Habakkuk 1:5 Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. -LORD God
The latest on Russia and Ukraine… Russia says they are withdrawing military equipment. Well yes and no… Actions speak louder than words.
Ezekiel 38 discusses how Gog of Magog will plunder livestock and cattle from Israel. Israel’s dairy production is in the news. Israel is home to the most productive dairy cattle in the world.
Ezekiel 38:12b-13 …who have acquired livestock and possessions and who live at the center of the land. Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish with all its villages will ask, ‘Have you come to capture the plunder? Have you assembled your hordes to carry away loot, to make off with silver and gold, to take cattle and goods, to seize great spoil?’
Antichrist and Beast Watch… Another global leader is tying behavior to economic participation. Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada invokes the Emergencies Act. Bank assets are being frozen. Major banks in Canada were offline. Banks were given broad and sweeping powers to freeze the accounts of others.
1 John 2:18 Children, it is the last hour; and just as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, so now many antichrists have appeared. This is how we know it is the last hour.
All of this and more on Today in Prophecy… Click on the link below…
After the completion of the planned exercises at training grounds in Crimea, an echelon with military equipment of the units of Russia’s Southern Military District returns to home bases. pic.twitter.com/uJydxfTLbX
This is about following the money. This is about stopping the financing of these illegal blockades. We are today serving notice: if your truck is being used in these protests, your corporate accounts will be frozen. pic.twitter.com/AJ73zdDMy5
The context of this series of posts is the course of the Jewish people for the initial 49 years of the 483 year period communicated from the angel Gabriel to the prophet Daniel. The city of Jerusalem has been rebuilt post exile. These events are covered in Nehemiah 8-13. Israel is returning to God’s Law. The focus has shifted to God’s appointed holidays. This week, Pentecost remains in focus. This is the second of two posts on what is known as Shavuot in the Hebrew.
Hebrews 5:12-14 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
The author of Hebrews is addressing believers. God’s word is being equated with milk. Grow up! You are going in the wrong direction. Stop acting like a baby! Babies drink milk. They do not eat food. At this point as believers in Christ, there should be more maturity. These believers should be ready to eat real, solid food and should be getting off of the liquid diet. Moreover, they should be teaching others about Christ.
Hebrews 6:1-4 Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And this we will do, if God permits. For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit…
According to the text, these are the fundamentals of Jesus Christ: repentance of dead works, faith toward God, instruction about washing and laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
There is also a reminder. At the time of the writing of Hebrews, Jewish men had been coming to the Jerusalem for over 1,500 years per God’s instruction for Shavuot (Exodus 23:14-17) since the time of Moses. God gave the instructions for Shavuot to Moses on Mount Sinai on this ordained holiday (Leviticus 23).
Shavuot and Pentecost are synonymous. Shavuot is often associated with God giving the Torah, the birth of Judaism. Pentecost is often associated with God giving the Holy Spirit, the birth of the church. Part of the celebration of the holiday includes eating and drinking milk products. The author of Hebrews is equating milk with the holiday as a reminder.
Today, the tradition of eating and drinking dairy products continues with Shavuot. In addition, the book of Ruth is read. There is a reminder to us as well. As believers in Jesus Christ, we have the Holy Spirit of God within us. We are sealed with the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.
Hebrews 5:12-14 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food. For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.
The author of Hebrews is addressing believers. God’s word is being equated with milk. Grow up! You are going in the wrong direction. Stop acting like a baby! Babies drink milk. They do not eat food. At this point as believers in Christ, there should be more maturity. These believers should be ready to eat real, solid food and should be getting off of the liquid diet. Moreover, they should be teaching others about Christ.
Hebrews 6:1-4 Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And this we will do, if God permits. For in the case of those who have once been enlightened and have tasted of the heavenly gift and have been made partakers of the Holy Spirit…
According to the text, these are the fundamentals of Jesus Christ: repentance of dead works, faith toward God, instruction about washing and laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.
There is also a reminder. At the time of the writing of Hebrews, Jewish men had been coming to the Jerusalem for over 1,500 years per God’s instruction for Shavuot (Exodus 23:14-17) since the time of Moses. God gave the instructions for Shavuot to Moses on Mount Sinai on this ordained holiday (Leviticus 23).
Shavuot and Pentecost are synonymous. Shavuot is often associated with God giving the Torah, the birth of Judaism. Pentecost is often associated with God giving the Holy Spirit, the birth of the church. Part of the celebration of the holiday includes eating and drinking milk products. The author of Hebrews is equating milk with the holiday as a reminder.
This year (2015), Shavuot/Pentecost starts on sunset, Saturday, May 23 on a Gregorian calendar. Today, the tradition of eating and drinking dairy products continues with Shavuot. In addition, the book of Ruth is read. There is a reminder to us as well. As believers in Jesus Christ, we have the Holy Spirit of God within us. We are sealed with the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 1:21-22 Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge.
Isaiah 7:20 In that day the Lord will shave with a razor, hired from regions beyond the Euphrates (that is, with the king of Assyria), the head and the hair of the legs; and it will also remove the beard.
God is using the King of Assyria as an instrument. Here is some background as to how Jewish culture viewed a razor, shaving, hair, and a beard. Presentation of hair was important to the Jewish people. During this time, hair was worn long by men and women. People would curl their hair for effect. Baldness was considered humiliating or embarrassing. Bald people were made fun of or insulted. (Holman Bible Dictionary).
The beard was considered an ornament. The beard was not shaved but trimmed. Size and fullness of beard were symbols of respectability and trustworthiness. The beard was an object of an oath with blessings or shame stated (New Unger’s Bible Dictionary).
The bodies of people were completely shaved from head to toe including the beard. The phrase “hair of the legs” is interesting. Some have interpreted this to be idiomatic language for pubic hair. The idea was total humiliation.
Figurative language is used in verse 20. The “razor” is likely the future king Sennacherib. Judah was flattened in 701 BC. According to the records of Sennacherib, forty-six cities were destroyed in Judah. Approximately 200,000 people were captured and taken from the land (Wycliffe Bible Commentary).
Isaiah 7:21 Now in that day a man may keep alive a heifer and a pair of sheep;
Each person has limited livestock at this time, three animals. A heifer is a young cow that has not produced off spring. There is no mention of a bull. This could make reproduction and growth of populations difficult.
Isaiah 7:22 and because of the abundance of the milk produced he will eat curds, for everyone that is left within the land will eat curds and honey.
If a person was alive and survived, people will live off of these animals. There is no other food source. The lack of vegetation and crops will be discussed in the next verses.
