, is written in the Hebrew text as: לְםַרְבֵּה lemarbeh, which comes from the root word מַרְבֶּה marbeh – Strong’s H4766 which means, ‘abundance, increase, great’.

Here, it is speaking of the increase of the rule and shalom of Messiah, as King!

What you will notice, as you look carefully at these words, in Hebrew, is that this verse contains something very peculiar. And this is the only place in Scripture that we see this occur:

What you will notice is that the letter at the beginning of this word מַרְבֶּה marbeh, which is a ‘מַ’ – ‘mem’ is changed to being written as ‘םַ’, which is known as a ‘closed mem’.

Grammatically, the ‘closed mem’ should only be used at the end of a word and not at the beginning of, or within, a Hebrew word. And this understood as the clear mystery of the “closed ‘mem’”, which carries great prophetic significance.

By this fascinating ‘mystery’, of a ‘closed mem’, being used at the beginning of a word, in referring to the expected Messiah, who would come to bring deliverance, shows us how He is the one who ‘opens the womb’, as this passage is dealing directly the ‘Child that is born unto us’ – and we know that Messiah, was born of a maiden (one with a closed womb – virgin).

This miraculous birthing, in the flesh of Messiah, provided for us the perfect offering for our ransom – as Messiah, not only being the firstborn from the dead – making us, who are ‘in’ Him, ransomed unto Elohim, but He also was the perfect slaughtering, that would acceptable to יהוה, in satisfying the requirement, as opening the womb, becoming the perfect Lamb, Ram and Bull offering, for our deliverance and redemption!!!

 

Ok, so what has this got to do with the 1^st of the 10^th month?

A whole lot! Let me show you why I say this:

As one takes a closer look at the timing of the birth of Yoḥanan the immerser, we are able to clearly acknowledge the birth of Messiah, being on the 1^st day of Sukkoth.

 

Luqas/Luke Chapter 1 gives us the account of when Yoḥanan was conceived, as we take note that his father, Zeḵaryah, was serving as priest before Elohim, in the order of his division.

Luqas/Luke 1:5 “There was in the days of Herodes, the sovereign of Yehuḏah, a certain priest named Zeḵaryah, of the division of Aḇiyah. And his wife was of the daughters of Aharon, and her name was Elisheḇa.”

From this account in Luqas/Luke 1, we are told that Zeḵaryah was a priest of the division of Aḇiyah.

In order to understand what this means, we are able to see that the ‘division of Aḇiyah’, was the 8^th division, according to:

Diḇre haYamim Aleph/1 Chronicles 24:10 “the seventh to Haqqots, the eighth to Aḇiyah”

 

The divisions of the priesthood, were set up into 24 divisions, in the days of Dawiḏ and were clearly kept as such until the days of Messiah, as we see Luqas making it clear that Zeḵaryah served in the order of his division (Luqas/Luke 1:8).

As soon as the days of his service were completed, Zeḵaryah went home and after those days, his wife Elisheḇa conceived. (Luqas/Luke 1:23-24)

 

In order for us to establish the timing of the 8^th division, we are able to recognise, that after the exile of Yehuḏah, Ezra 6 records for us, that the rebuilding of the House of Elohim was completed on the 3^rd day of the month of Aḏar, which is the 12^th month, and then, the priests were appointed according to their divisions:

Ezra 6:15-18 “And this House was completed on the third day of the month of Aḏar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Sovereign Dareyawesh. 16 Then the children of Yisra’ěl, the priests and the Lěwites and the rest of the sons of the exile, did the dedication of this House of Elah with joy, 17 and offered at the dedication of this House of Elah one hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred lambs, and as a sin offering for all Yisra’ěl twelve male goats, according to the number of the tribes of Yisra’ěl. 18 And they appointed the priests to their divisions and the Lěwites to their divisions, over the service of Elah in Yerushalayim, as it is written in the Book of Mosheh.”

 

With that being said, we are able to take note that, with the priesthood being divided into 24 divisions for service, and the renewal of this service, beginning in the 12^th month, according to Ezra, then we are able to recognise that the 8^th division, which was the division of Aḇiyah, did service in the 3^rd month.

I hope you are with me here, as this is extremely important to grasp. With there being 24 divisions, that would give 2 divisions per month, and with the priesthood service being re-established in the 12^th month, in the days of Ezra, we can see that divisions 1 &2 would be first, in the 12^th month. Then divisions 3 & 4 would be in the 1^st month, divisions 5 & 6 would be in the 2^nd month, making it clear that the 7^th and 8^th divisions would be doing service in the 3^rd month, at the time if Zeḵaryah’s service, as we follow the clear Scriptural pattern and references that we are given, to teach us!

 

And so, it is pretty safe to conclude, that Zeḵaryah was doing his service in the 3^rd month, and it is therefore, highly likely, that his service took place during Shaḇuoth, which we know is always in the 3^rd month.

After his service was completed, he went home and after this Elisheḇa conceived, which would have been in the 4^th month.

 

We are then told, in Luqas/Luke 1, that in the 6^th month, Miryam conceived Yahushua Messiah, by the Spirit of Elohim! This 6^th month that is being made mention of, is not the Scriptural 6^th month of the year, but is the 6^th month of Elisheḇa’s pregnancy, which we need to also recognise very clearly, in order to understand the wonderful prophetic shadow pictures of the announcement of the Good News, that we see being set before us.

 

This conception, of Miryam the almah, took place in the 10^th month of the year, and more specifically, we can deduct that this took place on the 1^st of the 10^th month, fulfilling the sign of a maiden (almah) conceiving, as prophesised in Yeshayahu/Isaiah 7:14, where we are told that the almah conceives and gives birth to a son, and is one that is shadow pictured, by the date that the mountains of Ararat were uncovered.

With Miryam conceiving Messiah, by the Spirit of Elohim, we are able to see the powerful picture of the mountain top of Ararat becoming visible, as a sign that our Rock and Redeemer would be conceived in the flesh of mankind, on this day, as Elohim, our Creator and Saviour, would clearly take on the form of a created being, in the closed womb of a maiden!

When one calculates 40 weeks from this date of the 1^st of the 10^th month, and reckons the timing of months being varied from 29 to 30 days, at the time of this conception, then we are able to confirm that Messiah was born on Sukkoth, 9 months later – and more specifically – 40 weeks later!!!

 

Below is a table that I have made, which highlights the clear possibility of this, by marking out the 40 weeks of pregnancy, starting at the 1^st of the 10^th month and coming to the end of 40 weeks at the beginning of Sukkoth, which serves as a further witness, of the prophecy and timing of our Messiah’s birth, being fulfilled at the beginning of Sukkoth, the 15^th of the 7^th month!

For purposes of counting the weeks, I simply highlighted each week, as a different colour, purely for us to have an easier ability to count the 40 weeks, in a charted format.

So please note, that the colours are not representative of anything, other than that of marking each week of a 40-week cycle.

 

With Yoḥanan being born 6 months prior to Messiah, it is clear that he was born in the 1^st month, and may even have been born at Pěsaḥ, confirming to us the sign of Eliyahu, showing us that which must come first, in order to prepare the way for Our Master, Elohim and King!

 

Ok, so why all the details around these conceptions and births?

And what does it have to do with the Ark?

Well, the reason for me highlighting these Scripturally evidenced facts, around the conception of Messiah, is so that we are able to see a wonderful connection, here in Berěshith/Genesis 8, where the Ark came to rest on Mount Ararat, in the 7^th month and then, seeing how the mountains becoming visible on the 1^st of the 10^th month, as this date would be the prophetic announcement of the Good News, יהושע Messiah, who would come and ‘reverse the curse’, being conceived in the womb of Miryam, on this date of the 1^st of the 10^th month, whereby the visible form of our Master, would be conceived in humanity, as the Seed of The Promise and bring forth the sign, that Elohim is with us – Immanu’ěl!

The Name עִמָּנוּאֵל Immanu’ěl – Strong’s H6005 means, ‘with us is El or El is with us’ and highlights the clear prophecy, that Elohim would come in the flesh and dwell among us, and this day marks the date of the conception of the Almah!

 

I find this extremely important for us to recognise, in order to put to death, the vain and false misconception of Messiah being born at a time that the world, at large, claims to celebrate, in gross error.

This marker, of the mountains of Ararat being uncovered, on the 1^st of the 10^th month, signifies a prophetic marker of the hope of deliverance, that we have in our Master, as we see how Noaḥ and his family would have been greatly encouraged by this sight.

 

At this point, for purposes of further study and clarity, I want to highlight why I calculated the 40 weeks of Miryam’s pregnancy, with months that have either 29 or 30 days, as opposed to the days of Noaḥ, when there were still 30 days each month.

 

29/30-day month cycle today:

Today, our month’s cycle is either 29 or 30 days and we therefore recognize that there is the need to have a 13^th month, usually every 3 years.

 

So why the change in the cyclical pattern of days?

The change of the number of days per month, happened at the time of Ḥizqiyahu, the king of Yehuḏah, when he became very sick and יהוה had sent word, through Yeshayahu, to Ḥizqiyahu that he was going to die.

Ḥizqiyahu then cried out to יהוה and Yeshayahu was sent back to him, to tell him that his prayer was heard and his tears seen, and that יהוה would heal Ḥizqiyahu and add 15 years to his life.

 

Ḥizqiyahu asked Yeshayahu what would be the sign of his healing and he was then asked whether the shadow of the sun would go forward 10 degrees or backward 10 degrees, to which Ḥizqiyahu replied that it should go backward 10 degrees and so, יהוה, at that point, brought the shadow 10 degrees backward, by which it had gone down on the sundial of Aḥaz. (Melaḵim Bět/2 Kings 20:1-11)

 

יהוה adjusted the timing of the months, as a sign to Ḥizqiyahu, by making the shadow of the sun go backward 10 degrees, without moving the moon!

This is very important for us to understand, for there was another account in Scripture, that records for us a complete ‘stopping’ of time, if you will, when Yehoshua fought against the Amorites and defended the Giḇ‘onites:

Yehoshua/Joshua 10:12-14 “Then Yehoshua spoke to יהוה in the day when יהוה gave the Amorites over to the children of Yisra’ĕl, and he said before the eyes of Yisra’ĕl, “Sun, stand still over Giḇ‘on; and moon, in the Valley of Ayalon.” 13 So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself upon their enemies. Is this not written in the Book of Yashar? Thus the sun stopped in the midst of the heavens, and did not hasten to go down for an entire day. 14 And there has been no day like that, before it or after it, that יהוה listened to the voice of a man, because יהוה fought for Yisra’ĕl.”

On this day, the sun and moon stood still, therefore causing ‘time’, as we calculate it, to stand still and therefore, this did not affect the cycle of the sun and moon, in determining the days, months and seasons.

 

At the time of Ḥizqiyahu, only the ‘shadow of the sun’/cycle of the sun was ‘moved’ and not the moon; and as a result of the shadow being moved backward 10 degrees, we can see how this would amount to a loss of 40 minutes per day, when one looks at a sundial of 360 degrees.

On a 360-degree sundial, we take note that a 24-hour period is equivalent to 1440 minutes (24 X 60), giving us the clear calculation of each degree of the sundial being 4 minutes (1440 divided by 360).

With a 10-degree shift, we see a loss of 40 minutes per day.

Accounting for a loss of 40 minutes per day, over a 30-day period, would amount to a loss of 1200 minutes per month, which, over a 12-month period, amounts to a loss of 14400 minutes per year.

This loss, over a 3-year period, amounts to a loss of 43200 minutes, between the cycle of the sun and the moon, which follows in its path.

This loss, over 3 years, amounts to 720 hours which, when divided by 24 hours for a day, it brings the loss to 30 days every 3 years and therefore, requiring an additional month – and therefore, we see the need for a 13^th month, on the Scriptural calendar, which usually occurs every 3 years!

 

While many argue this away, as not being the case, we do have, in Scripture, clear evidence of a 13^th month that had to have occurred, at the time of Yeḥezqěl, thus confirming this clear change in the cycle of the sun and moon, which was given as a sign to Ḥizqiyahu.

In Yeḥezqěl we have clear date markers, which give us ample evidence to support the fact that a 13^th month had to have occurred during the time that Yeḥezqěl was commanded to lie on his side, for a total of 430 days.

 

In Yeḥezqěl/Ezekiel 1:1 we have a date where Yeḥezqěl saw visions of Elohim – it was in the 30^th year on the 5^th day of the 4^th month!

In Yeḥezqěl/Ezekiel 1:2 we are told that on the 5^th of this month, which was in the 5^th year of king Yehoyaḵin’s exile, that the word of יהוה came to Yeḥezqěl.

He is then shown some great matters and visions; after which he is given instructions on what to proclaim to Yisra’ĕl.

 

In Yeḥezqěl/Ezekiel 3:15-16 we are given another clear date marker, as he tells us that it came to be that after all the visions he was shown, that he came to be sitting among the exiles at Tel Aḇiḇ, who were dwelling by the River Keḇar and he sat there for 7 days, after which the word of יהוה came again to him.

This would make it the 12^th of the 4^th month.

He was then given clear instructions in Yeḥezqěl/Ezekiel 4 to lie of his side for 390 days, for the House of Yisra’ĕl and then turn over lie on his other side for 40 days, for the House of Yehuḏah, making it a total of 430 days that he was to be lying down!!!

 

The next date we are given, is in Yeḥezqěl/Ezekiel 8:1, which states that it was now the 6^th year (being the 6^th year of king Yehoyaḵin’s exile) on the 5^th of the 6^th month, where Yeḥezqěl is no longer lying on his side, but is ‘sitting’ in his house with the elders of Yehuḏah!

 

So, we have the clear markers being given to us, between the 5^th and 6^th years of king Yehoyaḵin’s exile, and in that time, we are given the marker for when Yeḥezqěl was told to lie down in the 5^th year, until when he was recorded as sitting, in the 6^th year.

 

If one marks out the available days between these key markers that we have been given, then it is clear for us to see the need for a 13^th month:

Above is a simple spreadsheet that shows the need for a 13^th month, based on the key date markers that are given to us in Scripture, in regards to Yeḥezqěl obeying the instructions of lying on his side, for a total of 430 days.

 

In the first chart, which is based on an assumed 30 days per month cycle, we can see that if you calculate the available days for Yeḥezqěl to fulfill the instructions of Elohim, that in the event of there only being 12 months, there would only have been 413 days available, which would have been insufficient, remembering that in the first year there was only 18 days available in the 4^th month, as he had received this instruction on the 12^th of the 4^th month in the 5^th year!

However, when one adds in an extra month of 30 days, there would be more than enough days for him to fulfill his task and be able to be sitting in his home, on the 5^th of the 6^th month in the 6^th year!

 

The second chart is just to show that, in the event of a cycle that has 29 or 30-day months, which we would assume would have been in operation at this time, considering that this takes place after the change of the calendar cycle at Ḥizqiyahu’s healing, and therefore shows us that with a 13^th month on a 29/30-day month system, there would be sufficient days for Yeḥezqěl to lie on his side for 430 days, with at least 6 days to spare!!!

Without a 13^th month this would not be possible!

 

Back to the 1^st of the 10^th month!

Understanding this timing, we can safely calculate the 40-week pregnancy of Miryam, the almah who was conceived by the Spirit of Elohim, as fitting perfectly in line with the timing of the conception taking place on this day of the 1^st of the 10^th month, and the birthing of Messiah taking place, 40 weeks later at the beginning of Sukkoth, on the 15^th of the 7^th month, and then, being circumcised on the 8^th day of Sukkoth, the Shemini Atsereth, giving us the Good News of Messiah, having come in the flesh and fulfilling the sign of the Covenant, as the Promised Seed to which the sign of the Covenant given to Aḇraham would be given to.

 

This day of the 1^st of the 10^th month reminds us of the announcement of the Good News, which we, as faithful and trustworthy ambassadors, are to proclaim, making taught ones of the nations, the Good News – יהושע Messiah – immersing them in His Name and teaching them to obey all His commands!

Just as Noaḥ and his family were comforted at the sight of the tops of the mountains of Ararat, having come through the deluge of the raging waters of the flood, so too, should we be comforted in the comfort of our Master, who came to draw us out of the waters of chaos and set our feet firmly upon the Rock of our Deliverance, which He is, for he is with us, and He has given us His Spirit as a comforting witness of this fact, that He shall never leave us nor forsake us – Immanu’ěl – El is with us!

 

Another key Scripture of interest that is worth taking note of, in regards to this this day, is seen in:

Ezra/10:16 “Then the sons of the exile did so. And Ezra the priest, with certain heads of the fathers’ houses, were separated by the fathers’ houses, each of them by name. And they sat down on the first day of the tenth new moon to examine the matter.”

I am simply highlighting this verse, as a Scriptural reference to this day, and encourage you to read the context of these words, as we take note that at the time of the rebuilding of the Temple and the re-establishment of the service of the priesthood, a clear inspection was done, in order to be properly separated from that which was of the world.

It was on this day that the elders sat down to examine the matter of how some had taken foreign women from the people of the land, and decided that they would send them away.

 

The lesson we can learn from these accounts, is clear, and that is that we are to count the cost of following our Master and be set-apart as He is set-apart and be on guard against being defiled by the things of the flesh!

We are to make sure that we are meditating upon His Torah day and night and allow ourselves to be examined by the mirror of the Word, so that we become doers of the Word and not hearers only!

 

I hope that this brief study, on this day of the 1^st of the 10^th month, causes you to be reminded of the comforting Good News of our Master, יהושע Messiah, so that you can keep your eyes fixed on Him, the Price and Perfecter of our belief, and stay firmly rooted in His love, guarding His commands always, as you keep standing on the Rock of our Deliverance!

 

May you be strengthened in the comfort of our Master and find great rest and shalom in Him, as you continue to celebrate His Goodness and Loving-Commitment that endures forever – for He reversed the curse, taking it upon Himself, so that we who are in Him, can be secure in the blessing of His perfect shalom, as we guard to obey all He commands us to!

 

יהוה bless you and guard you; יהוה make His face shine upon you and show favour to you; יהוה lift up His face upon you and give you shalom!