OH THE PLACES WE SHOULD GO - THE PERFECT GETAWAY FOR VALENTINE'S DAY

GORHAM'S BLUFF - PISGAH, ALABAMA

(Article written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

  Looking for a very romantic getaway for Valentine’s Day?  Top of my list would be Gorham’s Bluff in Pisgah, Alabama.  The drive seems to take forever, but anticipation is a good factor in romantic getaways!  You will not be disappointed when you arrive.  This is a beautiful hideaway. 

Maybe you have been thinking of a romantic dinner you would love to make your loved one.  What better place to make it than the two-bedroom cottage located at the bluff?  It is about as cozy as you can get.  Light a fire, pour your loved one a glass of wine (bring your own – Gorham’s Bluff is located in a dry county), and start cooking in the great little kitchen of this sweet cozy little cottage.  Be sure to shop ahead and bring your groceries with you because when they say get-away; they mean get-away.  You will not wish to leave the area until you start home.  Pick up some pretty flowers for your honey when you buy those groceries and arrange them on the table when you serve your elegant dinner.  She will never forget!

I would highly recommend spending at least two nights.  Be very lazy and sleep late.  Make a leisurely breakfast and drink your coffee overlooking that famous bluff in the back yard. 

Bring a few romantic novels in your suitcase as well as a few romantic comedy movies to watch on the dvd player inside the cottage, but don’t spend too much time inside; the area is great for hiking and long leisurely romantic strolls.  At night star gazing is the best way to pass the time.  Be sure to take an old blanket so you can make a pallet on the grounds and look up into the sky.   Way out of the city like this the stars are so bright and beautiful that you will feel like you can reach up and touch them.  Dress warm though – after all it is February….and you are sitting on top of a bluff where the wind is stronger.

Sunrise and sunset have never been framed in a more beautiful setting.  Be sure to catch at least one of each while you are there.  If you don’t want to cook the whole time – the chef at The Lodge nearby is excellent and you can make dinner reservations by calling the Lodge.  I’ve heard his Valentine’s meals are creative and very romantic.  Take your own choice of your favorite wine to the desk at the Lodge and he will chill and have ready for you when you dine.

So go ahead and make plans for this excellent little escape – you will not regret it.  If you can’t make it for Valentine’s Day, there are still 364 other days of the year to enjoy Gorham’s Bluff.   Drive up for the day and take a tour, plan one of their special events or just make dinner reservations.  You do not have to be a guest of the cottages or the Lodge to dine.  

It is not too far away and it is not too crowded, and it is still (except for scheduled public events)  rather hidden from the public’s attention.  The history of the area is also quite interesting.  Here is a little bit to tuck inside your hat and share with your loved one as you scroll the lovely grounds:

In 1892 W.B. Gorham was deeded eighty acres of land by the US Government.  At that time Mr. Gorham was more fondly known by the locals as “Uncle Billy.”  Uncle Billy was a Confederate veteran who built his family a remote lean-to shack in a very isolated and lonely place on the bluff.  It was so lonely that his wife and children later decided to move back down to the valley where there were a few more people.  Uncle Billy, however; continued to live in isolation.  He spent his time growing strawberries, playing his fiddle and feeding himself well with the money he received from his soldier 's pension.

About one hundred years after Uncle Billy owned the land, it was purchased by a family named McGriff.  The McGriffs loved gathering their extended family together and having picnics at one of the huge rocks on the bluff. They called this pretty little area Picnic Rock.  In 1992 the McGriff’s decided they would like to share the area with others if they could think of a way to do so without distracting from the natural beauty of the land.  They came up with an idea for a fully integrated holistic community.  A Florida neighborhood called "Seaside" was inspirational to the McGriffs as they formed their first ideas for sharing their land.    A real estate agent from Seaside, Chris Kent, introduced the McGriff’s to an architect from New Orleans named Lloyd Vogt.  Mr. Vogt sat down and shared his ideas with the McGriff’s.  In their conversations he spelled out the qualities he thought defined the best of neighborhoods.  These qualities incorporated a seamless interlacing of history, culture and architecture.   Keeping these defining thoughts in mind, the group sketched out a town plan.  This is how the dream began to form for the future of a place now known as Gorham’s Bluff.

One of the first areas to be completed was the outdoor Amphitheater The lovely open-air theater sits on the edge of the bluff.  Existing trees and rock outcroppings were incorporated into the design of the natural and artistic structure.  Today audiences can enjoy a performance while at the same time enjoying the amazing view.  The outdoor amphitheater now fills up regularly with great performing artists from all over the country.  If you are interested in performing yourself you can rent the venue - just call (256) 451-8439 and speak with the Innkeeper at The Lodge.  Just keep in mind that the amphitheater closes by 11 p.m. 

Construction started on the first home of the development during the summer of 1993.  Mr. Vogt gave each home the signature look of the town.  They all contained front porches, tower rooms, scenic views, and natural surroundings.  You may purchase one of these homes if you want; just contact Gorham's Bluff Realty.

In 1994 construction began on The Lodge.  This lovely building opened to the public in 1995. There have been a steady stream of happy guests lodging in the pristine serenity of this place since that first day.  It is a wonderful place for conferences, reunions and weddings.  There are public events scheduled often that you would love to enjoy for a weekend.

Three years after the building of the Lodge

 another interesting structure was added.  It was the former 1938 Pisgah High School schoolhouse where the McGriff’s had attended high school.  The building was to be torn down in order to build a new more modern one, and the McGriffs decided to move the old building to Gorham’s Bluff.  It now stands in the heart of the land with a new roof on top and new bricks on the outside and has become a community arts and activities center.  

There is a lovely mixture of the old and the new, and it all works quite well. 

Adjacent to the old school/new community arts and activities center is The Gorham’s Bluff Meeting House, which was completed in 2001 and designed by  Lloyd Vogt.   The Meeting House has cathedral ceilings and floor to ceiling windows.  The building has excellent acoustics.  It is a perfect place for meetings, performances, and workshops.  There is also a bi-weekly nondenominational church meeting held here.

As the little town began to grow people bought lots and built houses.  The true mission of the property and community began to take shape and grow.  From early on the mission of the community has been to promote arts and cultural activities in the area.  A non-profit institute was formed to promote local artist and to give the people living in this region art that they might not have otherwise experienced.  The Meeting House became the stage for theater, concerts, dance and other artistic performances. 

One of the first performances, held at the Amphitheater, was the production of a play called “Foxfire.”  This Hume Cronyn play was directed by Joe Warfield, a New York University professor, in the summer of 1994.   Next was the Gerhart Chamber Music Festival.  The Institute began bringing in top-notch classical musicians and established their signature annual event called Concert under the Stars.  This event serves a gourmet meal for 200 guests and doles out amazing performances by world class musicians.  The people of the area love this annual midsummer bluff side evening. 

Soon The Alabama Ballet became interested in Gorham’s Bluff and established a week long summer dance residency on the premises.  At the time they had the idea to bring some of their talent to the community there was no place for them to rehearse and perform.  They improvised with an open tent/stage set near the bluff.  The tent was located near a great outdoor space for setting up tables and serving gourmet meals to the audiences during their performances.  This was a very successful idea.  The tent coupled with the intimacy of the bluff side panoramic view created a one of a kind experience for both the dancers and their audiences. 

Soon the Institute incorporated a Storytelling Festival into its growing schedule of events.  The power of the story and the spoken word of the narrative were brought forth by some renowned and amazing storytellers.  This success soon led to the formation of ARTSACCESS, the Institute’s arts-education outreach.  Storytellers started visiting public schools and held assemblies and workshops with visiting dancers and musicians.  Local libraries also began to participate.  This has greatly improved the exposure to various art forms in the education of school children in the area.

In 2001 the community held a charrette (an intense, focused architectural planning session.)  They decided to consult with Mr. Steve Mouzon of Mouzon And Associates, Architects; a traditional Town Planner in Huntsville, AL.  Mr. Mouzon took on the role of Gorham’s Bluff's Town Architect, and the town hosted 75 like-minded “souls” who were all believers of the Traditional Neighborhood movement.   These people moved in for awhile and were compensated only with four meals a day and a place to sleep.  The group consisted of a full list of impressive architects, planners, developers, writers, educators, etc.  In this 48 hour charrette the various artist sketched and talked and illustrated the ideas presented by the community.  Mouzon put it all together in one package and took the presentation to the Congress of New Urbanism’s 9^th Annual Conference in New York.    That conference provided a roundtable of feedback for the community to consider. 

Four significant revisions were identified and recommended:

1)     A new concept for Main Street that would  redirect the street so that the school’s “signature” cupola is the focal point as you approach downtown from either direction with the larger homes giving way to cozier two-story homes on smaller lots to make Main Street a more viable option for young professionals and families.

2)    A plan to move the elder residences closer to the center of the town, underlining the town’s desire to be a fully inter-generational community.  The services and amenities that were generally included in independent and assisted living centers (restaurants, hair salons, libraries, clothing and retail) would be expanded to serve the entire town, with the elder residences closest to all of them.

3)    It was decided to scrap; the idea to dam up the branch on the east side of town and turn that area into a place called “Shepard Park.”  The park preserves the meandering creek, leaves the forest and creates a play area for kids.  Some Birmingham architects, Jeff Dungan and Louis Nequette, were hired to design the Shepard Park Tree House, and it was built in 2002.  This is one of the favorite places for people to gather with their children. 

4)    It was decided to design an open air performance center at the crest of downtown Gorham’s Bluff.  The plan was changed to include a quad of artists and student residences as well as a black box theatre. 

From 2003 – 2007 the Institute moved to year round programs of small events utilizing the Amphitheater and the Meeting House.  They also began to offer community arts workshops.  They continued to bring art educational opportunities for local schools, but encouraged the schools to come to the bluff instead of the bluff going to the schools. 

So now the bluff has evolved into a thriving community of artist and educators who have built on the land and are living in the community.  They are always eager to share their art and teach something new.

If this sounds interesting to you, check the schedule of events on the blog located at www.gorhamsbluff.com  and see which event you need to sign up for.

The art I would chose to indulge in here is the art of the written word.  This would be a wonderful place for any aspiring author to retreat away into the quiet and natural beauty.  One could write for hours at a time, with refreshing breaks in between each session.  You could stroll the grounds, take in some great concerts in the evenings, hike or swim, or maybe even participate in a storytelling workshop or two. 

There is an elegant southern style restaurant at The Lodge, you would not have to drive off the property to be well fed.  Evenings are quite a treat with candlelight and a four course meal

This spectacular retreat perches on a stately ridge hundreds of feet above the mighty Tennessee River.  It has one of the most delightful views I’ve ever seen, totally surrounded by natural beauty.   You can gaze at the luscious landscape and take in the dazzling river below the ridge from your own comfortable chair off of your lodge room’s private porch or from the windows inside your luxurious guest quarters.  There is a lovely large Gazebo behind the Lodge. 

Anywhere you care to be or go in this area contains some type of amazingly beautiful view.  It is a very scenic way to start the day while having your morning coffee.  

This scenic bluff along a mountain ridge with a river running through it has more history than Uncle Billy and the McGriffs.  It is also known as the long ago land of the Cherokee Indians, who were also drawn to the magic of the bluff.   Every time we visit this place I remember that  my great grandmother was a Cherokee,  and I always wonder if any of the Cherokee ancestors from my own family might have roamed these grounds years before I was ever born.   

You can visit Gorham's Bluff any time you wish.  Just call The Lodge ahead of time to make your reservations for a room at The Lodge or to rent one of the guest houses on the property for your family or group of friends.  

I will warn you though, if you go, you just might want to stay forever.    

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COME AS A CHILD LESSON 156 GOD'S PLANS FOR THE LAMPSTAND

BUILDING THE LAMPSTAND FOR THE SANCTUARY OF THE TABERNACLE
(Written by Sheila Gail Landgraf)

God instructed Moses on how he was to make the Lampstand for the wilderness tabernacle.  

It was to be made of pure gold. The base was to be hammered out, and the shaft was to be hammered out. It was to have flower-like cups, buds and blossoms made of one piece.  Six branches were to extend from the sides of the Lampstand – three on one side, and three on the other. Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms were to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and it was to be the same for all six branches extending from the Lampstand.   On the Lampstand there were to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms.  One bud should be under the first pair of branches extending from the Lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair – six branches in all.  The buds and branches should all be of one piece with the Lampstand, hammered out of pure gold. 

Seven lamps were to be made for this Lampstand.  The seven lamps were to set upon the Lampstand and be used to light the space in front of it.  The wick trimmers and trays were to be made of pure gold. A talent of pure gold was to be used for the Lampstand and all of these accessories.  

God instructed Moses to be very careful to make all of this exactly like the pattern that He showed him.  Nothing was to be altered or changed.   Everything was to be done exactly as God had instructed.  

This beautiful Lampstand is very symbolic, and we have so much to learn from this one magnificent piece of furniture placed to the left of the Holy Place.  

One of the best books I've ever read about this Lampstand was written by Dr. John D. Garr, Ph.D.   The book is titled "God's Lamp, Man's Light - Mysteries of the Menorah."  I highly recommend that every person on earth purchase this book and read it.  I have no ties and am not personally affiliated with the author; I am just am a witness to the great significance of this Lampstand of which he does a beautiful job of describing.  Dr. Garr's book goes into greater detail than we could ever do justice in such a short blog article.   His description is the best description and interpretation of the Lampstand I have ever read; and I have read many. 

There are also mysteries in the scriptures relating to the Menorah in the wilderness tabernacle.  These things too are amazing and detailed.  I cannot go into all of them here; but I recommend that you do some reading of your own from the works of other biblical scholars who go deeper into this subject.  It is all truly fascinating and deep and you could fill volumes and volumes of books on this subject of the Menorah alone.  That is not my intention today; so this will be a very brief and to the point description of The Lampstand, so that we may go on with our story of Moses in the Exodus.  Do understand though, that the Lampstand is very, very significant to the people of God.    Also understand that we will be touching on some more of this subject as we go along.  This is only an introduction to the things within the wilderness tabernacle.  There are pieces of vital information concerning these very important elements of worship scattered all the way through the holy scriptures that will come alive to us as we study more and more of God's word together.

So; in spite of the difficulty of explaining so much truth in such a brief space; I will attempt to touch on some of the most relevant points of  the subject of The Lampstand.  I am humbled to even share this subject; and I fear saying too much about such holy things that could be misinterpreted if not spoken with great care.  I would rather say too little than add or subtract from the truth.  As usual, I stand in awe of the wonderful way God teaches us through both sacred objects and ordinary things in life.

So let's explore the mysteries of the Menorah.  What are the answers to "who," "what," "when," "why," and "where" regarding this subject.  

Who?

The Lampstand of the Menorah clearly represents Christ, as The Most High Priest of God.

You can see the importance of One in the design of this Lampstand.  Everything is hewn out of one solid piece of gold.   It reminds us of the Oneness of Christ with God the Father.  This is what qualifies Him to be The Most High Priest.

There are seven lamps that work together to provide the light from the Menorah.  The main piece providing light in the middle of the Menorah (The Lampstand) represents Christ, and it holds and offers the greatest light.  All of the other light is made possible through the oil that originally flows from this one great  light.  Six other lamps are fed by the oil of olive leaves  that pour out into and flow from the center of the Lampstand.  These six lamps represent those who follow Christ.  There are three on one side and three on the other side. Could those represent the Old Testament and the New Testament Christians?  I am not sure; but that is a thought to ponder.   

The number six is always representative of the humanity of mankind.  When we think of the six branches connecting to the Lampstand in the center we are reminded of the words of Christ when He told us in John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches."   The rest of Christ's words in this passage clearly emphasize His place as our Most High Priest, standing ever before the Throne of God to make intercession for our souls.  He said "If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing."  Without the Lampstand in the center the branches of the Menorah would have been totally useless.  They can only bear light out into the darkness if they are connected to the center of the Lamp.  This reminds us of how Christ makes us complete.  If you add 1 to 6 you get the number seven; the total number of the lights.  Without the One the other six would not be complete and could not function properly.  The number seven always stands for completeness.  God completed the six days of creation with the seventh day - and this was the most holy part of the creation week.  God completed the creation of mankind by sending His beloved Son to live as one of us; and that is what makes our lives sacred and holy.  Because of the seventh light, the other six are useful to the work of The Kingdom of God.  

It was the Most High Priest who could go into The Holy of Holies and come before the Presence of God who rested over the Mercy Seat of the Ark in  the wildernessTabernacle.  The Lampstand provided the light to see the way into this area.  Without Christ, this would not be possible for anyone.  If a man entered improperly; he would die.  So it is with our souls who must be covered with Christ before entering before the Throne of God.  

The oil comes from the oil that flows from the center (Christ) and the oil of the great Lampstand represents the presence of The Holy Spirit.  All of the other lights, receive the oil that makes their light from the center (The Lampstand.)     This is symbolic of the fact that without the foundation of Christ in our lives; we have no access to God's Holy Spirit.

The six branches and/or lights; the ones on each side of the center light, stand for those who have followed and been associated with Christ throughout the ages (The True Church), or in other words, this section of the lamp stands for how God's people are connected to God through Christ as The Most High Priest of God.  He is the One who IS the Lampstand in the center of the Menorah, and the whole lamp works together to shine out God's glory to illuminate the darkness.   As each individual light shines out together with the others through the oil from  the largest light in the center; they have stories to tell; stories that bring glory to God The Father.

You must distinguish The Lampstand from the whole Menorah.  The Lampstand is the center that holds everything together (Christ) and  there are branches on the sides (God's People) holding lamps that hold oil. The whole Menorah represents and symbolizes God's Kingdom at work together with Jesus acting as The Most High Priest, The Holy Spirit flowing from Christ and  indwelling the people who should be living like lamps that are not hidden; shinning their light out into the world.

So you see, this Menorah in the Sanctuary is so much more than a mere functional light fixture in a room.  It is a beautiful piece of art designed and conceived from God, and it represents so much more than any human artist could ever portray.    

The ancient Israelites actually called the light from the Menorah “ner Elohim” or “The Lamp of God.”   Can you see how "The Lamp of God" would be Jesus Christ acting as our Most High Priest? 

King David identified with this “Lamp of God” in the psalms that he sang, using the words; “He wraps Himself in light as with a garment.”   David was speaking of  the beautiful illustration of God through Christ that we see represented in the Menorah.  (Psalm 104:2)  .  

It was also David who spoke of The Lamp of God being a “lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.”  He was speaking of this Lampstand that connects to the lamps of the Menorah in the Tabernacle.  Christ being "The Word Of God" represents Torah as well as representing the role of our Most High Priest.  He IS the Living Word of God.  His words are direction for our souls.  David received instruction for life from the Holy Scriptures in Torah.  Even before the Messiah had come David knew these words contained The Words of Life.  

No matter how dark the human condition becomes; just one ray of light from this “Lamp of God” is said to dispel the darkness and bring clarity and purpose into our world.  This marvelous Lampstand is said to mark the pathway to The Tree of Life.  (Isa. 35:8) 

We know  that Jesus Christ is “the way.”  The Glory of God is fully revealed in Jesus Christ.  Jesus became known as “The Light Of The World.”  Through this light, in the living, dying, rising and giving of His life, mankind has been illuminated and brought into the Divine Presence of God.  John 8:12 speaks of this:  “I am the light of the world, he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

The significance of this Lampstand of God started at the very moment of creation when the voice of God said; “Let there be Light.”  Light came into the nothingness of total darkness and the universe began with glorious light, seen for the first time ever.   

Many see the significance of the six branches and their lamps representing the first six days of creation and the seventh, the middle branch (the Lampstand) being representative of the seventh day; the Sabbath.

As the universe was born into light and time went on, light became equated with knowledge and wisdom.  The Light of God shone from the Lampstand and gave meaning to the whole universe and everything that made up life.

So in this we see the who.  It is Christ, our Creator, Our Savior, Our Beloved, Our Most High Priest.  Way before he came as a man, His presence was there before the Glory of God in the tabernacle in the wilderness.  He was showing types and shadows of what was to come later to provide a way for man and God to be together forever.  

What?

That is the "Who" of The Lampstand;  but now let’s look at the "What." Just what was the main purpose of the Lampstand?  

It seems The Lampstand's primary purpose was to connect mankind with God, then help them to shine God's light out into the universe.  This giving of "light" and illumination was achieved through the pouring of the oil into the lamps causing a holy fire that illumined the way to the Tree of Life.   Christ has made this possible.  Through Him, all believers have The Holy Spirit living inside of them.  Through Him and those living in Him a light has come into the darkness and the darkness has been overcome.  

Notice how the Menorah is tree-shaped.  This is not coincidence.  The shape of the Menorah with the branches coming from the central stem is clearly patterned after a tree.  It was clear to the Israelites that the Menorah represented The Tree of Life.   We can see a repeat of this symbolized from the burning bush and we can see another repeat of this in Aaron's (The High Priest of Israel) staff, the one that God used in the deliverance from Pharaoh.  

The LORD chose to decorate the Menorah with almond cups from the almond tree and he used the almond blossoms that are very beautiful to behold.  Most people think that the staff that Aaron used to perform the signs and wonders from God was made from the branch of an almond tree.  We will study a time in the wilderness study later when Aaron's staff budded, produced flowers and almonds overnight.  We now know this was symbolic of the power of the Resurrection of Christ, and this is symbolized in the design of this Lampstand.

So we see that the main purpose of the Menorah was to shine God's light out into the universe so that it could reach and unite men's souls to God through Christ as the center, and all of these together could form the structure of The Kingdom of God and reflect God's Glory to the world.  For the Israelites this meant becoming a holy nation under God.  They were the shadow of the coming of God's Kingdom in the hearts and souls of mankind.  

When?

So we have seen "who" and we know "what" but now we ask "when."  

When will the message of God's Lampstand be most significant?  There are many time periods in history where the Lampstand is extremely significant.  For Israel and all of the people living in the Old Testament days The Lampstand representing the Most High Priest represented the promise of a coming Messiah.  For us on the other side of the cross; it represents the Second Coming of Christ.

All of this light points to a future time where we, through Christ our Savior will obtain the right to eternal life through the blessings of The Tree of Life.  If you read Revelation 22:14 you will hear “they who do His commandments have a right to the tree of life.”  The Menorah becomes most significant to us when we are following the commandments and when we come to the time of the revealing of The Tree of Life; those who have followed the commandments, or have been given mercy from their sins and have turned to living out the commandments because of Christ; they will be allowed to taste of The Tree of Life.  This “when” will be an eternal “when.” 

Why?

So we know the "who," and the "what" and the "when;" and now we seek the answers to the "why."   Why did God chose to place the Lampstand inside The Holy Place in the wilderness tabernacle and why is everything about the Menorah so significant?  

Well, if the Menorah stands for Christ and the reflection of the light of God living from within the souls of mankind who have Jesus Christ living within their hearts; what could matter more?  

Is there possibly even more that we should recognize?  

The blending of the tree motif and the fire in the design of the Menorah is very significant in that it is the Light of God, that eternal fire from the burning bush that Moses first saw that connects these two together – the divine and the human.  Do the flames coming from the lamps not remind you of the flames of fire from the Day of Pentecost?   

The burning bush drew the human man, Moses, to the divine being; God.  This was the beginning of the  connection that God wished to make with those He loves.  He does not desire to see our sin when He looks upon us; He desires to see our goodness.  The light of the Menorah reveals all things.  God sees us in this light for who we are; unless we are covered in the blood of Jesus.  If God sees this covering in the pure, clean, light of the Menorah, He will only see the evidence of His most Beloved Son, our Most High Priest and Holy Intercessor.    He will love and cherish us because He loves and cherishes the Son who died for us. So one reason for the light of the Menorah is that the light of the Menorah reveals who we really are.  God either sees us standing in Christ, or He sees us standing in our sins.  The light of Christ reveals everything that is true.  This is one reason why the Menorah is so very significant.  

There are many, many more reasons as to "why" God chose to place this Lampstand in the wilderness tabernacle; the biggest reason is that it shadows the role of Christ as our Most High Priest.  

Where?

We have answered the questions of "who," "what," "when," and "why;" now we must answer the question of  "where:"

It is significant to notice where the Menorah is placed.  It is stratigically placed where the light will shine in the most needed areas so that those who are working in the tabernacle can find their way around and see what is most important to their mission.  It is there to dispell the darkness.  God gives us His light so that we can give Him the Glory.  His light shows us the way to all that we need to know.  

And after all of these significant facts, you might ask where the original Lampstand now resides?  That is a good question.  No on knows the answer to where the actual, physical golden Lampstand is at this present moment.  

We can only know the answer to where the One it stands for is.  He is at the right hand of God in Heaven, ever interceding for our souls before God the Father.  He is receiving our prayers and answering our prayers through The Holy Spirit, giving light to our days and forever shinning hope into our hearts.  

SEASONS - TU B' SHEVAT - THE NEW YEAR OF THE TREES

January 31, 2018 would be a great day to go plant a tree.  Why?  It is Tu B' Shevat – The New Year of Trees!

New Year of The Trees???  Sounds a bit silly and strange, doesn’t it?   So – what is it all about?  Here is yet another day of observance on the Jewish calendar – a very vague one that, unless you are Jewish, you have probably never heard of or participated in.  Don’t worry – you won’t go to hell if you don’t’ keep it, but it is just a good date to remember and find out about, quite an interesting day, actually.

To understand this day you need to know something about how the Jewish calendar works.  There are actually four times each year that are considered a new year.  In other words, everything doesn’t start over at the same time on one given day; some things start over on a certain date and other things start over on another date during the year.   Makes sense to me, it took seven days to complete the creation; so why wouldn't some things be older faster than others?  I guess you could say it sort of works like our birthdays in that we celebrate them on different days, not like our regular holidays where everything always falls on the same date at the same time.

To be more specific; there are four times set in the Jewish year for beginning new things and/or starting old things over.  In the month of Nisan – begins the new year for kings and festivals.  In the month of Elul begins the new year for tithes.  In the month of Tishri – begins the new year for the calculations of the calendar (this parallels the secular New Year’s day celebrated in America closer than any of the other dates given).  Then, in the month of Shevat, there is Tu B' Shevat; the time for calculating the beginning of the agricultural cycle and beginning a new year of the biblical tithes. 

It is typical for Americans to think of “all time” when we think of the new year changing.  In our minds it all happens on one day; all time changes at once.  That is not the pattern in the Jewish world.  Everything has its own time to change during the seasons of the year. In Jewish thought it is more typical to think of “activities in time.”  Each activity would have a different new beginning each year because each activity is created for its own season. 

This year, 2017,  Tu B' Shevat occurs on February 11th.  It follows the usual sunset to sunset pattern of Jewish days, so the day would start at sunset on February 10th and last through sunset on February 11th on the American/secular calendar.   So, if your heart likes to follow the Hebraic things and the Jewish customs; this February is a time to think of the well being of your trees!  Why not make this a better version of "earth day?"

 Agriculture is strongly dependent on trees, and the nation of Israel has used this day a lot like Arbor Day is used in the United States to support the eco-system and to raise money for research, studies and science which is used to replenish the earth and support good healthy life, especially in Israel.   Much of this fund raising and symbolic support is displayed by people planting trees on Tu B' Shevat .  So if you really appreciate trees and forest and those who work so hard to keep them; why not send a little support their way on this day?  Pick a national park and do something to support their causes, or donate a tree to a public landscape in someone wonderful's honor.

 Tu B' Shevat is specifically and originally more about the biblical laws that govern the care of our trees.  

Have you ever noticed how special God made trees?  

Can you imagine a world without them?

They give us shade and food and shelter.  They make our world more beautiful and interesting.  

There are many scriptures in our bibles that relate to the care of our trees.  God was careful to give specific instructions for them.  Trees are definitely NOT to be worshiped; but they are to be appreciated because they were designed and given to us by the Creator that we do worship.  

God put mankind on the earth to care for it and to look after it.  Taking care of the trees is a huge part of this purpose.  

We read in Leviticus 19:23:  "'When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden.  For three years you are to consider it forbidden; it must not be eaten.”  Here God was instructing the Israelites how to take care of their trees. 

So – aaaaahhhhh – how would that relate to us who are living outside of Israel and in the modern world today?  

It is true that many of us are not  NATIVE Israelites by blood, and we are not living in the promised-land, but it is also obvious that God used the Israelites and the story of “the promised land” as a clear example of the best way that any person could live.

 

The whole story of the Nation of Israel is God patiently teaching all of mankind the best way to have an abundant life.   If you do nothing but grasp this principle, even if you don’t come to understand the “why” behind all these crazy laws and statutes given by God, you will do well!  

You don’t actually have to understand the logic behind the laws – if you follow them anyway; your physical quality of life will improve.  If you DO decide to UNDERSTAND why God gave them, your spiritual and intellectual quality of life will improve also.  If that sounds crazy and absurd to you – just test it out; we can talk afterward.

 

There is proven science behind every commandment that God gave to the Israelites, but you have to seek out those facts and answers for yourself in order to find them.  They won’t jump off the page and into your brain.  This law governing the care of the trees says that you should not eat of the fruit of any tree you plant for at least three years. 

Why?

 

God doesn’t always say why He commands things, ever notice that?  

He is such a Father.  We are supposed to trust our Father and His wisdom – we are supposed to BELIEVE that He always has our best interest in mind when He tells us something.  

Just like when you tell your children they shouldn’t eat too much candy, they may not immediately understand this.  They may think you are denying them a pleasure they should have – but without saying it out loud, you are protecting their health.  This is a similar situation.

God didn’t come out and explain the science to the Israelites when he gave this commandment.  

He simply instructed them what to do based on the laws He put into nature at the creation.  One of those laws is that fruit is sometimes harmful to the body within the first three years of growth because the tree has moisture that is affected by the absorption of the land.  Not enough time has passed for it to be warmed up by the energy of the sun and warmed up by the energy of the air.  

Therefore, the whole fruit of the first three years from a tree is earthy and watery and the moisture will overpower it and not always be good for the one who eats it.

God makes this rule pretty easy for us.  If you notice the seasons of fruit-bearing trees you discover that many trees do not even produce fruit at all until the fourth year of their growth, and so we are forced to wait out three years.  

I guess God knows how impatient we get.  Perhaps if Adam and Eve had been more patient and listened to God’s rules in the Garden of Eden, we might have tasted earlier from the Tree of Life?  

Who knows?  Only God knows – but that is the point – He does!  We need to listen when He tells us something, even if we do not immediately understand why.  

So He teaches us this in the harvesting of our trees and in a million other ways of life.  God is always teaching new things to His people who are willing to listen and obey.  

Now, if you really want a blessing, take what you profit from the fourth year of fruit (the first actual year of healthy fruit) and give it back to God in some way, shape or fashion.  He will bless your offering and your tree will become more fruitful.  If you don’t believe me – just try it for yourself and talk to me later.  This isn't "name-it-and-claim-it-religion; it is something that God built into the laws of nature right from Creation.

Some of the lessons we have to learn in the harvesting of our trees are actually brought out in the teachings of the commandment of first-fruits.  Sometimes when we study these agricultural passages and the temple offerings we tend to block them out or skim over them or skip them completely from the text.  We want to move on to the deeper, more spiritual things.  We should actually learn to slow down and look at the simple things of every season first before moving on; for that is how God likes to teach us.  Try it and see for yourself.

At first glance these Old Testament sacrifices and offerings may seem too exotic.  The laws often seem foreign to our non-Jewish culture and way of thinking  today.  

Now we seem to have fewer and fewer farmers with a true connection to the land.  

Everything is shipped in and grown on a huge big-business world-wide scale.  

We, the common people, often have no knowledge of how things actually get to our grocery stores.  But; thankfully, there is a concerned and growing group emerging in our culture that has come to recognize these facts.  They want to make definite and healthier changes.  Some of these “think-for-yourself” people are growing their own crops and preparing their own food again, like in the days of old.  They have the right idea and they are off to a good start.  

The missing element that many of these courageous young people have not yet discovered is the way of Torah.   They have no knowledge of the fact that one-sixth of the Mishnah deals with the matters of agriculture alone.  They usually DO believe in God, but they have forgotten to consult the God who created food about how it should be obtained from the earth that He created.  

Who would know better than God? 

I do get excited when from time to time I discover a young person with this mindset of learning how to follow the scriptures to grow their crops.  This is true progress in its fullest form and you can see the results that have been made here if you visit Israel and look at how their crops are growing.

Hopefully, the new more aware emerging group of young people in America will pass the information they discover on and maybe the world won’t rule it out and block the ears from those willing to hear and follow truth.  It is a vitally important factor which seems to be overlooked that we consult the God who made the earth about the care and tending of the earth!

The Mishnah has so much to say about “seeds” and “the corners of your fields.”  There is lots of information about care and tending to crops.  A generation with a heart to feed the poor and help the hungry and needy of the earth should be considering these scriptures.   These are the very scriptures that enabled Ruth to meet Boaz and they in turn became part of the ancestry of our Messiah!

It is encouraging to know that many fresh new minds are beginning to get excited about discovering that there are laws regarding how our offerings to God play into our food consumption and distribution.  One of these laws is the scripture that states the fruit of a tree is prohibited from consumption by people until after the third year.  In the fourth year the fruit should be offered to God as a “first fruit” offering. 

When you feed the hungry; it is as if you are making a first-fruit offering to God.  On the fifth year of a fruit crop you may partake of the fruit yourself and feed your own family with it.  The line of progression seems to be God-Others-You.  

What if the whole world actually took this to heart?  

Can you imagine how we all would be living? 

If you have followed God’s rules for the first four years of the tree, your fifth year will be abundant and plentiful.  Go ahead and try this – prove it for yourself.    

If you study the science of this you will begin to understand God’s intent.  The first three years are needed for the tree and its fruit to mature.  Until the time of maturity they would not be good enough for an offering to God.  

It is not magic, it is natural law.  

Natural law was designed by God.  We must give God our best.  Giving to others is the same as giving to God.  He has said “if you have done it for one of the least of my brethren, you have done it unto me.   Share the first of your harvest with others and God will share his abundance with you and bless you.  

This principle is the same in the harvest of souls.  If a soul isn’t led to maturity in God by patiently being obedient and believing in what The Father has taught us, they are of no good use to the Kingdom of God.  

Immature souls must be nourished and cared for, just like trees.  It often involves a period of time that we must patiently wait out.  Like the first three years of fruit, they probably will not reach their full potential for Kingdom service until they have been following God and His ways for at least three years.  

Until that time there is a trimming of the branches and a cultivating and fertilizing of the roots that will eventually bring about the proper growth of maturity and health, both in fruit and in people.  Just try it and see.    People are actually a lot like trees.

God is constantly pointing out in the Holy Scriptures that man is made from the earth.  It is also obvious that man gets his nourishment from the earth.  The earth and all things in it belong to God – not to man.  We, alone, cannot produce a tree or the fruit from it.  It takes God to make a tree grow and produce mature fruit.   It takes God living in a person through The Holy Spirit to bring them into maturity in Christ.  You can't open the top of their head and pour the scriptures down into their brain and expect results.  It takes God doing His work first.  God doesn't rush anything.  

Just as there is more to growing fruit than we often expect, there is also more to our earthly lives than the simple acts of productivity.  

Nurturing a tree and allowing its first three years of fruit to return to the earth is admitting that we are only the caretakers and not the creators of our own environment.  We are allowing GOD time to let the fruit mature and not depending on our own abilities.  

So, as caretakers of God’s earth, we gratefully acknowledge the change of the season on the day of Tu B' Shevat , which comes to us in America in the coldest part of winter. 

The winter cold is yet another reminder that underneath the cold winter snows of our silent grounds in this season, there are roots of God at work.  These deeply buried roots will be bringing new life one day.   After it has been hidden and  protected for a while, it will eventually come forth in the spring when the time is right.  God is the great timekeeper.  His timing is always accurate and precise.  He is the bringer of abundant life.

Learn to live in the moment God has given you today.  Go plant a tree!  The season is right.