“The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which He hath planted;” (Psalms 104:16)
These are trees that no one cultivated. They were planted by the Lord. And they are cared for by the Lord. The Lord provides what they need and so they are strong and healthy and are described as full of sap. Tree sap is essential for its health. It helps the nutrients feed every part of the tree. Tree sap also is essential for its growth.
People are referred to as trees in the Bible. Jeremiah linked the imagery of a man who trusts and hopes in the Lord as a tree. “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7,8) Jesus also in warning about false prophets, referred to them as trees. “Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.” (Matthew 7:16-18) In prophesying about the Messiah, Isaiah refers to the people of God as oak trees. “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified.” (Isaiah 61:3) And David wrote “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.” (Psalms 92:12) So when we read about trees in the Bible, we can symbolically see that it applies to man.
Paul urged the Colossian believers to be rooted or established firmly in Jesus. As a tree is rooted firmly to the ground and grows healthy and strong, we are to be rooted or established in Him and built up in Him. “As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: Rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. (Colossians 2:6,7) Just like the tree in Lebanon is cared for by the Lord, a believer is cared for spiritually by the Lord. It is the work of the Lord in Him and not His own doing. “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2) As a child of God is obedient, the Lord supplies the sap that is needed to be healthy. God supplies the spiritual nutrients needed for growth and strength. Paul wrote that “we,” meaning the apostles and those ministering to the Colossians, prayed for the believers that they would be strong and healthy. We can make an analogy of what they prayed to a tree that it would be fruitful and strong in the Lord. “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness; (Colossians 1:9-11).
And that is the ultimate result of being in the Lord, cared and provided for by the Lord, getting stronger and bearing fruit. David wrote, “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; To shew that the LORD is upright: He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.” (Psalms 92:12-15) David relates the palm tree and the cedar as those who are “planted,” cultivated and cared for in the house of the Lord. They bear fruit because they have everything they need to bear fruit. It’s not of their own doing, but of the Lord’s provision for their growth and strength. They are flourishing even into their old age. There is no vacation to remaining in the Lord, loving and serving Him. There is no retirement. We remain in the Lord and love and serve Him to our dying day. And we bear fruit to the day that we leave this earth.
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