pomegranatesandchains

The New Year for Trees, Tu B’Shevat, falls on 15th Shevat, the 28th January in 2021. Apart from involving the weighing of fruit, this day also celebrates the awakening and blossoming of the almond trees in Israel. The Hebrew word for almond is shaqed, which comes from a root word shaqad, meaning ‘to watch, to remain, be on the alert, waken, hasten’. Those who remain are the remnant. The almond tree represents those who are watching for His return; those who are alert and awake while the rest of the Church sleeps, the forerunner remnant who remained awake in the dark night in case of enemy attack. It is this company that blossom first, in January; resurrection life coursing through their veins while others sleep, AND BEAR RIPE FRUIT IN MARCH WHEN THE OTHER FRUIT TREES ARE JUST WAKING UP TO THE CHANGE OF SEASON!

The menorah of the Holy Place has 22 almond blossoms altogether; 22 being the number of letters in the Hebrew alephbet from aleph to tav (Exod 25:31 – 33). With its central shaft and the six branches ending in almond-shaped cups to hold the oil for the light, it depicts, among other things, the light of the seven Spirits of God mentioned in Isaiah 11. In the season when dense darkness is upon the peoples, the remnant are having the seven Spirits of God imparted to them in the heavy latter rain. The rest of the church sleeps; branches bare and seemingly lifeless, devoid of the presence of God, but those who are awake and watching are arising and shining with the glory of the Lord and people are drawn to their light (Isaiah 60). The wolf is at the door with its teeth bared and growling, but the seven Spirits are visiting the ones watching and they are shining and leading many to righteousness. In times of darkness, people are drawn to true light and this company are those spoken of in Isaiah 32:

Isa 32:2  And each one of them shall be like a hiding place from the wind and a shelter from the storm, like streams of water in a dry place, like the shade of a great rock in a weary land [to those who turn to them].

Remember, the sound of the heavy latter rain is only heard after the prophets of Baal have been exposed as frauds (1 Kings 18:41). Perhaps their babble contributes to making the heavens like brass. Only once their voices have been silenced, does Elijah announce the coming of the heavy latter rain. This connects to my vision of the earthenware statues smashed on the street corners. The Lord affirms and confirms those who truly carry the Spirit of Elijah and it is they who have ears to hear the sound that others cannot hear; the sound of the coming outpouring. And it is they who bring it to birth with their face between their knees, drawing it forth from the storehouses of the heavens. And it is this company; those who wait upon the Lord, that will outrun the Ahabs in their chariots and not be weary.

Blossoms Bring Fruit

A blossoming almond tree is a beautiful sight, but, without pollination, there will be no fruit, no matter how much life is in the veins of the branch. And this is where bees come in. The Hebrew word for ‘bee’ is ‘deborah, which comes from a root word ‘debar’, meaning ‘to speak, command, commune, declare’. It is the debar of God which pollinates the blossoms of this almond tree company with revelation knowledge, counsel and wisdom. This is the season to live by every word God speaks, and not by the bread of man.

In ‘The Book of Endtime Light’, I shared an experience I had where the Lord showed me the room where His ‘debar’ (or words)are stored. I would like to share just a small portion of that here as it connects to the pollination of the blossoms:

“Come daughter. I want to show you something more”. We go down the same dark passageway past the treasure rooms and I am tempted to look in but He says, “Look not to the left or the right but straight ahead with fixed purpose. You do not want to get distracted”. We walk a long way down this passage and it slopes up and finally comes to an end wall. There is a very small square door at floor level and it is an azure colour. He takes a key, unlocks it and slides it up like a hatch and honey flows slowly out. What is this room, Lord? “It the room of Honey where my debar is stored”. It must be huge, Lord. “No, it is 22 by 22, and contains all the letters I need to make up every word that proceeds from My mouth through all ages”. Why are you showing me this, Lord? I want you to stand in it. I step into the pool of honey and rainbow coloured light starts flowing up my legs to about knee level. Then they disappear. What happened to them, Lord? They have been absorbed into your being, daughter. The seven lamps before the throne have absorbed every word that has come forth from the mouth of God. They will minister to you what you need…” …The entrance of your word gives light, light to my feet and a lamp to my path.’

So the words that God speaks are formed in that room I was given the privilege of seeing. The measurements of the room, 22 x 22, symbolize the fullness of the 22 Hebrew letters which are depicted again in the 22 almond blossoms on the shaft and branches of the menorah. The seven Spirits of God are imparted through the mouth of God as His debar goes forth. Without the words that God speaks daily to us in our season of blossoming, those flowers will never be pollinated and form fruit. The flowers speak of the potential fruit that God desires to bring forth through your life but only time in His presence will result in the fruit being formed and brought to full ripeness.

The One God Chooses

After Korah’s rebellion against the men God had chosen, there was further attack by the spirit of jealousy upon Aaron by leaders who thought they should also be allowed to function as priests. God instructed Moses to bring the rods of the 12 tribes and lay them before the ark overnight and He said something very significant:

Num 17:2  …Write every man’s name on his rod. Num 17:3  And you shall write Aaron’s name on the rod of Levi [his great-grandfather]. For there shall be one rod for the head of each father’s house. Num 17:4  You shall lay them up in the Tent of Meeting before [the ark of] the Testimony, where I meet with you. Num 17:5  And the rod of the man whom I choose shall bud,

Aaron’s name was written on the rod of Levi. Levi means ‘to attach’, from a root word meaning ‘united, intertwined, remain, cleave’. Levi’s rod symbolizes those united with the Lord; those who cleave to Him, who are one with Him.

And the rod of the man God chooses shall bud… Beloved, we are living in a time where the spirit of jealousy is rampant. Many believe they should have more prestige, more spiritual authority, more exposure. But, to put it bluntly, there are people God does not choose, even though they have position and may be in leadership. It is those who cleave to God, who remain in His presence and one with Him that are chosen. Every one of those rods was exposed to the power of the glory of God carried in that ark, but only one budded and blossomed and bore fruit overnight. The presence of those blossoms indicated the choice of God.

Num 17:8  And the next day Moses went into the Tent of the Testimony, and behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi had sprouted and brought forth buds and produced blossoms and yielded [ripe] almonds.

Aaron’s rod was not rooted in the earth, but in the presence of God. It was completely unattached to the earth, but so connected to the presence of the glory of God that miraculous life and fruitfulness came forth from that which was dead. The glory of the Lord had risen upon that rod, yet the other rods remained dry and dead. It was completely clear who the man God had chosen was. The abundant favour and resurrection power of God had brought forth blossoms and the words of God heard in the Holy of Holies had pollinated and brought forth ripe almonds overnight. In other words, the man God chooses does not function by the timing and seasons earth is bound to. He can bring forth in a supernaturally quick time the fruit of all that has been heard in the secret place of God’s presence.

While I was listening to what the Lord wanted me to share in this post, I saw a vision of a bundle of dry sticks being gathered, bound with a cord and placed in a vase. No water was added to the arrangement. Then the Lord began to breathe and blow over the sticks and suddenly they all burst into blossom, so that I was now looking at a beautiful arrangement of almond blossoms. When the remnant arises and shines in this season ahead, it is not going to be precipitated by anything earthly; no word of man, no event or world news, no sermon, no song. It will be the breath of God, carrying His whispers and imparting resurrection life that produces the impossible. In a time when there is no sign of life elsewhere because a great spiritual winter lies upon the land, the lives of the men and women God chooses will stand out as carriers of the supernatural, authentic resurrection power of God.

Beloved watching remnant, you will lead many to righteousness as you arise and shine, resplendent with the glory of God. You know your God because you are rooted and grounded in the secret place of His presence. You are strong because you dwell in the cleft of the Rock that cannot be shaken and you will do exploits for the Kingdom of Light as you live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God over you. Just like the fire fell on the prepared sacrifice and confirmed that Elijah was God’s servant, thereby disqualifying the prophets of Baal; just like Aaron’s dead rod budded amongst all the other lifeless rods, confirming he was God’s choice, so too, the supernatural power and hand of God will be visibly seen to be with those He chooses in this day.

Remember, the budding and blossoming was the result of abiding in His presence in the night—not striving, or interceding or decreeing, but lying and soaking in the glory light. You cannot manifest glory unless you are imbued with it. That means filled, soaked, saturated. That means TIME spent one on one with the only One who can imbue you with His power. No man can help you. You have to position yourself there. You have to make it a priority. Are you going to forego the bread of man for the words God breathes into you? What will you live by in the days ahead? There is going to be a famine of the debar of God BUT you know where it is sourced and no external circumstance can prevent you positioning yourself there in the spirit. This Tu B’Shevat, be found before Him, prostrating your heart before the King of glory.

Hos 6:2  After two days He will revive us (quicken us, give us life); on the third day He will raise us up that we may live before Him. Hos 6:3  Yes, let us know (recognize, be acquainted with, and understand) Him; let us be zealous to know the Lord [to appreciate, give heed to, and cherish Him]. His going forth is prepared and certain as the dawn, and He will come to us as the [heavy] rain, as the latter rain that waters the earth.

Isa 66:2  …But this is the man to whom I will look and have regard: he who is humble and of a broken or wounded spirit, and who trembles at My word and reveres My commands.

Isa 66:14  …And the [powerful] hand of the Lord shall be revealed and known to be with His servants, but His indignation [shown] to be against His enemies.

Source: The Remnant, Rising and Shining – Fresh Oil Releases (wordpress.com)