In the Hebrew calendar, the eighth month is the 29/30 day month of Cheshvan (Marcheshvan or Heshvan). This Biblical 8th month falls between October and November in the Gregorian calendar. It’s also called the month of ‘Bul’ (1 Kings 6:38). It is the second month of the civil year that began with creation and the 8th month of the ecclesiastical year that started with the first Passover.
Biblical patterns for understanding the 8th month are the first day of creation narrative, the 8th book and chapters of the Bible, the Bible books and chapters corresponding to the weeks and days in the 8th month (Obadiah and 31st chapters, Jonah and 32nd chapters, Micah and 33rd chapters, Nahum and 34th chapters, Habakkuk and 35th chapters) and Bible passages mentioning the 8th month. The 8th month is the second month in the second half of the year.
The 8th Month is a first day of creation month. God ended His work on the seventh and last day of the creation-week. The day following the seventh day of creation (the 8th day) was the beginning of a new week. So, the 8th is a new beginning. It is the beginning of the second seven. It is a season to be guided by light. God released light against darkness on the first day of creation. Light shows the way and directs.
The 8th month is a Book of Ruth month. Going through the 8th month of the year can be like journeying through the 8th book of the Bible. It is also like journeying through the 8th chapters of the Bible. In the 8th book of the Bible, a family (man, wife and two sons) relocated from Judah to Moab because of famine. Disaster befell them at Moab. The man died leaving his wife and their two sons. The young men took Moabite wives. They also died leaving their mother and wives. When life improved back home, the mother of the house, Naomi, decided to return to Judah. Her daughters in-law moved to follow her. She discouraged them. One of her daughters in-law, Orpah, returned to her people. The other one, Ruth, insisted on following her mother in-law to Judah. So, they went together. Ruth eventually married a kinsman of Naomi’s husband named Boaz. Together, they became great grandparents of King David.
To the traditional Jew, the month of Cheshvan is a bitter month. It is believed that this was the month of Methuselah’s death, the flood of Noah’s day (Genesis 7:11), Sarah’s death, and Rachel’s death. Some traditional Jews will not schedule celebrations like marriage this month. This nickname of ‘bitter month’s agrees with Naomi’s experience in the 8th book of the Bible. She told the people to call her Marah (bitter) instead of Naomi (pleasant). This is the month of rain in Israel and if the rain doesn’t come by the 17th of the month, the people will begin to pray for rain. There are also no special observances in this month. It’s like an ’empty month.’
How can we apply the 8th book of the Bible to the 8th month of the year? In the 8th month, it is important to be guided by God. We should not make decisions on our own in this season. God guided Noah in Genesis 8. God guided Moses in Exodus 8. Joshua received guidance from God to defeat Ai in Joshua 8. Elisha guided the Shunemite woman in the 8th chapter of Second Kings. Israel did not not seek guidance from God in their demand for a king in First Samuel 8. The Holy Spirit directed Philip’s movements in Acts 8. The 8th month does not have to be a month of disasters and misfortunes. Perhaps, the story in the 8th book of the Bible would have read differently if Elimelech and his family began by seeking God for direction. Don’t miss divine guidance in this 8th month. Acknowledging God in the 8th month yields positive results. Disregarding God in the 8th month opens the door to woes in the 8th month. When Noah acknowledged God in the 8th chapter of Genesis, he received a blessing. Genesis 8:20-22 says, “Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar. [21] And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma. Then the LORD said in His heart, “I will never again curse the ground for man’s sake, although the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; nor will I again destroy every living thing as I have done. [22] “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.”
The 8th month of the year is an 8th-seven-books-of-the-Bible month. Going through the 8th month is like going through the 8th seven books of the Bible in experiences. The 8th seven books of the Bible are Philippians, Colossians, First Thessalonians, Second Thessalonians, First Timothy, Second Timothy and Titus. The 8th seven books of the Bible are mentoring books. They are books of instructions, counsel and guidance. The 8th month is a time to receive instructions humbly from the Word of God, the Holy Spirit, and wise people.
BIBLE PASSAGES THAT MENTION THE EIGHTH MONTH
The Bible passages mentioning the 8th month reveal three things about the season:
1. It is for the finishing and full completion of purposes.
2. It is for a positive or negative new beginning
3. It is for revival and returning to the original blueprint
1. THE FINISHING AND FULL COMPLETION OF PURPOSES
1 Kings 6:38: “And in the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished IN ALL ITS DETAILS AND ACCORDING TO ALL ITS PLANS. So he was seven years in building it”.
This is a month of completing tasks that will launch you into a new beginning. What tasks will you be completing this month?
2. MONTH OF POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE NEW BEGINNING
1 Kings 12:32-33: “Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did at Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And at Bethel he installed the priests of the high places which he had made. [33] So he made offerings on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised in his own heart. And he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and offered sacrifices on the altar and burned incense”.
A new beginning means the end of one phase of work. End one thing before you begin another. A new beginning may also mean a departure from what used to be to what ought to be. Jeroboam made a negative new beginning in this passage. He paid dearly for it. Let this month be a month of a positive new beginning in your life.
3. MONTH OF REVIVAL AND RETURNING TO THE ORIGINAL BLUEPRINT
Zechariah 1:1-4: “In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came to Zechariah the son of Berechiah, the son of Iddo the prophet, saying, [2] “The LORD has been very angry with your fathers. [3] Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Return to Me,” says the LORD of hosts, “and I will return to you,” says the LORD of hosts. [4] “Do not be like your fathers, to whom the former prophets preached, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts: “Turn now from your evil ways and your evil deeds.”‘ But they did not hear nor heed Me,” says the LORD”.
The 8th month is for making a new beginning with God. It is a time to return to God. It is a month of revival. In the passage above, God told the prophet to tell the people to return to Him. The greatest new beginning one can make in the 8th month is to return to God with zeal.
PRAYERS FOR THE 8TH MONTH:
- 1. O Lord, help me to hear and follow the Voice of Wisdom in this 8th month of the year.
2. O Lord, delver me in this 8th month, from making decisions and moves that you have not originated or endorsed.
3. O Lord, keep me far from the disasters and destructions that come in the 8th month or season. Let this 8th month be redeemed from bitterness. Let it be a month of joy.
4. O Lord, let this month be a season of positive new beginnings in my life
5. O Lord, use me this month to lead or call others into a positive new beginning.
6. O Lord, deliver your people from forced relocations and from becoming refugees in this 8th month.
7. O Lord, save me this month from being misplaced, displaced, or replaced unduly.
BORN IN THE MONTH OF CHESHVAN? You were born for a joyful new beginning! It could be to start what had not been or to return to what used to be. Your arrival in the eighth month was a prophetic announcement that a joyful new beginning has come. It is also an announcement that someone who will call or lead people into a joyful new beginning has been born. You are like in the 8th book of the Bible. The enemy of joyful new beginnings will be your enemy and will do everything to stop you by weapons of deception and wickedness. As a new-beginning-person, the key to your life is listening to God Who is the Beginning of all things. Every positive new beginning starts with Him. Your life should be one of listening to and following divine instructions. You were wired to move or make decisions by divine guidance. Your life must be built on divine wisdom because you arrived in the month of Wisdom and Counsel. See Proverbs 8: 1-36.
