Sermon Tone Analysis

*SEVEN SPECIES** *(Shavuot)

 

The Seven Species are called “Bikkurim” (First Fruits) and were taken to the Temple at Shavuot (Pentecost).

There were two grains and five other fruits.

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BARLEY

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*COMMON NAME*: Barley

 

*BOTANICAL NAME*: Hordeum distichon

 

*HEBREW~/GREEK NAME*: Seorah Gk.

Krithe

 

*DESCRIPTION*:  There are two kinds of barley, one producing six and the other two rows of grain.

Barley is sown in Israel in the autumn and gathered in spring.

A second sowing is done when the winter is past.

*USES*:  A bread was made from barley, which was the staple diet of the poor people.

It was given as a fodder to animals.

It was used in a drink and in stews.

*INFORMATION*: Barley was found in the Egyptian tombs of Thebes, and in the dwellings of the stone age.

The artificers of the Temple of Solomon were given twenty thousand measures of barley as their food ration.

It is also mentioned in the N.T. JOHN 6:9  "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two fish; but what are they among so many?"

 

*BIBLICAL REFERENCE*: DEUT.

8:8 "A land of wheat, and barley,......."

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*DATE - **Palm*: Song of Songs 7:7-8

 

Phoenix dactylifera - Hebrew Name: Tamar

 

*DESCRIPTION*: When fully grown the Palm can be 24 metres high, its shape is quite distinctive and beautiful.

One single upright trunk rises from the ground to the topmost leaves.

It has no branches, but grows compound leaves six feet in length and arranged like a coronet at the top of the rugged trunk.

The fruit of the palm is the date, which hangs in clusters below the leaves.

The term "palm tree" refers to the date palm tree (/Phoenix dactyliferia/).

It flourished in warm moist areas and oases from Egypt to India.

Ancient Iraq was the leading grower of date palms and dates in the ancient world, as today (Pope, /Song of Songs/, 633).

There is also a hint of eroticism in this palm tree metaphor because the palm tree was often associated with fertility in the ancient world.

The point of comparison is that she is a tall, slender, fertile young woman.

The comparison of a tall and slender lady to a palm tree is not uncommon in love literature: "O you, whose height is that of a palm tree in a serail" (Homer, /Odyssey/ vi 162-63).

Selected Bibliography: S. H. Stephan, "Modern Palestinian Parallels to the Song of Songs," /JPOS/ 2 (1922): 76; H. Ringgren, "Die Volksdichtung und das Hohe Lied," UUA 5 (1952): 92-97; W. Wittekindt, /Das Hohelied und seine Beziehungen zum Istarkult/ (Hannover: Heinz Lafaire, 1935), 49-53.

*USES*:  Uses - Salt, meal, sweetner, wine (powerful), soft drink, rope, oil, medicines, animal food, ornamentation beads, baskets, roofing, poles.

Fibres provide rigging for boats.

Used in the lulav at the "Feast of Tabernacles".

Indians say that there is a use for every day of the year.

*INFORMATION*:

     a.

Tall and stately, when waving in the wind they look like Kadin's dancing.

b.

Ornamentation of Temple.

c.

Source of strength - roots go far down.

d.

Bear until late in life (200 years).

e.

Arab tradition says, The Palm was made from the leftover dust from Adam).

f.

Grow in groups around Oasis.

     g.

Life is in the head - remove head tree dies.

(Christ Head - us body)

     h.

The emblem on some Israeli coins.

i.

Clean - the wind blowing on them allows no dust to settle.

(Holy Spirit)

     j.

Jericho was known as the city of Palms.

(Legends)

     k.

Phoenicia was known as the "Land of the Palms".

l.

Naturalists from Herodotus to Linaeus have agreed that the Palm is

        the most remarkable of all trees.

*BIBLICAL REFERENCES*: Numbers 33:9  And they set out from Marah, and came to Elim; at Elim there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees, and they encamped there.

 

2 Chron.

28:15  And the men who have been mentioned by name rose and took the captives, and with the spoil they clothed all that were naked among them; they clothed them, gave them sandals, provided them with food and drink, and anointed them; and carrying all the feeble among them on asses, they brought them to their kinsfolk at Jericho, the city of palm trees.

Then they returned to Samaria.

Rev 7:9  After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no man could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

 

John 12:13  So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying, "Hosanna!

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!"

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*FIGS*

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*USES*:

a.     Fruit - wholesome, contains sugar, iron, calcium, Vitamins.

They can be eaten fresh, preserved, rolled, sweetmeats, bars, stuffed with Ginger, nuts, cottage cheese.

Stilton and Dolcelatte, creamed by mashing with a fork and with a little wine added.

In Italy and in Italian restaurants figs are sometimes served on their own as an antipasta, sometimes with thinly sliced prosciutto in the same way as melons.

Figs are good with freshly ground black pepper.

They are made into puddings, breads, cakes and biscuits.

Fig jam and preserves are a constant favourite.

b.    Drink - In Israel a coffee substitute called "Chico" is made from malt, wheat, chicory and figs.

Cold and Fermented drinks are also made from figs.

c.     Medicine - for internal use (Syrup of Figs).

External (poultices) 2 Kings 20:7  And Isaiah said, Take a lump of figs.

And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.

d.    Fig leaves are still sewn together, and are used to carry fresh fruits to market.

e.     Cords from bark - Cords can be made from the bark of the fig, but unless one takes great care in the removal of the bark.

The tree could be killed by ring-barking.

Israel drawn to God with cords.

Hosea 11:4  "I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke on their jaws, and I laid meat unto them."

f.     Fig wood was used on the Temple Altar for Sacrifice (Talmud).

*INFORMATION*:

a.     Fig tree - Ficus Carica, The vine and the fig tree are attributes of a peaceful homestead.

1 Kings 4:25 "And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon."

b.

Many Rabbi's consider the fig to be the forbidden fruit of Eden.

Making coverings of Fig leaves speak of Self effort - aprons of fig leaves.

God provided a Sacrifice - skins were the evidence of death and covering.

c.     Egyptian or Sycamore fig (Zacchaeus).