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"Shaked" (Watchful)
(Ref 7/21)

Oil painting done on linnen stretched on board.No need to frame -
ready to hang on wall

Size of canvas : 70cm

South-Africa
R14 000
Postage within South-Africa is included

USA
$1100
Postage included.

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Honey Bee

The bee has historically been seen as a symbol of Jesus Christ's attributes. The honey reflecting his sweet and gentle character, whilst the sting pertaining to justice and the cross. The bee also shows commitment and preparedness to achieve the objectives of the team, working in a team, defending the team.
And do not forget the obvious - the bee symbolizes a call to holiness in order to receive God’s promises (land of milk and honey). According to the bible, it is quite common for Christians of ancient times to compare their communities to a beehive. It is said that bees have all the virtues a true Christian must-have, and this includes wisdom. In the Book of Judges, the prophet Deborah, known as the mother of Israel has been known for her wisdom as a judge.
In Judaism, in their celebration of Rosh Hashana, it is part of their rituals and customs to eat symbolic food which included dipping bread or fruits into honey. This symbolizes the hopes of a happy and prosperous new year.

The Bee in the Bible

The Story of Deborah

The name Deborah was derived from the Hebrew name Devorah, which literally translates to “bee”. In the book of Judges we read of Deborah, a prophetess and the only female judge of Israel. She lead the Israelites to safety when they were threatened by the Canaanites. She was known for her wisdom. She served as God’s messenger, she informed Barak that God had commanded him to lead an attack against King Jabin and his military.

Judges 14:8

“After some days he returned to take her. And he turned aside to see the carcass of the lion, and behold there was a swarm of bees in the body of the lion and honey.”

This passage is on the story of Samson which includes the swarm of bees and honey. It is said that Samson wagered a riddle to about thirty Philistine guests, with his experience after killing a young lion. The riddle goes: “What is sweeter than honey? What is stronger than a lion?” He offered to give 30 soft undershirts and good suits to whoever gets the correct answer. The Philistines could not solve the riddle.

Deuteronomy 1:44

“Then the Amorite who lived in that hill country came out against out and chased you as bees do and beat you down in Seir as far as Hormah”

We know for a fact that bees are quite territorial when it comes to their hive. In this particular passage, the Amorite said to be as fierce as the bee chased down an intruder. Bees often swarm and chase intruders whenever their peace or hives have been disturbed. Even it is a creature of small stature, it has quite the fighting spirit to defend and attack its aggressor. In the case of the Amorites, they have been invaded by the Israelites during the time, and in spite of the number, they were able to fend them off. Other interpretations of this passage compare the scenario to bees being smoked out. Back in the day, the only way to attain the honey from the hive is to get the bees to abandon it through smoking. These activities were heavily documented by various writers, even Aristotle.

Psalm 118:2

“They surrounded me like bees; they went out like a fire among thorns; in the name of the Lord I cut them off!”

This particular passage is based upon the very sting of the bee. Their stingers are known to inflict sharp pain which has been compared to that of fire among thorns. The act of being surrounded by bees can be likened to swarming which is an innate reaction to bees that defend their hives. It is a simple yet straightforward comparison of characteristics of being minuscule but feisty at the same time.
Isaiah 7:18

“In that day the Lord will whistle for the fly that is at the end of the streams of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.”

The bee in this passage has been used to draw a comparison with flies. If we read further into Exodus, we find out that there were ten plagues in Egypt that were caused by numerous swarms of flies, thus stating that flies are abundant in number but are quite troublesome. An army that supposedly hails from the characteristics of a fly would be as destructive. The bees, on the other hand, are compared to the Assyrian army. This is because of their systematic training and orderly march. Like bees, they work in unison and do not just attack blindly which would lead to further destruction. They are effective strategists.

Are Bees A Prophetic Sign?

We are quite familiar with the prophesied “second-coming” of the Messiah. With the recent reports on the endangerment of certain bee species, many are speculating that this is the prelude to the worldwide famine fulfilling Matthew 24:7 which states;

“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.”

Bees are the top pollinators of the world, without their help, there would be a large decline in crop production across the globe. Due to their sudden decrease in population, the speculation of this prophecy coming true has definitely got followers buzzing.

Lessons From Bees on Serving God
Aside from symbolism, a lot of Christians and Jews use bee analogies in their teachings of the bible and its contents.
Here are ten lessons you can actually apply to your own life:
Be Wary, Be Cautious
If you have ever been near an active hive, you will notice that the bees start to gather around the closer you get. Bees have scouts that look out for the hive, and alerts the rest of the colony to swarm an intruder should they become an imminent threat. Bees are quite cautious and territorial.
As humans, we too must look out for danger. We should be wary of the people we let near our hearts and our homes. We are often unable to identify our enemies that we get caught in a web of problems that we did not really want to be a part of in the first place.
Eliminate Anything That Hinders Productivity
Bees are very industrious and productive. They keep their hives clean and eliminate any garbage or unneeded debris within the hive before storing honey. This way they are able to keep the hive neat and work efficiently.
If you hoard a lot of clutter, and things you don’t really need, it will hinder your full potential in terms of productivity. By removing the unnecessary garbage around you, you are improving your space and creating a routine that would increase your productivity than hinder it.
Know When to Get Rid of Toxic Individuals
During winter, worker bees drive away drone bees out of the hive. They do this due to the scarcity of food and supplies within the hive itself. If they keep the drones around, chances are they will not be able to survive the winter with the scarce amount of food they have.

Just like people, we sometimes tolerate having close relationships with people who are simply draining our energy and killing our spirit. Pursuing these negative relationships keeps us farther away from God and His teachings. The negative impact of these individuals cannot be seen firsthand, but it may be observed by those closest to us. Parents are quite discerning of these characters and would represent the efficient worker bees getting rid of the drones.
Stick To Your Role
Bees work in an organized system. In spite of having hundreds and thousands of bees in a single colony, they are able to work efficiently because they stick to each of their roles. The queen’s primary job is to mate and reproduce. Worker bees, on the other hand, are expected to care for the queen by feeding her. They are also responsible for collecting pollen, keeping the hive clean, and making honey. Drones are around to scout and protect the hive, and others specifically care for the larvae, at the end of the day, each bee has a specific role to play and they stick to it.
For us, we do not base our role on our earthly responsibilities but rather focus on your role in God’s kingdom. Know your purpose and listen to His calling. Live by his word and you will be living a life lead by God.
Be Loyal To One Ruler
There is only one queen in each hive. Only in a time when the queen passes would there be another, but until then the queen will always be the ruler of the colony. Otherwise, bees will only serve that particular queen, and no one else.
It is cited in the ten commandments, “I am the Lord thy God, thou shall not have any strange gods before Me.” This means, that as devout followers, we are only to believe in the presence of a single God only.
Give Your Best for Faith
In the hive, drones and worker bees eat honey but the queen and her babies eat royal jelly that is specially prepared for them. The worker bees only reserve the best of their products for her.
In terms of worship, we are often told to give our best to faith. Our time, effort, words, praise, and heart, if given in its best, will serve a great purpose.
Live to Serve
As mentioned, worker bees provide for the hive. They clean, make hone, feed the queen, nurse the young, etc. They literally live to serve their queen and the queen after her. This is how their system works and it is efficient.
We are placed on earth not to bestow time and effort on our earthly desires but to serve Him and achieve the greater purpose of our life and eternal soul.
Sacrifice
Bees are willing and ready to sacrifice their lives for a cause, especially if it concerns the queen. Drones will literally die to mate with the queen, scouts will die stinging intruders to protect their queen, and workers subject themselves to the harshness of the world to collect food for their queen.

As a faithful follower, what are you ready to sacrifice for your God? Would you give your life for God and others of faith? The apostles in the bible have been willing and have died for Jesus Christ in the belief that they will have eternal peace in the afterlife. In this day and age, we do not see much of this which is why the lifestyle of bees can be quite admirable on a certain standpoint.
Work in Unison for the Common Good
Bees are often hunted by a variety of insects and animals. Having a weak hive encourages these predators in attacking and invading the hive which can lead to its collapse and the death of hundreds of bees. When the hive is strong enough, they will defend their home and attack any intruder that comes nearby. One bee may not be enough to kill a lizard that is preying on this, but a swarm can cause real damage. When a hive is strong, the bees work with each other as a team with the ultimate goal of protecting their home.

Individuals often choose to work on their own or function alone, this may seem more convenient at one point but when you take a chance and allow your team to help you, the results are immeasurable. The same goes with a community, one person is enough to influence a whole bunch, but having an entire community rally behind you is amazing.
Teamwork Produces Sweeter Honey
Going back to Samson’s riddle; What is sweeter than honey? We know that the answer is nothing. In spite of having better technology, researches, and access to a wide selection of ingredients, nothing is still the answer. Honey is made through bees regurgitating the nectar from one bee to another. After hours of hard labor, they are able to create the perfect blend.

We have been placed on God’s green earth not to only live for ourselves but to help the people around us grow and know Him in the way we are supposed to. When we are put to work to create a better place through His love from us, we are given endless opportunities and reap sweeter fruits.

Almond Blossoms

The first time we read of the Almond Blossoms in the Word of God is in Ex 25:31-40.
This is where Father told Moses to make the Tabernacle and all the implements in the Tabernacle. In this scripture, He tells him how the golden lampstand must be made. The Menora.
This is the only light inside the Holy place. The lampstand was to be decorated with Almond blossoms. We know that all the implements were a picture of Jesus. The Lampstand is a picture of Jesus as the Word - the light to the World.
All the Furniture in the courtyard and holy place were either made of wood, covered by gold or bronze. The Menorah was the only solid gold item - this shows to Jesus’ Divinity, pureness of the Word, and His glory.
Psl 119:140 ”Your Word is very pure (tried and well refined)…”

It was made in the shape of Almond branches with blossoms - carrying the fire for light. It consisted of 7 oil lamps (7 - Fullness, Completeness Perfection, 7-fold Spirit of God (Rev 4: 5)) It had 3 branches to the left of the shaft with 3 flower buds and 3 branches to right with each 3 flower buds. The shaft had 4 flower buds, a total of 22 flower buds. Interesting to know is that the Hebrew alphabet consists of 22 letters - the building blocks of YHVH’s Word. Each of these 22 flower buds consisted of a bowl, knobs, and flowers. Thus there were 22 x 3 ornaments, a total of 66. Interesting to know that the Word of God consists of 66 books.

The Almond Tree is the 1st tree to awake in spring and the last tree to shed its leaves, thus the longest tree to ‘stay awake’. We also read of the Almond tree in Jer 1: 11-12 “ …. Jeremiah, what sees thou? And I said I see a rod of an Almond tree. Then said the Lord unto me, thou hast seen well; for I hasten My Word to perform it.”

The word contains the signification of watching and hastening. The word for almond tree IN Hebrew is SHA’KAD, and the word for “I will hasten” (Jer 1:12) is SHO’KED from the same root. The almond was the emblem of the Divine forwardness in bringing God’s promises to pass.
Father God gives the answer for what an almond stands for; It is a picture of His Word. This means “to be watchful, to remain watchful, on the lookout and alert at all times”. Therefore the Menorah symbolized the Word of YHVH.
Aarons’ Rod

We also see the almond blossoms in Aaron’s rod. This was a dead piece of wood that blossomed with Almond flowers. In Jesus, we that are dead, are raised up to life by the living Word. Joh 11:25 Jesus said to her, I am the Resurrection and the Life! He who believes in Me, though he dies, yet he shall live.

The almond, being the first tree to bud in the spring, was a fit type of Him who is “the First-born from the dead.”

Aaron’s rod was also a picture of our authority as priests in God’s Kingdom. The Blossoms show the promise of fruit. Only through His Holy Spirit are we able to bear fruit when we eat His seed - The Word. No other seed can produce Kingdom fruit. We will be known by our fruit.

Psl 1. ..But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on His law [His precepts and teachings] he [habitually] meditates day and night. And he will be like a tree firmly planted [and fed] by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season; Its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers [and comes to maturity].

God watches over His Word and promises to perform it. As God watches over the almond blossoms to open their beautiful leaves, so will He open the promises and prophecies of His Word to fill men’s hearts with joy and peace.

If the Almighty will spend a year of unceasing work to make a flower bloom, if He will lavish the wealth of earth and use the powers of the heavens upon it, then we may fairly assume that He will exercise as great or greater vigilance and effort to perform His Word touching the highest welfare of man. He will not fail to establish His kingdom.