Elul: The King Is in the Field

By Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe

In 2023, the first day of the Hebrew month of Elul begins at sunset on August 16. It is a time of repentance in preparation for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. During the month of Elul, it is customary to blow the shofar every morning except on the Sabbath from the first day of Elul until the day before Rosh Hashanah. The blasts are meant to awaken our spirits and inspire us to begin the soul searching which will prepare us for the High Holy Days.

During this time of the fall harvest, the Israelites declared Ecclesiastes 5:9: “The profit of the land is for all; the King himself is served from the field.” It is a time when the King is in the field where He is accessible to His people.

To Christians, the Fall Holy Days picture the second coming of Christ. The month of Elul represents our journey to maturity in our Lord, to preparing ourselves to be the Bride of Christ in preparation for His return. He is accessible to us. We are His servants. We are the field from which He is served. Our service is part of our preparation to be the Bride of Christ.

Revelation 19: 6-8. “And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.”

The Hebrew word "Elul" can be understood to be an acronym for the phrase – "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine" (Song of Solomon 6:3).

Believing that the “beloved” refers to God, the rabbis take this verse to describe the particularly loving and close relationship between God and Israel.

Remember, Christians have been grafted into Israel and are heirs with Israel to all the Old Testament covenants. (Romans 11:11). Elul, then, is our time to establish this closeness so that we can approach throne of God boldly, in trusting acceptance of God’s judgment. We approach Him, not out of fear, but out of love.

Hebrews 4: 15-16. “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

One of the Jewish traditions for Elul is to read Psalm 27 every day of the month until Rosh Hashanah which begins at sunset on September 15 this year.

Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who has kept us in life, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season.