Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Time of the Trees

 Shalom Beloved,
Today is known as Tu’B’Shevat, or the 15th of Shevat – the 11th month of the Hebrew calendar. In Judaism it is known as the “New Year for Trees”, like an arbor day.  The sap begins to run particularly in the Almond tree, as it is the first to bloom in Israel.  I am not going to talk about the traditional view of this, but I would like to bring a prophetic view for us to consider.  

Luke 21:29  Then Yeshua told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree and all the trees1:30  As soon as they sprout their leaves, you see it and you know at once that summer is near. 21:31  So also, when you see these all these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. 21:32  Amen, I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all these things happen. 21:33  Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away. 

Let us first look at the Almond tree in the Holy Scriptures.  In Numbers 16-17, Korah, a Levite incites a rebellion over Aaron being chosen as High Priest.  There is a jealousy, and they challenge Moses and Aaron with the accusation that they presume too much, they are just as good as they are. The result is the earth swallowing Korah, his household and 250 men who rebelled with him are burned up with fire from YHWH.  But that is not enough, the people still murmur against them and they anger Yah... He is ready to destroy them all, yet Moses and Aaron intercede and Moses tells Aaron to take and run into the midst of the people and offer incense (a sweet savor) ...Num 16:47 And Aaron did as Moses commanded and ran into the midst of the congregation. And behold! The plague had begun among the people. And he put on incense and made an atonement for the people. 16:48 And he stood between the dead and the living, and the plague was stayed.

Aaron is a type of the Messiah Yeshua who came into the midst of us (Immanuel) and tabernacled with us; He took His place between the living and the dead and made atonement for us upon the cross.  (Heb 2:17) Therefore He had to be made like His brothers in all things, so He might become a merciful and faithful Kohen Gadol in matters relating to God, to make atonement for the sins of the people.          
(1 Jn 2:2) He is the atonement for our sins, and not only for our sins but also for the whole world.

The next day YHWH commands Moses to bring the rod of every tribal head, 12 in all and lay them before Adonai in the Tent of witness; Num 17:8 And it happened on the next day Moses went into the tabernacle of witness. And behold! The rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had budded and had brought forth buds, and had bloomed blossoms, and had yielded almonds.

So, Yah validated the call upon Aaron and his sons by using a sign of the Almond tree.

 The seven-branch menorah (candelabra) in the Holy Temple was meant to resemble an almond blossom as described in Exodus: “Three cups, shaped like almond blossoms, were on one branch, with a knob and a flower; and three cups, shaped like almond blossoms, were on the other… on the candlestick itself were four cups, shaped like almond blossoms, with its knobs and flowers.”  A total of 22 cups.  https://www.israel21c.org/11-amazing-things-you-didnt-know-about-almonds/







The month of Shevat has everything to do with two words - watching and awakening!  For it is during the month of Shevat, that the almond tree first begins to blossom. And, the almond tree is the first tree in Israel to bloom or awaken, while, the other trees are still dormant or sleeping (could this be connected to the parable of 10 virgins all asleep while they were waiting for the Bridegroom?) and is the last to lose its leaves. In fact, the Hebrew words for almond tree and watch are almost the same word.
Shaqad: Hebrew word # H8245  שׁקד Strong’s Concordance – “to awake, watch, be alert”, and, to “keep watch of, be wakeful over”.
Shaqeid: Hebrew word # H8247 שׁקד Strongs Concordance – “almond tree, almonds” 
So, with that in mind, consider the verse from Jeremiah 1:11-12 – “The word of the LORD came to me, What do you see, Jeremiah?  I see the branch of a “shaqed”/almond tree, I replied.  The LORD said to me, You have seen correctly, for I am “shaqad”/watching to see that my word is fulfilled”.

Therefore, we can see that the almond tree and the concept of watching are inextricably tied together.  Messiah is the Lampstand in the Holy Place, He is the Light of Life, and the Light of the World.  Those who belong to Him, become like Him, for we also have become the light of the world while we are in it.

The Hebrew month Shevat is quite interesting in itself.  H7627 שׁבט shevâṭ - “a rod”; so, we have Aaron’s “shevat” that produced “Shaqeid” and the month Shevat produces Shaqeid.  Let’s look deeper into the month. 

Every Hebrew month is associated with one of the twelve tribes.  Shevat is associated with the star sign Dli/Aquarius. The tribe of Reuben is connected to water.                                                                        Gen 49:3  Reuben, thou art my firstborn, my might, and the beginning of my strength, the excellency of dignity, and the excellency of power:  49:4  Unstable as water...Reuben means “see a son”

In the camp in the wilderness, the company on the South was head up by the tribe of Reuben.  It is believed the symbol on the ensign was a man.  Taking the symbolism from the 4 living creatures, “a man’s face, that of an ox, an eagle and a Lion” 
We are looking for a man with a water jar...Aquarius. Mar 14:13 He sent two of His disciples and told  them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, 14:14  and wherever he enters, tell the homeowner, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is My guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’
It is here I will share a few connected dreams from several years ago that I am still deciphering. 

1 Dream: went to visit someone named “D’li”/Aquarius; gloomy sky, yet warm…summery.  I held out a baby boy to D’li…”see a son/sun?”… next scene: in a small kitchen (small space of preparation) her husband walks in.. ( it is Yeshua) lifts her hands up; an extremely passionate look came upon her face; instantly transformed, dressed as a kingdom bride, new eye makeup (the “make-up” of her eyes had changed-like the eagle) still holding her hands, He backed her out the door (precession of mazerot/zodiac goes backward – Age of Aquarius)
Interpretation: when we see the sun in Aquarius,(sign in the heavens) it will be a short space of preparation before we (His Bride) are lifted up and transformed...the end of the age (of Pisces).

I was looking for information about today’s Blue-Blood, Super-moon on Stellarium.  I accidently noticed how close the sun was to Aquarius.  So, I advanced it day by day to see when it would actually be in Aquarius/D’li.  It seems to fully enter the star sign on February 15 / Shevat 30 and leaves it on February 22 /Adar 7 the day Moses died.   (Deut. 34:5-8):  “So Moses the servant of the Lord died there,” and it is written, “And the Israelites bewailed Moses in the steppes of Moab for thirty days.”   And it is also written, “After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord” (Josh. 1:1), as well as, “My servant Moses is dead.  Prepare to cross the Jordan,”(The Jordan floods its banks throughout the harvest and Yah pushed the flood waters back in a heap all the way to the City of Adam; Jordan means descent) and, “Go through the camp and charge the people thus:   Get provisions ready, for in three days’ time you are to cross the Jordan,” (Short space of preparation)(v. 11), and, “The people came up from the Jordan on the 10th of the first month.”   Subtract thirty-three days, and you arrive at the seventh of Adar as the date of Moses’ death.
In keeping with shaqad/watching; we must keep watch at this time, from the 15-22nd of February/ 7th of Adar for the next 30/3 days... or just in the coming season...beloved, remember, you who love Torah, Moses Torah/works could not bring them into the promised land.  It was Y’hoshua/Yeshua alone who can bring us across and only those who believed were able to enter. 
It is possible we are seeing the preparation for our departure.  In Rev 12 we see a war in the heavens between the fallen angels and the devil and Michael and Yah’s Holy Angels.  The fallen ones are cast to the earth, thrust out of the heavens (yardan – descend- as in the days of Noach) and the overcomers/man-child who will rule with a rod of iron (Rev 2:26-27) is caught up, out of the flood ‘of evil’.  The Flood comes from the mouth of the serpent/Devil. 

2 A dream shared by someone else I knew… his name means John/Jeanne Dark..‘Joan of Arc” he came to “world harvest church” was asked to go with “rod (shevat)-parsley (Passover)”(possible time frame?) got into a limo and the vehicle began to ascend.  It flew over New Orleans (had the dream in 2010  - Superbowl –“Saints Win”) and then went upwards to the UPPER ROOM… heaven! (New Orleans Saints means “New Golden Saints”)

3 My first rapture dream -  I was in a large room with high arches and pillars… (later discovering it was the Upper Room in Jerusalem) I was with a lady named Macel Anderson…(Hebrew Mazel, aka: sign/ Anderson -Son of man) we heard the sound of the Shofar, we grabbed each other and said, “this is it”!  Sign of the Son of Man

Recap: the Almond tree, the first to bloom – play on words almond/watching, or watchful over Yah’s Word.  Shevat – means “rod”; the Babylonian name of the month- the letters spell Shabbat as well, we must find HIS rest - Heb 4. If we are to be saved.  We are saved by grace through faith alone...no fine print or addendum...we rest in the finished work of Messiah Yeshua on the cross.  Only trust in His death, burial and resurrection provides salvation.  As in the days of Noach the fallen ones descended and polluted the world and the DNA...as it is, and will be today.  But Noach was perfect in his genetic composition, untainted by Genetic Modification.  Noach is spelled Nun-chet it means “rest”, spelled backward Chet-nun means Grace.  Very plainly our Abba Father has told us the Truth.  Let us watch for the sign of the Son of Man in the coming days... may it be soon and in our day... Next time in Heavenly Yerushalayim!