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This Week in Prophecy: Tishri New Moon, Medicane Daniel & Libya, Mexico & Aliens, Flooding Red Wine

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Prophecy, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 17, 2023 by paulthepoke

The following is from Mark Harris at https://whenisthenewmoon.com/

Happy Feast Season, Everyone!

The New Moon was sited in Jerusalem this evening, on the Sabbath, September 16th, 2023!

Therefore, The Feast Of Trumpets…. Yom Teruah is upon us!

Location: Jerusalem

Time Sighted:  Witnessed at 7:03 pm

Witnesses: From Jerusalem By Devorah Gordon, followed by John L. Grant, Joy Collins Lyle, and Gil Ashendorf.

Date Sighted: Sabbath, September 16th, 2023.

Therefore, this 7th New Moon will be observed after sunset on September 16th through September 17th, at Sunset.

Biblical Hebrew Month: This is the 7th Biblical Hebrew Month, also known as Tishrei.

——————————–

7th Month Biblical Feast Dates: (based on the new moon sited in Israel)

Feast of Trumpets (Yom Teruah): Sept, 16th at sunset through Sept 17th till sunset

Day Of Atonement (Yom Kippur): Sept, 26th at sunset through Sept 27th till sunset

Feast Of Tabernacles (Sukkot): Opening Night Sept 30th after sunset, October 1st (first day) – October 7th (7th day).

Last Great Day Of The Feast (Shemini Atzeret): October 8th. (starting the previous night at sunset)

https://whenisthenewmoon.com/7th-month-new-moon-report/

Ezekiel 38: Ancient Put or modern day Libya.

Put or Phut: a son of Ham, his descendants and their land. -Strong’s Concordance

Derna, Libya: Medicane Daniel has struck Libya. Death toll estimates are over 20,000. Some have commented off the record, the death toll could approach 40,000. Over 30,000 people are now homeless.

The primary culprit for all of the damage is the collapse of two dams above the city. The wall of water was estimated to be over 20 feet high.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12520923/Swept-away-Libya-tsunami-streets-went-calm-catastrophe-just-25-seconds-storm-water-burst-dams-tore-cities-leaving-20-000-dead.html

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Genesis 6:4 The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of mankind, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

The Mexican Congress hearings brought forth two nonhuman beings this past week. Allegedly, the two bodies were naturally preserved and are believed to be about 1,000 years old.

Scientists indicate these are “ancient Peruvian mummies or manipulated mummies“.

https://www.npr.org/2023/09/13/1199251336/mexico-alien-corpses-congress

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Revelation 16:4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of waters; and they became blood.

These events above are towards the end of the seven year tribulation. As of September 2023, the tribulation has yet to begin.

Not exactly the fulfillment of prophecy, but a reminder of what is to come for the rivers and the springs of the planet.

https://www.amazon.com/Paul-Lehr/e/B09W8FB77N

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There Shall Be Seven Weeks: Feasts (First Fruits)

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Angels, Gospel, Prophecy, Resurrection with tags , , , , , , , , , , on June 27, 2021 by paulthepoke

Daniel 9:25b …there shall be seven weeks…

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. Passover and Unleavened Bread were covered last week. This week, First Fruits is the focus.

Nehemiah 10:33 …the appointed feasts…

There are seven God appointed holidays communicated through the Old Testament Law. They are Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost, Feast of Trumpets, Day of Atonement, and Tabernacles.

The first three spring holidays were fulfilled on the appointed holiday by Jesus Himself. The name of the feast covered today is First Fruits.

Leviticus 23:9-14 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel and say to them, When you come into the land that I give you and reap its harvest, you shall bring the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest, and he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD, so that you may be accepted. On the day after the Sabbath the priest shall wave it. And on the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb a year old without blemish as a burnt offering to the LORD. And the grain offering with it shall be two tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, a food offering to the LORD with a pleasing aroma, and the drink offering with it shall be of wine, a fourth of a hin. And you shall eat neither bread nor grain parched or fresh until this same day, until you have brought the offering of your God: it is a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings.

The third of God’s holidays is First Fruits or Reshit Katzir in the Hebrew. The one day holiday begins on the day after the Sabbath or Sunday on our calendar.

The priest is to make a barley offering of the first portion of the harvest to the Lord. The priest intervenes on behalf of the people. The reality of the holiday for the people of Israel is this. The people bring their grain sheaf to the priest. They are to sacrifice a lamb without blemish. The offering is also to be presented with bread and wine. This is to be done every year in perpetuity.

Jesus, Holy First Fruits Offering

1 Corinthians 15:20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Jesus had unfinished business for this appointed day of His resurrection. He was going to Heaven to be the First Fruit offering before God the Father in Heaven.

Jesus was the first portion barley offering before the Father. Jesus also brought a grain sheaf offering with Him before His Father. 

Matthew 27:52-53 The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.

Jesus is our High Priest and representative before God the Father.

Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of First Fruits, Reshit Katzir.

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There Shall Be Seven Weeks: Monthly Offerings

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Angels with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 13, 2021 by paulthepoke

Daniel 9:25b …there shall be seven weeks…

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 is Temple worship service. The Sabbath offering was covered last week. Next, Nehemiah reminds the Jewish people of the Monthly Offering or the New Moons.

New Moons is a phrase and a reminder of a new month. How is a new moon or a new month determined on the Hebrew calendar? God operates on a lunar calendar. Jews have utilized the following procedure every month for thousands of years. It is called Rosh Chodesh which means “head of the month”.

At the end of a lunar cycle, the moon is dark and is not seen for 2-3 days. So, the new moon could be identified during this 2-3 day period …of that day or hour no one knows…

By definition, a new moon is proclaimed when the first little sliver emerges from a darkened moon. It is a tiny crescent that is noted briefly at sunset on the western horizon. The month begins at the sighting of the new moon.

Two witnesses have to confirm the sighting. Upon agreement, the two witnesses report to the high priest. When the new moon is confirmed, the trumpet (shofar/ram’s horn) is blown. Why two witnesses? This concept is part of Jewish law. See Deuteronomy 19:15-21.

Two or more witnesses to the new moon are legally establishing as fact per the law.

Every new moon the following sacrifices are to take place.

Numbers 28:11-15 At the beginning of every month, you are to present to the LORD a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram, and seven male lambs a year old, all unblemished, along with three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering with each bull, two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering with the ram, and a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil as a grain offering with each lamb. This is a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, an offering made by fire to the LORD.

The elements of animal sacrifice and bread remain from the daily offering to the Sabbath offering to the monthly offering. All animals are unblemished and one year old. More bread is required for larger animals and the amount of flour decreases from the bull (3/10 ephah) to the ram (2/10 ephah) to the lamb (1/10 ephah). An ephah is roughly one bushel or 8 dry gallons or 35 liters or 8 pounds.

The element of fire, symbolic for judgment remains. Grilled meat and baked bread is a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

Numbers 28:14 Their drink offerings shall be half a hin of wine with each bull, a third of a hin with the ram, and a quarter hin with each lamb. This is the monthly burnt offering to be made at each new moon throughout the year.

Wine is required with the sacrifice as well. The bigger the animal, more wine is required. The amount of wine for a bull is 1/2 hin, for the ram 1/3 hin, and for the lamb 1/4 hin. The liquid measurement of a hin is roughly 1.5 U.S. gallons or 5.7 liters.

Numbers 28:15 In addition to the regular burnt offering with its drink offering, one male goat is to be presented to the LORD as a sin offering.

Perfect, spotless animals are sacrificed and burned. Symbolically, judgment has been delivered perpetually. Daily, weekly, and monthly examples are provided as a reminder. Bread and wine are served with these sacrifices. These elements represent perfect sacrifices.

And why are the sacrifices offered? Because of the male goat, a symbol for sin.

Christ is the fulfillment! Got Jesus???

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There Shall Be Seven Weeks: Burnt Offering

Posted in #PaulthePoke, Angels with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 30, 2021 by paulthepoke

Daniel 9:25b …there shall be seven weeks…

Resuming the series…

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 is Temple worship service. The showbread or shewbread was the first topic. Up next is the grain offering.

Nehemiah 10:33b …the regular grain offering and burnt offerings…

The focus of this section of Temple worship service is the daily sacrifices. Nehemiah is effectively going to review Numbers 28. This is the source of origin from God Himself to Moses.

Numbers 28:3 And you shall say to them, This is the food offering that you shall offer to the LORD: two male lambs a year old without blemish, day by day, as a regular offering.

God says there are to be two sacrifices a day, one in the morning and one at twilight. Two perfect lambs are sacrificed and roasted every day.

Numbers 28:4 The one lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer at twilight;

Then, God gives a recipe for how to make bread.

Numbers 28:5 …also a tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a grain offering, mixed with a quarter of a hin of beaten oil.

An ephah is roughly one bushel or 8 dry gallons or 35 liters or 8 pounds. Multiply x .1. We are talking a little less than a gallon or 3.5 liters.

Beaten oil is from pressed olives. The liquid measurement of a hin is roughly 1.5 U.S. gallons or 5.7 liters. Multiply x .25. This is about .375 gallons or 1.425 liters.

~

Lastly, God requests a “strong drink“. This would indicate fermentation or alcohol. The Hebrew word shekar is associated with drunkards in the Old Testament.

Numbers 28:7 Its drink offering shall be a quarter of a hin for each lamb. In the Holy Place you shall pour out a drink offering of strong drink to the LORD.

God states a quarter of a hin of likely wine for each lamb. A quarter of a hin or .375 gallons or 1.425 liters x2 = .75 gallons or 2.85 liters in total.

Numbers 28:8 The other lamb you shall offer at twilight. Like the grain offering of the morning, and like its drink offering, you shall offer it as a food offering, with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

A lamb is sacrificed and burned. Symbolically, judgment has been delivered perpetually. In conjunction, bread and wine are served. These are the elements for what we know as communion. And the Lord is pleased with this sacrifice.

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

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Preview: God’s Spring Appointed Holidays 2018

Posted in Prophecy, Resurrection, Spring Feasts, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 18, 2018 by paulthepoke

There are seven God appointed holidays communicated through the Old Testament Law. The first three spring holidays were fulfilled on the appointed holiday by Jesus Himself. The names of the feasts are: Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits.

springfeast

In the Gregorian calendar year of 2018, the holidays occur as follows. Passover essentially begins at sunset on Friday, March 30 on a western calendar. The first day of Unleavened Bread is the next day at sunset on Saturday, March 31. Lastly, the feast of First Fruits starts at sunset on Sunday, April 1. Please note, there is not consensus on these dates within various studies of Judaism and Jewish Messianic believers in Yeshua or Jesus Christ. When in doubt, search for the new moon and full moon. Humanity struggles to keep time as God has directed.

https://paulthepoke.com/2016/03/06/creation-of-time-the-calendar/

 

The first of God’s holidays is Passover or Pesach in the Hebrew. The holiday begins on the 14th day of the Hebrew month Nisan (March or April on a Gregorian calendar). There is a play on words in the original Hebrew. A “pesach” is an unblemished lamb which was required for the sacrifice. After the “pesach” was sacrificed, the blood was to be smeared on the wooden posts of the house. When God saw the blood on the door posts, He passed over or “pasach” and the house was spared judgment.

The original directions for the Passover were given to Moses and Aaron in Egypt. The statute and happenings are noted in Exodus 12. God defines the purpose of the holiday to Israel. Exodus 12:26-27a “And when your children say to you, ‘What does this rite mean to you?’ you shall say, ‘It is a Passover sacrifice to the LORD who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but spared our homes.’”

The second of God’s holidays is Unleavened Bread or Chag haMatazt in the Hebrew. The holiday begins on the 15th of Nisan and runs for seven days.

The directions of Unleavened Bread are noted in Exodus 12:15-20. The focus of the week is to live a life without leaven, the symbol for sin. Leaven is not to be in the house. Leaven products are not to be consumed. Bread without yeast, matzah, is to be eaten.

The third of God’s holidays is First Fruits or Reshit Katzir in the Hebrew. The one day holiday begins on the day after the Sabbath or Sunday on our calendar.

The directions for First Fruits are noted in Leviticus 23:9-14. The priest is to make a barley offering of the first portion of the harvest to the Lord. The priest intervenes of behalf of the people. The reality of the holiday for the people of Israel is this. The people bring their grain sheaf to the priest. They are to sacrifice a lamb without blemish. The offering is also to be presented with bread and wine.

 

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Passover: Leave a Place for Elijah

Posted in Prophecy, Spring Feasts with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 8, 2017 by paulthepoke

Malachi 4:5-6 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.

These are the last words and thoughts of the Old Testament. There would be silence for approximately 425 years…

A tradition at a Passover Seder is to leave an empty seat for the prophet Elijah. The empty seat is at the head of the table. A cup of wine is poured for Elijah should he show at the Seder. Elijah is the honored guest who is to announce the arrival of the Messiah.

Tradition has children opening the front door of the home in the hope of the arrival of Elijah. As the door is opened, the guests say… “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Christ in the Passover, Ceil and Moishe Rosen, Moody Press, Chicago.

John the Baptist was a type or forerunner for the first coming of Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself made the declaration.

Mark 9:12-13 And He said to them, “Elijah does first come and restore all things. And yet how is it written of the Son of Man that He will suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I say to you that Elijah has indeed come, and they did to him whatever they wished, just as it is written of him.” –Jesus.

And Jesus confirms that John the Baptist functions as if Elijah.

Matthew 11:14 “And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come.” –Jesus.

…and they did to him whatever they wished…and that they did. John the Baptist was beheaded. King Herod used the excuse of a “good dance” to complete what he wanted to do anyway.

Matthew 14:10-11 He sent and had John beheaded in the prison. And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother.

Jesus is coming a second time and will return to Earth. At that time, Christ will have a forerunner as He did the first time. I take it this next time it will be Elijah himself. Although he is not specifically named, Elijah is likely one of the two witnesses in Revelation 11. The skill set and characteristics of the witnesses are consistent with the prophet Elijah on his first mission.

See 1 Kings 17-21 and 2 Kings 1-2 for Elijah’s initial career and efforts.

Revelation 11:3 And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.

And like John the Baptist…

Revelation 11:7 When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them.

 

So when Elijah shows up and drinks the cup of wine at the Passover Seder, Yeshua HaMashiach is close…

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Preview: God’s Spring Appointed Holidays 2017

Posted in Prophecy, Spring Feasts with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 1, 2017 by paulthepoke

There are seven God appointed holidays communicated through the Old Testament Law. The first three spring holidays were fulfilled on the appointed holiday by Jesus Himself. The names of the feasts are: Passover, Unleavened Bread, and First Fruits.

springfeast

In the Gregorian calendar year of 2017, the holidays occur as follows. Passover essentially begins on Tuesday, April 11 on a western calendar. The first day of Unleavened Bread is the next day on Wednesday, April 12. Lastly, the feast of First Fruits starts on Thursday, April 13. Please note, there is not consensus on these dates within various studies of Judaism and Jewish Messianic believers in Yeshua or Jesus Christ. Humanity struggles to keep time as God has directed.

The first of God’s holidays is Passover or Pesach in the Hebrew. The holiday begins on the 14th day of the Hebrew month Nisan (March or April on a Gregorian calendar). There is a play on words in the original Hebrew. A “pesach” is an unblemished lamb which was required for the sacrifice. After the “pesach” was sacrificed, the blood was to be smeared on the wooden posts of the house. When God saw the blood on the door posts, He passed over or “pasach” and the house was spared judgment.

The original directions for the Passover were given to Moses and Aaron in Egypt. The statute and happenings are noted in Exodus 12. God defines the purpose of the holiday to Israel. Exodus 12:26-27a “And when your children say to you, ‘What does this rite mean to you?’ you shall say, ‘It is a Passover sacrifice to the LORD who passed over the houses of the sons of Israel in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but spared our homes.’”

The second of God’s holidays is Unleavened Bread or Chag haMatazt in the Hebrew. The holiday begins on the 15th of Nisan and runs for seven days.

The directions of Unleavened Bread are noted in Exodus 12:15-20. The focus of the week is to live a life without leaven, the symbol for sin. Leaven is not to be in the house. Leaven products are not to be consumed. Bread without yeast, matzah, is to be eaten.

The third of God’s holidays is First Fruits or Reshit Katzir in the Hebrew. The one day holiday begins on the day after the Sabbath or Sunday on our calendar.

The directions for First Fruits are noted in Leviticus 23:9-14. The priest is to make a barley offering of the first portion of the harvest to the Lord. The priest intervenes of behalf of the people. The reality of the holiday for the people of Israel is this. The people bring their grain sheaf to the priest. They are to sacrifice a lamb without blemish. The offering is also to be presented with bread and wine.

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Trend Update: Wine & Oil Ready for Temple, January 2017

Posted in Prophecy, Sanhedrin, Temple, Trend Update with tags , , , , , , , , , , on January 26, 2017 by paulthepoke

Exodus 29:38, 40 “Now this is what you shall offer on the altar: two one year old lambs each day, continuously… and there shall be one-tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with one-fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and one-fourth of a hin of wine for a drink offering with one lamb.”

January 2017: Thirty bottles of wine have been delivered to the Sanhedrin. This is another example that shows the Sanhedrin is gearing up for Temple service. They believe the readiness and availability of Temple wine is a forerunner to the arrival of the Messiah.

The procedures for kosher wine are the most strident of any food or beverage. The entire process from the grapes being grown on the ground, to the harvest, to the crushing of grapes, to bottling wine must be completed by Sabbath observant Jews. This is a very strict process.

A wine libation and oil are required for the daily sacrifice. Scripture says “a quarter hin” is needed. This amounts to about one quart. One hin is essentially equal to one gallon. The wine is poured on the altar.

Wine libations and sacrifices were part of other celebrations such as the Sabbath and the Passover. If one has participated in a Passover Seder, recall four cups of wine are utilized in the service.

Wine plays a role in Jewish cultural events and celebrations such as circumcisions and weddings. Jesus turned water into wine at the wedding in Cana. Christ knew how to throw a party with over 120 gallons of wine.

John 2:9-10 When the headwaiter tasted the water which had become wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the headwaiter called the bridegroom and said to him, “Every man serves the good wine first, and when the people have drunk freely, then he serves the poorer wine; but you have kept the good wine until now.”

https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/82239/rare-temple-quality-wine-anticipates-messiah-prophecy-paves-way-third-temple/#l3iBZTXtrMdGiLxr.99

 

Oil for the Temple Menorah is now available. Harvesting and processing standards of olives are now in place thanks to the Sanhedrin.

Exodus 27:20 “You shall charge the sons of Israel, that they bring you clear oil of beaten olives for the light, to make a lamp burn continually.”

The key word in the verse above is “beaten”. The process is done completely by hand. Machines and metal implements are not allowed. The olives are pounded with rubber and wooden mallets. Crushing the olive is not allowed.

“Since pressing the olives is not permitted for this special olive oil, the yield is very low. Once the menorah oil was produced, the remaining olives were made into 700 tins of this unique oil which are now available to the public,” stated Rabbi Shmuel Veffer, owner of Galilee Green which produced the oil.

Leviticus 2:4 “Now when you bring an offering of a grain offering baked in an oven, it shall be unleavened cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers spread with oil.”

“This oil was specially harvested through hand-picking of the olives that were used to make the menorah oil for the Holy Temple in Jerusalem, which we all pray will be rebuilt very soon,” Rabbi Veffer.

https://www.breakingisraelnews.com/82172/prepare-third-temple-ritual-olive-oil-produced-holy-offerings/#DwYSPgJtMlQwEKh5.99

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Isaiah 11:3a The Smell of Obedience

Posted in Gospel, Isaiah, Prophecy with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 12, 2014 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 11:3a And He will delight in the fear of the LORD…

The Hebrew text reads literally, “and his smelling is in the fear of the Lord.” (NET Bible).

Reyach is Hebrew for smell. The word is translated as “delight” by the NASB version. It can be translated as scent, fragrance, aroma, odor of soothing (technical term for sacrifice to God). Definition provided by Strong’s Concordance.

He, Jesus, will enjoy and desire to respect and revere the LORD as if it had a pleasant smell.

“Reyach” is the word used as God’s response to the sacrificial system in the Old Testament.

Numbers 15:7 and for the drink offering you shall offer one-third of a hin of wine as a soothing aroma to the LORD.

Leviticus 23:13 ‘Its grain offering shall then be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering by fire to the LORD for a soothing aroma, with its drink offering, a fourth of a hin of wine. This is a recipe for bread. God delights in the smell of baked bread. This aspect of the sacrificial system is also looking to the future. Notice the elements, bread and wine. The New Testament equivalent is Communion.

Animal sacrifices were required in the Old Testament to be a reminder of sin. These animal sacrifices upon a burning altar produced a soothing aroma to God. The smell of burning animals with spices, God likes the smell of grilled meat. The blood of these animals could not take away sin. But the blood of Jesus could. See Hebrews 10 for detail.

This same word “reyach” is used for “delight” in Amos 5:21 “I hate, I reject your festivals, nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies. Translation to the religious ones of the day, your religious actions stink. God does not care for performance religion. He wants your heart.

Our response to all of this is to pray. In the throne room of Heaven, prayers are equated with incense. Our prayers are a fragrant aroma to God. Revelation 8:3-4 Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a golden censer; and much incense was given to him, so that he might add it to the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, went up before God out of the angel’s hand. Prayers smell good to God and He likes them.

He, Jesus, will enjoy and desire to respect and revere the LORD as if it had a pleasant smell.

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Isaiah 5:1-2 Planting a Vineyard

Posted in Isaiah with tags , , , , , , on June 10, 2012 by paulthepoke

Isaiah 5:1 Let me sing now for my well-beloved A song of my beloved concerning His vineyard. My well-beloved had a vineyard on a fertile hill.

Isaiah 5 is a Hebrew song. This is the first appearance, chronologically, of the vineyard as a symbol of Israel (Wycliffe Bible Commentary). The vineyard is the house of Israel (verse 7). The fig tree is the other botanical symbol that is used. The vineyard or Israel was placed on a “fertile” hill, fertile in the sense of generous offspring or children. In the Hebrew, the idea is the hill is horn shaped, a spur or a ridge off of a mountain peak. The ground or the soil is conducive for growth and production. The vineyard was placed on the hillside for drainage. 

Isaiah 5:2 He dug it all around, removed its stones, and planted it with the choicest vine. And He built a tower in the middle of it and also hewed out a wine vat in it; then He expected it to produce good grapes, but it produced only worthless ones.

 In verse 2, God is giving the blueprint on how to build a vineyard. The excavated soil from the ditch forms the foundation for the wall. Thorny plants were placed on top of the wall to keep out wild animals. If you are going to plant a good garden or vineyard, get rid of the rocks. Jewish gardeners had use for the rocks. The land was first terraced to use up the stones that littered the soil. This provided a means of soil conservation during the heavy rains. Once the vineyard was prepared, the best type or variety of grapes was planted. In the midst of the vineyard, a watchtower was constructed. The tower served as a summer cottage. This was a place for the family to stay during the summer while the grapes were harvested. Watchtowers were typically expensive to build. They were effectively second homes.

 Inside the tower was a wine press or a vat. This was a self contained place of operation. Most of the grape juice was made into wine. This was a necessity for safety. Water was not potable unless it came from a fresh spring. Milk was limited. Fluids for consumption were limited.

Pruning was done with a small pruning hook during the winter months to get rid of weak, broken, or diseased branches so the vine would produce the best possible grapes. This process was referred to as “cleaning the vine.” New Manners and Customs of Bible Times

This vineyard had the best of the best and it was expected to produce prolifically. This was the greatest possible environment for the growing grapes. God gave His best and gave abundantly. Conditions were perfect. No expense was spared. Nation Israel was expected to produce. What did God get? Worthless, sour, wild grapes…stink berries.

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