Palm trees, Isaiah 40:31, Judging

Q. What is the spiritual significance of the palm tree?

A Tree’s in the Bible are symbols of humanity. The Hebrew word for palm is “tamar” and right off several people in the Bible should come to your mind. The tree is symbolic for righteousness (Ps 92.12 which is a psalm for the Sabbath day, which is also significant. It is used as a symbol of victory (Rev 7.9) and they were used in this way before Yeshua as he entered the city during Passover week. They are also symbolic of “flourishing” in the things of God (Song 7.7) and tall, reaching into the heavens. They were pictured in Solomon’s Temple ( 1K 6.29) for all the above reasons because only the righteous will be in the presence of God. It gives us a picture of the Garden of Eden and the tree’s that were there, so naturally they would be portrayed in the Temple. There are some who think that the date palm was the tree of the knowledge of good and evil ( Gen 2.8, Ezek 41.18-26) and the almond tree the tree of life ( Num 17.8).


Q. What would your response be to a fellow believer who says “you shouldn’t judge?”

A. I would immediately say that he just violated his own rule by judging me by telling me not to judge! Then, I would tell them that we are not to judge by our own standards and morals but with righteous judgment from the Scriptures. We are to judge everything by that standard and to do otherwise would be very dangerous. Then we set up our own ways and standards and that is why there are so many belief systems out there. That’s how the Torah was “done away with” by so many professed believers and it was replaced by man’s theologies and ways. But our ways are not God’s ways, nor our thoughts His thoughts (Isa 55.8). So, Yeshua says we are to judge, but use righteous judgment. Paul admonishes the Corinthians for not properly judging a situation in the midst and getting a congregational court together to deal with the situation (1 Cor 6.1-5). We are also told to judge the fruit of others to make sure they are believers ( Matt. 7.15-23). So, when someone says that to you, it probably means you have gotten a little too close to something and they are trying to get you to feel like you are doing something wrong. But, judgment in the Scriptures is something that God gives us and it should be used in the proper context.


Q. What does Isa. 40.31 mean?

A It means that those who wait (honor, serve, hope in) the Lord will gain strength when tired, renew again. They will mount ( swift, strong ) up (towards heaven) like an eagle. They will run (make haste to keep the commandments) and not tired of them or think they are “bondage”. They will walk (again in the commandments and ways of God) and not become weary. We are all capable of temporary enthusiasm. It is harder to follow the Lord day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year when the “glory and the hoopla” is gone and still be undeterred by trials and meeting them with faith and enthusiasm.