Something You Never Noticed

[Michael37]

On 2/25/2021 at 5:17 PM, Annette said:

Do you ever find that you read a story in the Bible, that you think you know so well, and then you notice something you never noticed before?

Who knows, perhaps what you notice will be something we haven't noticed yet?

So, in out daily reading with my husband, I noticed that two of John's disciples ended up following Jesus.  

I remember learning the names of the disciples,  but somehow this never stood out until a couple weeks ago.

The fact that Amos was a fruit-picker escapes notice and doesn't get much mention, with some folk contesting that he was only a herdsman until they are required to look closer into the matter.

 The sycomore in question is a species of fig and is spelt with an 'o' after the 'c' not an 'a' so is not to be confused with the sycamores of various other species.

Quote from Wkpd regarding Ficus sycomorus

In the Bible, the sycomore is referred to seven times in the Old Testament [Hebrew שקמה shiqmah; Strong's number 8256) and once in the New Testament (Greek: συκομoραία sykomoraia or συκομορέα sykomorea;^[9] Strong's number 4809). Though it was not as common in Palestine, the sycomore was a very popular and valuable fruit tree in Jericho and Canaan.^{[10][dubious – discuss]}

Hebrew Bible

• In the Psalms, sycomores are listed with vines as sources of food destroyed in the plagues inflicted on the Egyptians. Ps 78:47
  • This verse implies that Ficus sycomorus could not survive in the mountainous regions of Palestine and Egypt^[10] ("He destroyed their vines with hail, and their sycomore trees with frost." Ps 78:47).
• King David appointed an officer to look after the olives and sycomores of the western foothills. 1Chron 27:28
• King Solomon made [up-market] cedars as common as sycomores. 1Kings 10:27 = 2Chron 1:15, 2Chron 9:27
• In condemning his people's arrogance the prophet Isaiah also makes a contrast between sycomores and cedars. Isaiah 9:10
• The prophet Amos refers to his secondary occupation as a dresser or tender of sycomores Amos 7:14; this involved slashing the fruits to induce ripening.^[11]

Gospels

• In Luke's Gospel, Zacchaeus resorted to climbing a sycomore in order to get a better view of Jesus in Jericho. Luke 19:4

Amo 7:10-15  Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.  (11)  For thus Amos says, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.  (12)  Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O you seer, go, flee you away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:  (13)  But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king's chapel, and it is the king's court.  (14)  Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:  (15)  And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.

[Hopefully]

40 Authors of the Bible 

40 days of rain in the great flood

40 days of fasting in the wilderness 

40 days spent on earth after resurrection from death on the cross

40 days infant Jesus was taken to the temple in Jerusalem after birth

I found this interesting, and have read that it is possible Jesus could have been 40 years old when he died on the cross.  Not that it’s important to salvation, but I wonder if there are even more things that happened for 4O days or years.

Edited February 27, 2021 by Hopefully

[appy]

1 hour ago, Hopefully said:

Jesus could have been 40 years old when he died on the cross.

In the Old Testament, the minimum age requirement for entering into the priesthood was 30.  The age requirement  was to ensure that those serving had a certain level of maturity and  physical strength to perform the required tasks. The majority of Christian scholars agree that Jesus’ ministry lasted 3 1/2 years. So, 30 years of age plus 3 1/2 years of ministry, equals the age of 33.   Jesus was most likely to be 33 years old when He died on the cross. 

 

[Michael37]

2 hours ago, Hopefully said:

40 Authors of the Bible 

40 days of rain in the great flood

40 days of fasting in the wilderness 

40 days spent on earth after resurrection from death on the cross

40 days infant Jesus was taken to the temple in Jerusalem after birth

I found this interesting, and have read that it is possible Jesus could have been 40 years old when he died on the cross.  Not that it’s important to salvation, but I wonder if there are even more things that happened for 4O days or years.

40 years with Israel wandering in the desert after Egypt and before the Promised Land.

40 is often associated with Preparation.

See also this:

Act 7:20-23  In which time Moses was born, and was exceeding fair, and nourished up in his father's house three months:  (21)  And when he was cast out, Pharaoh's daughter took him up, and nourished him for her own son.  (22)  And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.  (23)  And when he was full forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of Israel.

[Justin Adams]

13 hours ago, Hopefully said:

40 Authors of the Bible 

We know that there were far more than 40 authors and editors of the scriptures. "40" is a Hebrew concept and it suggests completeness or a time of testing/trial. It is a "part of speech" and not necessarily a verbatim number. Therefore it is not literal in many instances. "1000" might mean A LOT OF TIME or MANY. Again, not literal as a modern person might think.

When God destroyed every living thing on the Earth by flood, it rained 40 days and 40 nights (Gen 7:4,12,17).

Three men in the Bible fasted 40 days and 40 nights: Moses (Ex 34:28)(Deut 9:9,18,25)(Deut 10:10), Elijah (1 Kin 19:8), and Jesus (Mt 4:2)(Lk 4:2)(Mk 1:13).

Because Israel refused to enter the Promised Land, God condemned them to wander in the “wilderness” for 40 years (Num 14:33-34)(Num 32:11-13)(Deut 8:2)(Josh 5:6).
(God also kept their clothing and sandals from wearing out for the whole 40 years: Deut 29:5, Deut 8:4.)

The Israelites were given manna in the desert for 40 years to “test” and “humble” them (Ex 16:35)(Deut 8:3,16)

When scourging someone, they could not receive more than 40 lashes (Deut 25:3)(2 Cor 11:24).

The Israelites were in captivity to the Philistines for 40 years for doing evil (Judg 13:1).

Goliath taunted Israel for 40 days and nights (1 Sam 17:16), until David defeated him.

Ezekiel laid on his right side for 40 days to “bear the iniquity” of Judah’s sins (Ezek 4:6).

God proclaimed judgment against Egypt, saying it would be desolate for 40 years (Ezek 29:10-12).

God gave Nineveh 40 days to repent or be overthrown (Jonah 3:4).

After the flood waters had receded, and the tops of the mountains were visible, Noah waited another 40 days to open the window of the Ark (Gen 8:6).

Isaac was 40 years old when he took Rebekah as his wife (Gen 25:20).

Esau, Isaac’s son, also got married when he was 40 (Gen 26:34).

Embalming took 40 days in early Bible times (Gen 50:3).

Moses was on Mt. Sinai for 40 days and 40 nights (twice!) (Ex 24:18)(Ex 34:28)(Deut 9:9,11,18,25)(Deut 10:10).

The spies that Moses sent to spy out the Promised Land were there for 40 days (Num 13:25)(Num 14:34).

One of those spies was Joshua, and he was forty years old when he went (Josh 14:7).

Moses died when he was 120 years old (Deut 34:7). His life can be divided into 3 sections of 40 years: (first 40) being born and growing up in Pharaoh’s house in Egypt (Acts 7:20-23), (middle 40) fleeing to Midian after killing the Egyptian, and living there for 40 years (Acts 7:29-30), (last 40) returning to Egypt, the exodus, and the events that followed (Acts 7:36)(Ex 7:7).

Aaron died 40 years after the Israelites had left Egypt (Num 33:38).

Three different times in Judges, the land had rest for 40 years (Judg 3:11)(Judg 5:31)(Judg 8:28).

Eli judged Israel for 40 years (1 Sam 4:18).

Ishbosheth became king over Israel when he was 40 years old (2 Sam 2:10).

Three kings reigned for 40 years: David (1 Kin 2:11)(2 Sam 5:4-5), Solomon (1 Kin 11:42), and Joash (2 Chr 24:1)(2 Kin 12:1).
(Saul may also be a part of this group [Acts 13:21], but this is controversial [1 Sam 13:1].)

The 10 lavers in the Temple each held “40 baths” (about 230 gal.) of water (1 Kin 7:38).

The time period between Jesus’ resurrection and ascension was 40 days (Acts 1:3).

The book of Exodus has 40 chapters.

The average length of a woman’s pregnancy is 40 weeks.

Lent is the 40 days before Easter (not counting Sundays).

Edited February 27, 2021 by Justin Adams

[Buddy D. Mouse]

Infant Jesus would have been circumscised on 8th day - not 40th - as far as I know

[Justin Adams]

48 minutes ago, Episcopius said:

Infant Jesus would have been circumscised on 8th day - not 40th - as far as I know

Correct.

[Brother Duke]

Matthew 11:19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

 

 

Matthew 11:18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, He hath a devil

Matthew 11:19 The Son of man came eating and drinking, and they say, Behold a man gluttonous, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners. But wisdom is justified of her children.

Luke 11:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

Luke 1:15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

Isaiah 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

[Hopefully]

4 hours ago, Episcopius said:

Infant Jesus would have been circumscised on 8th day - not 40th - as far as I know

Yes 8 days and here is where I got that previous statement from

“Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.

And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.”
‭‭Leviticus‬ ‭12:2, 4‬ ‭KJV‬‬

7+33=40 This is what I meant