Tawa Baptist

The Cedar Tree

Scriptures: Leviticus 14, 1 Kings 6, Psalm 92, Ezekiel 17

Video Link: https://youtu.be/PAZlUkTL934

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Health (purification)
  • Holiness (presence)
  • Hope (purpose)
  • Conclusion

Good morning everyone.

There are five countries in the world who have a tree on their flag, one of which is Lebanon. Would anyone like to guess what tree we find on the Lebanese flag? [Wait] That’s right, the cedar tree. 

Today we continue our testimony of trees series by focusing on the cedar tree. The Cedar of Lebanon (scientific name: Cedrus libani) is mentioned many times in the Old Testament. The cedar is a majestic tree, reaching a height of 20-30 metres. It grows in the mountains of Lebanon where the temperature is cooler and it gets plenty of water. 

Our message this morning draws on a variety of Scripture references. Essentially though the cedar is associated with health, holiness and hope.

Or, if you prefer the three points of a sermon to start with a P, then purification, presence and purpose. Let us begin then with purification and health. From Leviticus 14, we read…

Health – Leviticus 14

The Lord said to Moses, 2 “These are the regulations for any diseased person at the time of their ceremonial cleansing, when they are brought to the priest: 3 The priest is to go outside the camp and examine them. If they have been healed of their defiling skin disease, 4 the priest shall order that two live clean birds and some cedar wood, scarlet yarn and hyssop be brought for the person to be cleansed. 5 Then the priest shall order that one of the birds be killed over fresh water in a clay pot. 6 He is then to take the live bird and dip it, together with the cedar wood, the scarlet yarn and the hyssop, into the blood of the bird that was killed over the fresh water. 7 Seven times he shall sprinkle the one to be cleansed of the defiling disease, and then pronounce them clean. After that, he is to release the live bird in the open fields.

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

How many of you say grace before eating a meal? To my mind, a meal isn’t ready to eat until we have said a prayer to thank God and bless the food.

The spiritual ritual of saying grace is as important as the physical ritual of cooking the food properly.

We are not just bags of skin, bone and flesh. We are spiritual beings, inhabiting a physical body. There is a relationship between the physical and the spiritual. Saying grace before eating, acknowledges the reality of God’s provision for our lives.

In ancient Israel, people with skin diseases were excluded from community life. Although they may have done no moral wrong, they were considered ceremonially unclean and therefore not allowed to participate in religious events.

If a person recovered from their skin disease, then the priest (who was also the public health officer) checked the disease was gone and performed the purification ritual described in Leviticus 14 to declare the person fit to return to community life.

This ritual involved the use of cedar wood. It’s not that the cedar tree was used to heal skin diseases. Rather, once a person had been healed of a skin disease, cedar was used in the purification rite declaring them clean.

This ritual probably seems strange or unnecessary to us but, to someone with an ancient mindset, who believed in spiritual reality as much as material reality, the healing wasn’t complete until the priest had carried out the ritual.

We might think of this ritual like saying grace before eating a meal. The ritual acknowledges the reality of God in our lives. It is God who heals and purifies us, just as it is God who feeds and sustains us.

One of the distinctive features of the cedar tree is its natural resistance to insects and rot. The cedar tree contains certain oils which make it smell nice and repel insects, while also preserving the wood. It may be for this reason that the cedar tree was used by Jewish priests in purification rituals. Cedar wood symbolises restored strength and good health.

One of the interesting things about the ritual in Leviticus 14, is that two birds are used. One bird is offered to God as a sacrifice, while the other bird is set free, signifying that the person who was healed is now free to rejoin the worshipping community. 

As Christians, we don’t need to perform the rituals prescribed in Leviticus every time we recover from shingles or boils or scabies or whatever. But we do need to give thanks to God for restoring our health and purifying us. What rituals do you observe that acknowledge the reality of God in your life?

Alongside health and purification, the cedar tree is also associated with holiness. In particular, the beauty of God’s holy presence represented by the temple.

Holiness – 1 Kings 5 & 6

In First Kings chapters 5 and 6, we read how Solomon used cedar in the building of the Jerusalem temple. The external structure of the temple was mostly made from stone, but a lot of cedar wood was used inside the temple.

Cedar trees grew abundantly in the mountains of ancient Tyre. The region of Tyre lay north of Israel in the land we know today as Lebanon. Solomon made a deal with Hiram, the king of Tyre, to obtain the cedar.

Solomon conscripted 30,000 labourers to cut down the cedar trees. The trees were then brought to Jerusalem where they were used in the construction of the temple. Let me read you a selection of verses from First Kings chapter 6, which describe how the cedar tree was used…

14 So Solomon built the temple and completed it. 15 He lined its interior walls with cedar boards, panelling them from the floor of the temple to the ceiling and covered the floor of the temple with planks of juniper. 16 He partitioned off twenty cubits at the rear of the temple with cedar boards from floor to ceiling to form within the temple an inner sanctuary, the Most Holy Place. 20 The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty wide and twenty high. He overlaid the inside with pure gold, and he also overlaid the altar of cedar.

These verses tell us cedar was used extensively in the temple, including in the most holy place and for the construction of the altar.

Most likely cedar was used for both practical and aesthetic reasons. As already mentioned, cedar is a strong, durable wood that smells nice, repels insects and is resistant to rot, making it an excellent building material.

Aesthetically, cedar wood has a beautiful grain, without knots. It is pleasant to look at. Cedar is beautiful inside and out.

A temple is a holy place, a place of God’s presence, where prayers and worship are offered. Ideally, a place of reconciliation that brings people closer to God and closer to one another. Because of its use in the temple, cedar is associated with the beauty of holiness.  

We don’t often think of holiness as a beautiful thing. Holiness in our society seems more weird than attractive. Not so in ancient Hebrew society.

In Psalms 29 and 96, we are told to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

The kind of beauty in view here is that of splendour or majesty. God’s holiness is like the beauty of a mountain range or the beauty of a cedar forest. God’s holiness is evergreen, its beauty does not fade.

To worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness is to worship God with clean hands, a clean heart and a clean conscience, without pretense or hypocrisy.

Worship the Lord like no one is looking.

Solomon cut down thousands of cedar trees, both for the temple and for his own palace. His carbon footprint was enormous.

Does this mean we (today) need to use cedar in the construction of our church buildings? Well, no. For Christians, God’s holy presence does not rest in a building. God’s presence is found in Jesus and among his people. We are the new temple, a temple not made by hands. The church is like a forest of living souls, made pure and holy by Christ.

The cedar tree is associated with health and purification, together with the beauty of God’s holy presence. The cedar tree is also pregnant with hope and purpose.

Hope – Psalm 92 & Ezekiel 17

Because of their strength and beauty and usefulness, the cedar forests of Lebanon have been depleted down through the centuries. Consequently, the Lebanese authorities have established special reserves to protect and regenerate cedar trees.

Despite humanity’s greed, some cedars have survived for more than 2000 years. One of the keys to the cedar’s longevity is its root system. The roots of the cedar tree grow deep to find water and give the tree stability. Once the tree is established, it will generally last a long time if left undisturbed.   

In Psalm 92 we read…

12 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; 13 planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, 15 proclaiming, “The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”

Psalm 92 is a worship song for the Sabbath day. Being a song for the Sabbath, Psalm 92 looks forward (in hope) to that day of eternal rest, when there will be no more evil or suffering or death, when every day will be a perfect day, an everlasting Sabbath fulfilling God’s purpose for creation.

Cedars don’t grow as quickly as some plants, but they do grow tall and last a long time. The poetry of Psalm 92 is saying the righteous have hope for a good and lasting future. Their purpose is to serve and worship God.      

Righteousness in the Bible simply means right relationship. The righteous relate with God and their neighbours in a right way, in a way that is gracious and true, fair and kind.

You don’t have to be perfect to be righteous. Righteous people sometimes mess up. But if a righteous person does make a mistake, they do everything in their power to put it right.

Faith is the foundation of righteousness. Or to use the metaphor of the cedar, faith is the root system of the tree. Faith in God finds the water of life and lends stability to the tree.

Notice the underlying tone of humility in these verses. Just as the cedar grows best at altitude (in the mountains of Lebanon), so too the righteous grow best in the courts of our God. That is, in close relationship with the Lord and his people. The righteous owe their vitality and fruitfulness to the Lord, not their own righteousness. It is by God’s grace that the cedar tree enjoys long life.

The point is, the righteous are like cedars, they have hope of an evergreen future. The worship and service of the righteous is purposeful and lasting.

We are talking about the cedar tree and its connection with hope and purpose in the Bible.

In Ezekiel 17 we read… 

22 “‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will take a shoot from the very top of a cedar and plant it; I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots and plant it on a high and lofty mountain. 23 On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it; it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar. Birds of every kind will nest in it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches. 24 All the trees of the forest will know that I the Lord bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.

You all know the story of Cinderella. The girl who was loved by her father but hated by her stepmother and stepsisters. When her father died, Cinderella experienced a reversal of fortunes. She became a servant to her stepmother and stepsisters and was mistreated by them.

When the prince of the realm decided to hold a ball, Cinderella was made to stay home, until her fairy godmother intervened. Cinderella goes to the ball and dances with the prince but has to leave in a hurry at midnight. In her rush she leaves behind a glass slipper.

In his search for the mysterious woman who left so quickly, the prince goes through the land trying to find the one who fits the glass slipper. Eventually, after a few twists and turns, the prince is reunited with Cinderella and they are married.

Once again Cinderella experiences a dramatic reversal of fortunes, this time from being a lowly servant girl to becoming a princess.         

The Bible is full of Cinderella stories. In fact, the fairy tale of Cinderella is inspired by the true stories of the Bible. The stories of Jacob and Joseph are packed with reversals. As is the story of Ruth and Naomi. To say nothing of the history of Israel; from slavery in Egypt to exodus in the wilderness to a fresh start in the promised land of Canaan to exile in Babylon and return from exile. 

Why does the Bible contain so many stories of reversal? Two reasons mainly. Firstly, because these stories literally happened in history. And secondly, because stories of reversal inspire hope and humility.

If you are down on your luck, bullied by your enemies, poor in spirit and unable to see a way forward, you can remember how God reversed his people’s fortunes to give them a good future.

God did it for Joseph and Ruth and Naomi and Hannah and Israel and many others. Perhaps he will do it for you too. These true stories of reversal inspire hope and give purpose to our struggles.

At the same time, if life is going well and you feel like you are on top, healthy, wealthy and wise, remember how God reversed the fortunes of people like Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh and Saul, to humble them. Then any pride you might feel at your accomplishments will be diminished. Stories of reversal let the air out of an over inflated ego. No one wants to be the ugly stepsister.   

God has the power to reverse our fortunes. In verse 24 of Ezekiel 17, the Lord says: All the trees of the forest will know that I, the Lord, bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish.

That is a picture of reversal, inspiring both hope and humility at the same time.

In verses 22-23 of Ezekiel 17, the Lord says that he will take a shoot from the top of a cedar tree and plant it on the mountain heights of Israel, where it will become a splendid cedar tree.

To the ancient mind the image of a majestic tree (like a cedar) stands as a metaphor for a mighty king and his kingdom.

For Christians, the shoot that God takes from the top of a cedar tree to replant, is a picture of Jesus, the Messiah. Jesus is the King who embodies the tree of God’s kingdom on earth.

God’s kingdom, established through Jesus, is strong and enduring like the cedar tree. God’s kingdom is healthy and holy, with a purifying presence resistant to rot. God’s kingdom bears good fruit and provides shelter for every kind of bird. The birds here probably represent the different peoples of the world. God’s kingdom is for all nations.

We are reminded of Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed. The kingdom of heaven starts small like a mustard seed but grows to be a large garden plant providing shelter for the birds of the air. Transformation from small to large; sounds like a story of reversal, inspiring hope, giving purpose.

Conclusion:

Most of you will see where this sermon is headed. Jesus, the prince of heaven, born into humble circumstances. Raised in obscurity, the son of a carpenter. Homeless and relying on the kindness of strangers for the three years of his public ministry.

Condemned for a crime he did not commit. Sentenced to a humiliating, agonizing death on a cross. Dead and buried, then raised to eternal life on the third day. The life, death and resurrection of Jesus is God’s ultimate reversal story and the foundation of our hope.

Let us pray…

Lord Jesus Christ, you are the priest who purifies us and sets us free. You are our holiness, the root of all righteousness. Your resurrection is the ground of our hope. We thank you for your faithfulness to God and to us. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. What are some of the distinctive characteristics of the cedar tree? What is the cedar tree associated with in the Bible?
  3. Why did God provide rituals of purification for people who had recovered from a skin disease? What rituals do you observe that acknowledge the reality of God in your life?  
  4. Why was cedar wood used in the construction of the Jerusalem temple? What does it mean to worship God in the beauty of holiness? How do we do this?
  5. Why does the Bible contain so many stories of reversal? What purpose do these stories serve? Do you have a personal story of reversal? If so, what happened?
  6. How does the parable of the cedar shoot (in Ezekeil 17:22-24) point to Jesus?
Tawa Baptist

The Fig Tree

Scripture: Luke 13:1-9

Video Link: https://youtu.be/DGLyluurx5s

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Suffering, Sin and Repentance – Luke 13:1-5
  • The Parable of the Fig Tree – Luke 13:6-9
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

All fruit trees produce flowers. Usually, the flowers grow on the outside of the tree so you can see the flower. But fig trees are different. With fig trees the flower is inverted, it is hidden inside the fig itself. To see the fig flower, you must cut the fruit open. Figs are beautiful on the inside.

Today we continue our Testimony of Trees series by focusing on the fig tree. (Not to be confused with the sycamore fig which we heard about some weeks ago.) The fig tree (scientific name: Ficus Carica) is mentioned many times throughout the Bible, including most famously in Genesis, where Adam and Eve used fig leaves to cover their nakedness.

This morning’s message though focuses on Jesus’ parable of the fig tree in Luke 13. From verse 1 of Luke 13 we read…

Now some came at that time and told Jesus about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mixed with their sacrifices. 2 Jesus answered, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans because they suffered this way? 3 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish. 4 Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no! But unless you repent, you too will all perish.” 6 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Dig it out! Why should it use up the soil?’ 8 “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. 9 If it bears fruit in the future, fine! If not, then dig it out.’”

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Suffering, Sin and Repentance:

To properly understand Jesus’ parable of the fig tree, we must first come to grips with what Jesus is saying in verses 1-5 of Luke 13. In the context, Jesus is talking about God’s judgement and mercy, which calls us to bear the fruit of repentance.

Repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change in direction. It’s an internal change of attitude that results in an external change in behaviour.

Let me illustrate with a story…

Once there were two brothers who lived on neighbouring farms. For many years they got on well until a small misunderstanding developed into a major argument. Tit for tat bickering and retaliation only escalated the ill feeling.

One morning there was a knock on the older brother’s door. On the porch stood a man with a toolbelt. “I’m looking for some work”, he said. “Would you have a job for me?”

“Yes”, said the farmer. “You see across the creek there? That’s my brother’s farm. Last week there was a paddock between us. Then he took his bulldozer to the riverbank and flooded the field. Now there is a swamp. But I’ve got a plan to fix him. See that pile of timber? I want you to build me a fence, tall and solid, so I won’t see him or be reminded of him.”

The carpenter looked at the creek, before answering. “I think I understand the situation. Leave it to me. You’ll be pleased with my work.”

The older brother went to town for supplies and was gone for most of the day. When he returned his eyes popped wide in surprise and his jaw dropped. There was no fence at all.

Instead, he found himself looking at a foot bridge, stretching from one side of the creek to the other. It was a sturdy piece of carpentry, built to last.

There, on the far side of the bridge, was the farmer’s younger brother walking towards him. When the two brothers met in the middle, the younger one said, “You are the bigger man to build this bridge after all I’ve said and done.”

Relieved and humbled the older brother said, “I just want my brother back. I’m sorry.” The two men hugged and agreed to forgive the past.

The carpenter was gathering his tools ready to leave, when the older brother said, “Please stay, I’ve got plenty of other jobs for you”. The carpenter replied, “I’d love to, but I’ve got more bridges to build.” [1]

Before the brothers could be reconciled, they both had to repent. They both had to experience a change of mind that led to a change in the way they related to each other. But neither brother was able to change their mind without help.

The carpenter’s bridge provided the catalyst both brothers needed to imagine a different future, to forgive their differences and move forward together.   

Luke 13 begins with some people coming to Jesus and telling him that Pilate had mixed the blood of some Galileans with their sacrifices. Pilate was the Roman governor in charge of the province at that time. Later, Jesus would stand trial before Pilate.

Pilate did some terrible things while in office. Apparently, on this occasion, he had his soldiers slaughter some Jews from Galilee while they were offering sacrifices at the temple in Jerusalem. The blood of the Galileans mingled with the blood of their sacrifices.

It would be like a foreign military force coming into this sanctuary and shooting people in the congregation while we were sharing communion.        

It is well known that truth is the first casualty in any war. Whether the people reporting this incident to Jesus were just spreading rumours to gain support for the cause of Jewish nationalism or whether they were being truthful, is unclear. Either way, Jesus is expected to respond with indignation and sympathy, loudly denouncing Pilate.

Those reporting this violence want Jesus to build a fence between them and their enemies. But Jesus doesn’t do what’s expected of him. Instead, Jesus (who is motivated by a deep concern for people’s wellbeing) builds a bridge by telling them to repent or they too will meet with a violent end.

Kenneth Bailey paraphrases Jesus’ meaning here. It’s like Jesus is saying… 

“You want me to condemn evil in Pilate. I am not talking to Pilate. He is not here. I am talking to you. Evil forces are at work in your movement that will destroy you, Pilate or no Pilate. You must repent or all of you will be destroyed by those forces.” [2]   

Jesus is telling these Jewish nationalists that they have more in common with Pilate than they realise. The same evil that is in Pilate is also in them. If they don’t repent of that evil, if they don’t get off the path of violence and retaliation, they will all wind up dead.

Winston Churchill is credited with saying, “Fear is a reaction. Courage is a decision.” Jesus shows incredible courage here. He does not react negatively. He decides to respond positively.

Jesus’ brave decision to rewrite the script, by calling for repentance, puts him at risk of being physically attacked on the spot by the Jewish patriots. Those who fight for what they believe is a just cause assume the struggle for the cause makes them righteous. It does not.

Seeing a teachable moment, Jesus asks the question (in verse 2), do you think those who perished were worse sinners than all other Galileans because they suffered in this way. I tell you, no.

Then Jesus goes on in verse 4 to give another example: Or those eighteen who died when the tower in Siloam fell on them—do you think they were more guilty than all the others living in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, no!

The Galileans, allegedly killed by Pilate, are an example of suffering caused by human evil. While the 18 people, killed by a collapsing tower, are an example of suffering caused by natural disaster.

We are reminded of Job here who lost his children and his wealth through a combination of human evil and natural disasters. Sadly, Job’s friends thought Job’s misfortune was caused by some grievous unconfessed sin.

There was and still is a belief that personal misfortune of any kind, whether poverty or illness or natural disaster or whatever, is the direct result of sin. Therefore, if something bad happens to you, that means God is punishing you. This only adds insult to injury and further alienates someone who needs support.  

In the Old Testament, the fig tree was symbolic of peace and prosperity.

For example, in 1st Kings chapter 4, we are told that: During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel lived in safety, each man under his own vine and fig tree. 

To sit under your fig tree eating figs, therefore, was to be blessed by God.  

But what if your fig tree is taken away? Does that mean you are under God’s curse for doing something wrong? Well, not necessarily.  

In John 9, Jesus’ disciples notice a man born blind, and they ask whether the man’s blindness is due to his own sins or the sins of his parents. Jesus says: 3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. 

Correlation does not prove causation. Just because someone suffers in some way, it does not automatically follow that God is punishing them. There isn’t always a one-to-one relationship between the sin of an individual and their suffering. Sometimes there is, but not usually.

This world does not operate by karma. It operates by God’s grace. Everyone sins. Everyone falls short. Everyone, at some point, commits an evil act. Just as we all fail to do the good God wants us to do. If there were a direct link between sin and suffering, we would all be poor or sick or maimed or worse.

It is only by God’s grace and mercy that we don’t suffer more.       

When talking about the relationship between sin and suffering, some theologians use the phrase ‘a loose causal weave’. A loose causal weave means that while there is a connection between sin and suffering in a general sense, that connection is not always well aligned where the individual is concerned.

For example, looking at history we can see that nations which blatantly disregard God’s laws do come to ruin eventually. Within those nations, there will be some relatively innocent or righteous people who do not deserve the same treatment as the rest, and yet they suffer just as badly because they are part of that society. On an individual level there can be collateral damage.

From our limited human perspective, it often seems this life is not fair, which is precisely why we need to believe that this life is not all there is and that ‘the arc of the moral universe bends towards justice’.

We need to believe in a day judgement when God rights all wrongs. Otherwise, we will attempt to get justice for ourselves by taking revenge. None of us are in a position to judge.  

Jesus does not call God’s justice into question. Jesus says those killed by Pilate and the 18 who died in the tower collapse were not worse sinners, but sinners all the same. Therefore, they were not innocent. But that is not why they died prematurely. Their deaths serve as a warning to us all to repent while we still can, for none of us knows when our time is up. 

Jesus preached urgent repentance because faith with repentance is how we get on the right side of God’s judgement. As I often say, God’s judgement is not at odds with his mercy. God’s judgement and mercy are one. Indeed, they are in conversation with one another. Which is where the parable of the fig tree comes in…

The Parable of the Fig Tree:

Many fruiting trees are pollinated by bees and other insects who visit the flowers for nectar and in the process collect and pass on pollen.

The fig tree is different though. As I mentioned at the beginning of this message, the fig flower is inverted, it is hidden inside the fruit, where bees can’t get to it. So how is the fig tree pollinated?

Some varieties of fig trees are pollinated by a tiny insect called a ‘fig wasp’.

The fig wasp is not like the big German wasps we are familiar with. A fig wasp won’t sting you; it is too small for that. The female fig wasp crawls through a small hole in the fig and lays her eggs inside the fruit.       

In the process of depositing her eggs, the female transfers pollen from her original host fig. This pollinates some of the female flowers on the inside of the receiving fig and allows them to mature. After the female wasp lays her eggs, she dies, and the cycle continues with her offspring who leave their host fig and lay eggs in another fig. Essentially, the fig tree needs the fig wasp.

Why am I telling you this? Well, Jesus’ parables are a bit like the fig wasp and our minds are like figs. The parables of Jesus are small enough to get under our skin and into our imagination, where they pollinate our thoughts with the ideas of God’s kingdom. Jesus’ parables bring a new way of thinking which (if we let it) leads to repentance.

From verse 6, Jesus tells his parable of the fig tree, saying…

“A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. 7 So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Dig it out! Why should it use up the soil?’

Before we finish the parable, let’s pause to observe a couple of things.

Firstly, for Jesus’ original Jewish audience, the vineyard was a metaphor for the nation of Israel.

Isaiah 5 famously gives us the song of the vineyard, where Israel is the vineyard and God himself is the one who planted the vineyard. The vineyard does not bear good fruit. The Lord looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress. Therefore, God allowed the nation of Israel (his vineyard) to be destroyed. This happened with the exile.

Relating Isaiah 5 to Jesus’ parable of the fig tree, we can say that the vineyard represents God’s people. However, Jesus’ parable isn’t about the whole vineyard. It is focused on just one tree in the vineyard, specifically the fig tree.

What (or who) then does the fig tree represent? Probably not the nation of Israel as a whole. Some say the fig tree represents Israel’s religious leadership who (at that time) appeared righteous but were not actually producing the fruit of justice or mercy.

Thinking more broadly, the fig tree could represent any of God’s people who make an outward show of religion without bearing the fruit of genuine repentance.

In verse 7, the owner says to the man who takes care of the vineyard that he’s been coming to look for fruit for three years and not found any. It typically takes two or three years after planting for a fig tree to start bearing fruit, so it is reasonable to expect fruit after three years.

The command to dig out the tree reminds us of Luke 3, where John the Baptist warned that the axe was already at the root of the tree and any tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down.

That said, we should not miss the vineyard owner’s heart here. The vineyard owner is not hell bent on destruction for destruction’s sake. He is concerned for the wellbeing of the whole vineyard. If he allows fruitless trees to take up room and exhaust the soil, he is not being fair or kind to anyone.   

Then comes the twist in verses 8 and 9, where the worker says to the owner: 8 “‘Sir, leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.

 9 If it bears fruit in the future, fine! If not, then dig it out.’”

Notice here how the fig tree needs outside help. The fig tree cannot save it itself; it needs the orchard worker to advocate for it and fertilise it. Just like the brothers needed the carpenter to build a bridge. Just like the fig fruit needs the fig wasp.

You might be wondering: who is the worker who intercedes to save the tree?

We might think the worker is Jesus, but it is probably better to think of the vineyard worker as a personification of God’s mercy, while the vineyard owner is the personification of God’s judgement. [3] Therefore, God’s judgement is in conversation with his mercy. God’s judgement is informed by his mercy.

God knows he has to take action where a fruitless tree is concerned (for the sake of others in the vineyard), but he still feels a tender mercy toward the fruitless tree and would prefer to see it saved and bearing good fruit.    

We are reminded of what the apostle says in 2nd Peter 3, verse 9…

 “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance”. 

Time is grace. If we are not being fruitful for God’s glory, then the best use of our time is repentance.

Conclusion:

As is often the case, Jesus’ parable is left open ended. We, the audience, are in suspense. Did God’s mercy convince God’s judgement to wait a while longer? Did the vineyard owner agree to give the fig tree another chance? And if the fig tree was given another chance, did it eventually manage to bear fruit?

We are not told.

We don’t know when God’s judgement will come. In the meantime, we are better to ask ourselves whether our lives bear the fruit of repentance. Repentance will look different for each of us, depending on our sin.

If our sin is pride, then repentance is walking humbly with God.

If our sin is greed, then repentance is generosity.

If our sin is resentment, then repentance is being ready to forgive.

If our sin is violence, then repentance is gentleness.

If our sin is deceit, then repentance is truthfulness.

If our sin is theft, then repentance is honest work.

If our sin is gossip, then repentance is self-control. You get the idea.

But remember this. We cannot repent without help. The key to bearing the fruit of repentance is not trying harder. The key to fruitfulness is abiding in Christ. 

Let us pray… 

Merciful God, we thank you for your patience and for the grace of time.

When we stray off course, change our minds and gently set us in the right direction. Help us to remain in Christ that we would bear good fruit for your glory. Through Jesus we pray. Amen.  

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. How is the fig flower different from most other flowers?
  3. What is repentance? Why is repentance necessary? How do we repent?
  4. Why do we need to believe in God’s judgement? Why do we need to believe in God’s mercy?
  5. What might the fig tree in Jesus’ parable represent? What might the vineyard owner and worker respectively represent? What is the main purpose of Jesus’ parable of the fig tree in Luke 13?
  6. Does your life bear the fruit of repentance? Does God want you to change your mind and direction in life? If so, what might that change look like? 

[1] The story of the bridge building carpenter is adapted from a story by J. John and Mark Stibbe in their book “A Barrel of Fun”, page 173. 

[2] Kenneth Bailey, “Through Peasant Eyes”, page 79.

[3] Refer Kenneth Bailey’s book, “Through Peasant Eyes”.

Tawa Baptist

The Sycamore Tree

Scripture: Amos 7

Video Link: https://youtu.be/CD8ZTg4VlW4

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Today we continue our Testimony of Trees series by focusing on the sycamore tree. Or to be more precise the Ficus Sycomorus, also known as the sycamore fig; not to be confused with Acer Pseudo Platanus, which is the European version of the sycamore tree that some here might be more familiar with.

The sycamore fig is native to Africa but grows well in parts of the Middle East, where it was plentiful during Biblical times. It reaches a height of 20 meters with strong lateral spreading branches. The leaves are broad and heart shaped, making the sycamore fig ideal for shade.

The fruit of the Ficus Sycomorus is a large edible fig, about 2-3 cm in diameter. Interestingly, the sycamore bears fruit all year round. You can get up to five crops in a 12-month period.   

The sycamore fig is mentioned seven or eight times in the Bible, including most famously in Luke 19, where the tax collector, Zaccheaus, climbs a sycamore tree to see Jesus as he passes through Jericho.

Our message today though is based on the prophet Amos chapter 7, which also mentions the sycamore fig tree. From Amos 7, verse 1, we read… 

Amos 7:

This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts after the king’s share had been harvested and just as the late crops were coming up. 2 When they had stripped the land clean, I cried out, Sovereign Lord, forgive! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!”  3 So the Lord relented. “This will not happen,” the Lord said. 4 This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me: The Sovereign Lord was calling for judgment by fire; it dried up the great deep and devoured the land. 5 Then I cried out, “Sovereign Lord, I beg you, stop! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!” 6 So the Lord relented. “This will not happen either,” the Sovereign Lord said. 7 This is what he showed me: The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb, with a plumb linein his hand. 8 And the Lord asked me, “What do you see, Amos?” “A plumb line,” I replied. Then the Lord said, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer. 9 “The high places of Isaac will be destroyed and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined; with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam.” 10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent a message to Jeroboam king of Israel: “Amos is raising a conspiracy against you in the very heart of Israel. The land cannot bear all his words. 11 For this is what Amos is saying: “‘Jeroboam will die by the sword, and Israel will surely go into exile, away from their native land.’” 12 Then Amaziah said to Amos, “Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. 13 Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.” 14 Amos answered Amaziah, “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. 15 But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ 

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

You may have heard of the term cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is the internal distress a person feels when their external reality does not align with their values or beliefs.

Cognitive dissonance can be caused by our own behaviour; when we do things that go against the grain of our values. Or it can be caused by the behaviour of other people, when they do things which contradict what we believe to be right or true. Let me give you some examples…

Imagine you put a lot of importance on eating healthy food and exercising regularly. You believe your body is a temple and consuming sugar is a sacrilege. If one day you fall off the wagon and eat junk food instead of going to the gym, then you will feel distressed, probably guilt or shame. That’s cognitive dissonance caused by the choices you have made.

Or say you are in middle management and top management tell you to make two of your team members redundant to cut costs. If giving people the sack to increase profits goes against the grain of your values, then you will feel angry and distressed because you are being forced to do something you don’t believe is right. That is cognitive dissonance caused by the choices other people have made.

The experts reckon there are basically four ways to deal with cognitive dissonance. Four ways to bridge the gap between what you believe is important or true and your lived reality.

One way is to change your behaviour. In the case of the health fanatic, that might mean having an apple for dessert instead of ice cream. However, changing your behaviour doesn’t work when the cognitive dissonance is not caused by anything you are doing.

Say, for example, you believed your uncle to be a good man. Then one day you saw him doing something extremely bad. In that scenario, it is your uncle’s behaviour which has conflicted with your belief and caused the cognitive dissonance. Changing your own behaviour won’t help.

To bridge the gap, you would have to modify your belief about your uncle. You would have to accept the fact that he wasn’t as good as you thought he was.

Returning to our healthy eating example: if not eating sugar proves too difficult you could try modifying your values, letting things slide a little. You might tell yourself, “I’m allowed ice cream and brownie every once and a while, especially tonight because I’ve had a hard day.” The problem with this approach is that it can become a slippery slope.

The third thing you can do to bridge the gap caused by cognitive dissonance is compensate by adding new behaviours. Compensatory behaviour is like balancing out the bad with some good.

For example, you might make yourself feel okay about having ice cream and brownie with chocolate sauce, by promising to do an extra spin class tomorrow.

Or you might make yourself feel okay about making money in a dodgy business deal by donating some of the profits to charity. Compensatory behaviour is not ideal. It leaves you divided within yourself. It makes you weaker, less whole.  

The least helpful strategy for dealing with cognitive dissonance is denial.

Denial is when you lie to yourself by pretending your behaviour is not at odds with your values. You might, for example, tell yourself that eating ice cream and brownie with chocolate sauce and sprinkles every day is good for you.

Or you might try to convince yourself that your uncle’s bad behaviour was for the greater good. Or you might reframe that dodgy business deal by saying, “It’s not wrong. Everyone does it. It’s just how the world goes round.”

The problem with denial is that it doesn’t work over the long term. The truth always comes out in the end.    

At some point, all of us must wrestle with cognitive dissonance. At some point all of us realise there is a gap between what we value and how we behave.

At some point we all face a disconnect between what we believe to be right and true and what we experience in reality.

What is the cause of your cognitive dissonance? How do you bridge the gap?  

You might be wondering, ‘what has this got to do with Amos and the sycamore tree?’ Well, bear with me. It will become clear soon.

Amos was a Hebrew prophet. He spoke his message roughly 240 years after king David and around 760 years before Christ. During that time the people of Israel enjoyed a period of sustained prosperity. The people were not oppressed by political enemies and business flourished.

Sadly, the people’s wealth made them complacent toward God. Many in Israel were not living in alignment with the values of God’s covenant. Hence the Lord called Amos to confront the people over their sins.

At that stage the Jewish nation was divided in two. There was the southern kingdom of Judah and the northern kingdom of Israel.

Imagine if New Zealand was divided in two, politically, with one government for the North Island and a completely different government for the South Island. That’s sort of what it was like for the Jews of Amos’ day.

Amos came from Tekoa, which was in the southern kingdom of Judah.

God compelled Amos to prophesy to the northern kingdom of Israel.

That would be like God sending someone from rural Otago with a message for the people of Auckland.

For the most part, Amos’ message was an oracle of judgement. The people of Israel were supposed to live as an example to the nations around them. They were supposed to worship the one true God, to administer justice, to show kindness to the poor and to walk humbly with their God.

Unfortunately, many in Israel were more influenced by the pagan nations around them. Many in Israel worshipped other gods alongside Yahweh.

The consequent moral decay resulted in the rich oppressing the poor.

Basically, the behaviour of the Israelites was not aligned with the values and beliefs of their covenant with Yahweh. And this was causing quite a bit of cognitive dissonance, quite a bit of distress in the land.  

The people dealt with their cognitive dissonance in all the wrong ways.

They compromised their values, they compensated for their injustice by singing worship songs and offering sacrifices, and they denied there was anything wrong in what they were doing.

You see, it wasn’t that the people were not religious. They were very religious, but in the worst possible way. They separated ritual worship from justice and compassion. Their worship was compartmentalised into one day a week.

It wasn’t woven through all of life. They put God in the corner, out of the way.

When people do that, worship becomes empty, false, a kind of going through the motions to cover shame and appease a guilty conscience.

Amos was sent by God to tell the people of Israel they needed to change their behaviour. They needed to repent by bringing the way they lived back into line with the beliefs and values of their covenant with Yahweh. If they didn’t, judgement would follow. The truth always comes out in the end.

In verses 1-6 of Amos 7, the prophet repeatedly refers to God as the Sovereign Lord. A sovereign is the supreme ruler, like a king or the emperor. By calling the Lord, ‘Sovereign’, Amos is reminding us that God is the supreme ruler of the universe. As Sovereign Lord, God has the power and legitimate authority to pass judgement.   

When the Lord shows Amos a vision of judgement by locusts and Amos sees the destruction caused by the locusts, he begs God to forgive Jacob. (Jacob is another name for the nation of Israel.)

And, even though the Sovereign Lord has every right to send a plague of locusts, He listens to Amos and shows mercy on Israel.

Next the Sovereign Lord shows Amos a vision of judgement by fire, so that the water ways are dried up and the vegetation is destroyed. Again, Amos begs God to stop. If God carried out this vision of judgement by fire, the people of Israel (aka Jacob) would surely die.

And once again the Sovereign Lord, who has every right to destroy by fire, listens to Amos and relents.

Next the Lord shows Amos a vision of a plumb line and a straight wall.

Then the Lord says to Amos, “Look, I am setting a plumb line among my people Israel; I will spare them no longer. 9 “The high places of Isaac will be destroyed and the sanctuaries of Israel will be ruined; with my sword I will rise against the house of Jeroboam.”  

A plumb line is used by builders to make sure the structure is straight.

Yahweh has measured the behaviour of his people Israel (those descended from Isaac) and found their worship to be crooked.

Therefore, God is going to bring them back into line by destroying their places of worship and removing their leadership. Jeroboam was the king of Israel at that time, and he was among those who had led the people astray. 

This vision of judgement, which involved exile for the people of the northern kingdom of Israel, was a more merciful vision than the total destruction God had been contemplating.

So what about the sycamore tree then? Well, the sycamore fig was important in ancient Israel. So important in fact that king David appointed a cabinet minister to oversee the care of sycamore trees. [1]

Sycamores were valued for the shade they provided for animals and people alike. And probably too they were part of Israel’s food security strategy, given they fruited all year round.  

In traditional medicine, the fruit of the sycamore fig is sometimes used to treat conditions like constipation and diarrhoea. Also, the tree’s bark is used to heal coughs, sore throats and chest diseases.

One of the curious things about the sycamore fig is that the fruit must be pricked or cut three or four days before harvesting, otherwise it won’t ripen properly and will taste awful.

Before God called him to be a prophet, Amos was a shepherd and an orchardist. Amos took care of sheep and sycamore fig trees. Among other things, taking care of sycamore trees would have involved pruning branches and pricking the fruit, at the right time, so it ripened properly.

The role of the prophet in ancient Israel was similar to that of a dresser of sycamore trees. The prophets pruned back the dead branches of idolatry and they pricked the collective conscience of the nation, so the fruit of justice and mercy would ripen in people’s lives. 

‘Pricking the conscience of the nation’, is another way of saying the prophets pointed out the cognitive dissonance caused by the people’s moral failure. 

Amaziah, the priest of Bethel, had his conscience pricked by Amos, and he didn’t like it. Rather than letting the truth of what Amos was saying sink in, Amaziah was in complete denial of any wrongdoing. Amaziah reported Amos to the king and he told Amos to get lost, saying…

“Get out, you seer! Go back to the land of Judah. Earn your bread there and do your prophesying there. 13 Don’t prophesy anymore at Bethel, because this is the king’s sanctuary and the temple of the kingdom.”

A seer is another name for a prophet. Prophets like Amos see visions from God and are therefore called seers. In ancient Israel there were people who made a living as prophets or seers. They would tell people what their itching ears wanted to hear and be paid for it.

By telling Amos to earn his bread prophesying back in Judah, Amaziah is accusing Amos of being a prophet for hire. He is calling Amos’ character and motives into question.

Amaziah seems to be implying that Amos is being paid by the religious establishment of Judah to spread conspiracy theories and fear in the northern kingdom of Israel. Amaziah sees Amos as an enemy who could have a destabilising effect on Israelite society.   

While it is true that Amos’ words could potentially upset the status quo, no one is paying Amos to give a message of judgement against Israel. Far from it.

Amos is an honest man and a friend to Israel. His plumbline words of truth are a kindness, not a conspiracy.

When God showed Amos visions of Israel’s possible destruction by locusts and fire, Amos interceded for the Northern kingdom of Israel, asking God to have mercy. Amaziah is the one promoting conspiracy theories, not Amos.

Amos stands his ground saying: “I was neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. 15 But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’ 

In other words, “I’m not a prophet for hire and neither is anyone in my family.

No one is paying me. I’m not even part of the religious establishment. I am a labourer. I’m not here for any personal gain. I’m here because God sent me”.

Amos gets the last word, saying to Amaziah…

17 “…Your land will be measured and divided up, and you yourself will die in a pagancountry. And Israel will surely go into exile, away from their native land.’”

The truth always comes out in the end. Amos’ word from the Lord was realised in 722 BC when the northern kingdom of Israel was conquered by Assyria and the people were taken into exile. 

Conclusion:

Amos foreshadows Jesus in a number of ways…

Both Amos and Jesus were practical men, they worked with their hands.

Amos was a shepherd and Jesus is the good shepherd.

Both men lived most of their lives in relative obscurity before being compelled into a public ministry of proclaiming God’s word.

Both Amos and Jesus had an interest in sycamore trees. (Jesus probably slept under a few sycamore trees in his time.)

Both men were sent by God, offering a remedy for cognitive dissonance.

Both Amos and Jesus preached a message of repentance.

Both men confronted a religious establishment that was blind and corrupt.

And both were rejected by those they came to save.      

There is a significant difference between Amos and Jesus though. Amos came to fore warn the people of God’s judgement in the form of exile.

Jesus came to redeem the exiles (the lost sheep of Israel) and bring them home. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus bridges the gap of our cognitive dissonance removing our guilt and shame. Our part is to trust and obey Christ.

Let us pray…

Sovereign Lord, we thank you for your justice and your mercy. Forgive us for not living by the plumbline values of your kingdom. Grant us the grace to live in alignment with your purpose for us in Christ. Through Jesus we pray. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. What are some of the characteristics and uses of the sycamore fig tree?
  3. What is cognitive dissonance? How does cognitive dissonance make you feel? What are the four strategies for managing cognitive dissonance?
  4. What was the cause of Israel’s cognitive dissonance in Amos’ day? How did Israel deal with this? What is the cause of your cognitive dissonance? How do you deal with it?  
  5. Why does Amos refer to God as “Sovereign Lord”?
  6. How is God’s mercy evident in Amos 7?
  7. In what ways are Amos and Jesus similar? In what ways are they different? 

[1] 1 Chronicles 27:28

Tawa Baptist

The Almond Tree

Scriptures: Numbers 17 and Jeremiah 1:4-12

Video Link: https://youtu.be/s7j84uA3qy0

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Numbers 17 – Priest
  • Jeremiah 1 – Prophet
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

One of the greatest joys in life is learning something new. One new thing I learned this past week is that walnuts, cashews, pistachios and almonds are not nuts. Technically they are drupes. 

A drupe is a kind of fruit with the fleshy part on the outside and the seed inside. The seed, on the inside, is often encased in a hard shell. Other examples of drupes include peaches, plums and cherries. The flesh is on the outside and the seed is on the inside.

It’s a bit confusing because with peaches, plums and cherries we eat the flesh on the outside and throw away the seed in the middle. But with walnuts, cashews, pistachio and almonds we don’t eat the flesh on the outside. We discard the flesh and the shell and eat the seed in the middle.

When you buy walnuts, cashews and almonds in the shop they usually come with the outer fleshy part removed. Sometimes they come in their shell, but more often all we see is the edible seed.

Today we continue our Testimony of Trees series by considering the almond tree, the fruit of which is not a nut but a drupe. There are different kinds of almonds, some bitter, some sweet.

My favourite kind is a variety known as Scorched Almonds. Scorched Almonds are native to New Zealand. Unlike regular almonds, you do eat the chocolatey flesh on the outside as well as the almond seed on the inside. No part of the scorched almond fruit is wasted.

Our message this morning focuses on two readings from the Bible which feature the almond tree. Numbers 17 and Jeremiah 1.

Numbers 17 – Priest:

We begin with Numbers 17, where we pick up the story of Aaron and Moses and the people of Israel in the wilderness. From Numbers chapter 17, verse 1 we read…

The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff. 3 On the staff of Levi write Aaron’s name, for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe. 4 Place them in the tent of meeting in front of the ark of the covenant law, where I meet with you. 5 The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites.” 6 So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one for the leader of each of their ancestral tribes, and Aaron’s staff was among them. 7 Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the covenant law. 8 The next day Moses entered the tent and saw that Aaron’s staff, which represented the tribe of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds. 9 Then Moses brought out all the staffs from the Lord’s presence to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each of the leaders took his own staff. 10 The Lord said to Moses, “Put back Aaron’s staff in front of the ark of the covenant law, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious. This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die.” 11 Moses did just as the Lord commanded him. 12 The Israelites said to Moses, “We will die! We are lost, we are all lost! 13 Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle of the Lord will die. Are we all going to die?”

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.

Almond trees grow best in a Mediterranean type climate. They prefer warm dry weather. Too much rain and the crop will fail. A few years ago, they tried growing almond trees in the Hawke’s Bay. At that time the Hawke’s Bay had a drought and they found the almond trees did well in the dry weather, better than any other tree.

The name ‘almond’ derives from the ancient Greek word, ‘amygdala’.

For us today, the amygdala refers to that part of the human brain (shaped like an almond) which is associated with memory and emotion, in particular fear. The amygdala triggers the body’s fight or flight response when you feel like you are in danger.   

For example, if you have a bad experience around water when you are young, your amygdala stores that memory so that whenever you find yourself in a similar situation, you automatically feel frightened and want to get out as quickly as possible, whether it is dangerous or not.   

People in Biblical times would not have understood the structure of the brain in the same way we do today. For them an amygdala was an almond, so we shouldn’t make too much of it, but it’s a curious connection, particularly given the fear reaction of the Israelites in Numbers 17.

In the context of Numbers 17, the people of Israel are in the desert after their exodus from slavery in Egypt and they are not happy. In fact, many of the people are angry with Moses and Aaron.

Some people (led by a bloke called Korah) resented Moses and Aaron, accusing them of setting themselves above everyone else. Korah thought any Israelite should be able to serve as a priest.

It was the priests’ job to act as an intermediary between the people and God. Among other things, the priests helped the people deal with their sin so they could be right with God.

But ancient Israel was not a democracy. Ancient Israel was supposed to be a theocracy, which means the priesthood is decided by God, not popular vote.

When Korah and his followers tried to act as priests by burning incense (in Numbers 16) some were swallowed by the ground, some were consumed by fire and others were killed by a plague. Thousands died. It was carnage.

To settle the matter once and for all, the Lord tells Moses to gather up the staffs of the leaders of the 12 tribes of Israel, write each man’s name on his staff and leave them in the tent of meeting (aka: the tabernacle).

The tent of meeting was a holy place, like a mini portable temple for God’s presence. God would choose the high priest he wanted by causing that man’s staff to sprout.

Sure enough, the next morning when Moses went to collect the 12 staffs, he saw that Aaron’s staff had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds.

Normally, it takes about three years before the almond tree is ready to bear fruit and once it is mature enough it takes between 7 and 8 months from when the tree first flowers (in early spring) to when the fruit is ripe (in autumn).

God had made Aaron’s staff (a dead piece of wood) flower and produce almonds in one night. This miracle served as a sign to the people that God had chosen Aaron and his sons to serve as priests for Israel.

We don’t need to try and find a scientific explanation for Aaron’s staff budding. That would miss the point. Better to be filled with a sense of awe and wonder.

The miracle performed by Yahweh shows that God enlivens every stage of life, from flower to fruit, from youth to maturity. Indeed, it is the Lord who makes life fruitful and fulfils its purpose.

More than that, the Lord has power over sin and death. It is God who appoints an intermediary to deal with our sin and it is God who causes dead things to spring to life.

From our vantage point in history, we who believe in Jesus, can see that Aaron’s budding staff points to the resurrection.   

You might be wondering, why did Aaron’s staff grow almonds? Why not plums or cherries or apples? Well, if Aaron’s staff was made from almond wood, then that might explain it.

Nevertheless, there is a curious connection between God and the almond tree. When God gave instructions on how the tabernacle should be built, he stipulated in Exodus 25, that the gold cups of the lampstand be shaped like almond flowers, with buds and blossoms. The almond tree, then, is associated with divine light, holy light.  

I said before, there are different varieties of almonds, some bitter and some sweet.

Bitter almonds contain a compound that when ingested breaks down into cyanide. Cyanide is poisonous of course.

Sweet almonds (which you get in the supermarket) are safe to eat, but bitter almonds are dangerous and should be avoided. Around 50 bitter almonds could kill an adult, even less would kill a child. 

Were the almonds on Aaron’s staff bitter or sweet? We don’t know. But there is something mysterious and potentially dangerous about these almonds. Just as there is something mysterious and potentially dangerous about God.

The young nation of Israel is terrified by the miracle of Aaron’s staff growing almonds overnight. It is a clear sign of God’s holiness, power and sovereignty. The memory of God’s holiness sears itself on the collective amygdala of the nation.

Instinctively, on an unconscious level, we all know that God is holy. Deep down we all know that God is good, but he is not safe.

People living in a Western society today (people like us) tend to struggle with what God did in Numbers 16 and 17. It offends our sensibilities. The society we live in believes in personal freedom.

Freedom is not a bad thing in itself, it’s a good thing. I’m thankful for the freedoms we enjoy in New Zealand (democracy is better than fascism).

But if we put personal freedom on a pedestal and make an idol out of it, then we reject God’s sovereignty and forfeit true freedom.

Any society that sacrifices holiness on the altar of individualism is on a dangerous path. May God deliver us from ourselves.

Jeremiah 1 – Prophet:

Our second reading, featuring the almond tree, comes from the book of Jeremiah chapter 1. In Numbers 17, the Lord makes it clear to everyone that he has chosen Aaron as high priest. In Jeremiah 1, the Lord chooses Jeremiah to be his spokesman, his prophet to Israel and the nations.

From Jeremiah chapter 1, verses 4-12, we read…   

4 The word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knewyou, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” 6 “Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” 7 But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord. 9 Then the Lord reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I have put my words in your mouth. 10 See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.” 11 The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”

“I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied. 12 The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watchingto see that my word is fulfilled.”

May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us. 

The famous Renaissance artist, Michelangelo, painted an image of the prophet Jeremiah on the ceiling of the Sistine chapel in Vatican City. In Michelangelo’s fresco, Jeremiah is depicted as deep in thought and anguish as he laments over the destruction of Jerusalem. His face is darkened with grief, his countenance heavy with unwanted responsibility.

Jeremiah is known as the weeping prophet. He was reluctant to accept God’s call on his life. He didn’t want the job and who could blame him. He had the unenviable task of telling the nation that Jerusalem would be destroyed because of the people’s sin. Very few people listened to him. Jeremiah was misunderstood and mistreated, even though he was the real deal.  

God’s call is not always attractive or comfortable. Sometimes we are compelled by God, whether we like it or not. We may protest (like Jeremiah) or rebel (like Jonah) but eventually we realise God’s purpose is inevitable and irresistible, like the current of a river or the ocean’s tide, or the pull of gravity.

Some art historians think Michelangelo’s painting of Jeremiah is a self-portrait. It seems Michelangelo identified closely with Jeremiah. Michelangelo was burdened by unwanted responsibility. He did not want to paint the Sistine chapel. He wanted to sculpt, but the Pope gave him little choice.      

Jeremiah was the son of Hilkiah, one of the priests of Israel. That means Jeremiah was related to Aaron, for only Aaron’s descendants could serve as priests.

Jeremiah’s message was two parts judgement and one part hope. In verse 10 the Lord says to Jeremiah: “See, today I appoint you over nations and kingdoms to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant.”

For Jeremiah there will be twice as much uprooting as there will be planting. Uprooting and planting is something one does with trees. This metaphor suggests God’s sovereign activity in restoring order to his creation by his word.

The almond tree features in verses 11 and 12 of chapter 1, where we read:

11 The word of the Lord came to me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?”
“I see the branch of an almond tree,” I replied.

12 The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.”

Sometimes in English you come across words which sound the same and are spelt the same but have different meanings. We call these words homonyms.

Take for example the word bark; depending on the context bark can refer to the skin of a tree (as in tree bark) or it can refer to the noise a dog makes.

Crane is another homonym. A crane can be bird or a piece of machinery used for lifting heavy objects. One might also crane their neck to see over an obstacle. Spelt the same but with a different meaning.

Homonyms are fodder for puns and jokes. And so we get sayings with a double meaning like, “You’re barking up the wrong tree”.  

We can’t see it in the English translation but in the original Hebrew there is a play on words with almond and watching. They are not homonyms exactly, but they are very close. In Hebrew, the word for almond and the word for watching come from the same root and are spelled the same except for one letter. [1]

This gives the word almond a double meaning. Essentially, the almond tree is also the watching tree.

It makes perfect sense. One thing that is true of almond trees the world over is they are the first tree to bud and flower in spring. They are like the daffodils of the tree kingdom.

Just as one might watch for the flowers of the almond tree to see when winter is ending and spring is starting, so too God is watching over his word to see that it is fulfilled.

On the one hand this is a word of encouragement to Jeremiah, a reassurance that God will make his word (through Jeremiah) come true. God isn’t going to let Jeremiah down or give him a message that is not fulfilled.

At the same time, God is telling the people of the day that Jeremiah is the one to watch. By paying attention to Jeremiah, the people will know when the long winter of Judah’s idolatry and apostacy are coming to an end and the spiritual renewal of spring is close at hand.

Basically, God’s word through Jeremiah is like flowers blossoming on an almond tree. God’s word will bear fruit in season but not right away. In fact, Jeremiah prophesied for about 40 years before the words God gave him about Jerusalem were fulfilled.

Conclusion:

You may be relieved to know the almond tree passages in Numbers 17 and Jeremiah 1 are not primarily about us. In the Bible, the almond tree is a sign of what God is doing in Israel. They also point to Christ.

The almond tree is associated with God’s selection of Aaron to be the high priest of Israel. Jesus is the high priest chosen by God to be our intermediary. Faith in Jesus makes us right with God. Don’t be like Korah who rejected God’s sovereignty. Choose life.

The almond tree is associated with the lamp stand in the Tabernacle, God’s holy place. Jesus is the light of the world; the holy one who reveals God’s glory. The light of Jesus casts out darkness and fear. The light of God’s love for us in Christ illuminates the way of humility and respect. Walk in the light.   

The almond tree is associated with the fulfilment of God’s word through the prophet Jeremiah. Jesus is the word of God in human form; Jesus (the Christ) fulfils the law and the prophets. If you want to understand God’s word, then trust and obey Jesus.

The almond tree is associated with spring and new life. Jesus is the first sign of the resurrection to come. Those who embrace Christ, even though they suffer for it, will be raised to eternal life. Build your hope on the firm foundation of Jesus’ resurrection.   

The almond tree is a sign pointing to the beauty, the mystery and the holiness of God’s presence among us. With this in view our response needs to be that of wonder, awe and praise. May the word of the Lord blossom in your life. Amen.

Questions for discussion or reflection:

  1. What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
  2. What are some of the characteristics of the almond tree and its fruit?
  3. What is the almond tree associated with in Numbers 17?
  4. What did the budding of Aaron’s staff signify? Why did the people of Israel react with fear? What do we mean when we say God is holy? How does God’s holiness affect you? 
  5. What is the almond tree associated with Jeremiah 1?
  6. In what ways is does the almond tree point to Jesus?
  7. Discuss / reflect on the meaning of Jeremiah 1:11-12. 

[1] Refer Derek Kidner’s commentary on Jeremiah, page 27.