We have entered the blessed season of Elul on the biblical calendar once again. This is the appointed time to turn our hearts away from the world, and from the sins that have entangled us all year. We are invited to seek the King of Kings, so he can renew and restore our lives.

Each year Elul falls in September or October on the Gregorian solar calendar. This year Elul began on September 4, 2024 and will end at sundown on October 2.

One of the verses recited during Elul is from Psalm 27:8.

You have said, “Seek my face.” My heart says to you, “Your face, Lord, do I seek.”

Elul is the SEASON to seek the “face” of the Lord.

Elul is a unique time to hear the awakening blast of the shofar (trumpet) that’s being played by our Creator and Savior. In synagogues around the world, a ram’s horn (shofar) will be blown in the natural realm, but in the spiritual realm there’s a trumpet blasting as well. These piercing sounds are meant to wake believers up so they can hear the Holy Spirit (God) more clearly. The Holy Spirit calls us to repentance and action, but it also reveals the deep and mysterious things of the Lord. When I say “deep and mysterious,” I’m not talking about New Age, esoteric ideas, but rather seeking Jesus so he can show us His Word and His will for our lives in a way that transcends what we knew before.

THE KING IS IN THE FIELD during elul

Messianic Rabbi Jason Sobel explains,

“Each day of the month of Elul (except for Shabbat and the last day of Elul), the Jewish people sound the shofar (ram’s horn) as a call to repentance. The Jewish people teach that the ‘King is in the Field’ during Elul–God is readily accessible, willing to hear our requests and listen to our fervent prayers for the coming new year.” He adds that the Hebrew letter for the month of Elul is yod, which represents the concentrated power of God.

What this means is that during Elul we have an opportune time to seek Jesus with our requests. It’s interesting to note that Elul derives from an ancient Akkadian word meaning harvest and is similar to the Aramaic root verb which means to search.

Now is the season to let God search our hearts as we pray for a great harvest in our lives, as well as our nation. Elul precedes the High Holy Days that fall in the biblical month of Tishrei, which are Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement) and the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). The Bible refers to these Holy Days as feasts, which is translated as moed in Hebrew. This word means an appointed time or meeting. The implication is that the feasts are an important time to meet with God.

During this special meeting time we can connect with Jesus to pray about personal problems, as well as national and global issues.

This year, I felt led to share about praying for physical healing during Elul. My son has experienced many health challenges throughout his life, so this is something very close to my heart. Recently, I wrote an article for Intercessors for America which I am posting below. The main idea is that OUR HOPE FOR HEALING COMES FROM JESUS!

The medical industry has its positives, but the truth is that oftentimes the only answer one gets for “healing” is to take a medication/pharmaceutical, have a procedure/surgery, get a vaccine, or to simply learn to live with the condition.

I’m here to tell you that JESUS STILL HEALS TODAY!

Truthfully, it’s not always a quick healing, but rather one that happens over time. As we draw closer to Jesus in our pain and suffering, he reveals those “deeper, mysterious” things that help us identify what we can do to get well again.

The United States of America is one of the sickest nations on earth. I highly suggest watching this interview with Big Pharma whistleblowers Calley and Casey Means. They will explain WHY we are so sick as a nation and what can be done about it. Also, here is a website called The Truth About Cancer. It focuses on the causes of cancer, as well as alternative treatments.

I’ll repeat again that most of us would love to receive a miraculous “one and done” healing. Of course, sometimes Jesus does completely heal a person instantly! But many times Jesus leads us to answers so we become part of that process. For instance, he may show us healthier foods to eat, or foods to avoid. He may also take us down a path of research where we will find an effective solution to our health problem. Healing often occurs when we follow the Holy Spirit’s direction and are obedient to the solutions that Jesus lays before us.

Elul isn’t a “magical” time to seek Jesus because WE CAN SEEK JESUS AND PRAY ANYTIME WE WANT! But Elul is an appointed time on the biblical calendar to meet with the King of Kings with our requests. What a fantastic time to connect with Jesus and pray about all things pertaining to healing.

With that said, below is an article I wrote about healing. I hope it will bring a new wave of hope to you as you read the truths within. Seek the Lord during Elul with great confidence knowing that Jesus wants to spend time with you and help you find answers!

JESUS IS STILL OUR HEALER (originally published by Intercessors for America, August 2024- Angela Rodriguez)

And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, and though she had spent all her living on physicians, she could not be healed by anyone. She came up behind him and touched the fringe (corner–hem) of his garment, and immediately her discharge of blood ceased…But Jesus said, “Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me.” And when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling, and falling down before him declared in the presence of all the people why she had touched him, and how she had been immediately healed. And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace,” Luke 8:43-48.

When you read the words of these verses, does it strengthen your belief in divine healing? Does it ignite a spark within your spirit that infuses faith over fear?

The precious woman in this biblical account suffered with a bleeding issue for over a decade. She could not be cured by the best doctors, and the latest medicines and treatments were of no use. As an unclean member of society, she was truly an outcast, leaving her with nowhere to turn. In faith, she reached out to the ONLY ONE who could restore and heal her body–Jesus Christ.

Our modern world bears little resemblance to the biblical days when Jesus the Messiah walked through the streets of ancient Israel, healing the sick and demon-possessed. In these uncertain times, society urges humanity to put their faith in anything but Jesus. Surrounded by the latest medical technologies and breakthroughs, humanity is told that science is the answer. Advertisements on TV and media bombard the public with messages about medications for everything from anxiety to dementia, while new vaccines are released before diseases even make their debut.

Is “Science” the only Answer?

While medications, surgical procedures and treatments can be miraculous blessings bestowed upon us by God through gifted doctors, surgeons, nurses and medical professionals, we must never neglect the amazing healing power of the Great Physician, the Lord our Healer.

Not so long ago, I came to understand the significance of God’s miraculous healing touch. For many years, my son struggled with debilitating motor tics that caused great suffering both mentally and physically. Initially, it seemed that medications and pharmaceutical remedies were the best approach to receiving healing. After all, they were tangible, measurable and touted by experienced physicians.    

Unfortunately, even after years of treatments, no improvement in my son’s condition was achieved. Oftentimes, the side effects of certain medications were worse than the lingering tics he was experiencing. This brought me to the point of despair. But in that time of desperation, the Lord led me to a verse: Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. James 5:14-15.

Reaching Out to Jesus for Healing 

Like the woman who reached out to Jesus for healing, I was at the end of my rope. I decided to act on this verse, allowing the members of the church to lay hands on my son and pray. The pastor prayed not only for healing, but for light to be shed on what could be causing the tics. Though healing didn’t happen immediately, over time my son’s condition improved dramatically. The Holy Spirit also led me to the answers I was looking for, which involved natural treatments and a non-pharmaceutical approach to health. Most importantly, my family was drawn into a deeper relationship with Jesus and His voice became louder than the medical industry.

Healing in His Wings

Malachi 4:2 contains an astounding truth about healing.

But for you who fear my name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in his wings (NLT).

While this inspiring verse points to Jesus as the Great Healer, it also highlights the profound significance of the garment that Jesus wore during his time on earth known as the tallit. All Jewish males were commanded to wear this rectangular prayer shawl which contained four corners referred to as wings (Numbers 15:37-41). Hanging from the wings were fringes known as tzitzit. These tassels (fringes) were knotted and twisted in a special way to symbolize God’s commandments, or the Word of God.

The woman with the bleeding issue touched the fringe (corner, hem, tassels) of Jesus’s garment, which is known as the tzitzit. These fringes (tzitzit) would have hung from the wing (corner) of Jesus’s tallit (prayer shawl). Essentially, she was taking hold of the Word of God because this is what the tzitzit represent. She was also reaching out for the wings of the garment, which symbolize the covering and protection of Jesus. Psalm 91 illustrates this beautifully, especially verse 4 which says, He will cover you with his feathers. He will shelter you with his wings, NLT.

Below is a picture of a tallit with its fringes (tzitzit)

There is great power in the Word of God because it always reveals truth and truth brings healing. Oftentimes this world tells us that the best solution to our problems is to “pop a pill,” or rely on experimental products to cure our illnesses and ailments. While there’s nothing wrong with taking a medicine or seeking medical treatment, this doesn’t always solve our problem and in some cases, it can make the situation worse. In certain instances, there can also be side effects, dependence, or even addiction. Worse yet, the root cause of the medical condition could be completely ignored, leading to more issues down the road.

Exodus 15:26 declares, “I am the Lord, your healer,” while Psalm 17:8 says, “Hide me in the shadow of your wings.”

How can we receive healing in THE shadow of Jesus’s wings?

Looking back at the tallit, we once again find clues. Amazingly, the prayer shawl becomes a secret shelter for the person wearing it as he/she spreads out the wings of the garment and places them over their head and body. Suddenly, it becomes a secret shelter or little tabernacle where one can find rest and healing. As the walls of the tallit block out the voices of the world and the fringes cling to the believer, the only voice to be heard is of the Savior, who is known as the Word of God. 

Jesus Has the Answers

It is during this time of deep connection that we can find the answers we desperately need. Of course, one does not have to possess a prayer shawl to connect with the Savior, or receive healing. The prayer shawl (tallit) is symbolic for what we must do in order to receive the healing touch that we desire. Whether it’s physical or mental healing that we seek for ourselves or others, the first thing we must do is pursue Jesus and His Word. Through the Holy Spirit, the Lord will guide our paths. As we are obedient under His wings, we will be divinely directed to what we should do to receive healing. No matter what happens with our physical condition, we will be covered under the Savior’s wings as he walks through it with us. It’s important to note that spiritual healing sometimes happens before physical healing as Jesus works on healing our hearts.

The Covid pandemic reminds us of what happens when mankind puts all their faith in modern medicine. During this time, an experimental vaccine was touted as the only way to receive healing, but instead, it caused record injuries and death. Fear prompted an irrational allegiance to medical “science,” which led to coercion, shaming and mandating.

Imagine what would have happened during the pandemic if society as a whole had chosen to take refuge under the wings of Jesus instead of following the voices of world leaders, government agencies and medical authorities? What if the majority of people reached out for the hem of Jesus’s garment, instead of an experimental product?

How would the outcome have been different? I’ll leave that question for you to ponder and answer.

The world is telling us to put our hopes in technology, pharmaceuticals and modern medicine. But Matthew 14:35-36 tells us to reach out for Jesus.

And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick and implored him that they might only touch the fringe (corner) of his garment (tallit). And as many as touched it were made well.

Last year I attended the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico where I witnessed the launching of hundreds of gigantic hot air balloons. It had been less than a week since the citizens of Israel were brutally attacked on October 7, 2023. As I watched the beautiful balloons rise into the air, I sensed the tremendous healing our world needed, especially the Jewish people. As I pondered this, my husband shouted, “There’s Jesus!” For a moment, I was confused. “What do you mean, there’s Jesus?” I questioned.

And then I saw it! A beautiful hot air balloon was rising in the air and there was a picture of Jesus displayed across it.

See picture below…

The balloon featured a joyous and radiant image of Jesus that’s meant to proclaim the Good News that Jesus saves. When I saw the balloon, it was like a surge of electricity jolted my heart. As I thought about all the difficulties and turmoil in the world, I came back to the truth that our greatest hope for healing is Jesus.

The need for healing is greater than ever. Let’s boldly take hold of the hem of Jesus’s garment and wait in great expectation for His healing touch.

One of the traditional blessings recited under the tallit is from Psalm 36.

How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings, Psalm 36:7.

Lord Jesus, teach us to put our faith and trust in you when it comes to supplying all of our needs, especially healing.

Are you, or someone else in need of a healing miracle? I encourage you to share this article with anyone who is in need of a healing miracle, or those who may need a boost in faith (here is the link from IFA–Intercessors for America). Or, you can share this blogpost…

Also, I wanted to say thank you to those who have purchased Hallelujah’s Great Ride! I pray it brings joy and hope to your heart!

The biggest HOPE we all have is that JESUS WILL RETURN and restore this planet! His beautiful white horse will be with him as he brings justice and HEALING to the world! Hallelujah! If you purchased Hallelujah’s Great Ride from Amazon, I would love it if you could leave a review.

Thank you for reading these posts. Your support is most appreciated and I am so grateful for you!