Why?
I believe the Spiritual Temple is made up of the seeds, planted by the Sower, during this planting month, and that temple will be glorified during Tishri (7th month) almost a year later. He promised He would come and fill that temple with His Glory in Haggai. Haggai 2 v 7 And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts. The shaking of the nations never took place at Yeshua’s first coming…so this remains undone.
Like Solomon’s Temple being built and glorified later, there is a wait between planting and the final harvest. He is building his Temple made up of you and me, from seeds He planted and watered in the soil of our heart. We wait for the final Trumpet blast of the Trumpets and Tabernacles when He returns in glory.
Definition of Revival is: Revival is the Renewing, the Regeneration of that process – Break up your fallow ground – Hosea 10:12-Sow to yourselves in righteousness (during the sowing season of Cheshvan) reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till He comes and rains righteousness upon you.
At this time of Cheshvan, the earth is said to be thirsty for water. This month is when plowing and planting begin in Israel. By the 7th of Cheshvan, the people of the land of Israel start praying for rain. This is the plowing and planting season in the land of Israel.
The springs that bubble up from the earth and the rain that poured water were from Yeshua and represent His Spirit, as the Floods broke open the waters from the deep so do the former rains come in this month of Cheshvan. This 8th month speaks of Renewed Covenant, Baptism, and Regeneration to new life.
The number 8 surrounds this Feast Day: Shemini Atzeret is the 8th Day and always falls eight days before the eighth month.
What is the significance of this? Looking at the meaning of the word “Cheshvan” answers this question.
Here is the word “Cheshvan” in Hebrew with the Ancient or Paleo meanings included:
Chet = fence to separate, enclose –
Shin =teeth – to destroy, consume =
Vav = nail to attach, secure, add –
Nun = fish = new life, activity, quickening –
Putting it all together, the word “Cheshvan” means destruction is separated and new life is secured
So we know the 8th month is all about covenants and new beginnings. We know Israel plows and plants and they start to pray for rain. Could the natural be a type of the spiritual? Could God follow such a time- table in the Spiritual realm?
Let us look at Cheshvan, a season of Spiritual plowing and planting.
So in the 8th month, God starts a new thing-with an outpouring of His Spirit -The month we (you and I) plow the stony ground of our hearts and start planting God’s word and pray for Rain.
The 8th month is the month when the Great Sower goes forth. Luke 8 “The sower went out to sow His seed, and as He sowed …This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the word of God”
My question to you is, “Would the Sower (Jesus) not plow and plant during this month in history?“
The paragraphs below are just the opening lines of historical events to point out the timing of these outpourings. The Former Rains start the month of Cheshvan (the 8th month) which falls in October on our calendar. That is the plowing and sowing season with prayers for rain.
In no particular order but I found these dates interesting:
Cheshvan 1st week – October 17-20, 1740. George Whitefield came to Northampton – He then preached four times for Jonathan Edwards in Northampton, Massachusetts and, though he stayed in New England less than a month that time, the revival lasted over 18 months. He preached to 8,000 in the field, on Sunday morning to 15,000, and Sunday afternoon to 20,000. He returned again and again to these cities.
28th of Tishri – 2 days before Cheshvan October 14, 1735: John and Charles Wesley, co-founders of Methodism, set sail for ministry in America for a mission’s trip that changes the frontier of North America.
Cheshvan 1 was Oct 24th, 1949 On that day Billy Graham’s four-day Los Angeles crusade ended in October 24th. Billy Graham skyrockets to national prominence with an evangelistic crusade in Los Angeles Century and starts his ministry nationally.
Cheshvan 5th was October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther posts his 95 Theses in Wittenberg. This is celebrated as Reformation Day and God changed history.
Cheshvan 19th was October 31, 1825: George Muller, who founded orphanages that would house more than 10,000 orphans by his death in 1898, converts to Christianity at a Moravian mission. He immediately starts His mission and ministry.
Cheshvan 1 was Oct 19th October 1857 – Hamilton, Canada (Phoebe Palmer) – Revival broke out at evangelistic meetings led by Walter and Phoebe Palmer in Hamilton, Ontario in Canada during October 1857. It was widely reported all over Canada.
Cheshvan 1 was Oct 15th October 1871 – New York D. L. Moody converted in 1855 and led powerful evangelistic campaigns in America and England.
In late October after the fire of Chicago he writes October 8th, 1871- “One day, in the city of New York, oh what a day! I cannot describe it. I seldom refer to it. It’s almost too sacred an experience to name. Paul had an experience of which he never spoke for fourteen years. I can only say that God was revealed to me, and I had such an experience of His love that I had to ask Him to stay His hand.”
Cheshvan 2 was Oct 31st, 1875 – On that day was Moody’s First Citywide campaign in the USA Brooklyn New York. Continuous revival followed him all his life.
