KEY VERSES: And it (the Temple wall) was made with cherubims
and palm trees, so that a palm tree was between a cherub and a cherub; and
every cherub had two faces; So that the face of a man was toward the
palm tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm tree on
the other side: it was made through all the house round about. From the ground unto above
the door were cherubims and palm trees made, and on the wall of the temple.
(Ezek 41:18-20)
Kabalah accepts the palm tree
as the Tree of Life, but I disagree. I have proposed that the fig tree was the
Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil as Adam and Eve immediately made aprons from
fig leaves. Also, because in the Books of Adam and Eve, God gave the two
redeemed creatures a fig as large as a watermelon which they were afraid to
eat.
I had teacher who told me
that candy was poison. I laughed because I loved candy. He then brought me ten
pounds of chocolate covered caramels, which I ate until I became sick. It seems
that Adam and Eve ate of the fig tree, and God taught them a lesson when he
brought a watermelon-size fig. God proved His point. That luscious fruit was
poison, and the rebellious children finally figured that out! Accept it for now
that the forbidden tree was the fig.
My second proposal is that
the olive tree was the Tree of Life. My main premise was that olive trees are
the most durable of trees. Some are known to be 4000 years old, and the olive trees
of the Garden of Gethsemane could be first generation offspring of the original
Tree of Life. [1] Olive
trees, specifically an olive branch, represents peace. Jesus is Peace on Earth
and the King of Salem (Peace) when he appeared as Melchizedek to Abraham. It
makes sense that the Tree of Life is the olive Tree.
However, the palm tree decorates
God’s Temple – Solomon’s and the Second Temple. The Book of Ezekiel describes a
temple. Unknown is whether it was the second Temple or the Perfect Temple in
Heaven. I reject the latter theory because Ezekiel sees where sacrifices of animals
will be made. The Perfect Temple will have no need for sacrifices since Jesus sacrificed
himself for all for all time. The Perfect Temple will be in Paradise, and
Paradise has no death. Therefore, I reject Ezekiel’s vision of the Temple as
anything other than Solomon’s Temple rebuilt.
The returning Jews were
disappointed with the Second Temple because it was not as elaborate as the
first. Indeed, if 1 Kings 6 is examined, the description of Solomon’s Temple
makes it obvious that it was much more elaborate with its use of gold and
grander figures. With that contrast made, focus on both temples. Both were
adorned with cherubim and palm trees. Review the key verses. Palm trees were
all over the walls of the temple. Each palm was between two cherubim each
having two faces: a human face toward one palm tree and the face of a lion toward
the other.
Contrast that with the ark of
the covenant which had two cherubim with God’s Mercy Seat in between. Elsewhere
in the Book of Ezekiel, cherubim are described as having four faces: lion, ox,
human, and eagle. The lion represented wild beasts, the ox domesticated
animals, and the eagle birds. Of course, the human face represented humanity.
Why the absence of the eagle and ox in the second temple? The lion represents
the tribe of Judah, and the man’s face, surely represents “Israel” or Jesus.
How is that? Jesus was the seed of Jacob, and Israel was his spiritual name.
Thus, Israel and Judah are looking at the palm trees. In other words, Jesus has
his eye of the trees of the temple!
Recall Adam’s job assignment
to dress and keep the Garden (Gen 2:15). Adam, representing mankind, was
surely responsible for serving God and preserving the trees of
the Garden. I submit that the other trees of the Garden were palm trees! If you’ll
recall, Adam and Eve could freely eat of all the trees of the Garden but the
forbidden tree. Of course, the olive produced twelve fruits of peace. The diet
of the two was herbs:
And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed,
which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit
of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. (Gen 1:29)
The tree with the greatest
and largest seed is the coconut palm. Not only that, nearly the entire palm
tree can be used for food, and if it can’t be eaten, it can be used for
building and clothing. The stately palm which towers to great heights nourished
and protected mankind. The palm was God’s gift to humanity, and as such, I believe
that palm trees represent humanity. Judah and Israel facing the palm trees
would indicate God serving and preserving mankind. Therefore, three of the many trees of the Garden
are identified in the building of the Temple. The main one not addressed yet is
the walls of cedar.
Cedar trees have historically
represented strength and endurance, or longevity. The walls of the Temple
surely represented eternal life, and Israel and Judah the place and person of
eternal life. The palm represents, I contend, the humble “trees” that God would
lift up: “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up”
(Jas 4:10).
Palm trees have traditionally
represented victory. Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem was celebrated by the waving
of palm branches, representing the victory that Jesus was about to achieve. The
King of the Jews was about to defeat Satan as Judas, who Satan had entered, was
about to die on his tree! Palm trees grow up to 70 meters. Let the Lord lift them
up is an understatement! Get this: “The Coryphoideae (palms) are the
most diverse subfamily, and are a paraphyletic group, meaning all members of
the group share a common ancestor” (Wikipedia; “Arecaceae”).
Surely, the other trees of
the Garden of Eden were palm trees, and as such, palm trees represent those under
God’s protection!
To wrap-up, why are the faces
of the ox and eagle missing? The eagle represents those nations that God uses
to destroy (Mat 24:28 ; Isa 46:11 ; Ezek 39:4 ; Deut 28:49 ; Jer 4:13 ; 48:40).
They will no longer be needed when victory is achieved and peace exists. The ox
represents the tribe of Ephraim. That tribe was the most rebellious of all the
tribes, and represented Samaria. They had other gods in God’s face. Take that
to mean that they did not and will not see Jesus as the face of God.
Hence, the two missing
faces represent those Israelites who deny God, and the other nations such as
Assyria and Babylon who God used to punish Israel and Judah, respectively.
There are messages to mankind
in all God’s detailed descriptions. We always need to ask, Why does this
meticulous detail matter in the overall scheme of things? The answer is
that things reveal God’s Plan for us, and our future!
Each time I read about trees,
I think of its meaning. “Trees”mean things in all cases, even things not obvious
to the casual reader. When I read that blind Bartimaeus said, “I see men as
trees, walking” (Mark 8:24), it amazed me! I see men as trees and trees as
symbolic of men walking! I am a palm tree, I strive not to be a fig tree, and the
Olive Tree keeps me safe!
[1]
Throughout my commentaries, I propose that the Garden of Eden was Israel, and
that Jerusalem is the midst of the Garden. Please read my “Herrin Daily Thought”
blog to explore that further.
No comments:
Post a Comment