Customs 2

Isa 40:2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.

Many have wondered what this means. In biblical times if you declared bankruptcy they (elders at the gate) would write down all your debt on a piece of paper and hang it on the wall so everyone could see exactly what you owed. then lets say a family friend comes along maybe even someone you don't know and see's it and he considers it a disgrace so he pays it for you so the elders fold the paper in half and write your name on it so everyone can see your debt is paid in full.

Genesis 19:1 And there came two angels to Sodom at even; and Lot sat in the gate of Sodom: and Lot seeing them rose up to meet them; and he bowed himself with his face toward the ground;

Lot sat in the gate means he was a city elder a judge in the civil court's

2 And he said, Behold now, my lords, turn in, I pray you, into your servant's house, and tarry all night, and wash your feet, and ye shall rise up early, and go on your ways. And they said, Nay; but we will abide in the street all night.

God had ordered people to be hospitable so if a stranger came this was a common practice.

3 And he pressed upon them greatly; and they turned in unto him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.

You would have to ask the three times to come and dine with you before they could accept.

4 But before they lay down, the men of the city, even the men of Sodom, compassed the house round, both old and young, all the people from every quarter:

5 And they called unto Lot, and said unto him, Where are the men which came in to thee this night? bring them out unto us, that we may know them.

6 And Lot went out at the door unto them, and shut the door after him,

7 And said, I pray you, brethren, do not so wickedly.

9 And they said, Stand back. And they said again, This one fellow came in to sojourn, and he will needs be a judge: now will we deal worse with thee, than with them. And they pressed sore upon the man, even Lot, and came near to break the door.

10 But the men put forth their hand, and pulled Lot into the house to them, and shut to the door.

11 And they smote the men that were at the door of the house with blindness, both small and great: so that they wearied themselves to find the door.

Angels take care of God's people

Ruth 1:11 And Naomi said, Turn again, my daughters: why will ye go with me? are there yet any more sons in my womb, that they may be your husbands?

It was a custom if your brother died without leaving children the brother would take his wife and marry her. He would take over the responsibilities That it was not John but James Jesus's brother at the cross. Like Jesus became the head of the house when Joseph died.

12 Turn again, my daughters, go your way; for I am too old to have an husband. If I should say, I have hope, if I should have an husband also to night, and should also bear sons;

13 Would ye tarry for them till they were grown? would ye stay for them from having husbands? nay, my daughters; for it grieveth me much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord is gone out against me.

14 And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother in law; but Ruth clave unto her.

Ruth decided to stay with Naomi in fact she said your peopl will be my people

John 8:44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

Another tradition was to call the first person to do something the father of it. A man named Jabal is called the father of tents because it is said he was the first to live in a tent.

Sodom and Gomorrah

All information in this part The Salt Covenant is gathered from the book Light Throug an Eastern Window

Pillai, Bishop K. C.. Light Through an Eastern Window . Hauraki Publishing. Kindle Edition.

The Covenant is first mentioned in Number 18:19 All the holy offerings that the Israelite's present to the LORD I give to you and to your sons and daughters as a permanent statute. It is a permanent covenant of salt (That is, a perpetual covenant) before the LORD for you and your offspring.”

Also 2 Chronicles 13:5 Do you not know that the LORD, the God of Israel, has given the kingship of Israel to David and his descendants forever by a covenant of salt.

You may well ask what is this covenant of salt. It is a promise of fidelity or it is to take a pledge. If I were a thief for instance and you and I took a covenant of salt you could leave your wallet out and I would not touch it, in fact if someone else were to try and steal it I would fight to the death to protect your stuff.

Now you may think this is a pagan thing but that is not true. You may remember when the shepherds came at the bidding of the angels that they would find the child raped in swaddling clothes. Swaddle is thought by many to be rags nothing could further from the truth swaddling a future king was a salt covenant. The swaddle would be soaked in water with a bit of salt added then they would rap the child head to foot in the rap for a few minutes. This meant the kings words would be salted and you could trust what he said he would put his people’s welfare before his own.

Paul wrote Colossians 4:6 Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

The salt covenant is a very ancient tradition now being used in wedding ceremonies. My wife and I did it at our wedding and my daughter and her husband took it.

These are just a few customs that when you understand the the word of God can come alive for you.