What the Bible says about Shade Tree
(From Forerunner Commentary)
A tree with a trunk 63 feet around and 70 feet tall could have branches that extend well over 100 feet side to side (see Hosea 14:5). What a great shade tree! In its shadow, one would be cool in the summer and protected from wind and rain in winter.
At this point, the comparison switches again. God says Israel will be beautiful as the olive tree. It is not that the cedar is an ugly tree, far from it. However, unlike the North American cedar tree, which is upright and narrow, the cedar of Lebanon is more sprawling, giving it a rangy appearance. The Bible often uses the olive tree, however, as a symbol of peace, prosperity, and beauty. It, too, is an evergreen, and in the same way, the Christian walk is not a part-time endeavor.
The olive tree is fruit bearing, while the cedar is not. Many professing Christians of this world talk a lot, but they produce little, if any, real fruit. They will tell you how good they are, how much they give to their church, how much they help the poor and downtrodden—then they will lie, cheat, and bury their neighbor in business!
Matthew 7:15-20 warns us of false prophets, saying that we will know the good from the bad by their fruits. This is true, not just of ministers, but of all people. In our walk through life, we will produce good fruit as we grow in God's ways and overcome. If we do not, Matthew 7:19 says we will be cast into the fire—the opposite result of being in God's Kingdom.
Mike Ford
Be There!Related Topics: Bearing Fruit | Beware of False Prophets | Cedar of Lebanon | Cedar Tree | Fruits, Knowing by