Jesus IS our Christ, Messiah, Savior & the only begotten/resurrected Son of God!
Welcome to The Lamb's Wife blog!
"Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready." -Rev 19:7 KJV ... "And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife." -Rev 21:9 KJV
My attempt to decode the date of Tu B'Av using ancient Paleo- Picto- Hebrew: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SURROUND (contain), (and) SECURE [the]
TET (T) is the picture of a basket; meaning: surround, contain, mud
VAV (U) is the picture of a tent peg (nail); meaning: add, secure, hook, "and"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FAMILY, IN (the family, house, in [the])
BET (B', Bet/Vet) is the picture of a tent; meaning: family, house, "in", "of"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FATHER['s] (strong, leader [in the] family, house) {Av, Ab or Abba means Father - b/v are often interchangeable}
ALEPH (A) is the picture of an ox head; meaning: strong, power, leader
VET (V, Bet/Vet) is the picture of a tent; meaning: family, house, "in", "of"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- = Surround and secure the family (bride/church) in(to) the Father's house.
This could be a reference to the Father giving His Son the OK for His angels to gather the elect (SURROUND/CONTAIN) (and SECURE) and take them (FAMILY, elect, ready bride) IN (into) the FATHER's (FAMILY/HOUSE, heaven).
{Mat 24:31 KJV} And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
{Mar 13:27 KJV} And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. {Jhn 14:3 KJV} And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, [there] ye may be also.{Our blessed hope!} More on Tu B'Av ... {T=TET=9, U=Vav=6; 9+6=15; 15th B' (of) Av (month name)} http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/tubav.html
"The holiday was instituted in the Second Temple period to mark the beginning of the grape harvest, which ended on Yom Kippur." This is an interesting statement because the "Second Temple period" included Jesus' day! Also interesting is that "The holiday" was instituted to "mark the beginning of the grape harvest" - which I believe is when the Lord turns His attention back to Israel after He takes His *ready bride* (wheat harvest) out of the world.
"Soon-to-be brides danced in Shilo, a community in Samaria, which was the first capital of Israel. In modern times, since Jews have been able to return to Samaria, Jews have returned to the vineyards of the Jewish community of Shilo and dance in the vineyards serenaded by song."{Underscore emphasis is mine.} Below is a scripture of importance (to the quoted text above) as it relates to the Bridegroom (Shiloh, Jesus/Yeshua, the Lion of the tribe of Judah) coming for His bride (the church) ...
{Gen 49:10 KJV} The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto him [shall] the gathering of the people [be]. This verse's mention of Shiloh (a reference to Jesus/Yeshua) is also the name of the ancient capital city of Samaria of the northern -lost- 10 tribes of Israel and is prophesying the King/Bridegroom coming for His bride (the *ready* church, see Mat 25). It's certainly feasible, and something worth while to ponder on. This year, Tu B'Av is August 18th @ sunset through August 19th @ sunset (some believe it's Aug 19-20). And NO, I'm not date setting, I'm just studying to show myself approved and being watchful. I don't know *when* the rapture/resurrection of the saints will be but I'm hoping it'll be sooner than later! I'll add more if I find more, or start yet another article! Here are links to other articles I've done about this fascinating subject ... 07/09/16 ~ Tu B'Av (August 18, 2016) ... http://thelambswife.blogspot.com/2016/07/070916-tu-bav-august-18-2016.html 07/08/16 ~ Tu B'Av - August 18, 2016 ... http://thelambswife.blogspot.com/2016/07/070816-tu-bav-august-18-2016.html If you'd like to learn more about ancient paleo- picto- Hebrew and it's relevance to us today, check out this website http://ancient-hebrew.org/by Jeff Benner Thanks for reading! {Curly bracket and/or italics comments mine. KJV used and links to BlueLetterBible.org! Red letter text is quoting Jesus. JVL website quotes are in bold & dark purple text.}
'If you can't/won't shoot, at least pay for the bullets.'
I don't know who the actual author of this saying is, nor if I've quoted it correctly, but I do know I hear Kent Hovind say it quite a bit. This is saying that if you yourself can't or won't reach people for the kingdom of God then at least send tithes, and/or prayers, to & for those on the Christian battlefield who ARE winning souls to the Lord. It's NOT about violence nor being violent. Even though Jesus told his disciples to buy a sword in Luk 22:36, I don't recall any one of them using one after the night Jesus was arrested when Peter did use the sword and Jesus healed the man he wounded. I believe the true sword is God's word, not a weapon (although they do have their unfortunate uses in our world today). We are to heal, not hurt, as our Lord did, who is our example. ALL of the apostles (except the Apostle John) died as martyrs and so did many of the early church believers. Suppose you, in these last days, that we believers are any different? Thousands, perhaps millions, have died for the name/sake of Jesus, and in fact are still dying for Him to this day. This is their testimony -and they are all with Him right now- soon to return with Him to rule & reign from Jerusalem.
No matter what lies before us, take courage, whether we die first or we live until the day of His coming and of our resurrection ... we win ... this is our testimony. Bring as many out of this world {Rev 18:4} as you can while you wait. Don't bury your "talent" {Mat 25:14-30} or hide it in your pocket. Let your light, which is His light in you, shine.
Here are some scriptures to encourage and remind you of what is expected of every believer in Jesus ...
.:: DON'T HIDE YOUR LIGHT ::.
{Mat 5:14-16 KJV} Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
{Luk 11:33-36 KJV} No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth [it] in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. The light of the body is the eye: therefore when thine eye is single, thy whole body also is full of light; but when [thine eye] is evil, thy body also [is] full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness. If thy whole body therefore [be] full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light.
.:: JESUS WARNS ::.
{Mat 16:25 KJV} For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
{Mar 8:35 KJV} For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.
{Luk 9:24 KJV} For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
{Luk 17:33 KJV} Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.
.:: DON'T BE LUKEWARM ::.
{Rev 3:15-16 KJV} I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
.:: FEAR NOT ::.
{Mat 10:27-28 KJV} What I tell you in darkness, [that] speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, [that] preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
.:: BE FAITHFUL TO THE END ::.
{Luk 18:7-8 KJV} And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?
.:: HOLD FAST & WATCH ::.
{Rev 2:25 KJV} But that which ye have [already] hold fast till I come.
{Rev 3:3 KJV} Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
{Rev 3:11 KJV} Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. {"quickly" here means that when He does come it will be sudden, quick, as lightning flashes from the east to the west}
.:: ARMOR UP & STAND ::.
{Eph 6:13 KJV} Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
Jesus is coming soon! Will He find you about the Father's work? Are you among those that, at Jesus' return, He'll find faithful? We are in the last of the last days, stand your ground ...
{Curly bracket comments are mine. Red text is quoting Jesus.}
If ... the LORD {God, YHWH} doesn't change (and He doesn't) ... then ... what He's said in the past is applicable today and into the future.
{Mal 3:6 KJV}For I [am] the LORD, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.
Many Christians are conservative in that they believe the Old Testament is as true and relevant to us today as the New Testament is. In fact, both *testaments* are actually covenants, so we could say they are the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. The new does not abolish the old, rather it compliments it, they go hand-in-hand. You cannot fully nor properly understand the New without first understanding the Old.
Wise Christians may be termed as radical because they believe -all of the bible- and profess so in their daily walk with the Lord; they are not shy nor ashamed to quote old or new scripture as it relates to the culture of "modernity" (modern times). They speak the word in truth, which is not well received nor popular in this day and age. But then, nor was it in the days of the prophets of old times who also would have qualified as *radical* because they often preached of the doom of nations when those nations' peoples had repeatedly refused to repent of their evil ways. So it is even now. I too have been called a radical in my stance for Jesus and His word, the bible, just like the prophets of old were zealously radical for God. I guess I would classify myself in the prophetic branch but I wouldn't go so far as to call myself a prophet ... so far I've not said "thus saith the Lord" aside from reiterating what He says in His word. I am a Christian because I understand what Jesus did for me when He gave His life for my sins on that cross. Who wouldn't be grateful to the One that has saved their life, especially for all eternity!? But, I am no radical, what I am is passionate for the One that Saves. My passion is out of love & concern for humanity ... in that we live as God intended for us as mandated in the ten commandments ... not one of hatred nor conquest. People tend to call Christians all sorts of names when they don't like what you have to say, especially when the words come straight out of the bible! As in the days of old when the true prophets of God were mocked, beaten and murdered for preaching all of God's words, so the days have come full circle for today's Christianity and those that still preach truth. I believe we're on the cusp of the six seal of Revelation about to be opened and we, the true church/bride, will be taken home before the wrath of the Lamb is poured out on this God-rejecting world. To all those speaking truth and being called names for it ... stay the course, as your predecessors did. Teach & preach truth from God's word, even though it is ignored and unwanted in our day.
For the true believers, teachers, preachers, and prophets of today, in the words of our Lord & Savior, Jesus {Yeshua} ...
{Luk 6:22-23 KJV}Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you [from their company], and shall reproach [you], and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward [is] great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
Other Christians believe that things change, and change is good ... and that God can and does change His mind on some matters that in the past were sin but no longer, or that sin is somehow overlooked in this "age of Grace".
Many folks in the churches of today consider themselves *prophets* but are actually prosperity preachers giving the good news of how you could (note could, not will) get lots of goodies from God if you'll just support their efforts. These kinds of false *prophets* will go to hell, unless they repent before they die. These people seek their own gain in this world and although they may reap the benefits here and now they will not do so in eternity.
To all the prosperity preachers and false prophets, Jesus warns you ...
{Luk 6:24-26 KJV}But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.
And for all the otherwise foolish, lukewarm Christians ... the bible is clear about what sin is so I'll not repeat it here. And yes, Jesus did come to save us from our sins but you must repent (turn from) those sins; He died to pay the sin debt of your freedom from sin. Suppose you that when He comes He will take you with Him if you are in the habitual act of rebellion and sin without repentance?
{Mat 25:1-7 KJV}Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five [were] foolish. They that [were] foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
{Mat 25:8-9 KJV}And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, [Not so]; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
{Mat 25:10 KJV}And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
{Mat 25:11-12 KJV}Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Turning away from your sins is proof that you understand the gravity of the debt Jesus paid for you with His own precious blood!
{Rev 3:16 KJV} So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. -Jesus
I was sure that Shavuot/Pentecost was the day of the potential resurrection of the church/bride, and it's still very possible for a future year. However, I've found there is yet another mysterious day of the Jewish/Hebrew calendar called Tu B'av (or Tu B'ab) that is extremely significant regarding a potential *wedding*. I have dated this for 2016 in the title but it can apply to any future Tu B'Av as well (up until we are taken out of this world). Here's what I found out so far ... August 18, 2016 (at sunset in Jerusalem) Tu B’Ab = Tu B'av {b & v are interchangeable}
Tu B’Ab occurs on a full moon Tu B’Ab is one of the more obscure and yet deeply profound holidays in the Jewish calendar. To emphasize this, our Sages point out that virtually every major holiday will pale away after the Mashiach arrives and Tu B’Ab will come to the forefront. This festive day comes six days after Tisha B’Ab, the 9th of Ab The theme of Tu B’Ab is love and the unity that love brings. Tu B’Ab is the day of love between man and wife. Tu B’Ab is the seventh day from the 9th of Ab Tu B’Ab marks reunifications with the sons of Rachel who had become estranged from the community. Tu B’Ab may be a minor festival, yet it has been blessed with several scintillating names that belie its relative insignificance. These names give us a clue as to the positive thrust of the day: The Holiday of the Grape Harvest - This is the day when the grape harvest begins in Israel. The Holiday of Unity - see that section. Unity after rivalry - Tu B’Ab marks reunifications with the sons of Rachel who had become estranged from the community. Day of courtship - They {virgins} danced and were courted because this was a day of purity; purity from sin and purity for marriage. The Festival of the Lord - a day on which all was done solely for the sake of Heaven. The “Day of the Breaking of the Hatchets” - see that section. In earlier times Tu B’Ab was a festival dedicated to young Jewish men and women finding their mates. Tu B’Ab marks the change from summer to the hot season: ... the second half of Ab, Elul and the first half of Tishri are the hot season. Midrash Rabbah - Lamentations Prologue XXXIII - ... and the birth of Mashiach which was to occur on Tisha B’Ab {9th of Av} - It was the day on which the tribes were permitted to intermarry - It was the day when the tribe of Benjamin was allowed to re-enter the Community XV. Comfort - Yeremyahu (Jeremiah) 31:13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow. Source:http://www.betemunah.org/tubav.html {This site also quotes the NT and is worth your time.} Thanks for reading! {Curly bracket comments are mine. Quote texts from the article linked to are in this color.}
I am totally fascinated by *numbers* and how they may relate to us today. I'm not saying this is necessarily significant for this year (although it may well be), it could relate to any year in the near future, but for now I'll go with this year, 2016. First let's get to Daniel 12 ...
https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/dan/12/1/s_862001 {Dan 12:1 KJV} And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
{Dan 12:2-4 KJV} And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame [and] everlasting contempt. And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, [even] to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
{Dan 12:5-6 KJV} Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river. And [one] said to the man clothed in linen, which [was] upon the waters of the river, How long [shall it be to] the end of these wonders?
{Daniel 12 con't} ... {Dan 12:7 KJV} And I heard the man clothed in linen, which [was] upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that [it shall be] for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these [things] shall be finished.
{Dan 12:8-10 KJV} And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what [shall be] the end of these [things]? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words [are] closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
.:: 1290 ::. 1260 + 30 = 1290
{Daniel 12 con't} ... {Dan 12:11 KJV} And from the time [that] the daily [sacrifice] shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, [there shall be] a thousand two hundred and ninety days.
.:: 1335 ::. 1260 + 30 = 1290 AND 1290 + 45 = 1335 OR 1260 + 75 = 1335
{Daniel 12 con't} ... {Dan 12:12-13 KJV}Blessed [is] he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. But go thou thy way till the end [be]: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.
Now, I'll be working on DAYS (not years) as they *may* relate to 2016. If this doesn't happen to be the year the Lord comes for His church/bride (ready virgins) then I'll see what comes up for 2017 at a later date. If not sometime between now and Aug 18th then I'll perhaps look forward to the upcoming Feast of Trumpets in the fall.
OK, now for some *math* with a few interesting dates that are coming up and what they may potentially mean. My first clue was an article by a friend of mine, Helena Lehman of the Pillars of Enoch ministry (I've linked to her article below) where she discovered that Tisha B'Av and Tu B'Av may be significant watch dates for the bride of Christ. Tisha B'Av is the dreaded 9th of Av and not a *good* day for the Jews so I decided to check into Tu B'Av and see what's up there. Well, it happens to be another highly rated *wedding* day for Israel. I've found lots of links on that, I'll share those later. But for now I'm documenting the *math* I've come up with and what the significance of those dates arrived at by math might be for us waiting on the Lord.
So, probably none of that makes sense to you, right!? See my previous article dated today also for more (particularly for Tu B'Av). Sorry if I'm being a bit lazy but I've got more studying to do and this is just the *tip* of the proverbial iceberg!
From Hebrew4Christians page, this is an interesting statement ;o} "Tu B'Av marked the end of the year for planting.
Tu B'Av was instituted (in the Second Temple period) to mark the beginning of the grape harvest, which ended on Yom Kippur. It was also the time when planting of trees and crops was to end for the year (trees planted after this date are considered to take root after Rosh Hashanah, and therefore belong to the following year for the purposes of the Sabbatical Year)."Notice it *marks* the beginning of the grape harvest, therefore it is logical to assume it concludes the WHEAT harvest!
It also states: "Tu B'Av marks the final Jewish Holiday of the year."
WOW, somebody (Hebrew4Christians) was on top of this LOL ... "On the Jewish calendar, Tu B'Av occurs a week after Tishah B'Av - the culmination of the three weeks of sorrow - and traditionally marks the end of summer and all of the holidays of the Jewish year. Moreover, Tu B'Av acts as a sort of preface to the month of Elul when the cycle of holidays begins again with Rosh Hashanah. As such it marks the last celebration of the current Jewish year, a time of happiness and joy that prophetically heralds the "marriage supper of the Lamb" (see below)."
"Since it falls on the fifteenth of the month, Tu B'Av is a night of the full moon; and since the ninth of Av (Tishah B'Av) recalls the history of Jewish tragedy, the full moon of Av represents the transformation of darkness into light, sorrow into joy."
"Tu B'Av prophetically pictures the Marriage of the Lamb of God.
Since it is the "last" festival of the Jewish year, prophetically Tu B'Av pictures our marriage to the Lamb of God (Seh Elohim), the LORD Yeshua our beloved Mashiach: "
http://www.torahinmotion.org/discussions-and-blogs/tu-bav-happiest-day An interesting statement from the TorahInMotion page ... "Unfortunately, Tu B'Av has become a neglected holiday. While single girls dancing before single men might not please the religious and social sensibilities of many today, class divisions (especially in Israel) and Jew embarrassing Jew are not uncommon."
Perhaps they don't much observe it today because it's not theirs to observe? The same goes for Pentecost/Shavuot, they don't much celebrate it either. Maybe Shavuot marks the beginning our our betrothal and Tu B'Av marks the end? We can hope!
{of the resurrection of the church/bride} OK, I'm *runnin'* with Tu B'Av LOL it seems the more likely date to me ;o}
Reading this one now ... http://www.betemunah.org/tubav.html "Tu B’Ab is surely the festival which formed the basis for the Gentile celebration of Valentines day. Never the less, the two dates are rooted very differently. Tu B’Ab is focused on the love between Husband and wife, between Israel and HaShem. ..."
WOAH! ... "Tu B’Ab is one of the more obscure and yet deeply profound holidays in the Jewish calendar. To emphasize this, our Sages point out that virtually every major holiday will pale away after the Mashiach arrives and Tu B’Ab will come to the forefront."
"Let’s begin to understand this special day by examining a major aspect of this day as noted in the Talmud:
Taanit 26b R. SIMEON B. GAMALIEL SAID: THERE NEVER WERE IN ISRAEL GREATER DAYS OF JOY THAN THE FIFTEENTH OF AB AND THE DAY OF ATONEMENT. ON THESE DAYS THE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM USED TO WALK OUT IN WHITE GARMENTS WHICH THEY BORROWED IN ORDER NOT TO PUT TO SHAME ANY ONE WHO HAD NONE. ALL THESE GARMENTS REQUIRED RITUAL DIPPING. THE DAUGHTERS OF JERUSALEM CAME OUT AND DANCED IN THE VINEYARDS EXCLAIMING AT THE SAME TIME, YOUNG MAN, LIFT UP THINE EYES AND SEE WHAT THOU CHOOSEST FOR THYSELF. DO NOT SET THINE EYES ON BEAUTY BUT SET THINE EYES ON [GOOD] FAMILY. GRACE IS DECEITFUL, AND BEAUTY IS VAIN; BUT A WOMAN THAT FEARETH THE LORD, SHE SHALL BE PRAISED. AND IT FURTHER SAYS, GIVE HER OF THE FRUIT OF HER HANDS; AND LET HER WORKS PRAISE HER IN THE GATES."
{Pro 31:16 KJV} She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
{Pro 31:31 KJV} Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.
OK so Av is the fifth month on the Hebrew/Jewish calendar (not the sixth that I had posted previously and deleted that comment). In looking up if there's anything significant that happened in the "fifth month" in the bible (KJV) I found an interesting reference that could apply to today, in particular the fifth and seventh months and seventy years (Israel will be 70 years old beginning in the fall of 2017) ...
This scripture, which mentions the fifth month is interesting ...https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/zec/7/3/s_918003 {Zec 7:3-6 KJV} [And] to speak unto the priests which [were] in the house of the LORD of hosts, and to the prophets, saying, Should I weep in the fifth month, separating myself, as I have done these so many years? Then came the word of the LORD of hosts unto me, saying, Speak unto all the people of the land, and to the priests, saying, When ye fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh [month], even those seventy years, did ye at all fast unto me, [even] to me? And when ye did eat, and when ye did drink, did not ye eat [for yourselves], and drink [for yourselves]?
This also applies to the Israel of today, just think of all the sin and corruption she's taken on from her lovers ... {Eze 11:12 KJV} And ye shall know that I [am] the LORD: for ye have not walked in my statutes, neither executed my judgments, but have done after the manners of the heathen that [are] round about you.
Back to the article at hand LOL and this is a WOW statement, *grapes* again, speaking of Israel/Judah I believe (perhaps after the seven year grapes of *wrath*) ... "Although the Mishnah does not make a clear distinction between Tu B’Av and Yom Kippur, nonetheless, it goes without saying that these two days are significantly different, and allude to two different types of match or “choice”. In familiar terms, matches made on Yom Kippur are more inclined to the traditional “Charedi” standards, a match that is founded primarily on a similarity between the families and their social status, made mainly by the parents, while the young (sometimes very young) couple just has to confirm it at the final stages. Such matches are usually announced on the wedding invitation with the phrase, “the marriage of so-and-so with the girl of his age, so-and-so.” “A girl of his age” refers to his soulmate, who is suited to him and destined to him from Heaven, “Grapes of a vine with grapes of a vine.”"
And "by contrast" this is the Church who come to the Messiah *willingly* ... "By contrast, the matches of Tu B’Av are a “modern match” (or even “secular”), the young couple find one another, with mutual attraction being a primary incentive for their relationship. This is an attraction that often results from the dissimilarity and difference between the two; “opposites attract”, as the saying goes. On the invitation of a couple such as this, the custom is to write, “So-and-so with his heart’s choice, so-and-so”."
Israel/Judah ... "This difference is reflected in the Talmudic interpretation of the above mentioned Mishna.[7] The Talmud begins by explaining that with reference to Yom Kippurim, the festivities are clear, “Because it has forgiveness and excusing and it is the day on which the second set of Tablets was given”, this is the epitome of the relationship between the Almighty and the Jewish People, all our sins are excused and instead of the first set of Tablets, which were broken, we were presented with a second set. The emphasis in this case is not on our choice, so it is evident that matches made on this day are under the impression of “everything is in the hands of Heaven”[8] and “From God is a woman to a man”."
WOW, the Church LOL ... "By contrast, the Talmud asks, “But what about Tu B’Av”? What is the reason here for the festivities? And it offers a number of good reasons why. Of these, we will mention just the first two, which are directly connected to matches and marriage.
The first reason is, “The day on which the tribes were permitted to intermarry”, since during the first generation after the Land of Israel had been conquered, every girl who had no brothers inherited an estate but could only marry someone from her own tribe. However, in the following generation tribal intermarriage was permitted with no limitations. Until then, marriage had been “dictated”, but from now onwards, anyone could marry whoever they chose."
Taanit 30b R. SIMEON B. GAMALIEL SAID: THERE NEVER WERE IN ISRAEL GREATER DAYS OF JOY THAN THE FIFTEENTH OF AB AND THE DAY OF ATONEMENT.{My comment: 15th of Av/Ab = the Church bride; Day of At-one-ment = Israel/Judah ... and in that order!}
Of course it doesn't make sense to Israel! "The commentary of Tosafot adds: “‘the day in which the tribes were permitted to marry one another’, this constitutes a Yom Tov (holiday)”. This seems very strange. Tu B’Ab is not one of our major holidays, certainly not of the likes of Yom HaKippurim!"
And on another train of thought, in wondering what the names of the moon are for the fifth moon (for Israel), which is the 8th month to us in the west:
Some Native American tribes called the August Moon the “Sturgeon Moon” because they knew that the sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain were most readily caught during this Full Moon. They also called August’s Moon the “Full Green Corn Moon.”
Different tribes had different Moon name preferences. Other examples for August are: “Wheat Cut Moon” (San Ildefonso, and San Juan), or “Moon When All Things Ripen” (Dakotah Sioux) or “Blueberry Moon” (Ojibway)."
Man, I've got so much more to read but I'm tired! This aught to get you fired up, and your motor rev'g ... that's a lot of research already! I hope you are inspired to continue to study Tu B'Av on your own. This year it will begin at sunset (full moon) on August 18, 2016. From this date I back-dated 1335, 1290, 1260days to get the dates for my other article {also dated today}. Whether or not those days and dates have anything to do with Jesus coming for His bride I cannot (nor would I) say for sure. I can only say I am excited that it's *possible* and so I'll keep watching and looking up! I hope you do too ;o}
I may add more links to this article as I get to it and if I do I will add dates beside them so you can tell they're newer than the article date itself (in the title of the article). Any future links or comments will be below this line somewhere.
