The 9th of Av
The 9th of Av
By J.L. Robb
The Jewish calendar is different than the modern calendar used by most of the rest of the world. Instead of 2018, the current year on the Jewish calendar is 5778. That date starts with the creation of man 5778 years ago and is based on the biblical ages of early man.
Since BC and AD refer to a change in the calendar of the day because of the birth of Jesus, our Messiah, it is not recognized since they do not believe that Jesus was the messiah foretold by their very own prophets. The rabbis of Judah were a stubborn bunch, and the children of Israel are described throughout the Bible as “stiff necked.” The designation of Before Christ and After Christ began to slowly come into effect around 525 AD.
In the Jewish calendar, all holidays occur on exactly the same date, according to the calendar, which is based on solar cycle and lunar cycle. A year can be 12 months or sometimes, 13 months; and the months have 29 or 30 days. In contrast, the modern calendar has 12 months of 28, 29, 30 and 31 days.
The first month of the Jewish year is the month of Nissan. In the current year, the month of Nissan runs from March 18-April 15 and always includes Passover.
The month of Av is also the Month of Mourning, specifically Tisha B’Av, the 9th of Av, for good reason. This month has proven so catastrophic throughout Jewish history, a fast occurs for three weeks before the 9th of Av. This year, the 9th of Av is July 21, 2018.
The consensus: The Jewish people have experienced several major tragedies in history that have occurred on the 9th of Av.
The lists of events vary somewhat, but below is an example:
1. Hebrew year 2448 (1312 BC): Moses decided to delay conquering Canaan because the spies he sent in reported the people were giants, and the cities were well-fortified.
The Lord said to Moses, “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.”
So at the Lord’s command Moses sent them out from the Desert of Paran. All of them were leaders of the Israelites.
Numbers 13:1-3 NIV
When the spies returned after forty days, all but two insisted that they not invade. While the land indeed was a land of milk and honey, the people were giants and fierce. As a result, the Israelites spent a total of 40 years in the desert, a year for each day the spies were gone.
2. Hebrew year 3507 (587 BC): Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians destroyed Solomon’s Temple (the First Temple). The two remaining tribes of Israel (Judah) were exiled and more than 100,000 Jews were killed.
3. Hebrew year 3830 (70 AD): The Second Temple, built after the defeat of Nebuchadnezzar, was destroyed by the Romans. In the process, more than two-million Jews died from war or famine/disease.
4. Hebrew year 3895 (135 AD): The Jews continued to rebel against Rome after the Second Temple was destroyed. The new Roman emperor, Hadrian, made promises of a Jewish homeland and a rebuilt temple; but he later reneged.
Under Jewish guerilla-leader Bar-Kokhba, the final battle took place at Bethar where thousands of Jewish refugees had fled during the war. The old temple grounds were plowed smooth, Jews were exiled again; and more than 100,000 were killed. The Romans continued construction of pagan city Aelia Capitolina, built on the ruins of Jerusalem.
Her leaders judge for a bribe, her priests teach for a price, and her prophets tell fortunes for money. Yet they look for the Lord’s support and say,
“Is not the Lord among us? No disaster will come upon us.”
Therefore because of you, Zion will be plowed like a field, Jerusalem will become a heap of rubble, the temple hill a mound overgrown with thickets.
Micah 3:11-12 NIV
5. Hebrew year 4855 (1095AD): Pope Urban II declares the First Crusade to rid Jerusalem of Islamic takeover. During the first month, 10,000+ Jews were killed.
6. Hebrew year 5050 (1290 BC): England expels all Jews.
7. Hebrew year 5252 (1492): Spain and Portugal expel all Jews and confiscate property.
8. Hebrew year 5674 (1914 AD): World War I declared.
9. Hebrew year 5702 (1942 AD): Jews begin their deportation from Warsaw to the Treblinka concentration camp.
10. Hebrew year 5754 (1994 AD): The Jewish Community Center, Buenos Aires is bombed with 86 killed.
In researching this topic, one article from www.ohr.edu, a Jewish site describing these tragedies, ends like this:
In the future, to that same degree that the ninth of Av has been a day of tragedy, it will be a day of great happiness. For on the 9th of Av, the Mashiach will be born from the tribe of Yehuda (whose symbol is the lion).
I am now writing the seventh and final book in a series about the last days, a journey I began with Part One in 2011. I had a calling. The End Part Seven should be available late summer, hopefully.
In the process of thinking up a good title, a title with meaning, I came across the phenomenon of the 9th of Av tragedies. I decided to make that the title: The 9th of Av
According to the quote above,
For on the 9th of Av, the Mashiach will be born from the tribe of Yehuda (whose symbol is the lion)…
the Jewish Messiah will be born out of the tribe of Judah and will come as a lion to save them from yet another tragedy on the 9th of Av.
Could the date of Armageddon start on this date, as the quote predicted? We do not know the day and time, but this date would be a good guess. The middle of summer is a difficult time to fight a war.
Unfortunately, Israel missed this part of the story from Isaiah, where the Messiah from Judah would first come as a lamb going to slaughter. Had they not, they would have understood, like thousands of other Jews did, that the Messiah had already come.
He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth. Isaiah 53:7 NIV
When Jesus, the Lion of Judah, returns, even liberal churches of today will understand that Jesus is neither liberal or pacifist by their definition, nor is he all-inclusive.
“Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals. Revelation 5:5-6 NIV
The news is good though. The ending is happy for those who make the cut.
“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” Revelation 21:4 NIV