Hosea 2:14 - "Therefore, behold, I will allure her, and bring her into the wilderness, and speak comfortably unto her."

We have entered the 6th month on the calendar cycles of Yahweh - a month called Elul (Nehemiah 6:15).  As the month directly before the much anticipated 7th month fall feasts, it has become associated as a season of refining, preparing, teshuva (repentance, return, and restoration), as well as purification.  When looking at the historical patterns of the nation of Israel, Elul also connects to the season when the King is in the Field - prior to sitting upon His throne in judgement and royal estate!  This shadow picture becomes a powerful spiritual concept that this is the season that our King, the Messiah, is also in the field...He can be found, and yet indicates He also is inspecting the work of His kingdom in this same field.  

The questions immediately begin to arise as we contemplate the setting of this month.  The King is in the field...away from the royal fanfare of court, providing a level of access and familiarity that cannot be enjoyed while on the Throne, perhaps arriving for the purpose of searching something or someone out?  It is no accident that Elul is the acronym for the phrase Ani LeDodi VeDodi Li אני לדודי ודודי לי taken from Song of Songs 6:3.  Could this be the purpose of the King's journey?  He seeks the one who is called His Beloved, the Bride? Yet does she understand the timing of His coming?  Will she recognize Him in the manner He has chosen to appear?  So often we expect the great, the miraculous, the fanfare, but what about the quiet voice in the midst of the fields and struggles of life?

Matthew 4 reveals another layer to the above imagery.  Our Messiah Yahshua was driven into the wilderness for 40 days...exiting on Yom Kippur to declare the Yovel, the season of Jubilee!  Due to the timing of His exit, His wilderness trek took place in this 6th month of Elul.  Elul...the month of teshuva and refining, the month during which we seek our Beloved, is set not just in a field, but in the wilderness.  Therefore to understand His love, to know Him as our beloved, indicates I must understand the wilderness.

Take a moment to think about the wilderness seasons in your own life - the hard times, the struggle, the difficult moments, the seasons where it seems like we've been isolated, perhaps forgotten.  At the beginning, those very moments are when we feel the furthest away from our King.  Yet it is here that He is to be found.  Proverbs 3:12 - "For who Yahweh loveth He correcteth..." The Western mindset has taught us that the wilderness seasons are to be avoided...protect our comfort at all costs.  And if you happen to be one unlucky enough to be there, surely this has to do with your own wrong choices.  The Wilderness has become diametrically opposed to seasons of blessings and "mountain top" experiences.  But let's take a moment to look closer at that word "correcteth" in Proverbs!  Correcteth in the Hebrew is yakach יָכַח and it carries the meaning of rebuke or correction, yet it also indicates to prove and comes from the root meaning to be in front of, to clear or manifest, to appear or demonstrate.

Yes there are times we need correction, yet this verse goes beyond just those moments!  The true meaning deals with revealing or demonstrating something in order to prove a point.  So a better understanding of this verse then becomes that Yahweh will reveal Himself, manifest Himself, and prove Himself to those He loves!  How does He prove His role as my healer, my provider, my banner, my redeemer if there is not an opportunity where that specific characteristic and identity is needed to be made manifest?

This completely revolutionizes the view of the wilderness!  It's where He is found...it's where He PROVES Himself to His Beloved!  The exodus journey of Israel lays out this concept in detail - He reveals different aspects of His character and Name on their 40 year journey.  They are fed manna, watered with living water from the Rock, sheltered by the pillar of cloud and fire, protected by His Presence, and placed in the wilderness so that He could reveal His character to His beloved.  Revelation 12:6 - "And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of Yah..."  

This past weekend, I was asked to share at conference whose theme ("Rooted and Grounded in Love") was taken from Ephesians 3:17-19 - "That Messiah may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints, what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Messiah, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God."  We are surrounded by a culture, both in the world and in the Believing community, that constantly shouts their version of "love"!  It has become relegated to an emotion, a feeling, or even something ethereal that can't be fully defined.  We have a tendency to use catchphrases, flowery language, or quote trendy verses to give it form.  But feelings and emotions are fleeting...based off of our outward circumstances, and here in Ephesians the love that we are to explore is something that the apostle Paul describes  that we are to be rooted and grounded in!  It is revealed to us for the purpose of being filled with the fullness of Yah!  Immediately I felt drawn to the wilderness parallels....

The wilderness is where this love that is spoken of is revealed.  Love in Hebrew is 'ahavah אַהֲבָה.  It stems from a root meaning to breathe (in fact the word 'ahavah itself mimics the act of breathing).  Breath is life!  In Genesis 2:7 when Yahweh breathed into Adam he became a living soul!  He was filled with the fullness of Yah - the neshamah (soul) which is directly associated with the mind and intellect of Yahweh, was entrusted to Adam.  Can you see the picture that is woven through the language?  The Beloved longing to reveal Himself to His Bride who He seeks?  And as He entrusts her with His character and His mind (Philippians 2:5 - "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Messiah Yahshua.") it's as if He is breathing new life into her!

Whatever area in your life that exile or death has touched...your health, your finances, your generations, your vision, your purpose...the very wilderness that you currently find yourself in is the place prepared for you, intricately designed for you to come to know the mind of Yahweh, to be breathed upon and receive new life, restoration, and fullness.  In fact when looking further at this term 'ahavah the individual letters reveal this message: א = the strong one, the Husband, but also indicates I will - invoking a covenant promise regarding an action in the future; ה = Breathe; & ב = the vessel, the container, the house, or the Bride!  His 'ahavah - His love, encompasses His covenant promise that He intends to breathe upon His people, to cause His Bride to live again, to be restored to wholeness, as every aspect of who we are is receiving new life!

'Ahavah is connected to the root yahav meaning to give, provide, or supply....He supplies the breath, we provide the vessel.  Yet to be filled with His fullness requires a letting go, an emptying of who I am, room must be made.  In fact this same root stem (הב) is seen in Hosea 8:13 - "They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifice of mine offerings (havhav הבהב), and eat it; but Yahweh accepteth them not..." In context it indicates Israel who looks obedient and holy from the outside...dressed in their best, smiles on their faces, "holy, pleasing", yet it's evident the true offering that has been desired has been neglected - the offering of themselves!

Altars were much more than a place of sacrifice!  They were doorways connecting the spiritual realm to the natural where the one you were seeking could be accessed and made manifest in your midst.  Hence the reason long before the sacrificial systems of the Temple, you see individuals like Noah, Abraham, Jacob building an altar - to see the manifestation  of Yahweh in their midst and so often a characteristic - a Name was declared!  That altar later would become a memorial, a record, a reminder in stone for when the journey got long and our own memories begin to fade that this was a moment that He appeared, a moment that He moved in our midst!

The altar was the place of holy fire....in the natural fire requires 3 elements to burn. 1) Heat (the energy sources that starts the fire - our Yah is an all-consuming fire) 2) Oxygen ('ahavah reveals His intent to breathe upon us) and the final element then must be what we provide 3) the fuel....

The wilderness is the last place our flesh desires to go...it knows the purpose of this journey.  It's the fuel that will be placed on the altar, room must be made for His fullness.  I want you to take a moment to think about the seasons in your life that it felt like you were in the fire...seasons of discomfort, pain, opposition...the very moments where we so often feel like we're forgotten.  The flesh cries out we've been left here, He should have answered by now, He should have moved in this situation.  To the flesh it doesn't feel like what we've been told is "love".  And yet it's those very seasons that are designed for us to become the vessel, the seasons of refining, where if we'll learn to look beyond the natural circumstances, you'll see we've been placed on the altar, and the dross burnt up to make room for the fullness of who He is!

If you were never in need, how would you know that He is Yahweh Yireh our provider?  If you were never sick or broken, how would you know that He is Yahweh Rapha our healer?  If you never experienced stress or worry how would you know He is the Sar Shalom, the Prince of Peace?  We've flippantly said we want to know Him, we've used the poetic verses to describe His love, and yet we've shunned the very wilderness seasons that manifest His love and reveal Him in our lives.  We desperately seek an exit, we cry for change, emotions of anger and resentment arise when the journey goes longer than we were willing to stay, and the entire time the voice is crying in the wilderness...Prepare the way for the King. 

Jeremiah 31:3 - "Yahweh hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee."

Shalom Mishpocha!

We find ourselves in the season where the long days of summer are beginning to wind down, and we anticipate the shift that Fall brings, the crisp air, the changing color of the leaves, and a sense of anticipation begins to build. There's always an excitement for Fall, but what we may not realize is that the Creator put that anticipation for autumn in us because it's directly tied to His set apart times and Feasts.

The Fall Feasts are the end of the harvest season. To reap the harvest, seed had to be sown, cultivated, watered, and cared for all summer long leading up to the gathering of the fruit. In our society today, we have become so removed from the cycles and rhythms that were intimately ingrained into Biblical Israel! The Feast cycles taught Israel through the agricultural seasons spiritual lessons.

Lessons of sowing and reaping (Galatians 6:7 - "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."); lessons of creation being at peace and fruitful when man is obedient to Yahweh; and lessons that His Word is seed that brings forth a harvest in our lives.

As we begin to close out summer, let's take a moment to look at the fields of our lives. What have we planted....what harvest is on the horizon? The law of sowing and reaping can't be avoided. Yet the Mo'edim teach us how to walk in teshuva - restoration. To see the harvests that the locusts have eaten restored. So as we prepare to enter the 6th month of Elul....when the King is in the field...the thoughts that cross our mind is what crop will He find growing in our hearts? What fields are in need of teshuva? And is there a seed He can work with?

The natural and the spiritual are mirrors of one another! We no longer live in an agrarian society where we bring the first fruits of our fields...but we do have financial seed that can be sown into His kingdom. Whether we like to acknowledge this or not...that's seed, and as stewards of what He has entrusted us with we should be diligently seeking good ground to plant in.

Here at Remnant Manna United, we pray and walk daily in this role of stewardship regarding the seed He brings in. It's His field, His seed, His resources. We believe it's good ground, proven ground. And so as we prepare to enter the Fall Feast season, we're asking those of you who have gleaned from the harvest - the teachings, the resources, the prayers, the counseling - to consider sowing a special seed towards the harvest He has in store for us.

But whether you choose to sow in this way or not....powerful lessons are found in this season and we pray the King finds you in the field!

As we prepare to celebrate the much anticipated Spring feast of Shavuot, there is an interesting tradition that is found in Midrashic writings that comes to mind.  At Shavuot it is customary to fill your home with flowers.  There are times that traditions passed down through generations hold a powerful truth capable of bringing to life concepts that are not readily seen.  This tradition is taken from the Midrashic writings relaying that at Shavuot Mt. Sinai, the desert mountain, bloomed!

Isaiah 35:1-2 - "The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of Yahweh, and the excellency of our Elohim."

The desert blossomed when Israel, the Bride redeemed and restored, was presented to her Groom at the set time and received her Ketubah - her wedding covenant, the Torah!  The same location that previously was seen as barren, desolate, harsh, and perhaps even unforgiving, became a place of beauty and life at the release of the WORD of Yahweh!

For fifty days we have counted, for fifty days we have walked, one step and then the next.  We were redeemed by the mighty hand of our King, amidst miraculous displays of His power and strength, guided by His hand into a place prepared just for us.  Yet when the noise of Egypt is distant, only a memory, and the desert looms long ahead, it is easy to allow the Word that was given to fade from our sight.  The journey that started with such joy, becomes a barren path, desolate and harsh as our flesh cries out against the pains meant to make us grow.  

Yet this is the place He prepared for you and I!  Whatever your current circumstances, whatever trials you may have walked through, they became the foundation of your wilderness.  The wilderness is necessary, though our flesh may cry against it, protest that the price is too great, the journey too hard, there is a mountain appointment that must be met.

And it is here as we find ourselves at the end of this cycle's journey, we finally understand that in our wilderness seasons beauty was being cultivated.  It is beautiful to hear His Voice, it is lovely to learn of our King, it is exquisite to have revealed to us the depths of His Torah reserved for the Bride who would come when summoned.  Revelation of who He is, found by plumbing the depths of the mysteries of the Torah was never meant to feel cold. Sinai was not only truth and commands, but beauty and delight. Revelation deserves beauty...and the revelation that is found in the midst of our own wilderness journeys, in the end becomes what adorns us as well.

This is what Shavuot reveals!  This is why the name of this feast itself can be translated as covenant.  It is His Covenant that makes the desert bloom, that brings teshuva - restoration to our lives.  It is no accident that when looking at Genesis 3, the only sense of our five senses that is not listed in the events of the fall of man is the sense of smell!  Our sight was  compromised when 'Ishshah looked at the tree and so we must learn to walk by faith, not sight (2 Corinthians 5:7 - "For we walk by faith, not by sight:").  Our hearing was compromised when the words of the serpent were listened to, and so we are commanded to SHEMA - to hear, understand, and obey.  Touch was compromised with the taking of the fruit and so we enter a world where clean and unclean, purity and impurity are unleashed - the touch of death becoming a barrier we cannot cross without the redemption of our Messiah.  And of course taste - the eating of the forbidden, a desire that still exposes itself in the midst of the wilderness wanderings.  

Matthew 4:4 - "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

Yet our final sense - the sense of smell never fell.  Could this reveal that we would still be able to recognize the fragrance of our Groom?  And so the desert bloomed....

Song of Songs 5:13 - "His cheeks are as a bed of spices, as sweet flowers: his lips like lilies, dropping sweet smelling myrrh."

The God of Sinai still makes the barren places bloom....

We are excited as we prepare to mark the shadow for this March the teshuva/equinox. It's getting close and it's time to be getting your set up ready! It's an exciting season as we prepare for the season of our teshuva - our restoration and return. Be prepared for marking by about March 10th. Equinox days show up between Mar 19th – 21st; while we are still in the 365+ day civil year. For those who may be marking for their first time, or would like a refresher, here's a few key points! To get started with shadow marking, you will need:

1. A marking board (about the size of a poster – see point #7 below)

2. A fine tip marking pen (the finer, the better) - at least 4 different colors will be helpful as you'll see in the power point files.

3. A gnomon that will cast a shadow (a nail, tall stick pin - anything that you can secure so it will not move). Experiment with different sizes on the same board while you are at it [eg: 3½” & 6”].

4. Sewing thread - to pull a line (do not use yarn/string, etc. - just use a single thread – see point 9).

5. A long measure - metre ruler/yardstick - metal is the best.

6. Find a location that will not have shadows from fences, trees, roofs, etc. (this is the most challenging part - this is the part you need to have some experimental time to find that "sweet spot" - even if you have to do something on top of the roof, or on top of a fence post - make arrangements for using a corner of a school grounds - maybe a corner of a church parking lot - use your imagination if your yard just will not work. But do try in your yard, as you may be surprised there is a spot between the trees somewhere that will work. The board should be as level as possible and you will want to position the length of your board in the "east/west" direction, as the sun moves across the sky. The board does NOT have to be exactly east/west. The board & gnomon must be secured so neither one moves, and if
you think there will be rain - you need some way to cover and protect it to prevent the board from warping. (Also, you will want to make sure outdoor animals [like cats] don't decide to use the gnomon for a scratching post.)

7. If you can get a few pieces of plastic corrugated signage material - that works really good (is not affected by moisture) - easy to nail to the ground, or even clamp to a table. In the files you will see where the gnomon is placed - that position is quite flexible. Finding the sweet spot without shadows from morning to evening is what will take the most time. The rest is easy - and fun! After the first day of tracking the shadow, you will easily see if you want to reposition the gnomon, or add another gnomon. Do 2 different sizes while you're at it. We suggest a gnomon of at least 3½”. For those that are close to the equator, it would be good to slant the gnomon at about a 45 degree angle. This is to keep the shadow marks away from the gnomon around the time of high noon.

8. Marking Points: The most important marking points are: 1st thing in the morning (as early as you can get); high noon [a must-see point 10]; and last possible shadow marking in the pm. Place stickpins, or push pins at the 3 marks and pull a thread from the first mark, to solar noon, to the last mark (and all pins in between if you have more). Do NOT wrap the thread around the pins - just follow one side. If you decide to mark about every hour even 10-12 days in advance (even every other day - just experiment), you will easily see a pretty curve. Every day the curve will begin to straighten a little more each time, until on the day of the equinox timing, the shadow line will be perfectly straight - until the next day when the curve will reappear - but it will be a flip to the other direction. The day of the straight-line shadow is the day of the equinox in your area – which determines the last day of the old
year, or the last day of the sun’s circuit through the constellations! The next day begins the next new year – at the first dawn light!

9. When pulling your line/thread, think about a bow and arrow (Robin Hood) ... you are pulling the "line" across your data set similar to how a string is pulled with a bow and arrow (the resulting patterns should appear the same ... people should see a slight "bow" on all days other than the equinox). You will quickly be able to look at the "midday marks" and see if they are away from the line or if they are ON the line. To pull the thread, only a single thread is necessary - of a good contrasting color – which is good for your close-up pictures.

10. To calculate solar noon just google: Solar noon in Salem Oregon (your city, state) including the date. For Feb 10 (date needed) it comes up as 12:26 pm as an example – but in areas that have day- light savings time, the solar noon will read as 1:26 pm. If possible, mark each hour according to the “solar noon minute” – eg: 826; 926; 1026; 1126, etc. [You’ll discover why this is so important if you have cloudy spots during the marking days.] Check your area for the solar noon time, as it will vary in patterns, either decreasing or increasing, depending on location.

11. Camera - you will need to take pictures - keep a file with dates and times - this needs to be well organized so you can compare what is going on from week to week, or day to day in the last 5-7 days of marking from about Mar 14 to 22. It is good to mark every hour on the last days of marking - and also mark/record [with a sticky note on the marking board] if something distorted the shadow (a wispy cloud; movement of the board). After marking for a few days, you'll figure out what has to be done as in this case, personal experience is the best teacher.

12. Sample Data examples for Northern Hemisphere: It’s good to record your data on the board, or place on a sticky note before taking a picture. Include: date; size of gnomon; place; name; location; solar noon time. Note how well the line is pulled from the first to the last mark and where solar noon is.

Shalom Mishpocha,

We find ourselves entering into the 6th month of the Hebrew calendar – the month of Elul!  With every season, every month, there is a message embedded within revealing the plans Yahweh has for you and I.   This message also gives insight in to the direction we should be going and should direct our steps, words, thoughts, and actions!  The month of Elul begins the 40 day season of Teshuva (repentance) leading to Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.  Elul is the month of soul and heart searching, the weighing out of our words and deeds.  In fact it is connected to the Aramaic root meaning to search.  Yet at the same time, this Hebrew root means vain or nothingness – perhaps indicating for some this month is a season of searching and anticipation, while for others a wasted season filled with vanity and nothingness?

Most are probably familiar with the fact that Elul is an anagram for the Hebrew phrase “Ani L’Dodi, V’Dodi Li” – “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine” (Song of Solomon 6:3).  Perhaps this month reveals those who have this as their heart cry?

It is also often pointed out that this season in ancient Israel, occurs directly before the coronation of the King at Yom Teruah (Feast of Trumpets), and before the King sits in judgment (a pattern based off of the cycles of our Heavenly King of all Creation)!  This is the season the King could be found walking in the field…accessible and among His people.  Perhaps the deeper meaning of this month is that not only must we search our own hearts, but its about putting forth the effort to search out the one who our heart longs for, our beloved, who is Himself in the field waiting.  Yet the field is also symbolic of the work and cares of the physical world.  Perhaps here we find the line of demarcation.  Many will find themselves distracted by the worldly matters during this season, their hearts will chase other desires, their search will lead them elsewhere, a path that leads to vanity and nothingness.  

Yet for those who put forth the effort to find the King in the Field, they are those who will be called in return by Him, My beloved!  Looking further, the numerical value of Elul is the same as the Hebrew word Binah בינה to build, to rebuild – this is the month and season that those who seek the King will in turn see the materialization and building of the vision and promises we have been entrusted with!  

The field connection lends further insight…it’s directly connected to the daily afternoon prayers, the Minchah prayers.  The minchah prayer (part of the Amidah) is said to be taken from Isaac, in Genesis 24:63 – “And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide:”

The Hebrew term for meditate is suach שוח meaning to meditate, commune with or speak; closely related to another Hebrew term shavah meaning to become like, to resemble, to be sufficient, or fitting!  

Could this be the purpose of the month of Elul?  To spend this month lifting up the heart’s cry and prayer that has the ability to change you and I?  To cause us to become like the King we are seeking, to be seen as a sufficient and fitting helpmate to our beloved?  This season, our prayer is that not only will we stay the course on our search for the King, but that when we find ourselves standing before Him, that He will see one that mirrors Him!  1 John 3:2 – “Beloved, now we are the sons of Yah, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”

The King is waiting…

Simple Instructions for Shadow Marking
Attached below are some files that Covenant Calendar Classroom members that have put together to help beginners.   To get started with shadow marking, you will need:

• A marking board (about the size of a poster size)
• A fine tip marking pen (the finer, the better) - at least 4 different colors will be helpful as you'll see in the power point files.
• A gnomon that will cast a shadow (a nail, tall stick pin - anything that you can secure so it will not move) Experiment with different sizes on the same board while you are at it.
• Sewing thread - to pull a line (do not use yarn, and just use a single thread, not doubled)
• A long measure - metre ruler/yardstick - metal is the best.
• A location that will not have shadows from fences, trees, roofs, etc (this is the most challenging part - this is the part you need to have some experimental time to find that "sweet spot" - even if you have to do something on top of the roof, or on top of a fence post - make arrangements for using a corner of a school grounds - maybe a corner of a church parking lot - use your imagination if your yard just will not work.  But do try in your yard, as you may be surprised there is a spot between the trees somewhere that will work.  The board should be as level as possible and you will want to position the length of your board in the "east/west" direction, as the sun moves across the sky.  The board does NOT have to be exactly east/west.  The board also has to be secured so it does not move, and if you think there will be rain - you need some way to cover and protect it to prevent it from warping. (Also, you will want to make sure outdoor animals [like cats] don't decide to use it for a scratching post.)
• If you can get a few pieces of plastic corrugated signage material - that works really good (is not affected by moisture) - easy to nail to the ground, or aven clamp to a table.  In the files you will see where the gnomon is placed - that position is quite flexible.  Finding the sweet spot without shadows from morning to evening is what will take the most time.  The rest is easy - and fun! After the first day of tracking the shadow, you will easily see if you want to reposition the gnomon, or add another gnomon.  Do 2 different sizes while you're at it.
• Marking Points:  The most important marking points are:  1st thing in the morning; high noon [a must]; and last shadow marking in the pm.  Place stickpins, or push pins at the 3 marks and pull a thread from the first mark, to solar noon, to the last mark (and all pins in between if you have more).  Do NOT wrap the thread around the pins - just follow one side.  If you decide to mark about every hour even 10-12 days in advance (even every other day - just experiment), you will easily see a pretty curve.  Every day the curve will begin to straighten a little more each time, until on the day of the equinox timing, the shadow line will be perfectly straight - until the next day when the curve will reappear - but it will be a flip to the other direction.  The straight line shadow is the equinox!  The next day begins our new year!
• When pulling your string, think about a bow and arrow (Robin Hood)...you are pulling the "string" across your data set similar to how a string is pulled on a bow and arrow (the resulting patterns should appear the same...people should see a slight "bow" on all days other than the equinox).  You will quickly be able to look at the "midday marks" and see if they are away from the string or if they are ON the string.  To pull the thread, only a single thread is necessary - of a good contrasting color - and good close-up pictures.
• To calculate solar noon just google:  Solar noon in Salem Oregon (your city, state).  For Feb 10 (date needed) it comes up as 12:26 pm as an example.
• Camera - you will need to take pictures - keep a file with dates and times - this needs to be well organized so you can compare what is going on from week to week, or day to day in the last 5-7 days of marking from about Mar 14 to 22.  You will want to write on your board [or attach a sticky note on the board] with this information: Name/initials; time of each data point marked [it's good to write the time on the board too]; date; location; time zone - so when your data is sent to Nathaniel or Charlene - we can keep track of where the data is from.  It is good to mark every hour on the last days of marking - and also mark/record [with a sticky note on the marking board] if something distorted the shadow (a wispy cloud; movement of the board)  After marking for a few days you'll figure some of these things out for yourself - you'll just know what to do.

Revere Magazine is a free online publication created by Gwendolyn Caskey.  She lends her talents and efforts to helping spread the teachings of both Remnant Manna United as well as Covenant Calendar.  A great resource to access the latest articles, timely information, and the monthly calendar layout!  Download your copy below of the Jan/Feb 2025 issue!

Tune in as Pastor David Mathews joins for a special interview with Maria N. from Greece discussing the relevancy of the Feasts today!

Revere Magazine

Revere Magazine is a free online publication created by Gwendolyn Caskey.  She lends her talents and efforts to helping spread the teachings of both Remnant Manna United as well as Covenant Calendar.  A great resource to access the latest articles, timely information, and the monthly calendar layout!  Download your copy below of the Nov/Dec 2024 issue!

Pastor David joined Covenant Calendar Classroom for a special teaching and early Shabbat service!  In case you weren't able to make it, check out the teaching below!

The topics addressed were the ability of Adam and Chavah (Eve) to procreate through speaking prior to the fall - the power of language!  As well as the subject of Hebrew nouns and their verbal origin.  Hebrew is an action language!

Many of you have tuned in and listened to the latest teachings by Pastor David regarding what we believe to be answers to questions we've had for close to 20 years concerning the proper timing of Yahweh's Calendar!  Not only will he be continuing to share on this subject, but we also wanted to take a moment to explain the basic points and hopefully answer some questions.  In addition, we are joining with Covenant Calendar Classroom who have been studying and tracking this for over 15 years.  They are extending the invitation to all of our listeners to join us this year in tracking the March Equinox shadow.  Details will follow below of how to do so!

Tim & Charlene of Covenant Calendar are a trusted ministry and source that have been beyond a blessing to us personally on this journey.  For more detailed info and to see the mathematical evidence, years worth of charting and hands on calculations, visit their website!

The Basics!
This is not the Zadok or Enochian Calendar.  In the past we have searched, prayed, and waited knowing every calendar we had come across was not quite checking off all the points.  We have kept the Aviv barley, the Hillel, and have often said all are still off.  It is only now that we feel the answers are being revealed to those questions with this calendar!
Pastor David has taught for YEARS that the original calendar was a perfect circle - 360 days (degrees), yet due to several huge calendar shifts documented in the Torah, our current year is 365 days.  Yet unbeknownst to us, that does not affect or hinder Yahweh's perfect 360 days Feast cycle and calendar system.
Where other calendars highlight the role of the moon, Genesis 1 clearly states that the luminaries created for signs and for seasons (the calendar calculations) are the Sun and the lesser light - the stars or constellation signs.
The beginning of the year based on the Torah's instructions commences at the Spring Equinox (when the straight line shadow is seen).  The very next day is Aviv/Nisan 1 - the first day of the first month of the new year.
Yahweh's Calendar is then composed of 12 months of 30 days, and His feasts plug in accordingly.
Due to the changes regarding earth's rotation, we find ourselves left with approximately 5 extra days at the end of that perfect circle calendar cycle (yet those days are being shortened!).  But instead of attempting to manipulate His perfect cycle (as all other calendars do with intercalation), these days are the days of waiting - where we wait on Yahweh (Isaiah 40:13) to see the straight line plowing and separating the new year from the old to begin again.
We now realize that Yahweh's day reckoning begins at dawn (the first rays of light) to the following dawn (first rays of light), rather than evening to evening.

Tracking the Equinox
In our current society, many rely on NASA or the world to tell us when things are happening (such as the timing of the Spring Equinox).  Yet this is for Yahweh's people to know and be invested in!  Israel was given a timepiece upon leaving Egypt (the round Tabernacle) that would have been instrumental in calculating the Calendar!  And NASA has been wrong - Covenant Calendar students who tracked for themselves proved it!

Everyone is Invited to Participate in a World Project of Marking the March Equinox Shadow in 2024 - for the Everlasting Blood-ratified Covenant Calendar
Please join Covenant Calendar Classroom as we enter into the last phase of this world project to mark the straight line shadow this March 2024.  Everyone should be getting ready to go by Mar 1st, so you have about 2 weeks of practice time, and then that last week (about Mar 12-21) of serious marking.  Consider trying to buddy up with others in your time zone and stay in close contact with your comparative results from day to day - just in case you have clouds in your area (that will not move), it could be that your marking buddy has a good day to track the shadow.  This is a team effort around the world that you won't want to miss out on.

Simple Instructions for Shadow Marking
Attached below are some files that Covenant Calendar Classroom members that have put together to help beginners.   To get started with shadow marking, you will need:

• A marking board (about the size of a poster size)
• A fine tip marking pen (the finer, the better) - at least 4 different colors will be helpful as you'll see in the power point files.
• A gnomon that will cast a shadow (a nail, tall stick pin - anything that you can secure so it will not move) Experiment with different sizes on the same board while you are at it.
• Sewing thread - to pull a line (do not use yarn, and just use a single thread, not doubled)
• A long measure - metre ruler/yardstick - metal is the best.
• A location that will not have shadows from fences, trees, roofs, etc (this is the most challenging part - this is the part you need to have some experimental time to find that "sweet spot" - even if you have to do something on top of the roof, or on top of a fence post - make arrangements for using a corner of a school grounds - maybe a corner of a church parking lot - use your imagination if your yard just will not work.  But do try in your yard, as you may be surprised there is a spot between the trees somewhere that will work.  The board should be as level as possible and you will want to position the length of your board in the "east/west" direction, as the sun moves across the sky.  The board does NOT have to be exactly east/west.  The board also has to be secured so it does not move, and if you think there will be rain - you need some way to cover and protect it to prevent it from warping. (Also, you will want to make sure outdoor animals [like cats] don't decide to use it for a scratching post.)
• If you can get a few pieces of plastic corrugated signage material - that works really good (is not affected by moisture) - easy to nail to the ground, or aven clamp to a table.  In the files you will see where the gnomon is placed - that position is quite flexible.  Finding the sweet spot without shadows from morning to evening is what will take the most time.  The rest is easy - and fun! After the first day of tracking the shadow, you will easily see if you want to reposition the gnomon, or add another gnomon.  Do 2 different sizes while you're at it.
• Marking Points:  The most important marking points are:  1st thing in the morning; high noon [a must]; and last shadow marking in the pm.  Place stickpins, or push pins at the 3 marks and pull a thread from the first mark, to solar noon, to the last mark (and all pins in between if you have more).  Do NOT wrap the thread around the pins - just follow one side.  If you decide to mark about every hour even 10-12 days in advance (even every other day - just experiment), you will easily see a pretty curve.  Every day the curve will begin to straighten a little more each time, until on the day of the equinox timing, the shadow line will be perfectly straight - until the next day when the curve will reappear - but it will be a flip to the other direction.  The straight line shadow is the equinox!  The next day begins our new year!
• When pulling your string, think about a bow and arrow (Robin Hood)...you are pulling the "string" across your data set similar to how a string is pulled on a bow and arrow (the resulting patterns should appear the same...people should see a slight "bow" on all days other than the equinox).  You will quickly be able to look at the "midday marks" and see if they are away from the string or if they are ON the string.  To pull the thread, only a single thread is necessary - of a good contrasting color - and good close-up pictures.
• To calculate solar noon just google:  Solar noon in Salem Oregon (your city, state).  For Feb 10 (date needed) it comes up as 12:26 pm as an example.
• Camera - you will need to take pictures - keep a file with dates and times - this needs to be well organized so you can compare what is going on from week to week, or day to day in the last 5-7 days of marking from about Mar 14 to 22.  You will want to write on your board [or attach a sticky note on the board] with this information: Name/initials; time of each data point marked [it's good to write the time on the board too]; date; location; time zone - so when your data is sent to Nathaniel or Charlene - we can keep track of where the data is from.  It is good to mark every hour on the last days of marking - and also mark/record [with a sticky note on the marking board] if something distorted the shadow (a wispy cloud; movement of the board)  After marking for a few days you'll figure some of these things out for yourself - you'll just know what to do.

Keep in touch with others that are also marking, close to you in the same time zone.  While one place may have clouds - the other may have clear skies - but really we are asking Yahuah to part the clouds for everyone this year.  He parted many clouds for Charlene (May to Sept) and others as well.  He wants us to be marking - He will do His part, if we do our part.
Share this information with everyone you want!

Thank you everyone for being part of this project - it will be worthwhile.
Charlene Fortsch (BC Canada)
email:  charlene@studythecalendar.com