The 11th month of the Biblical calendar is called שבט (Shevat), which literally means “a rod.” This same word is translated as “tribe” over 140 times in Scripture, and it also carries the meaning of a branch of a tree. The tribes of Israel are pictured as branches, and believers in Messiah are branches abiding in the True Vine.
In this tidbit we explore how Shevat points to the rod/staff in the hand of the Good Shepherd, the rod of His mouth (His Word), the scepter that shall not depart from Judah until Shiloh comes, and how the Church (qahal/ekklesia) is the flock that hears the voice (qol) of the Shepherd. From the almond tree (which blooms in Shevat) to the iron rod of judgment and the branch that brings forth fruit, everything speaks of Christ — the Rod of Iron, the Branch of David, and the Vine in whom we abide and bear fruit.
The 11th month of the Biblical calendar has come to be known as שבט ‘shevat’ (Zechariah 1:7) which literally means a rod.
H7627
שׁבט
shebâṭ
BDB Definition:
Sebat = “a rod”
1) 11th month in the post-exilic Jewish calendar corresponding to Jan or Feb
This word is translated as ‘tribe’ 141 times in Scripture. שבט ‘shevat’ also has the meaning of a branch of a tree. Scripture plainly speaks of the tribes of Israel as branches.
Eze 37:19 Say to them, So says the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel, his companions. And I will put them with him, with the stick of Judah, and I will make them one stick, and they shall be one in My hand.
Psa 74:2 Remember Your congregation; You bought them in days before; You redeemed us as the rod of Your inheritance, this Mount Zion in which You have dwelt.
Jer 10:16 The Portion of Jacob is not like these. For He is the Former of all things; and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance; Jehovah of Hosts is His name.
Believers in Christ are branches
Joh 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman.
Joh 15:2 Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Joh 15:3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.
Joh 15:4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.
Joh 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
Joh 15:6 If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
Joh 15:7 If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.
Joh 15:8 Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
Joh 15:9 As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.
Joh 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.
Joh 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
Joh 15:12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
שבט ‘shevat’ is the rod in the hand of the Shepherd.
Psa 2:9 You shall break them with a rod of iron; You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.
Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psa 89:32 then I will visit their transgressions with the rod, and their sins with stripes.
Eze 20:37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.
The rod or staff in the hand of the Shepherd is also the Hebrew word מקל ‘maqel’ which comes from the root קל ‘qol’ speaking of the voice of the Shepherd.
The Hebrew word קהל ‘qahal’ comes from this root word קל ‘qol.’ קהל ‘qahal’ corresponds with the Greek wod εκκλησία ‘ekklēsia’ which means Church. εκκλησία ‘ekklēsia’ which is a compound of εκ ‘ek’ meaning “out from” and κλησία ‘klesia’ meaning “call out”. The church is the “called out” or “chosen” people of God who have heard the voice of THE Good Shepherd (John 10:1-14).
The rod is likened to His Word
Isa 11:4 But He shall judge the poor in righteousness, and shall decide rightly for the meek of the earth. And He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and He shall cause the wicked to die with the breath of His lip.
Mic 7:14 Feed Your people with Your rod, the flock of Your possession, dwelling alone in the thicket, amidst Carmel. Let them pasture in Bashan and Gilead, as in days of old.
The Targum translates Micah 7:14 as:
“feed thy people with thy word, the people of thine inheritance, in the age which is to be renewed;”
The rod of His mouth is linked to His Sword which is used to judge His enemies and also likened unto His Word.
Rev 19:15 And out of His mouth goes forth a sharp sword, that with it He might smite the nations. And He will shepherd them with an iron rod. And He treads the winepress of the wine of the anger and of the wrath of God Almighty.
Heb 4:12 For the Word of God is living, and powerfully working, and sharper than every two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of both soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge of the thoughts and intentions of the heart;
Heb 4:13 and there is no creature unrevealed before Him; but all things are naked and laid open to His eyes, with whom is our account.
שבט ‘shevat’ is also translated as ‘scepter.’
Gen 49:10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor the lawmaker from between his feet, until Shiloh come, and the obedience of the peoples to him.
Num 24:17 I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not near. A star marches out of Jacob, and a scepter shall rise out of Israel and shall dash the corners of Moab, and break down all the sons of tumult.
Psa 45:6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; the scepter of Your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness.
Christians shall rule and reign with Christ.
Rev 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
Rev 5:9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;
Rev 5:10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.
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