Trees

Some of my favorite Bible stories involve trees. I love the story of Creation. And the Fall is so vivid. C.S. Lewis thinks the tree is more significant than the moral fall. But he wasn’t taking Genesis 3 literally, which I do.

Take a look at what other things happen under trees.

In Genesis 18:4-8, Abraham is greeting the two angels and the LORD: Let a little water, I pray you, be fetched, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree: And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

This is just a sample for balance of some unsavory happenings under trees: Deuteronomy 12:2 Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:

Deborah ran her courtroom under a tree in Judges 4:5 And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

1 Samuel 14:2 And Saul tarried in the uttermost part of Gibeah under a pomegranate tree which is in Migron: and the people that were with him were about six hundred men;

Not only did King Saul tarry under a tree, he was also buried under a tree after his mighty men recovered his body. After such a turbulent life and death, it is such a peaceful scene: 1 Samuel 31:13 And they took their bones, and buried [them] under a tree at Jabesh, and fasted seven days.

1 Kings 4:25 is a picture of peace and prosperity with which God blessed His people during the reign of King Solomon: And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.

1 Ki 19:4 But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I [am] not better than my fathers. This is the story of Elijah when he was depressed after Queen Jezebel chased him in retribution for the slaughter and defeat of her priests on Mt. Carmel.

Every little kid learns the song about Zacchaeus. The actual account is found in Luke 19:4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.

Each of the Twelve have some fascination for me. I have to say though that Nathanael is one of my favorite. And this passage is one to which I relate. The narrative is so visual. My imagination wakes up with the details. John 1:48-50 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.

Aren't you glad God made trees?

To God be all glory.