Spiritual meaning of trees in the Bible
The spiritual meaning of trees in the Bible connotes life, not just any kind of life. It is the life given by God to man for him to do good on earth.
We see in the Bible that trees are mentioned several times. Whether it is a sycamore, palm, or sequoia tree, the Bible extensively used trees to explain God’s perception of life and man. For example, in Genesis chapter 2 the Lord God planted a tree in the middle of the garden among other trees, a tree that represents life. The Bible says that it is the Tree of Life.
How The Bible Uses Trees To Explain God’s Expectation On Man
Since every word spoken in the Bible is about how God wants man to relate with Him and how God reaches out to man, let’s now see what the Bible talks about in the book of Isaiah chapter 61:3.
“To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.” Isaiah 61:3
Every human being who is associated with God is a tree of righteousness.
What do we usually expect from trees (I am speaking from a natural point of view)? When you find trees, what do you usually expect from trees? And I’m not talking about trees that are meant for beautifying homes or a garden. Trees are mainly meant for bearing fruits or for medicine. So the purpose of every tree is to benefit mankind. As was recorded in Genesis 1;29, after God created the trees, He gave them to man for food and medicine. Every tree has a purpose to benefit people, and so should the lives of people created by God.
All God’s children are trees of righteousness and God wants to be glorified with the life they live on earth. Just as the fruits of a tree serve as food to man and animals, God wants us to serve others. He desires that everyone who comes to Him should be a solution to the problems of the world. Just as trees are used as medicine, God will be glorified when our lives comfort others.
What Does Jesus Say About Trees
In the gospel according to Matthew, Jesus told a parable about a tiny seed that a man took and planted in his own field. The seed grew and became so great that the birds of the air came to the tree to make their nests on it.
“Another parable He put forth to them, saying: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field, which indeed is the least of all the seeds; but when it is grown it is greater than the herbs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.’” Matthew 13:32
Notice that the Bible says that the man planted the seed in his field. The field represents the man’s life. The kingdom of heaven represents the person of God within a man. When a man receives the spirit of God, his life will be transformed so that the man becomes a blessing to people, a blessing to his community, and a blessing to everyone around him.
Does God see us as trees?
Yes, We are the planting of God. A tree that is stunted in growth is similar to a child of God that does not take in the Word of God sufficiently. And just like a well nourished tree would grow and bear fruits, a child of God who is spiritually healthy will bear visible fruits in his life.
This is what the Bible talks about in Psalm 1:1 -3.
“Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord , And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.”
The Bible tells people who are willing to obey God the things they must not do, and the things that they must do. The verse three of Psalm 1 highlights the glorious things that will happen when someone chooses to obey the instructions of God. The Bible says that they will bear the fruits in their own season. They will not bear the fruits in the season of the world, but in their own season. It means that even if the whole world is experiencing recession and several people are not advancing in their careers, they will be advancing with good successes.