So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning ofbarleyharvest.
2 Kings 4:42
And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves ofbarley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat.
2. Wheat , Second Coming
John 12:24
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn ofwheatfall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
1 Samuel 6:13
And they of Bethshemesh were reaping theirwheatharvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.
Matthew 13:30
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather thewheatinto my barn
3. Grapes , Wrath of God
Revelation 14:18
And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for hergrapesare fully ripe.
Isaiah 5:2
And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forthgrapes, and it brought forth wildgrapes.
Mark 15:23
And they gave him to drinkwinemingled with myrrh: but he received it not.
Matthew 26:29
But I say unto you, I will notdrinkhenceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when Idrinkit new with you in my Father's kingdom.
2 Samuel 6:7 also records this event with Uzza. It is a natural reaction; to steady something about to fall and perhaps he should have known better. There were rules as to how to carry the Ark in Numbers 4; and other places on who was allowed to. In 1 Samuel 6:19 people also were slain for LOOKING into the Ark.
This is basically the same principle involved for those who would be in the inner Temple. Since this appears to be an unintentional sin; it is not at the same level of transgression as those who tried to enter that weren't supposed to be in there; let alone those that had "strange fire" ( Leviticus 10:1-11). The result may be the same; as to ending this earthly life; but the eternal results for those who are saved or unsaved surely wouldn't. Moses; in fact himself was warned by God that he wouldn't live if he viewed Him fully; as no man can see God (in the flesh) and live ( Exodus 33:20). It is this Holiness in God which we should strive for; now that in some sense He lives in us as a Temple or Tabernacle. ( 1 Cor. 6:19). This verse shows; in fact how for self careless living can lead to physical death ( 1 Cor. 11:27 and following verses); and could allude to those who martyr God's saints as well ( Psalm 116:15). See also Rev. 17:6; Rev. 6:9:11.
It truly is a profound thing for the eternal God to tabernacle with men. It is based on His grace; and His covenants in which ultimately in the New Covenant involved our redemption through His Son. ( Heb. 8:13; 9:15). This is; BTW the only way any old covenant is ended-God's covenants are eternal; and our vows for our lifetime and that of the other parties represented as to what was promised. God is ever faithful; even when we are not. ( Deut. 7:9) for context.
I don't believe that this Stone of Abel (v18) has anything to do with its namesake. After a little research, which is of course inconclusive, this is the same stone referred to in verses 14 & 15. And in these verses, this stone is 'Eben Gedolah' but was changed to 'Abel Gedolah', which is a play on the words so as to signify the great mourning of verses 19-21.
Remembering the great tragedy at the killing of Abel by his brother Cain, it was likened to the great lamentation over the loss of so many at Bethshemesh because of their sin of taking the Ark of the Covenant & peering into it. So this stone may have been the base of the Ark of the Covenant when it was returned to Israel but it had nothing to do with Abel, just a change of wording from a 'great stone' to a 'great Abel' in their deep sorrow.
The Philistines are like so many gentiles today. They know that The Lord God of Israel is distintly different than the pagan gods they worship. They bare witness that our God is a God of great mighty works as He is very much the only One True and Living God but they much rather blidnly follow the vain superstition's of their pagan idols which neither hear see nor speak.
I believe that these situations where things go good and they forgot the LORD as Moses and Jacob spoke of, these people did they forgot the LORD when all was going well,thanking GOD is even for 5$ that comes free into thy hands or maybe you needed gas and you got enough money and a snack,bc you are hungry,or a person who is there when you need help with something,we get blessings in many diff ways
this chapter may symbolize the condition where we pray "god please make this unpleasant cir***stance go away" - like the philistines we acknowledge god when a calamity occurs - but when things go well - then we forget about god
1. Barley , Jesus Christ
Ruth 1:22
So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning ofbarleyharvest.
2 Kings 4:42
And there came a man from Baalshalisha, and brought the man of God bread of the firstfruits, twenty loaves ofbarley, and full ears of corn in the husk thereof. And he said, Give unto the people, that they may eat.
2. Wheat , Second Coming
John 12:24
Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn ofwheatfall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.
1 Samuel 6:13
And they of Bethshemesh were reaping theirwheatharvest in the valley: and they lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it.
Matthew 13:30
Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather thewheatinto my barn
3. Grapes , Wrath of God
Revelation 14:18
And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for hergrapesare fully ripe.
Isaiah 5:2
And he fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein: and he looked that it should bring forthgrapes, and it brought forth wildgrapes.
Mark 15:23
And they gave him to drinkwinemingled with myrrh: but he received it not.
Matthew 26:29
But I say unto you, I will notdrinkhenceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when Idrinkit new with you in my Father's kingdom.
Ray, in Christ Jesus 1 Corinthians 15:1-4
This is basically the same principle involved for those who would be in the inner Temple. Since this appears to be an unintentional sin; it is not at the same level of transgression as those who tried to enter that weren't supposed to be in there; let alone those that had "strange fire" ( Leviticus 10:1-11). The result may be the same; as to ending this earthly life; but the eternal results for those who are saved or unsaved surely wouldn't. Moses; in fact himself was warned by God that he wouldn't live if he viewed Him fully; as no man can see God (in the flesh) and live ( Exodus 33:20). It is this Holiness in God which we should strive for; now that in some sense He lives in us as a Temple or Tabernacle. ( 1 Cor. 6:19). This verse shows; in fact how for self careless living can lead to physical death ( 1 Cor. 11:27 and following verses); and could allude to those who martyr God's saints as well ( Psalm 116:15). See also Rev. 17:6; Rev. 6:9:11.
It truly is a profound thing for the eternal God to tabernacle with men. It is based on His grace; and His covenants in which ultimately in the New Covenant involved our redemption through His Son. ( Heb. 8:13; 9:15). This is; BTW the only way any old covenant is ended-God's covenants are eternal; and our vows for our lifetime and that of the other parties represented as to what was promised. God is ever faithful; even when we are not. ( Deut. 7:9) for context.
2 Samuel 3:12-16, 2 Samuel 6:15-23,
* 1 Samuel 6:23,
Note : 2 Samuel 21, vrs 8 "she brought up" didn't say bore, begot, or birthed. 1 Samuel 18:19, looks like she "brought up" her sister Merab's sons.
Hopefully these are helpful.
Remembering the great tragedy at the killing of Abel by his brother Cain, it was likened to the great lamentation over the loss of so many at Bethshemesh because of their sin of taking the Ark of the Covenant & peering into it. So this stone may have been the base of the Ark of the Covenant when it was returned to Israel but it had nothing to do with Abel, just a change of wording from a 'great stone' to a 'great Abel' in their deep sorrow.
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