7 Fruits of Israel: Pomegranates 

Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe 

 

Deuteronomy 8: 7-8 "For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, that flow out of valleys and hills; a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and date honey.” 

 

These seven fruits make up the Bikkurim, the first fruits offered in thanksgiving to the Lord at the Temple in Jerusalem during the Appointed Times of the Lord: Passover (Pesach), Pentecost (Shavuot) and Tabernacles (Sukkoth). 

 

Pomegranates ripen in Israel in time to be offered during the Feast of Tabernacles or Sukkoth. Pomegranates are a symbol of righteousness. Many Jews believe that the fruit contains 613 seeds representing the 613 commandments of the Torah. The number of seeds per pomegranate varies, but the thought remains that righteousness comes when we walk in the paths of the Lord in every area of our lives. God has given us, in His Word, instructions for walking out those paths. 

 

On Rosh Hashanah, Jews eat this fruit one seed at a time to emphasize that the pathway through life is one step, one day at a time.  

 

Pomegranates are first mentioned in the Bible when the 12 spies bring them back into the Israelite camp as evidence of the fruitfulness of the land. (Numbers 13:23) “Then they came to the Valley of Eshcol, and there cut down a branch with one cluster of grapes; they carried it between two of them on a pole. They also brought some of the pomegranates and figs.” 

 

Pomegranates, according to Exodus 28:31-35 were part of the design for the priestly garments. “You shall make the robe of the ephod all of blue. There shall be an opening for his head in the middle of it; it shall have a woven binding all around its opening, like the opening in a coat of mail, so that it does not tear. And upon its hem you shall make pomegranates of blue , purple, and scarlet, all around its hem, and bells of gold between them all around: a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon the hem of the robe all around. And it shall be upon Aaron when he ministers, and its sound will be heard when he goes into the holy place before the Lord and when he comes out, that he may not die.” 

 

As with many traditions, a Hebrew blessing is spoken over the pomegranate: “May it be Your will, God and the God of our ancestors, that we be filled with blessings as the pomegranate is filled with seeds.”  

 

The blessing affirms that as the pomegranate is a symbol of righteousness. Blessings come from living righteously.  

 

In the Song of Solomon, the bride's temples are compared to a piece of the pomegranate. Song of Solomon 4: 3. “Your lips are like a strand of scarlet, and your mouth is lovely. Your temples behind your veil are like a piece of pomegranate.” 

 

In other words, the beauty of the bride is in her righteousness. 

 

The bride in the Song of Solomon is a picture of the Church. For Christians the pomegranate has become a symbol of resurrection and life everlasting. The pomegranate with its many seeds symbolizes the Church united in righteousness. 

 

Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane for His disciples, not just for the disciples in His earthly days but for all of us: John 17:14-23: "I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.  

And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.”  

 

"I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.” 

 

In the pomegranate, we see the many individuals operating as one in righteousness and truth. 

 

A Christian blessing over the pomegranate: Oh, Lord our God, through the power of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, may Your people be united in the righteousness given to us by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ so the world will see You in our lives. 

In thanksgiving, we give all honor, praise and glory to You. Amen. 

 

 7 Churches of Revelation: Laodicea 

Rev. Lonnie C. Crowe 

Revelation 3:14-22:  "And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, `These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth. Because you say, `I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing' and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked  I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.''  

Jesus is the Faithful and True Witness. He is the Beginning, the Source of the creation of God. John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.” 

God looks at our hearts and not on physical appearance Jeremiah 17:10 “I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” 

Because He looked at the heart of the people in Laodicea, the Lord saw that they were lukewarm. They had become complacent. 

“The city of Laodicea was located between the cities of Hierapolis and Colossae. Both of these cities were known for the pure waters that flowed through them. Hierapolis had a hot spring that was considered to be medicinal. Colossae was known for its cold, refreshing mountain springs. Laodicea, on the other hand, had a bad reputation when it came to water. It was renowned for its dirty, lukewarm water, which visitors almost immediately spat out after tasting. In light of this, we can see that both “hot” and “cold” were considered to be good, while the dirty lukewarm of Laodicea was of no benefit.” (www.eteacherbiblical.com.) 

Laodicea was a wealthy, wealthy city. It was a textile manufacturing and financial center. The city was also known for its medical centers which manufactured salves for the eyes and ears. Jesus refers to all this when He tells them to buy refined gold, the wealth of redemption and communion with the Father. He desires that they be clothed in the purity of righteousness. The people were becoming rich from the manufacture of medicine for their physical eyes, but were poor in spirit because their spiritual eyes were closed. 

In spite of all this, Jesus loves the church and wants the best for them. It is His love that brings Him to rebuke them. It is His love that brings Him to rebuke us. He is knocking at the door of our hearts. It is up to us to open the door. 

Proverbs 16:2 “All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirits.”