Return to the Lord

We are now entering the month of Elul, a season of repentance, self-examination, and spiritual renewal. It is a time when our hearts are stirred to return to the Lord.

In the Torah and throughout much of the Tanakh, the months are counted by number rather than by name: the first month, the second month, the third month, and so on. This numbering reminds Israel that time itself belongs to the Lord, beginning from the redemption from Egypt in the month of Nisan, “the first of months.”

It was only after the return from the Babylonian exile that the Jewish people began using the Babylonian names for the months, such as Tammuz, Av, and Elul...

In the book of Nehemiah, we read: “So the wall was completed on the twenty-fifth of Elul, in fifty-two days.” (Nehemiah 6:15) Thus, when Nehemiah mentions “the twenty-fifth of Elul,” he uses the post-exilic name that became part of Jewish life. The rebuilding of the wall around Jerusalem was completed in Elul. For us today, this wall is a symbol of protection, restoration, and returning to the right path.

According to Jewish tradition, the sages taught that Elul is a month of repentance and preparation for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. The famous phrase: “I am my beloved’s, and my beloved is mine” (Song of Songs 6:3) reminds us of the deep intimacy between God and His people. Elul is the time when the King is near, welcoming us with love and mercy.

For those of us who believe in Yeshua the Messiah, Elul carries an even deeper meaning; that of the Light of Messiah. Yeshua proclaimed: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matthew 4:17) Our repentance is not by our own strength, but through the atonement of Messiah’s blood. He is our true wall, our shield, our refuge, and our living hope.

The prophet Malachi declared: “Return to Me, and I will return to you.” (Malachi 3:7) This promise is fulfilled completely in Yeshua. He draws us near to the Father, gives us eternal life, and confirms God’s eternal promise as written by the Prophet Jeremiah: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

This is God’s heart not only for the individual, but for all Israel, to be restored, redeemed, and brought into His everlasting hope.

Elul is A Call to Action, an invitation:

• To examine our hearts and seek forgiveness.

• To return to God—not in fear, but in the assurance of His grace through Yeshua.

• To renew our faith and build a wall of trust around our hearts.

Amen! May this Elul be for us a time of deep reflection, renewed faith, and overflowing hope in Yeshua, our Redeemer and King.