Beginning at sundown on September 15th, we begin the seventh month of the Hebrew calendar known as “Tishri.” Tishri is the first of the three months that marks the harvest season. “Tishri” means “reflected light,” and the time for God’s remnant to arise in fruitfulness and bear witness of His light and glory with the heart of the King:

“And all Mine are Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in them” (John 17:10).

This month is associated with the tribe of Ephraim, the youngest son of Joseph. Ephraim means; “Doubly fruitful.” Ephraim was born during Joseph’s reign as Pharaoh’s “governor.” At the time of his birth, Joseph was enjoying God’s redemption and great blessing after having suffered as a slave and a prisoner of Pharaoh’s. Therefore, Joseph said when he named Ephraim: “For God has caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction” (Gen.41:52).

When Jacob was nearing his death, Joseph visits his dad with his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh. After Jacob saw them, he was strengthened by the Lord and prophesied over the boys that they would be grafted in to the Abrahamic Covenantal inheritance along with his own 12 sons (Gen. 48).

Remarkably, God gave Joseph’s sons a double portion of blessings that would manifest greatly in the latter days, along with the stewardship of the birthright. Even though Ephraim was the younger one, he was given the firstborn blessings instead of his brother Manasseh. “He shall be greater than he (his older brother Manasseh), and his descendants shall become a multitude of nations.” (Genesis 48:19). God chose Ephraim and Manasseh to be a “reflected light” of the “Good News” to the four corners of the earth in the latter days. England and America have been fulfilling those prophetic words.

The prophetic blessing given to Joseph (which would now go to his two sons) was the crowning best! “Joseph is a fruitful bough, a fruitful bough by a well; His branches run over the wall.” In Genesis 49:22-26 and Deut. 33:13-17, God declares that the sons of Joseph would have hidden resources and rich heritage with God’s favor and blessing upon the land given with rain and produce. In addition, these two tribes would push the peoples to the ends of the earth. Joseph’s obedience to “walk with God” throughout all his hardships ends up paying off with great blessings for his offspring.

Later in history, Joshua was raised up to be a great leader who was from the tribe of Ephraim. Because of his steadfast obedience to the Lord, God prospered everything he did. He was one of the greatest military leaders we read in the Bible who defeated the enemy and took possession of the land. Obedience to the Lord without compromise is Ephraim’s key to seeing the great harvest of blessings.

America was fruitful and blessed as well when she was walking in obedience to the purpose of why God brought the forefathers to her shores to establish “one nation under God.” Reverend Robert Hunt declared in Jamestown in 1607:

“From these very shores the Gospel shall go forth to not only this New World but the entire world.” 

America is in the midst of her “shaking” to return to her covenant roots of why God raised her up to be a beacon on hope to the nations. God is on the move in the hour to raise up an army to establish His plumb line of truth and righteousness in her foundation so America can steward the covenant birthright.

Tishri has many more significant markings that make this month unique. Many biblical historians agree that Adam was formed from the earth in the month of Tishri, and that Jesus came into the flesh, born of the Virgin Mary, in this same month as Adam.

The heart of God in creating the first Adam was declared in the beginning: “Be FRUITFUL and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth” (Gen. 1:28).

God’s desire was to create man for “sonship” with Him, and for man to take hold of the responsibility of the inheritance of the earth to steward it and to multiply fruitfulness.

Unfortunately, the clean communication and a willingness to follow the Fathers instruction became marred by sin. Yet all throughout the generations since Adam, God raised a “seed” set apart to reflect His light and truth, and to pave the way to redeem the sons of Adam back in union with the Father. This covenant thread would eventually land in the pathway of “the second Adam,” Christ the Redeemer, and the Father’s solution for His covenant promise to be perfected and fruitful:

“And so it is written, The first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” (1 Cor. 15:45).

Two thousand years later, the pattern continues through the “FIRSTFRUITS” remnant rising in the fullness of God’s resurrection power. This is prophesied to happen in this month of Tishri and will be a witness of the beginning of the Millennium reign at the “sound of the trump.”

“For the LORD Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel. and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the LORD in the air. And thus we shall always be with the LORD” (1 Thes. 4:16,17).

The month of Tishri also trumpets the “Head of the Year” which is knowns as “Rosh Hashanah.” Creation was “birthed” in this month, and so this is why this “New Years Day” is celebrated by the Jewish people. This civil calendar, however, became secondary to the Hebrews when they accepted God’s proposal of marriage at Mt. Sinai to the LORD (Ex.19). Included in God’s “wedding vows” to the nation He married was their new priestly calendar that shifted the beginning of the year to the month of Nisan, and included God’s chosen “Holy Days” established in the Feasts of the LORD (Ex. 12; Lev.23). These Holy Days also would set forth a pattern to prophesy of how God would use Jesus and His remnant to perfect His redemption plan.

Many have been led to believe we will not know the time of the return of the LORD because of this scripture reference:

“Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour” (Matt. 25:13).

But the Feasts of the LORD reveal the season, and the month, which is Tishri. The day and hour were unknown to the Hebrews back in biblical days because they relied on the priests to spot the new moon to sound the alarm, and some days the weather prevented them from seeing. The new moon was never on the same day each month as well, so Jesus was telling us to be in a state of READINESS and have ears to hear!

Tishri is also special because it is the only month that “Firstfruits” and a Feast of the LORD intersect. The Feast of Trumpets arrives each year on the first day of Tishri with the witness of the new moon. There is a special trumpet blowing to signify God’s harvest season has begun (Lev. 23:24). The blessing we receive from God when we understand the meaning of the Feast of Trumpets, also known as “Yom Ha Teruah,” and the blowing of the trumpet (shofar) is found in Psalm 89:15, as it is written, “How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound [blast of the shofar]…” The shofar is the physical instrument that God instructed us to use to hear the sound to awake from spiritual slumber (1 Corinthians 15:46).

Today, we are experiencing heaven and earth drawing closer together for the monumental covenant shift that will bring the fulfillment of the purpose of celebrating these Fall Feasts in the month of Tishri. It will not be the end of the world as some people think. Jesus is coming to reign here over the nations, so God’s story doesn’t end in destruction, but in redemption as it is God’s vision for all the earth to be filled with His glory (Numbers 14:21).

Joel 2:15-19 declares:

“Blow the trumpet in Zion, Consecrate a fast, call a sacred assembly; Gather the people, Sanctify the congregation, Assemble the elders, Gather the children and nursing babies; Let the bridegroom go out from his chamber, and the bride from her dressing room. Let the priests, who minister to the Lord, Weep between the porch and the altar; Let them say, “Spare Your people, O Lord, and do not give Your heritage to reproach, that the nations should rule over them. Why should they say among the peoples, “Where is their God?’”Then the Lord will be zealous for His land, and pity His people. The Lord will answer and say to His people, ”Behold, I will send you grain and new wine and oil, and you will be satisfied by them; I will no longer make you a reproach among the nations.”

Joel 2 lays out the simple blueprint of the purpose of the three Fall Feasts celebrated in Tishri. First, blow the trumpet to sound the alarm and awaken a people (Feast of Trumpets). Secondly, repent as an Ecclesia for lack of faith and obedience to steward God’s kingdom here on the earth (Day of Atonement). And lastly, celebrate the glory restored and the union of dwelling with the LORD (Feast of Tabernacles).

Until the actual year God chooses to fulfill the promise patterned of these Fall Feasts, we are invited to continue these “dress rehearsals” to be ready. The trumpet sounds the warning for us to examine our heart… Are we ready for His return? Are we a people who are “bondservants” of Christ, willing to surrender all to take up the cross?

When Jesus looks at the gifts and talents that had been distributed to each of us individually, will He find us using them for His glory? This question leads then into the corporate calling: Are the gifts and talents of God’s people working together in unity to bring glory and honor to His name so that the world can see He is the only True God?

Finally, the big question arises: Is this nation in which we live fulfilling its covenant plan and giving of its gifts and talents to serve other nations to honor and glorify Him by abiding in His ways? The nations will be judged, and only as believers unite in Him can we fulfill that call of one nation under God. God’s people have to be linked together to see this come to pass. This is why God is raising up a remnant to equip and unify His army for the days ahead. And this remnant is going to arise and be seen.

“If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, THEN I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chron. 7:14).