Gad - Sixth Tribe / Elul – Sixth Month
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The month of Elul is the 6th month on the Hebrew Festival calendar, while simultaneously it is the final (twelvth) 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 other 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 of Elul that is before, takes on a 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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And there is much more to the defining attribute of this month.
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Since this is the sixth month on the Festival calendar, 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 presented with each of these articles on this website 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. The second chapter in the book of Numbers 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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Numbers chapter two places Gad as the tribe associated with the sixth encampment position. 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 change our ways and walk on the way of salvation in Yeshua? This is the action of "do". 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 and Abba's will upon this earth.
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Gad's banner symbol are three tents expressing the attributes of military might. Thus the three tents (a camp) denote that military prowess, which Gad proved time and again when Israel would go into battle. This military symbology is most appropriate for this month as it is the month of readiness through repentance leading up to the return of Yeshua as our Messiah, Who brings His Battle Plan against hasatan and his kingdom to full measure. Note that Gad's banner does not show weapons, only the tents. This means that Gad is not in battle but is only in a state of readiness, making sure their military equipment is functioning.. In the same manner, this is the month we must make sure the whole armour of Elohim is upon us and to fix any parts that need attention.
The constellation associated with the month of Elul is Virgo (the virgin). This constellation has a well known prophetic application in Revelation 12:1; "​Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars." This is describing the virgin constellation. As we read Revelation 12 it is clear this chapter spans a period of two thousand years, beginning with Yeshua's birth up to the end times when the red dragon attempts to war agains the remnant seed. So, can we know if there is historical evidence of this constellation appearing two thousand years ago at Yeshua's birth?
Astronomically, it is rare for this constellation to appear as described in Revelation 12. The constellation itself does appear every year at the time of Elul, but not necessarily with the surrounding planets and stars aligned to create the twelve star crown. Through NASA developed star tracking software (such as Stellarium), it has been determined that in the year ~6 BC and again in ~3 BC, this constellation as described in Revelation 12 was visible in the night sky. These are the years that scholars debate as the time when Yeshua was born. That fits with the words in Revelation 12:2 revealing she is pregnant; "Then being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth." The NASA developed evidence of this constellation appearing at the time of Yeshua's birth supports what is recorded in Revelation 12:1-2. This is the evidence of the historical role of this constellation and verses 1 and 2.
Prophetically, this constellation identifies who this woman is. She is not Israel, as most scholars believe her to be. Instead, she is the Holy Spirit, Who will be accompanying her remnant seed on a greater exodus in the wilderness during the tribulation period. There is an article coming out shortly (2026) about this which goes into greater detail. Please watch for it.
Does this information about the constellation relate to Gad as the guardian of the gate? The virgin goes into a wilderness place to be nourished. It is the same wilderness She led Yeshua into when He was tempted for forty days (Matthew 4:1, Luke 4:1). That wilderness is located at the gate that Gad watches over.
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​These 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
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