Die amandeltak/The almond branch
- 10 minutes read - 2012 wordsDie Amandeltak
“Verder het die woord van die Here tot my gekom en gesê: Wat sien jy, Jeremia? En ek antwoord: Ek sien 'n amandeltak. Toe sê die Here vir my: Jy het goed gesien, want Ek is wakker oor my woord om dit te volbring.”
JEREMIA 1:11-12 AFR53
God is altyd wakker en sien alles wat gebeur. Die amandelboom blom vroeg en “slaap” nie deur die hele winter soos ander bome nie - TPT Bybel. Die amandelboom is dus ‘n goeie simbool van God wat wakker is en ‘n wakende oog oor alles hou. Selfs die woord vir amandel in Hebreeus beteken wakker.
Amandel - Strong’s H8247: amandel - saqed/shaqed/shaked
Wakker, kyk, hou wag - Strong’s H8245: - saqad/shoqed/shoked
Hierdie is die Hebreeuse vertaling vir die woord wakker op slegs ‘n paar plekke in die Bybel.
Die amandel was vroeër reeds ‘n simbool van God se teenwoordigheid.
“En Moses het die stawwe voor die aangesig van die Here in die tent van die Getuienis neergesit. En toe Moses die volgende dag in die tent van die Getuienis ingaan, kyk, daar het die staf van Aäron, vir die huis van Levi, gebloei: dit het bloeisels laat uitspruit en blomme laat oopgaan en amandels laat ryp word! Toe bring Moses al die stawwe wat voor die aangesig van die Here was, na al die kinders van Israel toe uit; en hulle het dit gesien en elkeen sy staf geneem. Daarop het die Here vir Moses gesê: Bring die staf van Aäron terug voor die Getuienis om dit te bewaar as teken vir die wederstrewiges, en bevry My eindelik van hulle murmureringe, dat hulle nie sterwe nie.”
NÚMERI 17:7-10 AFR53
“waarin 'n goue wierookbak was en die ark van die verbond, rondom heeltemal met goud oortrek, waarin die goue kruik met die manna was en die staf van Aäron wat gebloei het, en die tafels van die verbond;”
HEBREËRS 9:4 AFR53
Aäron se staf het bloeisels en amandels gevorm wat gewys het dat God die Leviete as priesters uitverkies het. Hierdie bloeiende staf is in die verbondsark geplaas. Die oorspronklike goue kandelaar (menorah) wat Moses moes maak vir die tabernakel was versier met amandelblomme - Eksodus 25:31-40, 37:17-29. Die kandelaar moes altyd brand om God se teenwoordigheid aan te toon - Levítikus 24:2. God se heerlikheid en teenwoordigheid was in die tabernakel waar die goue kandelaar en Aäron se amandel staf gehou is.
God het eerstens aan Jeremia gewys dat Hy wakker is en altyd met Israel is voordat Hy die komende onheil aangekondig het. Hoofstuk na hoofstuk lees ons hoe God vir Jeremia gebruik het om Israel te waarsku teen die komende onheil. Die mense het nie geluister en teruggedraai na God nie. Na Jeremia al die onheil aangekondig het wat oor Israel sou kom het hy vertel van die restorasie wat sal volg. Jeremia en Jesaja het profeteer dat ‘n spruit of ‘n takkie sou kom. Ek glo die amandel staf was simbolies van God se outoriteit en profeties van die komende Messias. God is steeds wakker en sien alles raak. Hy is bewus van die donkerte om ons, maar sien ook die lig. God het steeds ‘n plan vir ons. Dit moet ons motiveer om ons talente te gebruik om God te verheerlik. “God is wakker om Sy Woord te volbring.”
“KYK, daar kom dae, spreek die Here, dat Ek vir Dawid 'n regverdige Spruit sal verwek, en as Koning sal Hy regeer en verstandig handel en reg en geregtigheid doen in die land. In sy dae sal Juda verlos word en Israel veilig woon; en dit is sy naam waarmee Hy genoem sal word: DIE HERE ONS GEREGTIGHEID.”
JEREMIA 23:5-6 AFR53
“MAAR daar sal 'n takkie uitspruit uit die stomp van Ísai, en 'n loot uit sy wortels sal vrugte dra; en op Hom sal die Gees van die Here rus, die Gees van wysheid en verstand, die Gees van raad en sterkte, die Gees van kennis en van die vrees van die Here. En Hy het 'n welgevalle aan die vrees van die Here; en Hy sal nie regspreek na wat sy oë sien nie, en nie oordeel na wat sy ore hoor nie; maar aan die armes sal Hy in geregtigheid reg doen en die sagmoediges van die land met billikheid oordeel; maar Hy sal die aarde slaan met die roede van sy mond en met die asem van sy lippe die goddelose doodmaak. En geregtigheid sal die gordel van sy lendene en trou die gordel van sy heupe wees.”
JESAJA 11:1-5 AFR53
“En soos Ek oor hulle wakker was om uit te ruk en om te gooi en te verwoes en te vernietig en skade aan te doen, so sal Ek oor hulle wakker (shoqed) wees om te bou en te plant, spreek die Here. Kyk, daar kom dae, spreek die Here, dat Ek met die huis van Israel en die huis van Juda 'n nuwe verbond sal sluit; Maar dit is die verbond wat Ek ná dié dae met die huis van Israel sal sluit, spreek die Here: Ek gee my wet in hulle binneste en skrywe dit op hulle hart; en Ek sal vir hulle 'n God wees, en hulle sal vir My 'n volk wees. En hulle sal nie meer elkeen sy naaste en elkeen sy broer leer nie en sê: Ken die Here; want hulle sal My almal ken, klein en groot onder hulle, spreek die Here; want Ek sal hulle ongeregtigheid vergewe en aan hulle sonde nie meer dink nie. Kyk, daar kom dae, spreek die Here, dat die stad vir die Here herbou sal word, van die toring Hanáneël af tot by die Hoekpoort. En die meetsnoer sal verder reguit aanloop tot by die heuwel Gareb en swaai na Goa toe. En die hele dal van die lyke en van die as, en al die velde tot by die spruit Kidron, tot by die hoek van die Perdepoort teen die ooste, sal aan die Here heilig wees; dit sal nie weer uitgeruk of verwoes word in ewigheid nie.”
JEREMIA 31:28, 31, 33-34, 38-40 AFR53
THE ALMOND BRANCH
Jeremiah 1:11-12 TPT
[11] YAHWEH spoke to me again: “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I replied: “I see an almond branch.” [12]“You have seen the vision correctly,” YAHWEH said. “Now know this I constantly watch over my word to fulfill it.”
God is always awake and sees everything. The almond tree blossoms very early and doesn’t “sleep” through the whole winter like other trees - TPT Bible. The almond is therefore a good symbol of God who is always awake and keeping an eye on everything. Even the Hebrew word for almond and awake is similar.
Almond - Strong’s H8247: almond - saqed/shaqed/shaked
Strong’s H8245: awake, watches, stand guard - saqad/shoqed/shoked
There are only a few verses in Scripture where this Hebrew word is used.
The almond was earlier in Scripture already symbolic of God’s presence.
Numbers 17:7-10 KJV
And Moses laid up the rods before the LORD in the tabernacle of witness. [8] And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. [9] And Moses brought out all the rods from before the LORD unto all the children of Israel: and they looked, and took every man his rod. [10] And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron's rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.
Hebrews 9:4 KJV
Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron's rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
Aaron’s rod formed buds, blossoms and almonds as a sign that the Levites were God’s chosen priests. This budding rod was placed in the ark of the covenant. The original golden lampstand (menorah) that Moses had to make for the tabernacle, was decorated with numerous almond flowers - Exodus 25:31-40, 37:17-29. The lampstand had to burn continually to illustrates God’s presence - Leviticus 24:2. God’s glory and presence were present in the tabernacle where the golden lampstand and Aaron’s almond rod were kept.
God first showed Jeremiah that He was awake and watching before He showed him the impending doom. Chapter after chapter Jeremiah warned the people, but they refused to repent and turn back to God. After Jeremiah prophesied doom he prophesied about the restoration of Israel. Jeremia and Isaiah prophesied that a branch or rod will come. I believe the almond rod was symbolic of God’s authority and prophetic for the coming Messiah. God is still awake and His watchful eyes see everything. God is aware of the darkness here on earth, but He also sees the light. He still has a plan for us. This should motivate us to use our talents to glorify Him. “God constantly watches over His word to fulfill it.”
Jeremiah 23:5-6 KJV
Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. [6] In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Isaiah 11:1-5 KJV
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: [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; [3] And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: [4] But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. [5] And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
Jeremiah 31:28,31,33-34,38-40 KJV
And it shall come to pass, that like as I have watched over them, to pluck up, and to break down, and to throw down, and to destroy, and to afflict; so will I watch over them, to build, and to plant, saith the LORD. [31] Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: [33] But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. [34] And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. [38] Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the city shall be built to the LORD from the tower of Hananeel unto the gate of the corner. [39] And the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath. [40] And the whole valley of the dead bodies, and of the ashes, and all the fields unto the brook of Kidron, unto the corner of the horse gate toward the east, shall be holy unto the LORD; it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever.