Plucking the Eagle's Wings

Plucking the Eagle's Wings

(Israel) with blessings.

"Return, we beseech thee, O God of hosts: look down from heaven, and behold, and visit this vine. And the vineyard, which thy right hand hath planted, and the branch that thou hast made strong for thyself. It is burned with fire. It is cut down..." (Psalms 80:14-16) This is a picture of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians in 606 B.C., which was repeated by the Romans in 70 A.D. The Holy City was burned, yet Isaiah gave this encouraging word to Israel: "In that day sing ye unto her a vineyard of red wine." (Isaiah 27:2) "He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root; Israel shall blossom and bud. and fill the face of the world with fruit." (Isaiah 27:6) Paul wrote, "Has God forsaken his people which he foreknew? God forbid!" This prophetic picture continues when examining the oil and the wine in Scripture. The Oil and the Wine—The Story of Noah Olive trees produce oil and vineyard fruit produces wine. It is interesting that in the story of Noah's flood, a dove with an olive leaf and a vineyard are central features in the aftermath of the flood. Jesus said, "As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the time of the coming of the son of man" (Matthew 24:37). The 4,000-year-old flood story contains hidden clues regarding future prophetic patterns. The dove symbolically represents the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:16). A dove was sent from the ark on three occasions. The first time, the dove returned to Noah having found "no rest for the soles of its feet" (Genesis 8:9). Seven days later, Noah released the dove again and it returned with an olive leaf in its mouth (Genesis 8:11). Seven days later, the dove left the ark and never returned (Genesis 8:12). It was during the second journey that the dove plucked an olive leaf off an olive tree and brought it to the ark. The Lord told Noah, "My spirit will not always strive with man"

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