Judah – First Tribe / Nissan - First Month
As the children of Israel were making exodus away from Egypt and moving towards the Promised Land, Hashem taught them about their heritage. His teachings included the Festivals and knowing the way to count the days, months, years and seasons so that the festivals He was gifting to Israel would be observed in righteous manner. As their descendants, we can also learn much from what they were taught.
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The sages have discovered an amazing correlation between the camping order of the tribes in the wilderness (as noted in Numbers 2:1-3:39) with the Hebrew festival month cycle. Along with this amazing connection, the sages have discovered that the constellations in the sky (which individually take center stage during the time of each month) acts as another layer of identification for each tribe.
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To have a month, a tribe and a constellation connected to each other, reveals amazing insights into the attributes of the tribe and what we can do as descendants during each of the months.
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This article is about the month of Nissan. It is referred to as ‘the first of months’ in Exodus 12:2. Take note of the following verse; “ Now the LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “This month shall be the beginning of months for you; it is to be the first month of the year to you “. When the Hebrews letters of ‘for you’ is rearranged, it spells the word ‘king’. This is how the month of Nissan (as the first of months) is nicknamed as the king of months. Consequently, with this kingly designation, Israel’s kings literally did count their reigns from Nissan to Nissan instead of from their coronation.
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So… we have established the kingly aspect of the first of months, Nissan. What about the tribe? How is Judah attached to Nissan in more than the correlation with the camping order? Since it is the tribe of Judah from which kings arise (see Jacobs blessing of Judah in Genesis 49:8-12 specifically verse 10), it seems to be easy and clear that a kingly month would be connected to a kingly tribe. The symbolic constellation associated with the tribe of Judah is the lion – the king of beasts and the banner for Judah. These act as very clear and obvious connections, but we can delve deeper and discover other fascinating aspects that make it very clear just how proper it is to associate Nissan and Judah together.
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​Delving deeper...remember the story of Tamar, Judah’s daughter-in-law (Genesis 38)? The story ends with Judah about to have Tamar put to death because she was pregnant without a husband. Yet, when it is revealed that Judah is the father, we discover something about Judah that was not present in him from past scriptures. He repented without hesitation. Judah would not allow an innocent person to die for his wrong doing. He learned his lesson the hard way when he did that with his brother Joseph. As Judah witnessed the anguish of his father, Jacob, he knew that what he had done was very wrong and from his repentance towards Tamar, he clearly was committed to not doing anything of that sort again. Later on, when he is before Joseph (though at that time he didn't know this powerful Egyptian was Joseph), Judah pleads for Benjamin because the life of his father Jacob is wrapped up in the child’s life. He asks the powerful Egyptian (aka Joseph) to take him instead, so that his father may live. Judah was expressing a higher level of kingly attribute, one that is not considered to be a kingly attribute by the world’s standard.
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How do we know this is a kingly attribute of a Godly righteous manner? We simply look at the example of Yeshua when He was upon this Earth preaching the gospel to the people of Israel. We know He is our King and will return in this capacity at His second coming (LORD of lords and KING of kings – Revelation 17:14). What did He do upon this Earth at His first coming? He gave His life so that we could live and be wrapped up on the life of our Father Who is in heaven. THIS is how we know that Judah’s action (towards Tamar and with Joseph) reveals the attribute of the kingly line.
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So, for the month of Nissan, we can follow the example of our ancestor, Judah and develop this amazing kingly attribute during the time of Passover, the Days of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Firstfruits and the Counting of the Omer. Each one of these festivals brings out this attribute; Passover - for we witness Yeshua’s death and burial (giving His life for us as Judah was about to do). Days of Unleavened Bread - for this allows us to see His heart, which was not puffed up but completely humble. The Feast of Firstfruits - our witness of His resurrection to the literal position of LORD of lords and KING of kings. The Counting of the Omer – the countdown to when WE are completely joined with Him and experience being co-heirs with our King according to the promises (Romans 8:16-17, Galatians 3:29, Galatians 4:7). Being kings means we are to serve, so let’s use this month to focus on this skill.
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As mentioned already, the symbolic constellation connected to the tribue of Judah is Leo (the lion). A fitting connection of the king of beasts (the lion) to the tribe that will always have the sceptre and the lineage of kings of Israel. Rightfully so, since Yeshua was born of the tribe of Judah and He is our King and Lord and Saviour.
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The celestial constellation that appears in the sky during the month of Nissan is the constellation of the Ram. That is significant because it is the ram that was sacrificed instead of Issac at the Akiedah. The horns of the ram was caught in a thicket which harkens to another event many centuries later when Yeshua was tortured and eventually crucified. He too was caught in a "thicket". He could have called the angels to rescue Him and free Him from the false accusations against Him. But He didn't. He remained trapped in the slanders and lies levied against Him and went to the slaughter like a lamb. The symbology of a ram is that of power and might, which Yeshua has, but He withheld that to become as like an innocent lamb for the slaughter. Yeshua knew His purpose on the earth at His first coming...to reconcile us to Elohim and He made sure that happened.
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How blessed it is that the Festival season starts with this kingly month, exemplified by the kingly tribe of Judah with the kingly sign of the constellation of the lion fully displayed in the heavens.
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Next: Issachar - Second Tribe / Iyar - Second Month
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