Trees

This week I read some interesting verses, Let the field be joyful, and all that is therein: then shall all the trees of the wood rejoice Before the LORD: for he cometh . . . (Psalm 96:12-13a). What’s supposed to rejoice? The trees!

In WORLD Magazine, Andrée Seu Peterson wrote a recent article about how the Bible begins and ends with trees. Genesis 2:17 introduces us to the only forbidden tree, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. Sadly, Adam and Eve sinned, and this tree marked their deaths, spiritually and physically. Oddly enough, it seems to have been near the Tree of Life. (Genesis 2:9) The last tree in the Bible is the Tree of Life. It's located in heaven. (Revelation 2:7; 22:2, 14)

Between these trees, biblical trees do all kinds of things! I’d love to watch the trees . . .

            Praising the Lord (Psalm 148:9)

            Rejoicing for Israel (Isaiah 14:8)

            Clapping their hands (55:12) I wonder how they do that?!!! What does a tree 
                hand look like?

In the Bible, there are, of course, many references to trees, branches, and wood. Some of my favorites are that  . . .

            Gopher wood was used for building the ark.

            Elim was known for its 70—God counted them—palm trees and its springs of 
                water.

            Cedar wood was used for the Tabernacle and the Temple. (No moths there!)

            Solomon’s temple had olive wood doors overlaid with gold.

            Jericho was known as the city of palm trees. It must have been beautiful!

            The partially-healed blind man said he saw men as trees walking (Mark 8:24).

            People strewed tree branches in Jesus’ path on Palm Sunday, and they waved 
                palm branches.

The most somber tree was Jesus’ cross. He was willing to suffer the humiliation of being hung up there, naked in front of all the people, to substitute His suffering for what you and I deserve because of our sin. That’s a love I can’t fully comprehend. I will forever be grateful.

Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree,

that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:

by whose stripes ye were healed (1 Peter 2:24).