Trees are blossoming, soon to create a rich kaleidoscope of various hues of green. As I gave thought to the awakening trees, I began to think of different trees mentioned in the Bible. Almond (Ecclesiastes.12:5); apple (Song of Solomon 2;3), chestnut and fir (Ezekiel 31:8), cedar, myrtle and oil (Isaiah 41:19). Zacchaeus climbed a sycamore tree (Luke 19:4). The Lord mentioned the mustard tree (Luke 17:6) and cursed a fig tree (Matthew 21:19-22). But there are four other very special and significant trees found in the Bible which are enormously helpful in understanding our free will, our sin nature, our need for salvation, and the reason for Calvary.

“And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.” (Genesis 2:8-9)

We begin with The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. When God spoke to Adam and Eve about this tree, He issued a specific warning? “thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Genesis 2:17). God provided this tree as a tool by which to test man’s free will. Humanity’s first parents failed! They willfully ate of the tree, and at first bite Adam and Eve were aware of sin (Genesis, Chapter 3). Their close relationship with God was destroyed, a curse was placed upon the earth and the sentence of spiritual death became a reality, and the decaying process of physical death had begun (Romans 5:12).

The second tree, The Tree of Life, God placed in the center of the Garden. If this tree’s fruits were eaten on a regular basis, Adam and Eve would have lived forever. However, this tree is symbolic of placing total reliance on God, allowing Him to guide and direct all ways in our lives! But rather than listen to and obey God, Adam and Eve decided to follow their own counsel, thus, rejecting any direction from God. God, therefore, couldn’t permit them to live forever in a perpetual state of sin, so Adam and Eve were cast from the Garden (Genesis 3:22-24).

The Cross, often times referred to as the ‘forgotten tree of Christmas”, is the third tree, and is called a tree several times in the Bible (Acts 5:30, 10:39, 13:29 and Galatians 3:13). For millions, the miraculous virgin birth of the Babe of Bethlehem’s manger is worthy of nothing more than a nativity scene apropos to the Christmas season while the real ‘reason for the season’ is buried in festivities and obscured by a Christmas tree adorned with twinkling lights and shiny tinsel. Ignored is the rugged cross that is stained with the precious blood of Jesus Christ shed for the sins of the world – my sins, your sins! We must allow Christ to be present at Christmas being ever mindful of the life-giving reason He came to earth, and view the ‘Christmas’ tree as a constant reminder of man’ depravity. Truth is, none of the Christmas customs have anything to do with Jesus and the cross! “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (I Corinthians 1:18)

Lastly, the fourth tree is the Olive Tree of Salvation, symbolic of new life, of salvation through the grace of a loving God! Due to Israel’s spiritual fall, some branches of the good tree (Israel) were broken off, and branches of the wild olive tree (Gentiles) were grafted in (Romans, Chapter 11). Apostle Paul stresses that the gospel applies equally to all who call upon the Lord “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:12,13) In short, eternal salvation is offered to all who are willing to believe!

The Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, along with the Tree of Life, clearly reveal our need for salvation! The “Forgotten Tree of Christmas” and the Olive Tree of Salvation wonderfully relate God’s mercy and grace, and His unwillingness that anyone suffer throughout eternity! “For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,..(I Thessalonians 5:9).

God has provided the way of redemption, forgiveness and deliverance from everlasting condemnation! So, like Adam and Eve, we have two choices! We have the choice of accepting the free gift of salvation (Ephesians 2:8,9), thus spending eternity with the Lord, or the choice of being cast from the Lord into the raging flames of the Lake of Fire (Revelations 21:8/Matthew 25:46).

“Who his own self (Jesus) bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye were healed” (I Peter 2:24).

Nancy Hamilton is an author of Christian books and a member of Souls Harbor Baptist Church. She can be reached at website wordsontheword.com and by e-mail at hladynoah@gmail.com. Thoughts of Faith is a weekly column written by various ministers and lay people. Those interested in scheduling a date for writing a Thoughts of Faith column shouldcall740-373-2121.

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