The theology of trees

The Bible has a lot to say about trees. Fig trees being cursed, righteous men referred to as trees, lust-filled Israel provoking the LORD under trees, the trees of the knowledge of good and evil and of course, the tree of life.

Jesus died on a tree, and He became the tree of life.

In the end there will be a tree. "On either side of the river was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." This is fulfilled from Ezek 47 and many other passages.

The righteous are to be "like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither Ps 1:3.

In fact, certain trees are associated with various stages in redemptive history:

Period: Arboreal Imagery:

Eden-- Trees of life and of the knowledge of Good and Evil
Noah-- "Gopher" wood for the Ark
Abraham-- Terebinth or Oak trees
Wilderness-- Acacia for the Tabernacle
Settlement-- Palms
David-- Cedar
Temple-- Olive, Cedar, Cypress
Kingdom-- Fig
Restoration-- Myrtle
New Covenant-- Mustard, Olive *James Jordan

Trees are more important than you think... Trees are like ladders to heaven. Jacob sees a ladder and angels ascending and descending. Jesus spoke to Nathaniel, "You shall see the heavens opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man," fulfilling Jacob's vision of the promised Messiah- John 1:51. The most famous counterfeit tree was the tree/ladder of Nebuchadnezzar. He saw himself as the tree of life, the king of this world. "God ordered that this presumptuous Tower of Babel Tree be cut down, with only a stump remaining (Daniel 4:14,15). This meant that Nebuchadnezzar would be bestially insane for seven years, to teach him not to play god (Daniel 4:16, 20-33)." James Jordan~Through New Eyes p. 87

"I am in the market for some present tense....I want to think about trees. Trees have a curious relationship to the subject of the present moment. There are many created things in the universe that outlive us, that outlive the sun, even, but I can't think about them. I live with trees. There are creatures under our feet, creatures that live over our heads, but trees live quite convincingly in the same filament of air we inhabit..." Annie Dillard

Trees are rich, beautiful, profound symbols of God's world and our humanity.

We grow like trees. We mature like trees. May God make us like mighty oaks whose branches and leaves provide shade, shelter, and security for generations..because of that tree.

..."They alone seem to unite the earth and the sky-the known, invadable world with everything that is beyond our grasp and our power." Diane Ackerman