In the Hebrew calendar, the ninth month is the 30/29-day month of Kislev that corresponds to November/December. The month of Kislev is the third month in the Hebrew civil calendar. Nations, states, organizations, families, and individuals are to count their ninth months from the day of their birth. All ninth months have common characteristics. Biblical patterns for understanding the ninth month are the second day of creation narrative, the 9th book and chapters of the Bible, and Bible passages mentioning the ninth month.
A, The month of Kislev is a second day of creation season. This is so because the ninth is the second in the second-seven. On the second of creation, the Creator made the firmament to divide and thwart the monopoly of the dominating waters. God created space on the second day. The dividing of the waters and the creation of space made rain and the existence of other things possible. The ninth month is for battling opposition, resistance, and barriers to life and progress. The ninth month is a season of giving room and space to people and things that have no room or space. It is a month of making way where there is no way. Those born in the ninth month are supposed to be way-makers, deliverers and change agents.
B. The month of Kislev is a Deuteronomy 34 – Joshua 15 season. The last two days of the 35th week and the fifth 49 days (September 1-2) is part of the ninth month. The following four weeks in the ninth month (the 36th-39th) are part of the 6th seven weeks of the year. The sixth 7 weeks of the year expresses the sixth book of the Bible (Joshua). So September 3-30 is a Joshua 1-15 season (by sharing the 24 chapters of Joshua to seven weeks).. It is a season to advance into, and take over, the Promised Land of the year. The ninth month is a time to fight to possess your possessions for the year. It is the time to cross the Jordan of the year, bring down the Jericho wall of the year and subdue the Amorites contending for your inheritance in the year. The ninth month is the time to go for outstanding promises in the year. This month, you will conquer and possess.
C. The month of Kislev is a Book of First Samuel season. The book of First Samuel is the ninth book of the Bible and is applicable to the ninth month of the year. In the book of First Samuel, God raised new leaders to deliver Israel from an old enemy – the Philistines. The new leaders were Samuel, Saul, and David. Israel became a monarchy in the ninth book of the Bible. The ninth book of the Bible indicates that the ninth month is a season of exploits by the Spirit and power of God. The ninth chapters of the Bible are also applicable to the ninth month. They indicate that the ninth month is a month of change. New things are expected to happen and closed doors are expected to open in this month. This is a month to overthrow evil monopolies and oppressors. Prayer is vital to breakthroughs in this season.
The month of Kislev is a ninth chapters of the Bible season. The ninth month is a month of change. The rainbow of peace appeared first in Genesis 9 and God said, “”…The waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh”. The Gibeonites became part of Israel in Joshua 9. Israel became a monarchy in the ninth book of the Bible. Hannah, Samuel, Saul, and David experienced turnarounds in the same book. Jehu became king in Second Kings 9. Jesus experienced transfiguration in the ninth chapters of Mark and Luke. The ninth is also a month of overthrows and rescues. In this month, God frustrates killers and delivers those appointed to death. He overthrew Abimelech in Judges 9 and overthrew Jezebel in Second Kings 9. He overturned the plans of Haman in Esther 9. He arrested Saul of Tarsus in Acts 9. He rescued David from plots of death in the ninth book of the Bible. This will be a month of change, rescue, and covenant-activation, for you!
C. Bible passages mentioning ‘the second month’. The ‘ninth month’ is mentioned six times in the Bible; and those passages reveal three things about the ninth month:
1. It is a month of encounter with God’s word.
2. It is a month of blessings.
3. It is a month of praying and seeking God.
1. MONTH OF ENCOUNTER WITH THE WORD
Ezra 10:9-11: So all the men of Judah and Benjamin gathered at Jerusalem within three days. It was the ninth month, on the twentieth of the month; and all the people sat in the open square of the house of God, trembling because of this matter and because of heavy rain. [10] Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have transgressed and have taken pagan wives, adding to the guilt of Israel. [11] Now therefore, make confession to the LORD God of your fathers, and do His will; separate yourselves from the peoples of the land, and from the pagan wives.”
Jeremiah 36:9-10: Now it came to pass in the fifth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, in the ninth month, that they proclaimed a fast before the LORD to all the people in Jerusalem, and to all the people who came from the cities of Judah to Jerusalem. [10] Then Baruch read from the book the words of Jeremiah in the house of the LORD, in the chamber of Gemariah the son of Shap Huhan the scribe, in the upper court at the entry of the New Gate of the LORD’s house, in the hearing of all the people.
Jeremiah 36:22-23: Now the king was sitting in the winter house in the ninth month, with a fire burning on the hearth before him. [23] And it happened, when Jehudi had read three or four columns, that the king cut it with the scribe’s knife and cast it into the fire that was on the hearth, until all the scroll was consumed in the fire that was on the hearth.
2. THE MONTH OF BLESSING
Haggai 2:10-19: On the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, in the second year of Darius, the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, [11] “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘Now, ask the priests concerning the law, saying, [12] “If one carries holy meat in the fold of his garment, and with the edge he touches bread or stew, wine or oil, or any food, will it become holy?”‘” Then the priests answered and said, “No.” [13] And Haggai said, “If one who is unclean because of a dead body touches any of these, will it be unclean?” So the priests answered and said, “It shall be unclean.” [14] Then Haggai answered and said, “‘So is this people, and so is this nation before Me,’ says the LORD, ‘and so is every work of their hands; and what they offer there is unclean. [15] ‘And now, carefully consider from this day forward: from before stone was laid upon stone in the temple of the LORD- [16] since those days, when one came to a heap of twenty ephahs, there were but ten; when one came to the wine vat to draw out fifty baths from the press, there were but twenty. [17] I struck you with blight and mildew and hail in all the labors of your hands; yet you did not turn to Me,’ says the LORD. [18] ‘Consider now from this day forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the LORD’s temple was laid-consider it: [19] Is the seed still in the barn? As yet the vine, the fig tree, the pomegranate, and the olive tree have not yielded fruit. But from this day I will bless you.’”
3. MONTH OF PRAYING AND SEEKING GOD
Zechariah 7:1-3: Now in the fourth year of King Darius it came to pass that the word of the LORD came to Zechariah, on the fourth day of the ninth month, Chislev, [2] when the people sent Sherezer, with Regem-Melech and his men, to the house of God, to pray before the LORD, [3] and to ask the priests who were in the house of the LORD of hosts, and the prophets, saying, “Should I weep in the fifth month and fast as I have done for so many years?”
9 PRAYER POINTS FOR THE NINTH MONTH
1. O Lord as you made a way for Hannah, Samuel, Saul, and David, in the ninth book of the Bible, make a way for your people in this ninth month of the year.
2. O Lord, as you overthrew Abimelech in the 9th chapter of Judges, overthrew Goliath in the 9th book of the Bible, overthrew Jezebel in the 9th chapter of Second Kings, overturned the plans of Haman in the 9th chapter of Esther, and overthrew Saul of Tarsus in the 9th chapter of Acts, overthrow the enemies of your people in this ninth month of the year.
3. O Lord, as you promised to bless your obedient people in the ninth month in the book of Haggai, let this month be a month of blessing to me and to all who are returning to obey your word in this ninth month of the year.
4. O Lord, as kings began to rule Israel in the ninth book of the Bible, and as Jesus was transfigured in the ninth chapters of Mark and Luke, and as You gave the poor, blind, hungry, sick, and dead, new beginnings in the ninth chapters of the Bible, make this ninth month of the year a month of change in the nation, in the Church, and in the lives of your people.
5. O Lord, you made a covenant with Noah in Genesis 9 and gave him the Rainbow sign; David and Jonathan made a covenant in the ninth book of the Bible, and David kept the covenant in the ninth chapter of Second Samuel, let this ninth month of the year be a season of activating covenants and remembering promises in favor of your people. O Lord, remember your word to your people in this ninth month of the year.
6. O Lord, let this ninth month of the year be a month of encounter with truth for your people as in Ezra 10:9-11; Jeremiah 36:9-10, 22-23.
7. O Lord, let this ninth month be a season of escape from destruction and death as Jotham escaped death in Judges 9, as David escaped death in the ninth book of the Bible, as Jews escaped death in Esther 9, as the dead were raised in the ninth chapters of Matthew and Acts, and as the saints were sealed from harm in Revelation 9.
8. O Lord, let this month be a season of opening blind eyes. In the 9th book of the Bible, Eli was blind but Samuel was a seer. Jesus healed the blind in the 9th chapters of Matthew and John. Ananias prayed for Paul (Saul of Tarsus) to receive his sight in Acts 9.
9. O Lord, as Israel crossed the Jordan, subdued the Canaanites and possessed the Promised Land in the sixth book of the Bible, let the season of the sixth 7 weeks that falls to the 9th month be a season of triumphs and possessing possessions for your people.
REDEEM THE MONTH: God designed time to be filled with the interests and purposes of God. The biblical creation story reveals that. There was no room for evil at creation. All things were good. It was the fall of man that gave evil access to time. The Lord Jesus Christ accomplished redemption for all things affected by the fall – including time – and were called to enforce redemption on earth – including the redemption of time (Ephesians 5: 16).
So, in the name of Jesus, we loose this month from the clutches of barrenness, wickedness, death. Let this ninth month be aligned with the divine purposes of fruitfulness, multiplication and positive change.
