SNAPSHOT OF SIVAN
TRIBE: Zebulun- The last of the six sons of Jacob and Leah. The name Zebulun means, “exalted house.” This tribe was known for their ability in business and the marketplace. Therefore, Sivan is the “businessperson’s month.”
OCCURANCE: Between the months of May and June
DURATION: 30 days
IMPORTANT DAYS: Shavout, (Pentecost) – it began the day God gave Moses and the Israelites the Torah on Mount Sanai (Exodus 19). The second well known Pentecost was when the 2nd covenant was fulfilled with the outpouring of God’s Spirit (Acts 2).
Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) is the second of the three major feasts each year.
3rd month: on the Jewish Civil Calendar.
ALPHABET: The Hebrew Letter Zayin
Modern: The Modern Hebrew word “hazana” (הזנה), meaning “nourishment,” comes from the same root as zayin. Zayin is a paradoxical word, since it means “weapon” or “sword,” but derives from a root word that means “sustenance” or “nourishment.”
Paleo: The Early Semitic Pictograph was simplified to Paleo in the Middle Semitic script, which then evolved into the Modern Hebrew letter ז. The Greeks and Romans adopted this letter to become the letter “Z.”
The Late Semitic zayin became the number 7, which is a symbol of rest and completion).
Pictograph: The ancient pictograph for this letter is some type of agricultural implement similar to a mattock or plow. The meanings of zayin are “harvest,” “food” as from the harvest, “cut” from the function of the implement and “broad” from its shape.
Pentecost (Shavuot)
There are two memorable days of Pentecost found in the Bible. 50 days after the first Passover was the arrival of the children of Israel at Mount Sinai, where Moses received the law in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, Fifty days are found in between Jesus’ resurrection (during the 2nd Passover) and Pentecost, where God caused a visible outpouring of the Holy Spirit to fall upon men and women. Pentecost is also known as the Feast of Weeks, which celebrates God’s provision. This Feast commemorates the ingathering of the wheat harvest (which represents God’s physical provision). In the year 2022, this is significant for us to remember that our provision doesn’t come from a paycheck or the state of our country’s economy, but from Yahweh. The Feast of Weeks also commemorates the giving of the Torah (which represents God’s provision of revelation) at Mount Sinai as well as the provision of the Holy Spirit in Acts chapter 2. From all of this we can see into the name of Jehovah Jireh (The Lord who Provides), that He is our sufficiency. He provides for our physical needs; He provides revelation of who He is and who we are in Him; and He provides the Divine Encourager, the Holy Spirit.
A Month to Receive and Extend Mercy
The Lord is inviting us this month to connect the things we say with our actions. It can be so easy as believers to talk about what the Word says, but it is much harder to walk out what the Word calls us to do. This is a month to ask the Holy Spirit (expecting a response) what Word He wants you to walk out this month of Sivan. This is a month to practice being merciful. As the Father is, so are we! And we cannot become merciful until we receive the full mercy from Yahweh. When you receive mercy, look for ways to extend mercy. When we do this, we move forward, going from strength to strength. Proverbs 10:9 says this: “He who walks in integrity and with moral character walks securely,
But he who takes a crooked way will be discovered and punished.” The world desperately needs believers to connect our mouth with our walk, refine our emotions, and move into God’s purpose.
Water and Spirit-Wind
God’s kingdom cannot be perceived by anyone who has not experienced a spiritual rebirth (according to John 3:3). Jesus tells the religious leader Nicodemus that, “unless you are born of water and Spirit-wind, you will never enter God’s kingdom realm.” We can discern from this response that access to the Kingdom is only granted to those who have been cleansed (by the blood of the Passover lamb; Jesus) and breathed upon by the Spirit of God. It is so incredible to relate these words Christ uses to the forming of creation in Genesis chapter one. The first day began when God’s Spirit hovered over the chaotic waters. Our new life begins when we allow the water of the Word to cleanse us and give us life. And we must learn to live each moment by the movement of the Holy Spirit, obeying whatever He calls us to do, which brings honor to God and glorifies the Son.
A Month to Give
The month of Sivan is a time to review your giving process with Holy Spirit, who will give you new boundaries. We must always come to God to receive an alignment each month. It can be easy to lean on our own understanding and do things ourselves, but this is not the way of Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God will cause you to multiply what you have for His glory when you heart is aligned to His heart. The divine revelation of what is within our hearts (that is hidden from us) is uncomfortable. I tend to believe that it is similar to the body’s response of starting a new workout program. In the beginning you are sore and uncomfortable, because you are pushing past your limits. This is really the same way with our hearts when we submit what is inside of us to the Lord, and await His instructions. It is uncomfortable, because He will call you to push past your “limitations” and become who you really are. As you can see, Yahweh has left us with a lot of responsibility when it comes to tending our hearts. And when it comes to becoming more generous, a pure heart will grow your capacity to extend more of what God gives to you. Let’s begin to yearn this month for purity within our hearts as we seek the Lord for new ways to sow into the kingdom of Heaven.
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RESOURCES
Pierce, Chuck D., et al. A Time to Advance: Understanding the Significance of the Hebrew Tribes and Months. Glory of Zion International, Inc., 2011.
I highly recommend A Time to Advance if you want to learn more about this subject.
Janell Kremer 