Little Red Boxes
“Again the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When a man or woman makes a special vow, the vow of a Nazirite, to dedicate himself to the Lord, he shall abstain from wine and strong drink; he shall drink no vinegar, whether made from wine or strong drink, nor shall he drink any grape juice nor eat fresh or dried grapes. All the days of his separation he shall not eat anything that is produced by the grape vine, from the seeds even to the skin.” Numbers 6:1-4
“So they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent which David had pitched for it; and David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. When David had finished offering the burnt offering and the peace offering, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hosts. Further, he distributed to all the people, to all the multitude of Israel, both to men and women, a cake of bread and one of dates and one of raisins to each one. Then all the people departed each to his house.” 2 Samuel 6:17-19
Raisins are mentioned many times in Scripture because they were a common, readily available staple whether at home or travelling. Dried grapes had a long ‘shelf’ life and were often pressed into small round cakes making them easier to carry on trips and eat while walking.
In biblical times they weren’t just a treat, the concentrated sugar they contained could sustain and/ or revive a tired traveller or someone unwell. But they could also ferment into wine, which is why, if you took a Nazarite vow before the Lord, they were not allowed.
When I was a child, raisins were a special treat handed out by Mom right from a big box of ‘Sun-Maid Raisins’. Eventually, they came in small, palm-sized, mini boxes. They were so sweet and chewy – almost as good as candy. The little boxes were convenient to carry in lunch boxes and of course they were healthy.
The humble raisin is a reminder of how thoughtful the Lord is to provide sweet, yet healthy foods for our joy.
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Take care with love, especially His, from Darlene, who still prays for you each day.
PS: You can also find the devotions on line/ on your mobile phone here: www.weakdaydevotion.com .
NOTES: I choose to believe the Bible because it's a reliable collection of historical documents written down by eyewitnesses during the lifetime of other eyewitnesses. They reported supernatural events that took place before, of specific prophecies; and claim that their writings are divine rather than human in origin.
The Five Solas: Individuals are saved by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone, as revealed by Scripture alone to the glory of God alone!
Find my full statement of faith: https://especiallyhislove.blogspot.com (where you will also find a series of Bible studies). For the books, go to Amazon books. For prayer requests/ updates, email: darlenerichard@gmail.com