F.M. Riley (26 May 2019)
"The Harvest Seasons of Israel"


Prophetic Significance of
The Harvest Seasons of Israel
                                                                                           By Pastor F. M. Riley
                                                                                           May 25, 2019
Introduction
     First, the Sacred and Seasonal calender of Israel, and then the significance of it in view of end-time Bible prophecy.

The Sacred Calendar Given by God in Exodus 12

The                Holy Days, Fasts,            Seasons &               Corresponding       
Month          & Observances               Conditions              Gentile Months
................................................................................................................................................

Abib                   1     New Moon                 "latter rain"          March &
(Nisan)              10  Passover lamb           Deut. 11:14            April,  or  
                             14  Passover                    Jordan River          parts of both
30 days             15-21 Unleavened          flooding                    months.  
                                          Bread                      Joshua 3:15
                                                                            Barley ripe
................................................................................................................................................

Iyar                  1      New Moon                Barley harvest        
(Zif)                  14  2nd Passover           begins                          
                                   if unable to                Ruth 1:22                 April & May
 29 days                  keep the 1st              No rain from
                                   observance               April to Sept.
                                                                         1 Samuel 12:17
.....................................................................................................................................

Sivan              1     New Moon                Wheat harvest                                        
                          6    Pentecost                 Summer marks            May & June
30 days                 Flexible date             the beginning of  
                                 Always 50 days       the wheat harvest
                                 from Passover          on Pentecost

.....................................................................................................................................
                                                                    
Tammuz          1    New Moon                Wheat harvest            June & July
                             17 Fast of Tammuz     continues
 29 days                                                         Heat increases
.....................................................................................................................................

Av                        1     New Moon               Streams dry up           July & August
                              9    Fast of Av                 from intense heat
30 days                                                          Vintage Lev. 26:5
.....................................................................................................................................

Elul                      1   New Moon              Intense heat                   August &
                                                                        2 Kings 4:19                 September
29 days                                                        Grape harvest             
                                                                        begins Num 13:23
.....................................................................................................................................

Tishri
(Ethanim)           1   New Moon              "Early rain" begins        September
                                    Rosh ha-Shanah   Zech. 14:16-19              & October
30 days               4  Fast of Gedaliah    Ezra 10:9-13
                               10   Yom Kippur        Plowing & Sowing
                               15-21 Festival of       begins
                                            Tabernacles
                                22   Solemn Assembly                  
.....................................................................................................................................



Heshvan          1   New Moon                Rain continues                 October &
(Bul)                                                               Wheat & Barley               November
                                                                         sown
29 days                                                         Vintage in the
                                                                        north
.....................................................................................................................................

Kislev                1     New Moon             Winter begins                November &    
                              25  Hanukkah             Snow in the                     December
30 days                                                        mountains  
.....................................................................................................................................

Tevet                  1    New Moon             Coldest month               December &
                              10  Fast of Tevet       Hail & Snow                    January
29 days                                                        Joshua 10:11
.....................................................................................................................................

Shevat                  1   New Moon           Weather begins             January &
                                                                        to warm                          February
30 days
.....................................................................................................................................

Adar                    1    New Moon             Spring storms              February &
                               13  Fast of Esther    Frequent thunder       March
29 days               14-15   Purim            & hail - Almond
                                                                        trees blossom   
.....................................................................................................................................

Adar 2                1   New Moon              Intercalary month inserted                                    
                                                                       7 times in 19 years
.....................................................................................................................................

Comments on the Calendar
     This calendar above was derived directly from Jewish sources, so it is considered to be accurate, in relation to the calendar observed by the Jewish people
My Purpose for Printing It
     My sole purpose for taking the time to print this calendar for our readers, is to illustrate directly from Jewish sources, that the barley harvest always precedes the wheat harvest.  And that the dividing point between the harvest of the two different grains is  considered by the Jewish people themselves to be the Day of Pentecost.  

Why This is Important
     In a serious study of  types and shadows in the Bible [Colossians 2:16-17], in relation to Bible prophecy, barley is a type or symbol of the Gentiles.  On the other hand, wheat is a type or symbol of the Jewish people.  Proof?  Gladly!  
     The first time the word, "barley," occurs in the Bible is in Exodus 9:31.  This Scripture speaks about the hail storm the Lord God brought upon Egypt, while the Israelites were still in bondage in the land of Egypt.  When the Lord God sent that hail storm, the inspired Scripture says, "And the flax and the barley was smitten: for the barley was in the ear; and the flax was bolled."  This means that the flax and barley, which were very important crops to the Egyptians, had come to full growth  and was ready to be harvested.  The hail storm caused the Egyptians to completely lose those two important crops that year.
     But look at this Scripture carefully again.  The Hebrew word translateed as "ear" in this Scripture, is the word "abib."  This should tell our readers the exact time of year this hail storm occurred, for "Abib" is the name the Lord God gave to the first month of the year on the Jewish calendar.  That particular year, the barley was ripe and ready to be harvested when the hail storm beat it into the ground.  
The Significance of the Barley
     Dear readers, the word, "barley," occurs 36 times in the entire Bible; 35 times in the Old Testament, and only one time in the New Testament.
      "35" is the number in the Bible which signifies, "hope."  "1" is the number in the Bible which signifies, "Unity; to be united."  
     Glory to God!  For centuries the Gentiles lived as a doomed and damned people on the earth, rejected by God, and looked down upon and despised by the Jewish people. Listen to the inspired words preached by the Apostle Paul to the Gentile church at Ephesus......  
    "Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;
     That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
     But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ," Ephesians 2:11-13.  Glory to God!  Now we Gentile believers have a "blessed hope," Titus 2:11-15.  
     In carefully studying the word, "barley," the 35 times it occurs  in the Old Testament Scriptures, it becomes glaringly obvious that "barley" typifies or represents the Gentile peoples of the world.  Carefully study the beautiful inspired story of the redemption of a Gentile bride for Christ, as set forth in The Book of Ruth.  
The Beginning of the Barley Harvest
     Prophetically, the barley harvest has been in progress for the past 2,000 years, since the crucifixion of Christ, our Redeemer, who was rejected and crucified by the Jewish people on Passover in 30 A.D.  For these past 2,000 years the harvest of Gentile believers has been underway.  
     Now look at what time it was, when Ruth, the Moabitess [Gentile], came to the land and people of Israel, having joined herself to the people and God of Israel, in the company of Naomi, the Jewish widow,  Ruth 1:22.  The word, "Naomi," means "GRACE."  Glory to God!  
     The "beginning of barley harvest" is Passover.  Is this just "coincidence," or was the Lord God setting forth a glimpse of His plan for the redemption of the Gentiles, even back in the days of Ruth and Boaz?   Oh, glory to God!  What a mighty God we serve!
     If our readers want even more blessings from this, read the Scriptures dealing with the Passover, and the offerings the Lord required to be offered on that day, and during the observance of Unleavened Bread.  These "holy days" all being observed during the barley harvest.   
     The barley harvest was then concluded on the Day of Pentecost, and the wheat harvest began on that day.  
 The Symbolism of Wheat
     This type or symbol is very easy to discern.  Carefully read the Parable of the Wheat and Tares" in Matthew 13:24-30, and the Lord's own exposition of that parable in 13:36-43.  
     In 13:38, the Lord explicitly said, "...the good seed are the children of the kingdom."  Now what nation or people has "the kingdom" been promised to, other than the Jewish people; the children of Israel?   The "wheat" then typifies or symbolizes the Jews; the people of Israel.  
The Resurrection and Rapture
     All serious true believers among the Gentiles, are right now eagerly "watching" and waiting for the resurrection and rapture to occur as prophesied in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and other similar Scriptures.  But when is it going to take place?  
     I don't need any reader throwing Matthew 24:36 in my face again.  I am well aware of what the Lord said in that Scripture!  But I am also aware of what the Lord did not say in that Scripture.  The Lord did not say that "the day and hour" would never be known!  
     Now dear readers, I am not claiming that I know "the day and hour" when the Lord Jesus is coming to receive His people to Himself just as He promised in John 14:3.  No!  
     What I am claiming is that the Song of Solomon 2:8-13 clearly reveals that the Lord's coming for His "beloved" Church bride will occur in the Spring.   Read it for yourself!  And.......
     I am claiming that the harvest of the barley in the land of Israel, ends on the Day of Pentecost, and the harvest of the wheat begins on that same day.
     The Lord said, "And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man," Luke 17:26.  In "the days of Noah," a 120 year warning of the coming judgment of the flood was given to Noah, Genesis 6:3.  It has been determined that from the turn of the century, beginning with 1900, the count of the years to 2019 is exactly 120 years.  Now as I write, we New Testament Gentile believers are only
sixteen days (16) away from the Day of Pentecost on June 9, 2019.  
     The Lord also gave to Noah a seven day warning, Genesis 7:4.  In view of those of us living today, having been given the 120 year warning, I am also expecting a 7 day warning to occur on June 2nd or 3rd.  
     These "signs" or indicators cause me to believe that the resurrection and rapture [the harvest] of all Gentile believers will occur on or before the Day of Pentecost, June 9, 2019.  And that.......
      The harvest of the wheat; typifying the Jewish people, will begin on or before the Day of Pentecost, June 9, 2019.   
     This is all I have to say in this study!  
   Every reader has been warned!
Ezekiel 33:8-9
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     My personal contact information:
POSTAL........Pastor F. M. Riley, 14275 Co. Rd. 8120, Rolla, MO 65401
EMAIL...........francismriley34@gmail.com
PHONE.........573-202-6493
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