Tell-Tale Tree Tales!!!

TELL- TALE TREE TALES!!!

OK Folks let me begin by acclaiming the universal truth that minus the trees there would be no human life on Earth. Let’s all praise the Almighty God who in His Sovereign wisdom set-up the “stage”, so to speak, before bringing the principal actor- man- into the picture. Trees, mind you were created before man was (Genesis 1) to facilitate human life. It is indeed scary to think of our Planet being without for instance trees of Amazon rainforest which contribute about 20% of life-sustaining oxygen to the Earth’s atmosphere. Frankly speaking, we would be lost in the woods without those wondrous South American woods!!!While trees are indispensable in the natural realm, what about the trees which have affected mankind in the most important eternal spiritual realm (hey, there is death to the human body but the eternal spirit would live on)? Well, in this message Yours Truly endeavors to bring to the fore the different trees’ in the Scripture and their significance thereof…

Pleasing…

Hmmm…the tree of knowledge appeared quite pleasing to the eye of our first parents (Gen 3:6) though there were commanded by their loving Creator to stay away from it, leave alone admire its beauty from a distance. The result of their “adulterous advance”, so to say, towards it is now history. Oh yes, they ate of its fruit at the behest of the crafty tempter bringing curse upon themselves and all mankind (Gen 3:1-19). Tree of knowledge truth to tell brought in its wake spiritual darkness to all of mankind which can be dispelled only when one comes near yet another Tree which by its appearance ironically is at once ugly. Friends let’s travel to the Tree at Calvary…

Palaver…

If love for God which can be exhibited only by implicit obedience to His commands (2 John 1:6) was conspicuous by its absence in the behavior of the First Adam when exposed to the lure of Tree of Knowledge, then by stark contrast the Final Adam (read Jesus…1 Cor 15:45) personified obedience by willfully hanging on the Cruel Tree (Gal 3:13) as per the Father’s will (John 6:38/14:30-31) right in the middle of the Earth (Ezekiel 5:5).

If the Tree of Knowledge proved to be a bane for mankind bringing in its wake spiritual ignorance, then again ironically the Tree of foolishness (so-called by the scholarly Greek peers of Apostle Paul-1 Cor 1:18) has been a cause for manifold blessings to it ushering in spiritual emancipation and enlightenment. Stretching the comparison further, if the enticing words of the sly snake spoken even while “hanging” onto the former brought forth terrible curse to mankind, the energizing words proclaiming completion of redemption plan (John 19:30) spoken by the suffering Saviour even while "hanging" on the energy-sapping cruel Tree of execution (Gal 3:13/Deu 22:21) have heralded from the First Good Friday onwards the free release from that curse to anyone appropriating it in his/her life (Romans 10:8-10). We who are all connected to the First Adam (genetically and spiritually) need not remain “chained” to the Former but seek our liberty by looking with saving faith (John 3:14-15/Numbers 21:4-9) at the Latter where the Final Adam completed the onerous work of providing free salvation at a great cost (can anyone put a price tag on the Saviour’s sufferings?).

Gospel would be a palaver only to the perishing, blinded as they are, by the arch-enemy of every human soul (2 Cor 4:4) but to those being redeemed by it, it is the power of God in action (1 Cor 1:18-TLB). Only those who have experienced redemption at the Tree of Calvary, have access to yet another important tree of the Spiritual realm. So fellow pilgrims liberated at the Cross, now join me on a journey to the Tree of Life.

Perpetual…

Oh yes, if we observe a trouble-causing Tree of Knowledge at the beginning of the Bible, trouble-shooting One in the middle of our Planet (Eze 5:5-in Jerusalem where Redemption plan was completed), then there is a Tree towards the end of the Scriptures -in a realm where all problems shall end (Rev 21:4)- guaranteeing perpetual good health and abundant life (Rev 22:2).

Oh, how we feel like fast-tracking time and reaching that state of eternal bliss of being under the cooling shade of Tree of life! Yes, there are troubles en-route for those of us who have begun the journey of faith at the Tree of Calvary but cheer-up for the present troubles pale into insignificance when compared with the glories awaiting us in the days to come (Romans 8:18-25).

Pattern…

I came across a fascinating piece of information recently in a devotional magazine. It pertains to the history of the indigenous people in northern Michigan. In the said location, there are along the road, sign designating “Trail Trees.” It’s believed that long ago the Native Americans bent young trees to point the way to specific destinations and that they continued to grow in an unusual shape.