Gad - Sixth Tribe / Elul – Sixth Month
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The month we are now in – Elul - is called the 6th month on the Hebrew Festival calendar, while simultaneously it is the final month on the Hebrew Civil calendar. Immediately at the end of this month, we begin the next month of Tishrei with a High Sabbath festival (Rosh Hashanah/Feast of Trumpets) and a Rosh Chodesh festival (new moon). Tishrei also is the month that holds more High Sabbaths and Festivals that include Yom Kipuur (Day of Atonement) and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles). Each of the appointed festivals bring high meaning to those of us who know and understand the depths of these significant days. (link below for next article on Tishrei).
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With all the special events happening in Tishrei, the month that comes prior (Elul) takes on a new significant role as the month of preparation and a month to return (teshuva) to the way of salvation in Yeshua which Elohim established for us.
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There is much more to the defining attribute of this month.
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Since this is the sixth month, let’s see who the sixth tribe is assigned to in the marshal array established for Israel. Remember from the previous articles, the principle applied to assigning a tribe to a Hebrew Festival month was established by a pattern that the sages saw in their studies of scripture. This pattern is what is being presented with each of these articles in the Update to show the affirmation of their studies. Our ancestors left bondage in the spring. The month that begins spring is Nisan and thus is counted as the first Festival calendar month. Numbers 2 lists Judah as the first tribe in the encampment and marshal array. Thus Nisan and Judah correspond together. Then this chapter continues to list the encampment order of all the tribes for us and becomes a handy reference to connect the tribe with the corresponding Festival calendar month. But there is also a connection that is deeper than numerical similarities, it's the attribute displayed by the month and the tribe.
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In Numbers 2 we are shown that Gad is the tribe associated with the sixth encampment position and it is this tribe that completes the formation of the three tribes that encamp on the south side of the Tabernacle in the wilderness. These three tribes are Reuben, Shimon (Simeon) and Gad.
Reuben’s attribute with the month of Tammuz is about the power of sight. Simeon’s attribute with the month of Av is about properly hearing. And now we are in the month of Elul with Gad. To round out the “seeing” and the “hearing” which the last two months and tribes have shown us, we now need to “do”. Teshuva is about making changes, taking action to clean house after what we have seen and heard – in other words to “do”.
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Reuben and the fourth month of Tammuz showed us that we need to see as Elohim sees. Simeon and the fifth month of Av showed us that we need to hear properly in order to be taught properly. Once we are armed with His sight and with His teachings, this empowers us to go ahead and do something about changing our lives to be in readiness for what will be happening next (the next month, Tishrei is about the return of Yeshua as King).
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Leah named this son (born of her handmaid Zilpah), Gad, meaning “a troop comes”. In Hebrew thinking, this is a very good thing. The deeper meaning (as noted in the Strong’s Concordance for H1409) is that of “good fortune”. Leah’s situation was changing, no longer was she the unloved bride of Jacob, but now with this son that she provided to him, she felt surrounded by blessings and good fortune.
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Isn’t that what we will be experiencing as we do what needs to be done in our lives to change our ways and walk on the way of salvation in Yeshua? Good fortune is coming just as Leah stated with Gad’s naming. For us, that good fortune coming is the month of Tishrei, the month that represents the return of Yeshua as King of Kings. He is the One Who will be establishing His Kingdom upon this earth.
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During these past three months from which we have discovered the attributes of “seeing” (Tammuz/Reuben), “hearing” (Av/Shimon) and “doing” (Elul/Gad) as Elohim requires, our coming joy (good fortune) during the next month of Tishrei will be unmeasured in its abundance. AND that abundance will last with us throughout the whole year to come. How do we know that? It’s quite simple. Tishrei is the month of the ingathering of the harvest, the time when the food is stored up for the whole year to come.
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Next: Ephraim - Seventh Tribe / Tishrei - Seventh Month