The Cypress And The Myrtle: Tree Series Part 5 of 7

Isaiah 55:10-13

10 “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,
And do not return there,
But water the earth,
And make it bring forth and bud,
That it may give seed to the sower
And bread to the eater,
11 So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

12 “For you shall go out with joy,
And be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills
Shall break forth into singing before you,
And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,
And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;
And it shall be to the Lord for a name,
For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

(Quiet stretch along the Jordan River)

The time of the year in Israel called the "New Year of trees" is "Tu B'Shvat."  The holiday this year began on Sunday, January 24th, 2016, at sunset.  The traditions attached to this holiday are deeply rooted in Jewish history, but one of the newer ones is planting trees.  

Throughout Israel, people were outside planting saplings — students, families, employees, soldiers, and even new olim (immigrants).

In early spring it's so peaceful to get out in nature and enjoy God's creation.  The trees are beginning to bloom.  In Israel, the almond is among the very first to flower.  Its blossoms both speak of resurrection and new life but also remind us of the miracles that the Lord has in store for us.  Just as the coldest, darkest winters always end and the earth brings forth fruit, so too in our lives: even the darkest of days end and God has something fresh in store for us.

Many different kinds of trees are mentioned all throughout the Bible.  Remember when God said, "Study to show thyself approved....?" He wasn't kidding.  In order to understand many things in the Bible, you really do have to study a wide range of subjects, like the botany and geography of Israel and the forces that affect it, for example.  Even the land and customs teach us about Jesus! 

(For more on this topic, follow this link:

http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-sea-of-galilee.html)

The opening passage begins with a reference to rain and snow. When they touch the ground it is watered and brings forth fruit.  That is so like God's word, isn't it?  Wherever it goes, what and whoever it touches is watered and bears fruit.  The one who sows will have plenty of seed to plant, seed being the word of God.  It will grow and bud into mature wheat producing bread to nourish those who are hungry. 

Bread is a picture of Jesus, the Bread of Life.  Feeding on Him and on His word causes us to "go out {into the world} with joy," and to be "lead forth with peace."  

He was born in Bethlehem which means "House of Bread," wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a carved stone manger.  A manger is a feeding trough!

When your hunger is satisfied, you are full of joy and peace; restful, not stressed.  Then and only then, when you are in this restful state, is the Holy Spirit able to lead you as you go through life.

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"...The mountains and the hills shall break forth into singing before you, And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands..."

First and foremost, all these are pictures of how lovely Jesus is and as He is, so are we in this world.  Just like Him, you and I are a blessing everywhere we go! People are attracted to us.  Even the environment around us changes because Jesus lives inside. People even feel like singing when we are around!

Trees are made of wood.  Wood in the Bible typifies humanity. Tree branches are most often curved upward toward heaven as if in praise the Lord!  We, like the trees, need always and everywhere to "lift up holy hands" in praise to the Lord. Trouble is, we're the only "wood" that often has our "branches" hanging down at our sides. Instead of looking up toward heaven we are often looking down at the ground, dejected and depressed.  We can take a lesson from the trees and look up to praise the Lord!

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"Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,"

(Crucifix Thorn)

The thorn tree is a picture of Jesus who wore our crown of thorns so we would be blessed instead of cursed.  Thorns are actually leaves that are wrapped so tightly they form a thorn for lack of water. The leaf does this to conserve moisture in dry, desert places.  

What makes those "thorns" become "leaves" again is the "water" of the word of God. So if there are thorns, thistles and briers in your life, the answer is to drench yourself in God's word!  The prickly people who are a thorn in your side, that's what they need:  A deep drought of the water of the word of God.  They don't know how much they are loved by God!

"Cypress tree" is actually referring to the "fir tree," the kind of tree you see everywhere in December.  You and I know it as the Christmas tree!  It was one of the chief trees of Lebanon (Isa. 60:13); it's boughs were wide and great... (Exek 31:8); and it was evergreen (Hos. 14:8).

(Cypress or Fir Tree.)

In 2 Samuel 6:5 it says, "David and all the house of Israel played before Yahweh with all manner of instruments made of fir wood."
"Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress {fir} tree."

The wood of the fir tree is very "sonorous," as they say in the music trade, making it perfect for fashioning musical instruments.
That's what we are:  Musical instruments on which Jesus plays beautiful music for all the world to hear.  

Because of Him, we go around with a song in our hearts!  In fact, we are a song going somewhere to happen; and whenever we get out of sorts or "out of tune," we can come back to Jesus and be tuned up again. This is a perfect portrayal of the verse that says "WE ARE TRANSFORMED BY BEHOLDING JESUS."  

That does NOT mean going to Him to confess our sins and get cleansed.  No. That was done once for all time the day we accepted Him as our Savior.  1John 1:9, a verse about which many pastors seem confused, is in the "perfect tense," invGreek.  That means it is a ONE-TIME, NEVER-TO-BE-REPEATED act or event.  

THIS IS A SALVATION VERSE.

However, as we walk through the muck and mire of this increasingly evil world, take our eyes off Jesus and turn toward the "desert." When we have our eyes on our problems, they seem way too big to handle.  Like Peter, we begin to sink beneath the waves.  The we turn back to The Problem Solver and find salvation!  You and I, Church, continually need to wash the dust of this world off our feet with the water of His word.  That settles our hearts!


The fir tree, being an evergreen, is a picture of the eternal life we have in Jesus.  You've heard the saying: "Christians don't die; we just relocate!"  It's true! 

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"And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;"

Myrtle is a beautiful, fragrant tree. Believers--you and I--are beautiful and fragrant.  It's lovely white flower has 5 delicate petals, the number of grace!  It speaks of righteousness and purity, of our gift of righteousness by grace which we received when we asked Jesus into our hearts!

(Myrtle tree)

Queen Esther, after whom the book in the Bible is named, was not given that name by her parents.  Her given name was "Hadassah," which means "Myrtle tree," in Hebrew.  It was a tree of blessing used in the tabernacle as well as in the construction of most Sukkot, or temporary shelters used during the Feast of Tabernacles.  Mary most likely became pregnant with Jesus on that first day of this feast.  

For more on this topic, see my post about the Real Story in the Stars:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-real-story-in-stars.html)

Esther certainly was a blessing to her people when she saved them from total annihilation by the evil Haman. She is a picture of the church so you know what that says about us?  We are myrtle trees to the world today!

(For more on the story of Esther, follow this link:  http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/07/hadassah.html).        

(Myrtle blossom) 

What beautiful word pictures the Holy Spirit has once again painted for us!  We, the company of the blood-bought congregation, are truly special to Him.

We are like the cypress and the myrtle!