Ethiopia follows a 13 month calendar and so it's actually the year 2007 in Ethiopia today! Enkutatash is the word for the Ethiopian new year in Amharic, the official language of Ethiopia. It has also been associated traditionally with the return of the Queen of Sheba to Ethiopia following her visit to King Solomon Jerusalem in ca. 980 BC. Enkutatash means “gift of jewels.” The story goes back almost 3,000 years to the Queen of Sheba of ancient Ethiopia who was returning from a trip to visit King Solomon of Israel in Jerusalem, as found in the Bible in I Kings 10 and II Chronicles 9. She had gifted Solomon with 120 talents of gold (4.5 tons) as well as a large amount of unique spices and jewels.
1 Kings 10 says this:10 "When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relationship to the Lord, she came to test Solomon with hard questions. 2 Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan—with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones—she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind.3 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her.4 When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built,5 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at[a] the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.
6 She said to the king, “The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 7 But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. 8 How happy your people must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel. Because of the Lord’s eternal love for Israel, he has made you king to maintain justice and righteousness.”
10 And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon."
When the Queen returned to Ethiopia her chiefs welcomed her with enku or jewels to replenish her treasury.We continue to seek God, ask for wisdom in our life journeys, and are praying for renewal of hope in this new year! May this year be full of God's plan revealed to us as we press on in our adoption process and surrender to God's timing in joining us with little Tarik. Thanks for your prayers!
Bible verses on Hope:
Psalms 62:5 My soul, wait you only on God; for my expectation is from him.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, said the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Romans 5:5 And hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given to us.
Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
Romans 12:12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;
Galatians 5:5 For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
Ephesians 3:20 Now to him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,
Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
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