August 21, 2005

Abib Report for Tuesday, March 8 2005
Today we inspected locations around Mt. Zion, the leeward side (Eastern) of the Judean Hills, the Jorden Valley, Golan, Gailee and area around Tel Aviv.
All the traditionally early areas were not in a state of Aviv. The vast majority of wild barley in the Jordan Valley was in the early and soft dough stages. That is 8.3 & 8.5 on the Zadoks scale (Zadoks Scale can be found at the bottom of this page) for gauging the stage of maturity to harvest. We did find some sparse locations where the barley would meet the minimum standards for a wavesheaf offering by the middle of the next lunar month. However the quantities were light. The Galiee and Golan ranged from flowering complete (6.9) to early dough (8.3). This in fact was the same for the Mount Zion and Tel Aviv locations.
Tomorrow we will inspect the fields in the northern Negev. There has been a lot of rain in the areas we inspected today. The stalks were thick and moist with large heads attached at many locations. As we have discovered in the past, if barley is subjected to lots of moisture it matures later and produces a much larger yield. We saw several locations where the Glumes and Peduncles were actually losing a lot of green coloring but still the plant seeds were in the soft dough stage.
My advice is to look to book Tabernacles in October. We will make that decision for ourselves after tomorrow's inspection and post the results.

Rick and Angie Andrews say hi to all the brethren.
Brian

Abib Report for Wednesday, March 9, 2005

Today we inspected barley growing at many locations from the western slopes of the Judean Hills to the southern reaches of the Northern Negev. All of our traditional locations which we have established over the last four years were looked at as well as many others as far west as Ashkelon and as far south as Beersheba. In every circumstance the barley was immature. The vast majority was between the 6th and beginning of the 7th stages of development. This puts the state of "aviv" for them 4 weeks or more away.

These traditional locations were clearly "aviv" last year at the end of the 12th month. These locations are actual fields which can be harvested. They are the seeds growing on the good soil as depicted in the parable of the sower in Matthew 13. The Negev has always been the main indicator of "aviv" based on two things. First, it has always been earlier or in sync with other geographical areas of Israel if "aviv" was to be found. Second, these areas are not subject to any artificial conditions and are actually harvestable fields. In some of these locations, barley was first emerging from the boot.

As we normally have done, we checked areas located along roadsides and far off the road. We did this to once again demonstrate the big difference in growing time for each. As in yesterday's inspections, the same pattern holds up. The roadside barley is far more advanced than barley growing in adjacent fields. The reason is clear: the roads give a greenhouse effect during the early and late lifecycle of the barley. The warmth actually stimulates that cycle and then it is sped up and gets out of sync with the barley in the adjacent fields.

Barley growing in stony soil is also not used, for it experiences an artificial stimulation from the rocks holding the heat, etc. Read Matthew 13:5. It springs up immediately. How many rocky hillsides had the sickle of harvest put to them? In fact, review Matthew 13 for the four situations recited to us about seed growing and the relevant spiritual application of each. Keep in mind who is giving us this instruction, it is Christ our Wavesheaf doing so.

Israel has been very wet this year. I addressed the consequences of that as to barley growth in yesterday's report. We searched fields today in very heavy rainfall from Jerusalem to the desert. We also received rain Monday night as well, but not nearly as torrential. It is very clear that Israel is still in the rainy season and thus Biblically speaking, not the harvest season. We can read that pattern throughout the Bible from Genesis to Revelation.

I cannot stress enough that the wavesheaf offering was to start the harvest of the grain fields of barley. Livestock fed on the barley found on the stony ground, for it never was harvested with the sickle. Stony hillsides and roadsides can and do give us a false condition of "aviv". The parable of the sower tells us of the spiritual benefits of seed sown on good ground. If we had found barley growing in the harvestable fields in the same condition as the roadside and rocky hillside barley, then there would be no question as to the start of the beginning of the year on March 12th.

The wavesheaf was cut from fields which were going to be harvested. The book of Ruth tells us all about the process of harvesting. We certainly do not leave the four corners of a roadside or rocky hillside for gleaning. Leviticus 23 tells us about the feasts of God and their timing. In reference to Pentecost, in verse 22 we learn a valuable lesson. God tells us we are to leave the four corners of the fields for sojourners. This example is not a coincidence. It is part of the instruction used in calculating the seven weeks of harvest.

During our inspections this year, we did not find barley growing in harvestable areas that would allow us to think that we would be starting the new year on March 12th. I personally suggest we pray about the situation and the decisions we will make with our Wavesheaf and Husband Jesus the Christ so that we can fulfill our participation in His feast days with a clear conscience and true heart. Very personal choices!

Brian

Abib Report for Thursday, March 10, 2005

This report will consist of 5 pages which you will need to choose a page at a time.

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Abib Report Summation: Sabbath March 12, 2005

Dear Brethren,

The Abib inspection is complete for 2005. We have inspected all of our traditional areas and more new locations than on any search in the past four years. The temperatures have ranged from mild to very cold. This has been accompanied by a lot of rain. It was actually comical to watch so many people in Jerusalem walking around in winter coats and hats. I personally didn’t expect this to be the case. For anyone who has visited the website in the past few months you have seen that I thought we would have a normal 12-month year. That has proven not to be the case.

The entire Negev, Costal Plain, Galilee, western slopes of the Judean Hills, and the area around Jerusalem has the youngest and most immature barley I have inspected in four years. Absolutely nothing was even remotely close to being aviv. Nothing in the fields, nothing along the roadsides, not even on the slopes of Mt. Zion which has always been aviv when at least one of the five major growing areas have been. Do not be confused: Israel has vast tracts of useable farmland. Outside of these agricultural areas, the balance of the country is divided into incredibly stony, steep mountains and stony, dry deserts. The barley which is acceptable to be used to determine the start the harvest of the fields in Israel is at least a month away from the minimum standards for a wavesheaf offering.

There appears to be a controversy about barley growing in the Jordan Valley region. By that, I include the eastern slopes of the Judean Hills. You have probably had the opportunity to read our reports on this area and view the pictures of the reported locations of aviv barley by others. We have spelled out why that barley is not acceptable for use by the body of Christ to start the new year and thus the appointed times of God. These are of tremendous spiritual significance to us. It is the spiritual wavesheaf offering which takes place during the seven days of Unleavened Bread which represents our Savior being offered and accepted on our behalf by God the Father. The members of the harvest that starts then will compose His body. That seven-week barley harvest ends at the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost).

In the case of the Alon Junction Road or #458 and the Ein Mabu’a ravine, one look at the pictures in our third report this year will be evidence enough that the entire area for miles around was never and could never be used for harvesting crops of barley or wheat. It is barren ground with little vegetation and is crisscrossed with thousands of sheep and goat trails which have been there since people occupied the land. This is one of the many regions that have been used for herding animals in the ancient past as well as today. It is something to see flocks navigating the treacherous slopes of this area. Psalm 104:18 says, “The high hills are for the wild goats, the cliffs are a refuge for the rock badgers.” God instructs us to use tillable ground for reaping harvests. Jeremiah 4:3 says, “For so says God to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, break up your fallow [plowable] ground and do not sow among the thorns.” Hosea 10:12 says, “Sow to yourself in righteousness, reap as mercy. Break up your plowed ground. For it is time to seek God, until He comes and rains righteousness on you.”

Barley found growing along any of the few roadsides in that area is unacceptable just as it is in all the regions because of the greenhouse effect the barley receives from the roads themselves. We have witnessed this for the past four years now but have only excluded it in the past three. These hills have very little soil. What little vegetation that grows is eaten by grazing livestock just as it has been for thousands of years. Patches of barley which escape these effective eating machines cannot be used to start a harvest of Israel’s agricultural areas. The barley found here grows very quickly due to the lack of soil, and the warmth contained in the incredibly rocky soil artificially stimulates it even more. Christ tells us about the fact of rapid growth and its results in the Bible. Matthew 13:5-6 says, “And other [seed] fell on the stony places where they did not have much earth; and it immediately sprang up, because it had not deepness of soil. And the sun rising, it was scorched; and because of having no root, it was dried up.”

The vast majority of this barley is stunted and does not make it to maturity even if it escapes the flocks of the region. In very rainy years, it can make it to maturity if it is not eaten first. This has been the case in the location mentioned. It is always much earlier than any of the agricultural areas in Israel as we have proven over the years. It is totally unacceptable as use as the wavesheaf offering which will start the early harvest. That harvest will come from good ground just as Jesus Christ clearly tells us. The members His body and of that spirit understand that principle and doctrine recorded in the Bible. Matthew 13:8-9 says, “But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop; some a hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Ezekiel 36:9 says, “For indeed I am for you and I will turn to you and you shall be tilled and sown.” The good ground that Christ is talking about is ground that can be tilled. Look to the lesson of Isaiah 28:23-26: “Give ear and hear my voice, listen and hear my speech. Does the plowman keep plowing all day to sow? Does he keep turning his soil and breaking the clods? When he has leveled its surface, does he not sow the black cumin and scatter the cumin, plant the wheat in rows, the barley in the appointed place, and the spelt in its place? For he instructs him in right judgment, his God teaches him.” God makes it so abundantly clear, physically and spiritually, that His harvests come from tillable, fertile soil.

The Jordon Valley has other locations which experience the early, artificial maturing. We found roadside barley which was going to be aviv by the middle of the next month, but it is unacceptable for use. The barley growing adjacent to it off the roadside was far from being aviv, even that barley found on stony ground. Often, we can find a patch of aviv barley in or along a field, but 95% of the balance of the field may still be three or four weeks away from being ripe enough to harvest under the minimum standards. The patch of early, aviv barley in most cases will already have dropped its seed prior to the field being harvested.

To those of us who are here to witness to these things, it could not be any clearer that there needs to be an intercalated month this year. The barley crops located in the agricultural areas are at the very least one month away from being able to harvest a crop. Personally, our decisions have been made as to what we will be doing. It is apparent that there are different reports to make your choice from. It is very important for each member of the body of Christ to take the information they have received and make a prayerful decision as to their course of action. These are personal choices with deeply spiritual meanings attached. We will be back in Israel next March to inspect the barley fields. For those who have already started the new year, you will be here next February.

We hope that the fruits of our inspections have been of benefit to you, the members of the body of Christ our Wavesheaf. Jesus Christ has promised us He is the same yesterday (old covenant), today (new covenant), and forever (the kingdom) and that he will never leave or forsake us. He does, however, leave us with this very personal caveat to consider as found in Philippians the second chapter: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling: for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

Our peace we give to you.

Brian, Richard, and Angie

Parting Comments on the Abib Search

Hi Brethren,

We have now made it all home safely. Thank you for your prayers for our safety and well-being over the past week and a half. This has been a very busy and arduous trip. We spent long hours on the road covering more of Israel than ever before. We traveled from the Golan Heights to Eliat and from the Jordan to the Mediterranean. The most sleep we got was 5 hours one night. However the Sabbath was taken advantage of in that regard. We did this in an effort to not leave one stone unturned.

As you may imagine I have a lot of e-mails to answer. There are many who do not request a reply but give there thanks and support for our making the trip.

A few forwards I have read are about as mature as the barley we inspected. I will keep to the high ground and not return comment.

What I do want to comment on is my personal gratitude to Rick and Angie Andrews for their tireless efforts and effective workings in making this inspection of the abib a success for the body of Christ. As well, I want to thank all of you who prayed for our success and well-being and to those of you who helped with your hard earned cash to offset some of the expenses.

And Steve, thank you for your efforts in getting this information onto the site in such a timely manner. The 10 hour time difference from Israel to your location can play havoc with any normalcy of a schedule.

The controversy some are experiencing around this search is a blessing from God. It appears that in the future there will be many more representatives from the body of Christ making the trip. That is a wonderful outcome. I have included an e-mail to that effect from an experienced aviv searcher who did not make the trip this year. This is just one of many very encouraging e-mails as well as calls.

Thank you for being true to Christ and continue to pray that we who are of His body grow in His grace and knowledge. Regardless of our personal choices in any matter we should always treat the brethren with dignity and honor and the love of God.

If any one should want to make the effort to be a part of the abib inspection next year let me know and I will inform you as to our plans as time goes on. The inspections would take place the last week of March.

Brian