Tawa Baptist

The Olive Tree

Scripture: Zechariah 4

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

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

Have you noticed how much the price of olive oil has increased lately. A couple of years ago you could buy one litre of olive oil for around $10 or $12. Now it costs nearly twice that or even more for some brands. The reason for the increase seems to be a shortage in global supply due to climate change. 

Olive oil is still worth using though, if you can afford it. Scientists tell us that olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids which help to reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering bad cholesterol and raising good cholesterol.

As well as being good for your heart, olive oil also contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Plus, it tastes good in cooking.

Today we continue our Testimony of Trees series by focusing on the Olive Tree. The Olive Tree is mentioned throughout the Bible, from Genesis to Revelation. This comes as no surprise given it was widely cultivated in the ancient near east.

Perhaps the most famous reference to olive trees is found in the gospels where we read that Jesus often retreated to the Mount of Olives (when he was near Jerusalem) to spend time in prayer and teaching his disciples.  

Our message this morning though focuses on Zechariah chapter 4, which describes a vision the prophet Zechariah had of a lampstand holding seven lamps fed by the oil from two olive trees.

Zechariah 4

From Zechariah chapter 4, verse 1 we read…   

Then the angel who talked with me returned and woke me up, like someone awakened from sleep. 2 He asked me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a solid gold lampstand with a bowl at the top and seven lamps on it, with seven channels to the lamps. 3 Also there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.” 4 I asked the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?”

5 He answered, “Do you not know what these are?” “No, my lord,” I replied.

6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. 7 “What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’”

8 Then the word of the Lord came to me: 9 “The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you.

10 “Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstonein the hand of Zerubbabel?”

11 Then I asked the angel, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?” 12 Again I asked him, “What are these two olive branches beside the two gold pipes that pour out golden oil?”

13 He replied, “Do you not know what these are?” “No, my lord,” I said. 14 So he said, “These are the two who are anointed toserve the Lord of all the earth.”

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

Olive trees are self-sterile, which means they cannot produce fruit on their own. They need another compatible tree close by for pollination.

The other thing olive trees need to be fruitful is lots of light. If you let an olive tree grow wild, the foliage gets quite dense, and you won’t get much fruit from the tree because the leaves and branches block out the light.

The Italians say you should prune an olive tree so a bird can fly through it. That way, the tree gets the light it needs to bear fruit.

People are a bit like olive trees in some ways. We need lots of light and we cannot be fruitful on our own. We need the right people alongside us if we are going to be fruitful.

However, we are not like olive trees in every way. A human being might live around 70 to 80 years on average, whereas an olive tree can live for as long as two or three thousand years. Olive trees are pretty resilient. They bear witness to human history through long periods of time.

Zechariah was born in exile in Babylonia and migrated back to Jerusalem as a young man. He was from a priestly family. Zechariah prophesied around 520 years before Christ, about the same time as the prophet Haggai. 

At that point the temple built by Solomon lay in ruins and the people’s morale was low. Zechariah and Haggai encouraged the returning exiles and their leaders to rebuild the temple in Jerusalem. Zechariah chapter 4, which we heard earlier, retells one of the visions Zechariah received from the angel of the Lord.

In verse 1 of Zechariah 4, the prophet describes what it was like when the angel of the Lord came to him. It was like being woken from sleep. I don’t think that Zechariah was physically asleep. It’s more like the angel was waking Zechariah up to spiritual realities.

In his letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul talks about how our vision of spiritual reality is incomplete in this life. Paul writes: 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

There is more to the picture than meets the eye. We don’t know what we don’t know. Each of us are, in a sense, sleepwalking through this life, spiritually speaking. Without God to reveal the truth to us, we are stumbling in the dark, not fully conscious.   

In the vision, the angel shows Zechariah a golden lampstand with seven lamps on it. The seven lamps in the vision receive an unending supply of olive oil from two olive trees either side of the lampstand.

On hearing of a gold lampstand, an ancient Hebrew listener would most likely think of the holy place in God’s temple, which had a golden lampstand. The lampstand didn’t hold candles like we might imagine today. Rather it had seven lamps fueled by olive oil. (There was no electricity in Biblical times.)

The number seven has special significance in the Bible. Seven is the proverbial number of wholeness or completion. A set of seven is a perfect set. The Sabbath is the seventh day, a holy day set apart for the Lord.

So, what we have here (with the vision of a gold lampstand and seven lamps) is a highly valuable, holy light that never goes out.   

Basically, the lampstand with its seven lights represents the witness of God’s people in the world.[1] The lampstand symbolizes both the fixed physical witness of the temple building and the dynamic relational witness of the Jewish community. God’s faithful people worshipping together are a light for the world.

In the book of Revelation, the apostle John borrows this metaphor of lampstands as a picture for the witness of God’s people in the world.

John presents the seven Christian churches of the first century as seven lampstands in a dark world.

From an earthly perspective the people of God feel poor and weak, vulnerable and despondent. They are living in relative poverty and life is difficult. But from a heavenly perspective they are highly valued and resilient. The witness of their light will never go out.  

Zechariah doesn’t ask about the meaning of the lampstand. The lampstand does not seem strange to him. He is more puzzled by the two olive trees and the oil they produce. Although the temple doors were made out of olive wood, the holy place in God’s temple did not have two living olive trees in it.

Zechariah asks the angel about the olive trees, and the angel replies by saying…

“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.”

Zerubbabel was the governor of Jerusalem during the time of Zechariah.

The Persians, who were the dominant world power at that stage, had put Zerubbabel in charge. Interestingly, Zerubbabel was a direct descendant of king David. He was royalty.

Often, we hear the prophets confronting the leadership of the land, telling them to change their wicked ways. Last week, for example, we heard how Amos had a message of judgement for Jeroboam the king of Israel and Amaziah the priest at Bethel.

But the Jewish leadership of Zechariah’s day were not the same as the leadership of Amos’ day. Zechariah has not been charged with giving Zerubbabel a telling off. Quite the opposite. God wants to encourage Zerubbabel to get on with finishing the rebuild of the Jerusalem temple.

However, they would not complete the temple by human might or power.

In other words, they would not accomplish this task like Solomon did, with an army of workers or by applying political pressure or heavy taxation.

The completion of the temple would be resourced by God’s Spirit, the same life-giving breath of God that was present at the creation of the cosmos. Indeed, the rebuilding of the temple signifies a new creation, a new beginning for the people of Israel.

The oil from the olive trees, therefore, is a metaphor for the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit would keep the lights on. The Holy Spirit would enable the returning exiles to complete the temple under the leadership of Zerubbabel.

The angel of the Lord continues his message for Zerubbabel in verse 7 saying:

7 “What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground…” 

The returning exiles were facing opposition to the rebuilding of the temple, and they were overwhelmed by the enormity of the task. From an earthly perspective, the obstacles in front of them felt like a mountain to move. Heavy. Impossible. That’s why the building work had stalled.

But from a heavenly perspective, the mighty mountain of obstacles is nothing, for Zerubbabel is empowered by the Spirit of God. What is a mountain to God’s Spirit. The Spirit of God is wise and powerful. Nothing is too difficult for God.

Did Jesus have Zechariah 4 in mind when he told his disciples they could move mountains with faith the size of a mustard seed? Perhaps he did. Because it’s not the size of our faith that matters. It’s the power of God’s Spirit that moves obstacles. Faith is the key which releases the power.

The capstone mentioned at the end of verse 7 is the final stone of the building project. This is a message of hope. The angel of the Lord is saying, Zerubbabel will put the finishing touches on the new temple, with the blessing and support of the people.

In verses 8-9 Zechariah gets another word from the Lord. It’s the same message just said more plainly. Zerubbabel will complete the temple rebuild. Zechariah’s prophecy was fulfilled about four or five years later. The second Jerusalem temple was dedicated around 516 or 515 BC.

Verse 10 addresses a concern. The newly restored temple was not as grand or glorious as the temple Solomon had built. For some the new temple was underwhelming. It was a case of reality falling well short of expectation.

But the angel of the Lord won’t have any disappointment, saying..

“Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstonein the hand of Zerubbabel?”

The ‘seven eyes of the Lord’ is not to be taken literally. It’s a proverbial way of saying God sees everything that happens around the world. God is all knowing in other words. Basically, from an earthly point of view the new temple might not look like much but from a heavenly point of view, it is a cause for great joy.

Of all the majestic and wonderful things the Lord sees around the world, this new temple makes God happy (even if it is small in comparison to the first temple).  

The word to not despise the day of small things reminds us of Jesus’ parable of the mustard seed, which we heard about a couple of weeks ago. Jesus said…

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.”   

Thinking of small things also brings to mind Genesis 8. After the flood, Noah (who was still in the ark) sent out a dove to test whether the waters had gone down. At first the dove came back emptied handed. But seven days later when Noah sent the dove out again, the bird returned with an olive leaf in its beak.

An olive leaf is small but that small leaf carried a great deal of hope for those on the ark. That olive leaf was a sign that the waters had subsided and God was making all things new.    

Zechariah is still unclear about the meaning of the two olive trees, so he asks the angel again in verse 11, “What are these two olive trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?” And the angel replies…

“These are the two who are anointed toserve the Lord of all the earth.”

To be anointed by God is to be chosen for special service, perhaps as a king or a prophet or a priest. The Hebrew word for ‘anointed one’ is Messiah and the Greek word is Christ. The Lord anointed a number of people for special service in the Old Testament.

Most likely, in the historical context of Zechariah 4, the two olive trees signify Zerubbabel and Joshua, two men chosen by God to lead his people at that time. Zerubbabel, as we’ve just heard, was the governor of Jerusalem and a descendant of David, while Joshua was the high priest.

(Please note: this Joshua is not to be confused with the Joshua who was Moses’ assistant centuries earlier.)    

In other parts of the Bible (like, Jeremiah 11, Romans 11 and Revelation 11) the olive tree is a metaphor for the people of God collectively.

Here, in Zechariah 4, the two olive trees together with the lampstand are representative of God’s people. The olive trees are intimately connected to the lampstand. Neither can serve God’s purpose without the other.

Joyce Baldwin puts it all together for us…

“Joshua and Zerubbabel wait on the unseen Lord, who is the source of their authority and power. They in turn give themselves to build both the temple and the community; by daily life and worship the whole people is to be a light to others. The city on a hill cannot be hid.” [2] 

Or to say it another way, Zerubbabel and Joshua (the co-leaders of Israel) act as conduits for the oil of God’s Spirit, empowering the people to be a strong witness, an enduring light, to the nations. 

Zerubbabel and Joshua are examples of servant leaders. They don’t bully the people or hold them to ransom. They lead with humility and in a way that sustains the people of God to continue in their witness.

Zerubbabel and Joshua point to Jesus. Jesus is the ultimate anointed one, the perfect Messiah. Jesus is Servant King and High Priest all in one.

Conclusion:

So how does Zechariah’s vision of the lampstand and the twin olive trees apply to us today?

Well, part of our purpose as a church (as God’s people in this place) is to bear witness to Christ in the world. (Our vision statement is literally ‘Christ in community’.) As Jesus said to his disciples: you are the light of the world. Among other things this means we are Jesus’ witnesses in the world.

We bear witness to Christ. Light is a complete contrast to darkness. Therefore, to be Jesus’ witnesses means to be distinctive in a good way, in a way that reveals the truth and casts out fear. We are to be in the world but not like the world.

Tawa Baptist is not the whole lampstand here in this place, but we are one of the seven lamps on the lampstand, together with the other churches in Tawa.

Our church building and our congregation is not big or impressive.

By comparison with years gone by, we are perhaps a little underwhelming. 

But who dares despise our smallness. The Lord delights in faithfulness.

The task of being Jesus’ witnesses in this world may feel overwhelming at times, particularly as the church in New Zealand becomes more and more marginalised. But we don’t need to worry about the waxing and waning of society’s attitude to the church. We can’t control that.

Our part is to stay connected to Jesus, to abide in him. For Jesus is our olive tree. Jesus is the one anointed by God to lead us and feed our lamp with the oil of his Spirit.

Let us pray…

Gracious God, we thank you for Jesus who sustains our light by your Spirit. Help us to remain faithful witnesses for you, together in this place. 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 olive tree?
  3. What does the golden lampstand in Zechariah 4 represent? What is its significance?
  4. What do the olive trees in Zechariah 4 represent? What does the oil of the trees signify?
  5. Discuss / reflect on the words: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. Why does God say this to Zerubbabel? What might God be saying to you (or us) with these words?   
  6. How does Zechariah’s vision of the lampstand and the twin olive trees apply to us today? How might we let our light shine? How might we remain in the world but distinctive from it? How might we bear witness to Jesus? 
  7. What connections do you see between Zechariah 4 and the teaching of Jesus?

[1] Refer Joyce Baldwin’s commentary on Zechariah, page 124.

[2] Refer Joyce Baldwin’s commentary on Zechariah, page 124.

Tawa Baptist

The Tamarisk Tree

Scripture: Genesis 21:22-34

Video Link: https://youtu.be/w4-ftz3ddMM

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Peace
  • Prayer
  • Purpose
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

There are two kinds of trees: deciduous and evergreen.

The word deciduous means ‘to fall off’. Deciduous trees shed their leaves in autumn, to conserve energy in winter, then regrow their leaves in spring. Deciduous trees tend to have broad leaves, like oak or maple.

In contrast, evergreen trees keep their leaves all year round and generally cope better with hot weather. The leaves of an evergreen tree tend to be narrower, like pine or kānuka.

Today we continue our series, The Testimony of Trees. Last week we heard about the tree of knowledge in Genesis 2 and 3.

This week our focus is the Tamarisk tree, in Genesis 21. There are about 60 varieties of tamarisk trees growing around the world. Some are deciduous and some are evergreen.

The variety of tamarisk native to the Middle East (the geographical setting of Genesis 21) is Tamarix Aphylla. Tamarix Aphylla is the largest of the tamarisk family, growing up to 18 meters tall.

It has slender branches and scale like leaves. The tamarisk tree is known to be very tolerant of salts. In fact, its leaves excrete salty water. Due to the high salt content of its foliage tamarix aphylla is slow to catch fire. Which means it can be used as a fire barrier.

Tamarix aphylla grows relatively quickly, providing shade from the sun and shelter from the wind for stock. It also has an extensive root system which makes it good for erosion control, particularly in sandy soils. 

Basically, tamarix aphylla is a hardy, resilient tree. A friend to shepherds in the middle east. From Genesis 21, verses 32-34 we read about the tamarisk tree.

32 After the treaty had been made at Beersheba, Abimelek and Phicol the commander of his forces returned to the land of the Philistines. 33 Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Eternal God. 34 And Abraham stayed in the land of the Philistines for a long time.

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

In the context of Genesis 21, the tamarisk tree is associated with at least three things: peace, prayer and purpose. Let’s begin by considering the peace connection.

Peace:

Last Thursday, the 6th of February, was Waitangi Day, a national holiday for the people of Aotearoa, New Zealand. Waitangi Day commemorates the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi) in 1840.

The Treaty was eventually signed by 531 Māori chiefs and the representatives of the Crown. Queen Victoria of England was the reigning monarch of the day.

The purpose of Te Tiriti was to protect Māori and their land, as well as establishing stable government to keep peace and order. New Zealand was a pretty wild place in those days, without law or an effective justice system.

You sometimes hear the principles of the Treaty summarized by the three P’s: partnership, participation and protection.

Those who signed the Treaty in 1840 understood it to be a covenant, a forever agreement. The wording stipulates ‘forever’. Sadly, there has been much disagreement over the interpretation and application of the Treaty during the past 185 years, not helped by the fact there are two versions of the Treaty, one in English and one in Māori.      

In verse 22 of Genesis 21, Abimelech, the king of Gerar, and his general, Phicol, offer to make a peace treaty with Abraham. If you think about it, this is quite remarkable really. Normally, with peace treaties, the party in the weaker position approaches the one in the stronger position.

Outwardly, Abimelech appears to be in a stronger position than Abraham. Abraham is a wandering shepherd, a sojourner, a resident alien in the land;   he doesn’t have a fortress or an army like Abimelech and so we don’t expect Abimelech to make a treaty with Abraham. Why then does Abimelech feel the need to do this?

Well, Abimelech gives his reason in verse 22 when he says to Abraham: “God is with you in everything you do”. What does it mean that God is with Abraham?

I’ve come up with a little acronym which outlines what it means to be with someone. W is for wellbeing, I is for intimacy, T is for trust and H is for help.

You know someone is with you when they are committed to your wellbeing. When they share themselves intimately with you. When they trust you. And when they provide you with help.   

God is with Abraham, as a friend. Theirs is a relationship characterised by wellbeing, intimacy, trust and help.

One of the names of Jesus is Immanuel, which means ‘God with us’. Jesus is, God with us. Through faith in Jesus, we can have a relationship with God based on wellbeing, intimacy, trust and help.

Returning to Genesis, Abimelech has the spiritual sensitivity and insight to see that God is with Abraham. And so, Abimelech says to Abraham…

23 Now swear to me here before God that you will not deal falsely with me or my children or my descendants. Show to me and the country where you now reside as a foreigner the same kindness I have shown to you.”
24 Abraham said, “I swear it.”          

By making a treaty with Abraham, Abimelech is aligning himself with Abraham’s God who holds the power of life & death. Abimelech wants Abraham to deal honestly with him and to treat him with kindness

The Hebrew word translated as kindness here is hesed. Hesed is a Hebrew term which is sometimes translated as kindness, sometimes as mercy and other times as steadfast love or loyal (covenant) love.

Hesed isn’t just an abstract concept though – it is an action, something tangible that one does for someone else’s well-being. Abimelech wants Abraham to make a solemn commitment to always treat him and his descendants with hesed, and Abraham agrees.

In agreeing to a covenant with Abimelech, Abraham shows respect, humility and meekness. Meekness is not weakness. Meekness is strength tempered by self-control. Meekness is the twin of gentleness.

God was with Abraham and had promised the land to him. But Abraham does not let that go to his head. Abraham does not seek to take the land by force. Abraham prefers peace. He respects the people of the land and waits for God.  

Abimelech’s treaty provided Abraham with the opportunity to sort out a dispute over watering rights. Abraham had dug a well and Abimelech’s servants had seized it. Water wells were vitally important in that part of the world. Rain fall was seasonal (it wasn’t all year round) so wells were essential to the survival of people and animals alike.

Abimelech wanted peace with Abraham but without justice there can be no peace. So, Abraham sought justice over the well.

This was an awkward moment for Abimelech. The king has just given a speech about how he has treated Abraham with ‘kindness’ or hesed and now he is learning that in fact his servants have done nothing of the sort. The servants have embarrassed Abimelech and the king is quick to plead ignorance.     

What happens next is quite unexpected. Normally the one who has been wronged (in this case Abraham) would be owed some compensation. But in this situation Abraham doesn’t seek compensation for himself. He does the opposite. Abraham gives Abimelech seven sheep. Abimelech is confused and asks, ‘what does this mean?’

Abraham explains that by accepting these sheep you are acknowledging that I dug this well.

By seizing Abraham’s well, Abimelech’s servants had done an injustice to Abraham and brought shame on their master. To save face Abimelech might feel it necessary to punish his servants. But Abraham comes to the rescue of the men who seized his well by providing compensation on their behalf.  

In this way Abraham has done hesed by preserving Abimelech’s honour and shielding the servants from punishment. Indebted by Abraham’s hesed, Abimelech and his servants will now stay away from Abraham’s well.

Prayer:

It is after making this peace treaty with Abimelech that Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and there called on the name of the Lord, the Eternal God.     

To call on the name of the Lord is another way of saying that Abraham prayed to God and worshipped him.

Elsewhere in Genesis, Abraham is noted as building an altar and calling on the name of the Lord. In this context planting a tree is like building an altar. It designates a sacred place for prayer and worship.

Now to be clear, Abraham is not worshipping the tree. The tamarisk is not like an idol that he bows down to. Nor does the tamarisk tree in anyway represent God. We should not think of the tamarisk tree as a metaphor for God.

As hardy and resilient as the tamarisk tree is, it is not eternal like God.

A tamarisk tree might live somewhere between 50 to 100 years depending on the circumstances. In contrast, the Lord lives forever.

What we notice in verse 33 is Abraham’s prayer life. He has a special place for calling on the Lord. We can pray to God anywhere and at any time, of course. God is not rooted to one location, like a tree. The Lord will hear us wherever we are. Nevertheless, it can be helpful to us if we have a special place where we pray.   

Abraham’s special place was by the tamarisk tree he planted in the dry and desolate wilderness of Beersheba. Once grown, the tamarisk tree would act as a sanctuary, providing shade from the harsh sun for Abraham while he prayed.

Prayer is like a tamarisk tree in that it provides a sanctuary for the human soul.   

The wilderness of Beersheba is an interesting choice. Around the same time as agreeing to a peace treaty with Abimelech, Abraham sent his eldest son, Ishmael into the desert of Beersheba, with his mother Hagar and a skin of water.

Abraham’s second son, Isaac, had just been born and there was friction in the household between Sarah and Hagar. Long story short, once the water had run out, Hagar left Ishmael under a bush to die. Was the bush a young tamarisk tree? Quite possibly, we can’t be sure. From verse 17 of Genesis 21 we read…

17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” 19 Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. 20 God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer.

Interesting that Ishmael became an archer. I read somewhere that the wood of the tamarisk tree is good for making bows. Apparently, tamarisk wood has the strength and flexibility needed.

What did Abraham pray about under his tamarisk tree? We are not told but probably all manner of things. As a parent, we could well expect him to pray for his children, that God would be with them and watch over their lives for good. In fact, God was with Ishmael and Isaac, even as they took different paths in life.

Prayer is like a tamarisk tree. It provides a sanctuary for the human soul.

Where is your tamarisk tree? Where is your sanctuary for prayer?

Do you have a private prayer closet in your home? Or do you prefer to pray in a small group of close friends? Maybe this church auditorium is your prayer place? Or perhaps you prefer to pray with your hands in the garden, pulling out weeds and watering the plants?  

The tamarisk tree of Genesis 21 is associated with peace, prayer and purpose. 

Purpose:

You may have heard of the term agroforestry. Agroforestry does not refer to angry trees. Rather agroforestry is a sustainable farming practice. That is, planting trees and shrubs alongside crops and livestock.

Agroforestry enhances biodiversity and mitigates the harmful effects of monoculture. (Monoculture is when just one crop is grown.)

Tamarisk trees are used in agroforestry as wind breaks and they also help with the reclamation of marginal lands. As already mentioned, tamarisk roots give stability to the soil and the branches provide shade for livestock. If pasture is scarce, then sheep and goats and cattle can feed off the leaves of the tamarisk.

What’s more, the tamarisk flower attracts bees, which are good for the pollination and propagation of a variety of plants. 

Abraham probably chose to plant a tamarisk (rather than an oak or something else) because it served a practical purpose. The tamarisk was suited to the harsh environment of Beersheba and, as verse 34 makes plain, Abraham intended to stay there for a good long while.

Planting tamarisk trees in Beersheba was an agroforestry strategy long before the term ‘agroforestry’ was coined. Planting tamarisk trees would help Abraham and future generations with farming and shepherding livestock.  

I can’t help noticing how Abraham is a bit like the tamarisk tree in some respects.

Through years of waiting in barrenness, God had grown Abraham & Sarah’s faith strong and deep and wide, like the root system of a tamarisk tree.

Abraham’s faith in God has proven resilient, prospering in even the harshest of environments.

Abraham (who is now over 100 years old) is still evergreen, fathering a son in his old age.

What’s more, Abraham is a salt of the earth kind of person. Just as the tamarisk leaves sweat salt, so too Abraham is salty. Abraham is in the world but not of it, maintaining the distinctive flavour of holiness.

Abraham and the tamarisk tree are both a blessing to the land. Abraham does not try to take the land by force. He is humble and meek, lending stability and peace. Abraham is a man of prayer and a servant to God’s purpose.

Perhaps also the tamarisk tree serves as a symbol of God’s purpose for the nation of Israel. Through Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, God was making a nation that would be resilient and life-giving, a source of shelter and sustenance to those who find themselves in the wilderness. A blessing to the nations.

Sadly, the people of Israel fell short of God’s purpose for the nation, as we have all fallen short. But by God’s grace Jesus fulfils God’s purpose for Israel and for all humanity.

Like Abraham, Jesus serves God’s purpose as a man of peace and prayer.

Jesus did not go to war against the occupying Roman forces of his day.

Jesus chose the path of gentleness and humility, saying…

Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land.

And, blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. 

Conclusion:

At this point in the sermon, you might expect me to encourage you all to be more like the tamarisk tree; hardy, resilient, salty, lending stability to the land and providing shelter from the harsh elements of this world.

And while they might be good things to aspire to, I’m not sure that is the best application of the text. What you will notice as we go through this series is that each variety of tree we learn about is different.

A better question might be: If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be? How has God made you? Some of you may be like the tamarisk tree, but not all of us are suited to a dry and desolate environment. Most of us do better when planted beside streams of water.

The point is, don’t try and be something you are not. Be who God made you to be. Whatever tree you might be like, grow where you are planted and let God fulfil his purpose for your life.

Let us pray…

Gracious God, help us to grow to full maturity in Christ and be the people together you made us to be. 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 tamarix aphylla? What are tamarisk trees useful for?
  3. Why did Abraham plant a tamarisk tree in Genesis 21? What is the tamarisk tree associated with in Genesis 21?
  4. Where is your tamarisk tree? Where is your sanctuary for prayer? 
  5. In what ways is Abraham like a tamarisk tree?
  6. In what ways are Jesus and Abraham similar? (How do Abraham’s actions in Genesis 21 point to Jesus?)
  7. If you were a tree, what kind of tree would you be? How has God made you?
Tawa Baptist

The Tree of Knowledge

Scripture: Genesis 2:8 -3:7 (selected verses)

Video Link: https://youtu.be/qC2-dBaqrLs

Structure:

  • Introduction
  • Genesis 2 – Paradise
  • Genesis 3 – Paradise Lost
  • Conclusion

Introduction:

Good morning everyone.

The street we live in is lined with Pōhutukawa trees, well mostly. We actually have one or two Rātā trees as well, although it’s hard to tell.

Rātā and Pōhutukawa trees appear almost identical at first glance. Their flowers and trunk and branches all look the same. The difference is with the leaves. The underside of a Pōhutukawa leaf is a greyish colour and furry to touch, while the underside of a Rātā leaf is light green in colour.

The difference is subtle but there is a difference, and I didn’t know this until about six weeks ago.

Today we continue our new sermon series which I’m calling, The Testimony of Trees. Last Sunday we heard about riparian planting in Psalm 1 and Jeremiah 17. This morning, we explore the meaning of the Tree of Knowledge in Genesis 2 and 3.

The tree of knowledge is about discernment. Not so much the knowledge to discern the difference between Rātā and Pōhutukawa. Rather the knowledge to discern the difference between good and evil.

There’s too much going on in Genesis 2 and 3 for us to do justice to every verse, so I will read a selection of the verses as they relate to the Tree of Knowledge. You can read chapters 2 and 3 in their entirety later, if you want. From Genesis 2, verse 8 we begin…

8 Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. 9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil… 15 The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. 16 And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; 17 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” 18 The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” …22 Then the Lord God made a woman from the ribhe had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man…  25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

3 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” 4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

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

Genesis 2 – Paradise:

There are 13 national parks in New Zealand, taken care of by the Department of Conservation. Our national parks are protected by law. They are sanctuaries or sacred spaces, to be preserved for their own sake and for the enjoyment of the New Zealand public.

In Genesis 2, we read how God planted a garden in the East, in Eden. When we think of a garden, we probably imagine a nicely manicured back yard, perhaps with some roses and raised vege beds. But the sort of garden in view here is more like a national park.

The garden of Eden is sacred space, like a sanctuary or a temple for God on earth. Adam is formed and placed in the garden to take care of it. In many respects Adam is like a DOC ranger and a priest, serving in God’s natural sanctuary. 

Eden (which in Hebrew means ‘delight’) [1] is filled with all sorts of trees which look beautiful and are good for food. The garden of Eden is a picture of bio-diversity and abundance.

At the centre of God’s national park / holy temple, are two special trees. The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.   

We might talk more about the tree of life another time. Today though, our main focus is the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

The knowledge of good and evil is most likely the ability to discern between right and wrong. Sort of like discerning the subtle difference between Rātā and Pōhutukawa, except with moral issues, as opposed to botanical issues.      

So, eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, would impart wisdom, opening the mind to discern what is beneficial and what is harmful.

(Sort of like eating an orange imparts vitamin C.)

We might wonder why God commanded Adam not to eat from the tree of knowledge. Afterall, isn’t knowledge, discernment and wisdom a good thing?

Well, yes. Knowing the difference between good and evil is helpful. The tree and its fruit are not bad, but knowledge is something we human beings need to grow into. We learn in stages.

There are some realities we shield children from because it would be harmful for them to know before their minds and hearts are ready to take it.

As permissive as we are, we don’t let five-year-olds watch R rated movies for the same reason we don’t let them drive cars or play with matches; it would put them and others at risk.

Likewise, we have laws against sexual contact with minors, just as there are laws against children consuming alcohol and so on, because that sort of experiential knowledge is damaging to children.

It stands to reason that God put the tree of knowledge in the garden because he intended for Adam and Eve to eat from it eventually, when they were mature enough. [2]  

Okay, so God’s prohibition on the tree of knowledge is there to protect Adam and Eve from harm. If that’s the case, then why plant the tree of knowledge in the garden in the first place? Wouldn’t it be better to keep the tree away from Adam and Eve, out of harm’s way? 

No, it wouldn’t. God’s command not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge provided Adam and Eve with the freedom of a real choice. Adam & Eve could opt out of their relationship with God at any point by eating the forbidden fruit. Human freedom (or free will) means the Lord is vulnerable to rejection.

God is love. He loves us and his love makes him vulnerable. God was trusting Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit of the tree of knowledge, and he was inviting Adam and Eve to trust him with what they did not understand.

God’s commands may seem strange or puzzling to us, but they protect us, they create real freedom, and they foster trust.

In verse 18 of Genesis 2, God says: “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

Everything God has created in Genesis so far is good. Man’s loneliness is the first not good. This shows us that human beings were made for fellowship. People need people. So God makes Eve, a suitable helper for Adam.

The word ‘helper’ does not imply that Eve was somehow less than Adam.

It’s not that Adam was the boss and Eve was his assistant. More like they were co-workers in God’s sanctuary. God is described as a helper 16 times in the Old Testament. [3]  So, calling Eve a helper signals the woman’s value and dignity.

I like the way Matthew Henry puts it, and I paraphrase…

‘Woman is not made out of man’s head to top him, not out of his feet to be trampled on by him, but out of his side to be equal with him, under his arm to be protected and near his heart to be loved.’

God presents Eve to Adam, as his wife and (in their state of innocence) they felt no shame (even though they were naked). We pause here to consider the implications. Knowing the difference between good and evil makes us responsible.

If we know what is right and do not do it, or if we know what is wrong and do it anyway, then we are guilty. But if we don’t know, our conscience cannot condemn us. That said, innocence is not the same thing as righteousness.

Genesis 3 – Paradise Lost: 

If Genesis 2 depicts humanity living in paradise, then Genesis 3 describes how paradise is lost. That phrase ‘paradise lost’ comes from the famous poem written by John Milton, first published in 1667.  

Milton’s Paradise Lost is really long, consisting of ten books initially, then later arranged into twelve books. His poem reimagines the story of Genesis 2 and 3. However, Milton takes some liberties with the text, filling in the gaps with his own creative license.

He has quite a bit to say about Satan and hell, which is extra to the Bible, and his characterisation of Adam and Eve goes beyond the text too. Although most of us wouldn’t have read Paradise Lost, its cultural impact has indirectly shaped (or perhaps misshaped) the way we read Genesis 2 and 3.  

For example, in Milton’s poem, Eve sees her own reflection in a lake after God has formed her and she quite likes what she sees. Later Eve tells Adam that she found him less enticing than her own reflection. That is not found in Genesis.

It plays on the stereotype that women are vain. This is unfair and unhelpful. The truth is, almost everyone harbours some kind of vanity.    

Genesis 3 introduces the crafty serpent. The intriguing thing about this serpent is that he (or she, we can’t be sure of the snake’s gender) is able to talk.

How do we explain a talking snake? Does Eve speak parcel tongue? Or does the snake speak human? Or is the conversation more psychological, something Eve imagines in her head? Perhaps the evil one is speaking through the snake?

Who knows? The Old Testament doesn’t identify the serpent of Genesis 3 as Satan in disguise, but the inference can be drawn from various verses in the New Testament which refer to the devil as a serpent. [4]

There are a few subtle tricks the serpent uses to tempt and deceive Eve. Identifying these tricks in our own lives can be difficult, like discerning the subtle difference between Rātā and Pōhutukawa. But knowing the tricks will help us avoid falling for them. Here’s your defence against the dark arts.

Firstly, the serpent subtly calls God’s goodness into question by saying, Did God really say you must not eat from any tree in the garden? The serpent makes it sound like God is mean or unfair or overly strict. The truth is Adam and Eve could eat from all the trees, except for one. Far from being mean, God is generous.

Eve takes the serpent’s bait. She responds by misquoting God: “…But God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

God didn’t say anything about not touching the tree of knowledge. By adding to the word of God, Eve has made God seem less reasonable than he is.

Her mind is now fixed on the one thing she cannot have rather than the many things she can enjoy.   

Our first defence against the darks arts then is to remember God’s goodness. If we go down the path of thinking God is mean or unfair, then we will become vulnerable to evil.

For example, if we are wronged by someone and they make no amends, we may feel tempted to take our own revenge. We resist the temptation for revenge by reminding ourselves that God is good. He is just and fair. He will right all wrongs. The Lord will justify us and restore us (if not in this world, then in the next), so we don’t need to take matters into our own hands.    

The second trick the serpent uses is to deny or minimise the consequences of wrong doing. You will not certainly die, he says. This is an outright lie. If we entertain the thought that God won’t hold us to account for our actions, that he will let it slide, we lose the Godly fear that prevents us from doing harm.

We need to remember there is a day of judgement for us all. No one in the Bible talks about the eternal consequences of our actions more than Jesus.

It’s important though to hold defence 1 and 2 together. In remembering God’s judgment, we need to remain mindful of God’s goodness – his fairness and mercy. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ.   

The third trick of the serpent is to make evil seem good: …when you eat the fruit your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.

Being like God, that’s a good thing, isn’t it? Being able to discern good from evil, also a good thing, right? Hmmm. I wouldn’t want God’s job for all the gold in the world.

When the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness, he began by suggesting Jesus turn stones into bread. Turning stones into bread is not an inherently bad thing to do. In fact, it is potentially good. Imagine all the people you could feed. 

But Jesus wouldn’t have a bar of it. Jesus responded to Satan by quoting Scripture: ‘People cannot live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’

Our defence is to remember God’s word, to put our trust in that and not rely on our own understanding.  

So here again are our three defences against the dark arts…

Firstly, remember God’s goodness to you personally. You might do this by keeping a gratitude journal. 

Secondly, remember God’s judgment. There is a reckoning with God. The Lord is merciful and just. He will hold us to account and right all wrongs.

And thirdly, remember God’s word. Do not rely on your own understanding but trust in God’s wisdom. We remind ourselves of God’s word by reading the Bible.

You might be wondering where Adam was while this conversation was happening. Well, in Milton’s poem, Paradise Lost, Adam and Eve have a disagreement which results in Eve suggesting they work in different parts of the garden for a while. During this time apart (according to the poem) the serpent (aka Satan) tempts Eve into eating the forbidden fruit.  

But this part of John Milton’s poem is fiction. Verse 6 of Genesis 3 says quite plainly that Adam was with Eve. Apparently, Adam has nothing to say while Eve is chatting away to the snake. Was he even listening? Isn’t that typical of men. Adam should have intervened and told the serpent to get lost. But he silently goes along with it. Adam is just as guilty as Eve.     

When Eve and Adam eat the forbidden fruit, their innocence is lost and their clear conscience becomes clouded by shame and guilt. Their shame and guilt cause them to hide, first behind fig leaves and then later from God. This is what it means to know evil. This is why God commanded them not to eat from the tree of knowledge.

To be clear, the original sin committed by Adam and Eve was not sex.

Humanity’s original sin was idolatry. Idolatry is when we put something else in the place of God. That is, when we worship something other than God.

Adam and Eve tried to put themselves in the place of God. They grasped at knowledge and the power they thought this would give them so they could be like God, so they would not need God.

With the power of knowing good and evil they thought they could set up their own empire and make their own rules independently of God. But this was just vanity and chasing after the wind. There is no life apart from God. To declare independence from God is to choose death.   

For us today, death has been reduced to physical terms. Death is when your heart stops beating and your brain function ends. But for the writer of Genesis, life and death are not just physical, they are spiritual as well. Life is connection. Life is intimacy with God and death is when we are cut off from the presence of God, alienated from him, hanging on by a thread.

Adam and Eve survived physically for many years after eating the forbidden fruit, but they were driven out of God’s presence and denied access to the tree of life immediately after God had confronted them over what they had done.

Their existence outside of Eden became a painful struggle in contrast with the abundant life they had known with the Lord in the garden of Eden. 

Conclusion:

So where is the good news? Well, as always, the good news is found in Christ. For God so loved the world that he sent his own dear Son that all who believe in him would not die but have eternal life. And by eternal life, we mean life in God’s presence. Intimacy with God. Abundant connection.

When Jesus died on the cross, the veil in the temple which separated the holy of holies, was torn in two as a sign that humanity has access to God the Father through faith in Jesus.

We were not made for power. We were made for fellowship. We were not made for independence or self-reliance. We were made for trust. We do not live by our own strength or by our wits or by luck. We live by faith in Jesus and by God’s grace.

May the Lord bless you with abundant life in Christ. 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. Why does God plant a garden in Eden? What is the purpose of the garden? Why does God form Adam and put him the garden? What purpose do Adam and Eve serve?
  3. Why does God command Adam not to eat from the tree of knowledge? How does this command benefit Adam and Eve? What are the implications of this command for God?
  4. What subtle tricks does the serpent use to tempt and deceive Eve? How might we defend ourselves against ‘the dark arts’?
  5. What was the original sin committed by Eve and Adam? What were the consequences?
  6. What is life, in the Biblical sense? What is death? How do we find life? 

[1] Refer Derek Kidner’s commentary on Genesis, page 62.

[2] Refer John Walton, NIVAC on Genesis.

[3] Refer Bruce Walke’s commentary on Genesis, page 88.

[4] E.g. Revelation 12:9 and 20:2