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THE THRESHING FLOOR OF ORNAN?

31/7/2018

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Above: Examples of Threshing Floors on hillsides

So… a threshing floor had to be a large, flat, open space on top of a hill or on open, flat ground, right? Which would mean that Ornan’s floor must have been on such a site, right?

Wrong! And misleading... perhaps resulting from traditional and idealized depictions in paintings. It’s true that some threshing floors of course, were in open areas both in valleys and on hilltops—but threshing floors have come in many sizes and in many locations. Some have been found on hilltops, but also in many other interesting sites. Take a look at these pictures above of ancient threshing floor sites around Europe to see what I mean.


What is this?












The strange markings near Gihon Spring

Now—what about the strange markings found on level limestone near the Gihon Spring site at the ancient City of David? A world-wide invitation was put out by archeologists and the City of David Foundation to help solve the mystery of what they might be. See https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/jerusalem/what-are-these-strange-markings-found-near-jerusalems-gihon-spring/

Could it be possible? Despite all the categorical statements being made about where threshing floors have to be, that this flattened area half-way up the side of a ridge—on the side of a valley along which the prevailing Summer westerly winds of the threshing season, funneled—was eminently suited? Especially when there are evidences of a dwelling or dwellings in the rock behind it and a possible sacrificial altar nearby! And especially if you have been the chieftain of a stronghold and settlement once known as Jebus and had pride-of-place near its magnificent water supply...

So…in a radical view—open for comment, here goes--

I believe that this site ages ago, may well have been the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite. The very site where Ornan (also known as Araunah) said to David, ‘Take it to yourself….Look, I also give you the oxen for burnt offerings, the threshing implements for wood, and the wheat for the grain offering; I give it all’ (1 Chronicles 21:23 and 2 Samuel 24:22). More about the implements shortly…
To see how Ornan’s threshing floor located here might have worked, one depiction is given in my sketch below where the flat floor had a recess to accommodate a central pole which could be put in or taken out. Timber wedges would be used to clamp it in position (remember the low wall/s seen in the photographs of the site today were probably not there in Ornan’s time). This pole would have provided the central pivot around which Ornan’s oxen walked in their neck yokes as shown. Whilst the wheat or barley was being trampled by the oxen, the floor grooves (which served another purpose) were simply filled with timber pieces cut to fit so that the oxen had a flat surface when treading.


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Sketch of the threshing floor of Ornan at the site of the strange markings near Gihon Spring, showing how the implements mentioned in the Biblical account may have featured on the floor. See explanation below.


Now…what did the oxen tread? Many will know that in today’s world of grain harvesting a huge mechanical ‘Header’ moves through the grain field taking the head of grain from the stalk, but in Biblical times the stalk was cut long, near the ground, using a sickle because the stem was required for fodder or straw for bedding, pillows and brick-making. We’ve all seen pictures of sheaves of grain like those I’ve included here. A group of these left to dry was called a stook, or in America, a shock (see picture). In biblical times usually the whole sheaf or bundle was thrown onto the threshing floor, but what if a device as shown in my sketch was employed to retain a sheaf and cut the stem (straw) off the grain head prior to threshing? This would separate the straw component before threshing.

Can you see that boards, wedged into the floor grooves with timber wedges would provide a useful ‘V’ into which one or more sheaves could be inserted with stems protruding for easy removal of the stem for discard to a separate straw stockpile? Once a batch of sheaves was trimmed and the heads placed on the threshing floor, the upright boards could be removed, perhaps then doubling as threshing sledges, then the oxen, yoked into the device, walked around the pole.

Compare the photograph of the grooves and of the central floor hole with what I have depicted in my sketch. Fanciful? I think not. Clearly these grooves had some mechanical function and I urge consideration of this proposal.

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‘First the natural then the spiritual.’ THE TEMPLE & LIVING WATER!

28/7/2018

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1 Corinthians 15:46
 
All the typology in the Bible bears this principle out. For example, the tabernacle furnishings, the priestly garments, the Feasts of Israel and etc are all natural items or events designed to carry and speak of a non-natural (spiritual/real) truth. When Paul enunciated this principle he was talking about how our natural earthly body is but a shadow/representation of the coming spiritual and eternal one. In all of God’s communication with us he speaks the language we understand—that of the natural world in which He put us, and uses its ‘paraphernalia’ as pointers to spiritual reality—what exists in His realm.
 
In almost every Biblical depiction of the dwelling place and the ‘throne’ of God in His realm, there is water—a stream that flows to bring life (For example Psalm 46:4; Ezekiel 47:5-9; Isaiah 8:6; Jeremiah 2:13; Zechariah 14:8; Joel 3:18b; Revelation 22:1)…not to mention what Jesus said about fountains of living water flowing out from those who would become His new residence, John 4:14 and 7:38!
 
Why then, when it comes to THE PLACE where Yahweh put His earthly temple, do so many want discard or ignore this principle of shadows and types? Why would God not be consistent when it comes to the place of His presence among His people of old, from which His life-giving water was to flow?
The first natural temple therefore, had a spring of living water to declare the spiritual truth of His life being made available and flowing to a thirsty world.
 
Can you see that we must get hold of both truths? How that which is presented in the natural world provides a picture of what exists in the world of the Spirit. Or...to put it the other way around, what exists as spiritual truth and reality, has its ‘type’ or shadow-picture in our material and natural realm. But from the believer’s ground-based view it is ‘first the natural, then the spiritual.’ The first is to point us to the second!

 



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The TENT in the City of David

16/7/2018

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'Now David built houses for himself in the City of David; and he prepared a place for the ark of God and pitched a tent for it (1 Chronicles 15:1)

Where was that Tent? It was at Gihon as 1 Kings 1:33-40 makes clear. That Tent was positioned at what David knew to be the ordained place--the site known throughout the Bible as The Place, (in Hebrew HaMakom). All of his thinking about the 'House' that the Lord had put in his heart, revolved around that place. It was IN the City of David, also known as Zion. Zion is NOT the so-called Temple Mount!

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What do these old aerial photos of City of David area and Jerusalem reveal?

12/7/2018

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In these extraordinary early aerial photos of Jerusalem can be seen the zone once known as the City of David. In the above photo, purported to date at 1910, I have highlighted the City of David area with a thin yellow line. It constitutes a crescent shape (as described by Josephus), above the Kidron Valley. In fact, a close inspection reveals what appears to be remains of old walls defining the area (along the left side of the area enclosed with the yellow line). Many have come to believe that this is where the Temple of Solomon and the later Temple actually stood.
2 Samuel 5:7 '..and David captured the fortress of Zion, which is the City of David.'

The 1930 picture (above) shows the same area in the lower right before being built up and the final picture is of more recent times. One wonders what secrets would have been revealed had archaeological digs been conducted in this zone prior to being covered in houses and other buildings as seen in the image below!


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This recent arial photograph clearly shows a street now running along the west of the area and Kidron Valley on its East (or right hand side as the picture is viewed). Its crescent shape can be clearly seen.
You can get an understanding of the Biblical history of this site in the exciting narrative 'THE PLACE HaMakom: where Jerusalem's temples stood'

It's available HERE or on Amazon OR as an e-Book HERE

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