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.