The Tree of Life: Symbolic Representation or Object of Worship?
FOREWORD by Keith Hunt
The "tree" has been worshipped in many ways by many nations down
through history. The famous Druids of Britain honored the OAK
tree. We certainly know from the pages of the bible that when God
denounced Israel for its sins and whoredoms, a sin that is
mentioned often is that the Israelites were worshipping under
trees. It is obvious God was not condemning them for worshipping
false gods in the shade.
It is true that few people in the modern world today, bow down to
a tree, but the tree in many forms as Tara Chapman brings out in
her study, are given a kind of "worship" status in various ways
in some of our ritual customs and practices.
Tara Chapman
I believe she has given a full description of the use of the tree, good and
bad, in this study. The tree is one of the wonderful creations on
this planet, without which this earth could not survive, but like
so many things God has created which are not sin in themselves,
the tree is often used in a wrong way by mankind, hence producing
the end result of sin and deception. This study will show you many
ways the tree is represented for good and a few ways it is
used for false religious service, be it out-right heathenism or a
so-called worship towards God.
by Tara Chapman
September 2008
The first time the tree of life is mentioned in the bible is in
Genesis 2:9: "And out of the ground made YHWH God to grow every
tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree
of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of
knowledge of good and evil."
Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, were given all the trees
in the garden from which to eat fruit, including the tree of
life. The only exception was the tree of knowledge of good and
evil. Eternal life and evil don't mesh. The wages of sin is death
(Rom. 6:23). It's sad to know good and evil. Wouldn't it be nice
not to know evil? Satan chose to bring evil into existence. He
then deceived Adam and Eve to choose to know good and evil. They
chose the way of death. We each have a choice: life or death;
good or evil. "I call heaven and earth to record this day against
you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and
cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may
live" (Deut.30:19.)
The tree of life represents eternal life, wisdom, and Christ.
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no
man cometh unto the Father, but by me (John 14:6).
LIFE
Those who choose life and overcome will be granted to eat of the
tree of life (eternal life):
"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the
churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree
of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God"
(Revelation 2:7).
"In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the
river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of
fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the
tree were for the healing of the nations" (Rev.22:2).
"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have
right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates
into the city" (Rev. 22:14).
WISDOM
"She [wisdom] is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her:
and happy is every one that retaineth her" (Proverbs 3:18).
"YHWH possessed me [wisdom] in the beginning of his way, before
his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the
beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I
was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with
water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I
brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the
fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he
prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the
face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he
strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea
his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when
he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him, as
one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing
always before him; Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth;
and my delights were with the sons of men. Now therefore hearken
unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. Blessed is the
man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the
posts of my doors. For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall
obtain favour of YHWH. But he that sinneth against me wrongeth
his own soul: all they that hate me love death" (Prov. 8:22-36).
We have just seen wisdom personified as Christ.
CHRIST
"In that day shall the branch of YHWH be beautiful and glorious,
and the fruit of the earth shall be excellent and comely for them
that are escaped of Israel" (Isaiah 4:2).
"And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a
Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of YHWH shall
rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit
of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of
YHWH" (Isaiah 11:1-2).
"Behold, the days come, saith the YHWH, that I will raise unto
David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and
shall execute judgment and justice in the earth (Jeremiah 23:5).
In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of
righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute
judgment and righteousness in the land" (Jere.33:15).
"Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, and thy fellows that
sit before thee: for they are men wondered at: for, behold, I
will bring forth my servant the BRANCH" (Zechariah 3:8).
"And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh YHWH of hosts, saying,
Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out
of his place, and he shall build the temple of YHWH" (Zech.
6:12).
CHRIST A KING OF A KINGDOM
"The Most High God, the Father of all the children of God will
give His Kingdom to Christ, His Son, and all of His children:
And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom
under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the
saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and all dominions shall serve and obey him" (Daniel 7:27).
"And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in
heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the
kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for
ever and ever" (Rev.11:15).
KINGDOMS LIKENED TO TREES
"And the word of YHWH came unto me, saying, Son of man, put forth
a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel; And say,
Thus saith the Lord YHWH; A great eagle with great wings,
longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto
Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar: He cropped off
the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of
traffick; he set it in a city of merchants. He took also of the
seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed
it by great waters, and set it as a willow tree. And it grew, and
became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned
toward him, and the roots thereof were under him: so it became a
vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs. There
was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers:
and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, and shot
forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the
furrows of her plantation. It was planted in a good soil by great
waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might
bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine. Say thou, Thus saith
the Lord YHWH; Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up the roots
thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it wither? it shall
wither in all the leaves of her spring, even without great power
or many people to pluck it up by the roots thereof. Yea, behold,
being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither,
when the east wind toucheth it? it shall wither in the furrows
where it grew. Moreover the word of YHWH came unto me, saying,
Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things
mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon is come to
Jerusalem, and hath taken the king thereof, and the princes
thereof, and led them with him to Babylon; And hath taken of the
king's seed, and made a covenant with him, and hath taken an oath
of him: he hath also taken the mighty of the land: That the
kingdom might be base, that it might not lift itself up, but that
by keeping of his covenant it might stand" (Ezekiel 17:1-14).
Another example:
"Thus were the visions of mine head in my bed; I saw, and behold
a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was
great. The tree grew, and was strong, and the height thereof
reached unto heaven, and the sight thereof to the end of all the
earth: The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much,
and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow
under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs
thereof, and all flesh was fed of it. I saw in the visions of my
head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came
down from heaven; He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the
tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves, and scatter
his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls
from his branches: Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in
the earth, even with a band of iron and brass, in the tender
grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and
let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth: Let
his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given
unto him; and let seven times pass over him. This matter is by
the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the
holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most
High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he
will, and setteth up over it the basest of men. This dream I king
Nebuchadnezzar have seen. Now thou, O Belteshazzar, declare the
interpretation thereof, forasmuch as all the wise men of my
kingdom are not able to make known unto me the interpretation:
but thou art able; for the spirit of the holy gods is in thee.
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was astonied for one
hour, and his thoughts troubled him. The king spake, and said,
Belteshazzar, let not the dream, or the interpretation thereof,
trouble thee. Belteshazzar answered and said, My lord, the dream
be to them that hate thee, and the interpretation thereof to
thine enemies. The tree that thou sawest, which grew, and was
strong, whose height reached unto the heaven, and the sight
thereof to all the earth; Whose leaves were fair, and the fruit
thereof much, and in it was meat for all; under which the beasts
of the field dwelt, and upon whose branches the fowls of the
heaven had their habitation: It is thou, O king, that art grown
and become strong: for thy greatness is grown, and reacheth unto
heaven, and thy dominion to the end of the earth. And whereas the
king saw a watcher and an holy one coming down from heaven, and
saying, Hew the tree down, and destroy it; yet leave the stump of
the roots thereof in the earth, even with a band of iron and
brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with
the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the
field, till seven times pass over him; This is the
interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High,
which is come upon my lord the king: That they shall drive thee
from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field,
and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet
thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over
thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of
men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. And whereas they
commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall
be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the
heavens do rule" (Dan.4:10-26).
Please take the time to also read: Jeremiah 1:10, 11; Psalm 80:15
(Israel as a vine); Isaiah 60:21 (Israel as a branch); Jer.
48:17; Ezek. 19:12. And especially meditate on Ezekiel chapter
31.
The tree of knowledge of good and evil, a large government, power
wealth, etc. is much to be desired by many. As the saying goes, I
believe they're "barking up the wrong tree." God hates pride and
a heart that lifts itself highly. That was Satan's downfall. He
tried to overthrow God's kingdom. Wicked men also want dominance.
It's like the old song by Tears for Fears says: "Everybody wants
to rule the world." Sadly, most want to rule it his or her own
way. But, those who choose LIFE and bear fruits of righteousness
wait on God to take over the kingdoms of this world and give them
to His beloved children, to be headed by His firstborn. Yes, it's
probably true that everybody wants to rule the world. The good
news is that some will be granted the right to reign with the
King of kings and Lord of lords. (What I'm saying will make sense
if you've read Ezekiel 31. Please take time to read the given
scriptures).
Just as in Daniel and Revelation, when "beasts" are discussed as
symbolic for kingdoms, as well as the kings heading those
kingdoms, trees (or parts of trees) can refer to both kingdoms
and the kings heading them. So, kings and kingdoms can be likened
to trees, including Christ. People of all sorts are likened to
trees. Both the righteous and the wicked are likened to trees and
branches in the bible.
PEOPLE AS TREES
Matthew 7:15-20 "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in
sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye
shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns,
or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good
fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree
cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring
forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit
is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits
ye shall know them."
John 15:2-6 "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. Now ye are clean through the word
which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and 1 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. 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. 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. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall
ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my
Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit, so shall ye be my
disciples. As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you:
continue ye in my love. 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." (See also Matt. 3:10; Luke 3:9; Luke
6:43-44).
Please read also: Prov. 11:28, 30; Prov. 15:4; Job 14:7; Psalm
1:1-6; Psalm 37:35; Amos 2:9; Job 8:13-22; Job 18:16; Job 29:19;
Mark 11:13-14,20.
The passage in John recorded Jesus as saying that if a person
does not abide in Him and His love (keep the commandments), then
he or she will be cast into the fire and burned. A good tree
bears fruit. A bad tree is cast into the fire and brought to
ashes. Here are other scriptures that explain what happens to the
wicked, likening them to trees:
"For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all
the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and
the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the YHWH of hosts,
that it shall leave them neither root nor branch" (Malachi 4:1).
"And the destruction of the transgressors and of the sinners
shall be together, and they that forsake the YHWH shall be
consumed. For they shall be ashamed of the oaks which ye have
desired, and ye shall be confounded for the gardens that ye have
chosen. For ye shall be as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a
garden that hath no water. And the strong shall be as tow, and
the maker of it as a spark, and they shall both burn together,
and none shall quench them." (Isa.1:28-31).
The family of God (which will make up the Kingdom) is also
likened to a tree:
Romans 11:16-24 "For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also
holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. And if some
of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree,
wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root
and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches.
But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.
Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be
grafted in. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and
thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: For if God
spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not
thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them
which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue
in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. And they
also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in:
for God is able to graff them in again. For if thou wert cut out
of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert grafted
contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall
these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own
olive tree?"
We've all heard the usage of "family tree" in reference to our
ancestry and posterity. Other terms include: "came from good
stock," "fruit of the womb," "trunk of body" (torso), "limbs of
body" (arms and legs), an amputated leg "stump."
Think of what David said in Psalm 139:15, when discussing his
being made in his mother's womb:
"My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret,
and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth."
Trees germinate in the earth and then push through the ground.
Likewise, babies are conceived and formed in the womb and then
push their way out the birth canal. The womb is symbolic of the
earth. The earth acts as a womb. When the bible recorded a woman
giving birth, it would often be worded like Matthew 1:25: "And
knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he
called his name JESUS." Likewise, plants "And the earth brought
forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree
yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God
saw that it was good."
***So, is it okay to exalt trees as something special, since they
symbolize so much? Is it okay to sacrifice under evergreen trees
(ever-green symbolizes eternal life, as the leaves do not die
during winter)? Is it okay to place an evergreen tree of any type
in our homes during the heathen festival Christmas? Is it okay to
use crosses in our worship of God, since Jesus died on a tree
(cross/stake) to give us life?***
Stock, Cross, Tree Basically the Same Thing--Tree or Wood from a
Tree
Acts 5:30 "The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew
and hanged on a tree." (See also Gal 3:13; I Peter 2:24).
Jeremiah 10:3,8 "Thus saith YHWH, Learn not the way of the
heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the
heathen are dismayed at them. For the customs of the people are
vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the
hands of the workman, with the axe. They deck it with silver and
with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it
move not. They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they
must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of
them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do
good. Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O YHWH; thou art
great, and thy name is great in might. Who would not fear thee, O
King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as
among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms,
there is none like unto thee. But they are altogether brutish and
foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities."
Verse 3 is translated as "tree," whereas verse 8 is translated as
"stock," but it's the same Hebrew word "ets." Regardless of
whether the tree is still whole or whether someone uses just the
trunk/stock/stump and makes something of it, it's still the same
thing, basically. We are not to bow down to, worship, offer
sacrifices under, or decorate whole trees or wood made from trees
for the purpose of worship. It's NOT to be done! Period.
For those who try to excuse their using of Christmas trees and
placing gifts (sacrifices) underneath, because they say this
passage in Jeremiah is talking about a carved wooden idol, there
IS NO excuse. This passage covers BOTH whole trees and stocks of
trees. It does not matter. Different people have done it
different ways during different times, but it makes absolutely no
difference. Both ways are abominations to God.
Jeremiah 2:20 "For of old time I have broken thy yoke, and burst
thy bands; and thou saidst, I will not transgress; when upon
every high hill and under every green tree thou wanderest,
playing the harlot. Read also Ezekiel 6:13; 15:2; Hosea 4:13 (and
there are many others). Mixing the true worship of God
(symbolized by virginity and purity) with heathen beliefs and
observances is whoredom/harloty--spiritual fornication. I think
it would be very WISE to read Ezekiel chapter 23 and Revelation
17 to get a good idea of what God thinks about spiritual whores.
And then, I think it would be a very WISE thing to study the
bible to find out the TRUE way to worship God. All this Christmas
tree and cross stuff we see "Christians" hold dear are abominable
to God. Again, it matters NOT whether your idol is a whole tree
decked out in your home (including artificial trees) or something
carved, like a totem pole or cross. It's SIN.
The following is an excerpt from the book "An Answer to John
Martiall's Treatise of the Cross" by James Calfhill (1846):
"The Scripture warneth us, that in the latter days there shall be
strong Spirits of illusion; so that the elect themselves (if it
be possible) may be seduced ... [I]f it pleased God to use the
sign of a Cross indeed, as a mean to work some miracles in the
world; yet is it no sufficient cause to confirm the having, much
less the honouring of it now. To mollify the hearts of visible
and mortal men, God used visible and mortal means; not to confirm
a reverence to them, but to establish and honour and service to
Himself. God spake unto Moses out of a fiery bush. Shall now the
fire or the bush be honored? ... [S]o by the Cross miracles have
been wrought; not for the wood's sake, not for the metal, but
only for confirming of a faith in Christ. This faith then let us
retain, and let the cross alone. Moses avoided the wrath of God,
and escaped death, by cutting off the foreskin with a sharp
stone: and this is as much as Saint Martin's sign, whereby he
avoided the fall of a tree. Shall now a sort of stones be brought
into the church and honoured of us? ... The rod of Aaron was
often turned into a Serpent, often returned into the own nature;
which in a figure represented Christ, from life to death, from
death arising unto life again ... Shall now the rod of Aaron,
because it wrought such a miracle, be set up in the church? ...
Samson, with the jaw-bone of an ass, slew a thousand men; and out
of the cheek-tooth thereof the water ran, to assuage his thirst:
in signification how Christ, our Advocate and Mediator, hath
overthrown the adversary Power ... Shall we now have jaw-bones
and cheek-teeth in the church? ... The shadow of Peter healed
also some that passed by: likewise the kerchief and handkerchiefs
of Paul cured diseases, and drove out evil Spirits. Shall now the
sign of a shadow; shall a sorry clout, be so much made of?
Therefore, if miracles of old time past, wrought, (as I may grant
you, though absolutely I am not bound to believe all that you do
bring;) by mean of a Cross, shall be sufficient cause to make the
sign thereof, or the selfsame thing, to be erected and honoured;
then shall the fiery bush, the mountain of the Lord, the
Circumcision of moses, the rod of Aaron, the wood of Marah, the
brazen Serpent, the water of the rock, the fleece of Gideon, the
jaw-bone of Samson, the cloke of Elias, the washing of Naaman,
the hem of Christ's coat, the shadow of Peter, the handkerchief
of Paul, be set up in the church themselves, or their signs. For
by none of these but miracles were done: and as good reason in
this respect to set up in the church any one of these, as
otherwise the Cross" (pp.334-37).
There are many important trees mentioned in scripture. It's not
the scope of this article to cover every one, but I will share a
little about the almond tree:
Almond trees are one of the first to bloom each spring--a
firstfruits, you might say. I've also discovered during my
studies that almonds have, throughout history, been seen as a
symbol of new life or rebirth and fertility. Ancient heathen
peoples worshiped almond trees and considered almonds as
fertility charms. Modern science actually has discovered that
almonds are, in fact, very beneficial for fertility and
reproductive health overall. Just recently I saw on the Internet
a shirt with the "tree of life" on it. I was finally buying
myself some new clothes after having mostly the same pieces I've
had for a decade now, and I am replacing it completely with 100%
natural organic fibers, mostly hemp and organic cotton blends.
The larger percentage of such merchants are made up of pagan,
mother earth, goddess worshiping type people. So, I immediately
recognized this as tree worship, because nearly all the heathen
(pagan) religions had a "tree of life." It has been Satan's fake
of the real tree of life, as told in the bible. You can do a
quick Google search on the Internet of "tree of life" and see it
for yourself. The real tree of life represents Christ and
wisdom--the "way, the truth, and the life." We must worship God
in Spirit and in Truth, not serving idols. We're to worship God,
not representations of God and his Son (read Isa.40:25; 46:5).
The one who became Christ is our Creator and the Creator of all
things (John 1:3; Eph. 3:9). Satan is a creature--the created. He
wants to be worshiped. Throughout all history, he has deceived
billions of people into worshiping the created/creation rather
than the Creator. The tree of life is a representation of life in
Christ. We're not to worship the representation. The stake or
cross on which Jesus Christ died was the tree on which He died so
that we may have life. We're not to worship the cross or stake.
We're to worship Him who made those things. EVERYBODY worships
either the true Creator, or they worship something created. I
don't care if you're a self-proclaimed atheist or evolutionist or
whatever. Regardless of whether one wants to believe it or not,
we are servants to whom we obey. Whatever or whomever we serve,
that is what we worship. We give our loyalty to some sort of king
or ruler or to a job or material possessions. Whatever we put
first an obey is to what we're servant. Again, we are servants to
whom we obey (Rom. 6:16, John 8:3236). We either obey God or we
disobey God, which means we serve sin (meaning the transgression
of the law--I John 3:4).
Trees have a lot to offer. They give fruit (food), leaves
(healing), shade (covering), and products made from the stock
(paper, clothing, furniture, housing, etc.). Wow, is it any
wonder why so many people are fooled into worshiping trees?
Should we worship the trees for all they provide, or should we
rather worship God--the CREATOR who created the trees as gifts to
us. Is it really the trees that give us so much, or is it God who
created and gave us the trees?
Many people remember Shel Silverstein's children's book, The
Giving Tree (1964). I loved the book as a child. The following is
Wikipedia's entry on the book under "Storyline":
"The story is a short moral tale about a relationship between a
young boy and a tree in a forest. The tree and the boy become
best friends. The tree always provides the boy with what he
wants: branches to swing from, shade to sit under, apples to
snack on, branches to build a house. As the boy grows older and
older he requires more and more of the tree. The tree loves the
boy very much and gives him anything he asks for. In the ultimate
act of self-sacrifice, the tree lets the boy cut her down so the
boy can build a boat in which he can sail. The boy leaves the
tree, now a stump. Many years later, the boy, now an old man,
returns and the tree says, "I have nothing left to give you. "
The boy replies that all he needs is a quiet place to sit and
rest. The tree happily obliges."
Who loves us very much and gives us everything we need? Who gives
us physical and spiritual food? Who gives us shade or covering?
Who sacrificed His very own life for us? Who gives us rest?
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have
eternal life" (John 3:16).
"Happy is he whose resting-place is in the secret of the Lord,
and under the shade of the wings of the Most High" (Psalm 91:1).
"Keep me as the light of your eyes, covering me with the shade of
your wings" (Psalm 17:8).
"As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved
among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight,
and his fruit was sweet to my taste (Song of Solomon 2:3).
"O taste and see that YHWH is good: blessed is the man that
trusteth in him" (Psalm 34:8).
Christ was sacrificed on a tree for us, but instead of giving Him
thanks by serving HIM (keeping His commandments), we're giving
sacrifices/gifts of thanks under trees and doing things our own
way. I even read that some churches set up a tree for Christmas
and then use the same tree to fashion a cross to set up for the
following Easter. Unbelievable!! What an abomination. Let's put
away our idols. Let's stop worshiping the creat-ed, the trees.
Let's worship the Creat-or, the one whom the tree represents.
.................
|
No comments:
Post a Comment