July 14, 2018
According to Mother Earth News, the grape growing season is now, in late July at the point where the tender grapes are at their highest fragrance time. The smell can be sensed all around the countryside, say the growers. These grapes are the same as those in Israel with respect to the seasonal growth. And right now, late July on the Gregorian calendar is the time of the Song of Songs chapter 2, verse 13a.
All the agriculture signs of the Song are now present since the Spring equinox on March 20/21, 2018. We have gone through the passing of winter; the spring flowers; the singing of the birds; the voice of the turtledoves; the fig tree's green figs; and finally the tender grapes with fragrance. Now is the time; now is the hour for part b of the Song of Songs chapter 2, verse 13.
It is either time for the Philadelphia Church age Christians to be raptured along with the dead in Christ, or else it is time for some sort of countdown to the rapture of the Philadelphia Christians. All of the signs are present. It is evidently time for “Arise my fair one and come away” (Song of Solomon 2:13b). This phrase “Arise My fair one and come away” is found twice – at the equinox and in late July and early August. It is the second one that takes Philadelphia home, I believe.
It is time for something else as well. According to 1 Thessalonians 5:2, 3a. “For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say peace and safety, then cometh Sudden Destruction ....”This destruction is upon the Laodicea Church age Christians left behind and, of course the world too. And verse 4 says that the Philadelphia Church age Christians are in the light, not to taken by surprise. This event may occur July 26/27, 2018 on the Feast of Tu B Av, while we “dance” in the light of the full moon. It appears to be a very appropriate and proper time for it. It is the time of the full moon, July 27. This makes the moon “at the top of its phase” and full moon lasts 3 days, that is July 26,27 and 28.
WHAT IS THE FEAST OF TU B AV?
Tu (15) B'Av (of Av) is the meaning of the phrase. The dancing festival occurs on Tu B'Av, which is the 15th of Av each year It is the most loved of days in the Israeli experience as it marked the end of the awful Tisha B'Av “desert” curse. That was when the generation that God said would die without entering the promised land would dig graves, lie down in them and a portion would die in the night. In the year the dying ceased, after testing for six days, the surviving Jews declared Tu B'Av to be a day of great celebration.
Of greatest interest to this article is the Benjamite experience. The tribe of Benjamin declared civil war on the other tribes. After the bloodshed, only 600 warriors remained alive and these were banished by the Jewish authority to the land of Edom, across the Jordan River. In order to prevent the tribe of Benjamin from extinction, the Jews relented somewhat in their exile and allowed these 600 warriors to marry “daughters from Shiloh”. (Judges 21:16-24). Shiloh was the first capital of Israel. Because of intense dislike of the Benjamites for their war on other Israelites, it was pledged that no one would willingly give his daughter to a Benjamite, but the decision was made to “look the other way” should a Benjamite run off with a girl who was dancing on the day of Tu B'Av. So, those willing to dance in the moonlight in the vineyards of Shiloh did so, and if a Benjamite captured them (shades of Sadie Hawkins day from L'il Abner) they could keep them.
Over the years this feast became a wonderful celebration of love and marriage. It resembled a sort of Valentine's day as we have it in modern America. Flowers, dates, proposals, love promises and weddings were the norm and are today in Israel.
So popular has it become, that is the most popular day of the year, besides Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, which ranks beside it in popularity. It has become a day of summer dancing and a courtship celebration. The girls would all dress in the same white dress so that their wealth or lack thereof could not be discerned. Today, in Israel, the girls actually dance in the same vineyards as then, while classic artists provide the music for them to dance by. Isn't it romantic? Just like the Song of Solomon is very romantic.
It is interesting to note, relating to the prophetic nature of the Song of Solomon, that the grape harvest begins on Tu B'Av and ends on Yom Kippur. The final agriculture sign of Song 2:10-13 is the tender grapevines giving off a wonderful smell.
Finally, this is the LAST Jewish holiday of the year. It is easy to see that it marks a time of happiness and joy that prophetically heralds the marriage supper of the Lamb. That's us dear Christians. That is us! It also speaks to the marriage of the Lamb. (Rev 19:6-9).
Now, is it time now for us, who have obeyed our Lord and Savior, who have lived our lives for Him, to be blessed with unspeakable joy of marrying Him? Or, does it at least place us in the countdown to our being taken out? All indications are a hearty yes!
Maranatha
Gerry Almond