Thought for the Day 5/18/2012


The Palm Tree
     The tall stately palm, with its straight, uniform trunk rising
up to a 100 ft. and cresting with a plume of long feathery fronds, makes a graceful
silhouette of unique beauty.

Girls of Bible times must have been pleased to receive the name “Tamar” as did Judah’s daughter-in-law, Absalom’s sister, and also his daughter, who was described as “a woman most beautiful in appearance”. 2 Samuel 14:27   The Shulammite maiden’s stature was likened to that of a palm tree and her breasts to its clusters. (Song of Solomon 7:7,8)

Palms are associated with oases and are a welcomed sight to desert travelers.
The long taproot of the palm enables it to reach down to water sources not available to many plants and thus thrive amid desert conditions.

In Bible times palms flourished on the coast of the Sea of Galilee as well as along the lower reaches of the hot Jordan Valley and were particularly abundant around Engedi.  Jericho is called “the city of the palm trees”.  Palms also grew in the highlands as did Deborah’s palm tree in the mountainous region of Ephraim. They grew around Jerusalem as is evident from the use made of their fronds at the Festival of Booths and also at the time of Jesus’ entry into the city.  The city “Tamar” was named by Solomon for the palm tree (1 Kings 9:17,18).  Tyre and Sidon later received the name Phoenicia (from a root meaning “palm tree”) from the Greek “phoenix”. (Acts 11:19; 15:3)

The palm tree comes to full bearing after 10-15 years and continues to bear for nearly a hundred years. Pictures of the palm tree adorned the inner walls and doors of Solomon’s temple as well as the sides of the carriages used in the temple services.  (1 Kings 6:29, 32,35; 1 Chronicles 3:5) Palms are mentioned also in Ezekiel’s vision of the temple in the kingdom age.

Conclusion:
The palm tree is wonderfully symbolic of a person following the Lord, a spiritual source of refreshment to all who would come to her.   With the spirit of Christ, that person can provide nourishment and consolation. He or she can be used by God in His service.  May all be like the palm tree, an oasis of shade and refreshment from the cares of this troubled world.

Psa 92:12  The righteous flourish like the palm tree and grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

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