Like a Tree By the River
Bible Study Time 2-19-06
Church links:
Bible Study Time 2-19-06
In Psalms, Chapter 1, David said:
Psalms 1:1-6 (NKJ)
1 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;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.
3 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.
4 The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
These verses encourage us with the realization that if we serve the Lord faithfully, we will be able to stand tall and straight and be strengthened by the power of the Lord in any given circumstance. If we delight in the word of God and meditate in it day and night, we will be like a tree planted by the water, a tree that is fruitful and whose leaf never withers.
Jeremiah confirmed this very thought, saying:
Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NKJ)
7 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD.
8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.
Again, we see a tree by the river symbolizing those who are able to continue on in all circumstances and situations. This passage, however, does go a step further than Psalms, Chapter 1, in that it does specifically addresses the times of drought which are bound to come. Jeremiah said that the tree which is planted by the river spreads its roots by the river and has no reason for anxiety even in the year of drought.
The Holy Spirit did not write theses verses to encourage us in any kind of Poly Anna theology, that people who trust in the Lord never have any problems. No, people who trust the Lord have problems too. The tree by the river has to go through the year of drought just like every other tree, but the point is this, the tree by the river is able to endure the time of drought. It’s able to continue on. And when all is said and done, people will look around and say, that tree made it through. That tree made it through, and its leaves stayed green the whole time. Those who trust in the Lord have no reason to become anxious when difficulties come our way.
If we take a look at David and Jeremiah, we see two men who really knew how to trust the Lord even in very difficult times. We can only imagine the pain and anguish that David went through when he received the news that one of his sons had murdered one of his other sons.
Absalom had nurtured a heart of hatred and bitterness toward his half brother, Amnon, for two years because Amnon had attacked and violated his whole sister Tamar. One day Absalom got the chance he had been waiting for. He set up the perfect scene for Amnon’s murder. After killing Amnon, Absalom had to flee for his life. He lived for three years with his maternal grandfather who was the king of Geshur. The Bible says that King David mourned for his son every single day.
After three years, David allowed Absalom to return to Jerusalem, but Absalom seemed determined to be a thorn in his father’s side. As time went on Absalom gained more and more favor with the people of Israel, and Absalom began to plant seeds of rebellion in the minds of the people. Finally, Absalom mounted a rebellion which forced David and his faithful followers from the palace and out into the wilderness.
During this time, the Lord worked on David’s behalf and confounded the counsel that was given to Absalom. The forces of Absalom were defeated and Absalom, himself, was killed. When David heard that Absalom was dead, his heart was broken. He went up into a separate chamber, saying over and over again:
2 Samuel 18:33 (NKJ)
33 . . . "O my son Absalom-- my son, my son Absalom-- if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!"
In spite of all these trials and tribulations, David was like a tree planted by the river. God sustained him through it all.
Jeremiah was one who had more than his fair share of difficulties. He lived in Jerusalem during a time when Jerusalem was under siege by Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian army. The Jewish leaders tried to encourage the citizens of Jerusalem, saying, do not be afraid. We are the chosen people of God, and God will deliver us from the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.
However, God had other plans for Jerusalem. He sent Jeremiah to tell the people that Nebuchadnezzar was the servant of God. That God had seen the many sins of Jerusalem and had sent Nebuchadnezzar to punish Jerusalem. Therefore, he said that they should surrender and save themselves and their children from the pain and misery that would surely come upon them if they continued to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar.
Needless to say, the Jewish leaders hated Jeremiah. They put him in a dungeon where he stayed for a long time. The Bible indicates that Jeremiah very nearly died in that dungeon, but the Lord sustained him. The King brought Jeremiah out of that dungeon and asked him if he had any word from the Lord. Jeremiah said, yes, you will be turned over to the king of Babylon. The king then gave orders that Jeremiah could live in the courtyard of the guards and that he was to be given bread every day as long as there was any bread in the city. Jeremiah was like a tree planted by the river. His roots had spread out along the river, and he was able to endure even through the times of drought.
Later, some of the leaders of Jews overheard Jeremiah telling people that the city was going to be taken by the Babylonians and that anyone who stayed in the city would die by the sword or famine or plague. Once again they arrested Jeremiah and this time they put him in an empty cistern. They lowered him down into the muck and mud of the cistern and left him there to die.
When the king heard what had happened, he ordered his servants to bring Jeremiah up out of that cistern. God had a job for Jeremiah to do, and there was nothing the devil could do to destroy Jeremiah or prevent the work which God had given him to do. He was like a tree planted by the waters.
Certainly, the entire nation of Israel can be seen as a tree planted by the river. When God called Abraham, Abraham responded in faith, and God promised him that some day his descendants would become a great nation and that through his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed.
Since the time of that promise, the devil has tried again and again to destroy the nation of Israel, but they have been like a tree planted by the river. In the days of Joseph, there was such a severe famine in the land of Canaan that all of the descendants of Abraham would have perished, but God had already made provisions for them by sending Joseph down into Egypt to build storehouses of food. Joseph had his brothers move to Egypt where he saw to it that they and their children had plenty to eat.
Some 400 years later, God sent Moses to bring the nation of Israel up out of Egypt. He decided not to send them through the land of the Philistines because He knew that their faith was too weak to sustain them on the battlefield. So God took the Jews up to the Red Sea where He was determined to show His mighty power not only to the Jews but also to the Egyptians who were pursuing the Jews from behind, hoping to bring them back to Egypt.
When the Jews got to the Red Sea, they looked up and saw the Egyptians not far behind. They were desperately frightened. They did not yet know that they were like a tree planted by the river which has no reason to be anxious even in the year of drought. Moses said, do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance of the Lord.
Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the waters parted. The nation of Israel walked across the bottom of the sea on dry land with the Egyptians following behind. When the last of the Jews crossed to the other side, Moses raised his hand over the sea again, and the waters came crashing down on the Egyptians. Not one Egyptian survived.
The devil has tried many times through the years to destroy the nation of Israel, but they have stood as a tree planted by the river. Their leaf has not withered, and they have prospered in all that they have done.
The other day Les Feldick said, if anyone every asked you why you believe the Bible, you can answer them with two words, the Jew. They stand as living proof that the Bible is the word of God. There is no explanation for their survival over the past 4000 years except that God has sustained them like a tree planted by the river.
As we look at the scriptures, we see that one of the reasons God protected Israel all through the years was for the sake of Abraham’s Seed, who is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Israel, as a tree planted by the river bore fruit in its season.
One of the reasons God will continue to protect the nation of Israel is that some day all Israel will be saved, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through the nation of Israel as Jesus Christ rules the earth in righteousness and peace.
The book of Hebrews calls the Lord Jesus the Captain of our salvation. He stands as the leader of those who have been planted by the river. The Lord Jesus never sought after the things of this world, yet He prospered in all that He did. He is the only person who has ever been commended by the Father. On two different occasions the Father spoke from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”
The Lord Jesus came to offer His life as a sacrifice for sin. Even so, like a tree by the river, His leaf does not withers. He said:
John 10:17-18 (NKJ)
17 " . . . My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.
18 "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."
Philippians 2:8-10
8 . . . (The Lord Jesus) humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
9 (Even so) God has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
The Lord Jesus is the captain of our salvation, and all those who follow his example and walk not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful; all those who delight in the law of the LORD, they shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, bringing forth fruit in due season, having leaves that never wither, and they shall prosper in all that they do.
David’s body returned to the dust of the ground. Jeremiah’s prophecies came to an end. Only a few of the apostles escaped a martyr’s death. But like the work of the Lord Jesus, their work will live on forever. They are still today fruitful trees, so to speak, as millions of people read and study the things that they said and did.
1 Peter 1:24-25 (NKJ)
24 . . . "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away,
25 But the word of the Lord endures forever." . . .
Are you listening this morning with the feeling that your life has no meaning or purpose. Come to Jesus. He has work for you to do. He does not promise that your task will be easy, but He promises that He will sustain you in your work, and you will be like a tree planted by the river.
Thank you for listening to Bible Study Time this morning. It’s been a pleasure being with you, and I’ll look forward to being with you again next week at this same time.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Psalms 1:1-6 (NKJ)
1 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;
2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.
3 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.
4 The ungodly are not so, but are like the chaff which the wind drives away.
5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.
6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the ungodly shall perish.
These verses encourage us with the realization that if we serve the Lord faithfully, we will be able to stand tall and straight and be strengthened by the power of the Lord in any given circumstance. If we delight in the word of God and meditate in it day and night, we will be like a tree planted by the water, a tree that is fruitful and whose leaf never withers.
Jeremiah confirmed this very thought, saying:
Jeremiah 17:7-8 (NKJ)
7 "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose hope is the LORD.
8 For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit.
Again, we see a tree by the river symbolizing those who are able to continue on in all circumstances and situations. This passage, however, does go a step further than Psalms, Chapter 1, in that it does specifically addresses the times of drought which are bound to come. Jeremiah said that the tree which is planted by the river spreads its roots by the river and has no reason for anxiety even in the year of drought.
The Holy Spirit did not write theses verses to encourage us in any kind of Poly Anna theology, that people who trust in the Lord never have any problems. No, people who trust the Lord have problems too. The tree by the river has to go through the year of drought just like every other tree, but the point is this, the tree by the river is able to endure the time of drought. It’s able to continue on. And when all is said and done, people will look around and say, that tree made it through. That tree made it through, and its leaves stayed green the whole time. Those who trust in the Lord have no reason to become anxious when difficulties come our way.
If we take a look at David and Jeremiah, we see two men who really knew how to trust the Lord even in very difficult times. We can only imagine the pain and anguish that David went through when he received the news that one of his sons had murdered one of his other sons.
Absalom had nurtured a heart of hatred and bitterness toward his half brother, Amnon, for two years because Amnon had attacked and violated his whole sister Tamar. One day Absalom got the chance he had been waiting for. He set up the perfect scene for Amnon’s murder. After killing Amnon, Absalom had to flee for his life. He lived for three years with his maternal grandfather who was the king of Geshur. The Bible says that King David mourned for his son every single day.
After three years, David allowed Absalom to return to Jerusalem, but Absalom seemed determined to be a thorn in his father’s side. As time went on Absalom gained more and more favor with the people of Israel, and Absalom began to plant seeds of rebellion in the minds of the people. Finally, Absalom mounted a rebellion which forced David and his faithful followers from the palace and out into the wilderness.
During this time, the Lord worked on David’s behalf and confounded the counsel that was given to Absalom. The forces of Absalom were defeated and Absalom, himself, was killed. When David heard that Absalom was dead, his heart was broken. He went up into a separate chamber, saying over and over again:
2 Samuel 18:33 (NKJ)
33 . . . "O my son Absalom-- my son, my son Absalom-- if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!"
In spite of all these trials and tribulations, David was like a tree planted by the river. God sustained him through it all.
Jeremiah was one who had more than his fair share of difficulties. He lived in Jerusalem during a time when Jerusalem was under siege by Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian army. The Jewish leaders tried to encourage the citizens of Jerusalem, saying, do not be afraid. We are the chosen people of God, and God will deliver us from the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.
However, God had other plans for Jerusalem. He sent Jeremiah to tell the people that Nebuchadnezzar was the servant of God. That God had seen the many sins of Jerusalem and had sent Nebuchadnezzar to punish Jerusalem. Therefore, he said that they should surrender and save themselves and their children from the pain and misery that would surely come upon them if they continued to rebel against Nebuchadnezzar.
Needless to say, the Jewish leaders hated Jeremiah. They put him in a dungeon where he stayed for a long time. The Bible indicates that Jeremiah very nearly died in that dungeon, but the Lord sustained him. The King brought Jeremiah out of that dungeon and asked him if he had any word from the Lord. Jeremiah said, yes, you will be turned over to the king of Babylon. The king then gave orders that Jeremiah could live in the courtyard of the guards and that he was to be given bread every day as long as there was any bread in the city. Jeremiah was like a tree planted by the river. His roots had spread out along the river, and he was able to endure even through the times of drought.
Later, some of the leaders of Jews overheard Jeremiah telling people that the city was going to be taken by the Babylonians and that anyone who stayed in the city would die by the sword or famine or plague. Once again they arrested Jeremiah and this time they put him in an empty cistern. They lowered him down into the muck and mud of the cistern and left him there to die.
When the king heard what had happened, he ordered his servants to bring Jeremiah up out of that cistern. God had a job for Jeremiah to do, and there was nothing the devil could do to destroy Jeremiah or prevent the work which God had given him to do. He was like a tree planted by the waters.
Certainly, the entire nation of Israel can be seen as a tree planted by the river. When God called Abraham, Abraham responded in faith, and God promised him that some day his descendants would become a great nation and that through his seed all the nations of the earth would be blessed.
Since the time of that promise, the devil has tried again and again to destroy the nation of Israel, but they have been like a tree planted by the river. In the days of Joseph, there was such a severe famine in the land of Canaan that all of the descendants of Abraham would have perished, but God had already made provisions for them by sending Joseph down into Egypt to build storehouses of food. Joseph had his brothers move to Egypt where he saw to it that they and their children had plenty to eat.
Some 400 years later, God sent Moses to bring the nation of Israel up out of Egypt. He decided not to send them through the land of the Philistines because He knew that their faith was too weak to sustain them on the battlefield. So God took the Jews up to the Red Sea where He was determined to show His mighty power not only to the Jews but also to the Egyptians who were pursuing the Jews from behind, hoping to bring them back to Egypt.
When the Jews got to the Red Sea, they looked up and saw the Egyptians not far behind. They were desperately frightened. They did not yet know that they were like a tree planted by the river which has no reason to be anxious even in the year of drought. Moses said, do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance of the Lord.
Moses raised his hand over the sea, and the waters parted. The nation of Israel walked across the bottom of the sea on dry land with the Egyptians following behind. When the last of the Jews crossed to the other side, Moses raised his hand over the sea again, and the waters came crashing down on the Egyptians. Not one Egyptian survived.
The devil has tried many times through the years to destroy the nation of Israel, but they have stood as a tree planted by the river. Their leaf has not withered, and they have prospered in all that they have done.
The other day Les Feldick said, if anyone every asked you why you believe the Bible, you can answer them with two words, the Jew. They stand as living proof that the Bible is the word of God. There is no explanation for their survival over the past 4000 years except that God has sustained them like a tree planted by the river.
As we look at the scriptures, we see that one of the reasons God protected Israel all through the years was for the sake of Abraham’s Seed, who is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ. Israel, as a tree planted by the river bore fruit in its season.
One of the reasons God will continue to protect the nation of Israel is that some day all Israel will be saved, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through the nation of Israel as Jesus Christ rules the earth in righteousness and peace.
The book of Hebrews calls the Lord Jesus the Captain of our salvation. He stands as the leader of those who have been planted by the river. The Lord Jesus never sought after the things of this world, yet He prospered in all that He did. He is the only person who has ever been commended by the Father. On two different occasions the Father spoke from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.”
The Lord Jesus came to offer His life as a sacrifice for sin. Even so, like a tree by the river, His leaf does not withers. He said:
John 10:17-18 (NKJ)
17 " . . . My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.
18 "No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."
Philippians 2:8-10
8 . . . (The Lord Jesus) humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
9 (Even so) God has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
The Lord Jesus is the captain of our salvation, and all those who follow his example and walk not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful; all those who delight in the law of the LORD, they shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, bringing forth fruit in due season, having leaves that never wither, and they shall prosper in all that they do.
David’s body returned to the dust of the ground. Jeremiah’s prophecies came to an end. Only a few of the apostles escaped a martyr’s death. But like the work of the Lord Jesus, their work will live on forever. They are still today fruitful trees, so to speak, as millions of people read and study the things that they said and did.
1 Peter 1:24-25 (NKJ)
24 . . . "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, and its flower falls away,
25 But the word of the Lord endures forever." . . .
Are you listening this morning with the feeling that your life has no meaning or purpose. Come to Jesus. He has work for you to do. He does not promise that your task will be easy, but He promises that He will sustain you in your work, and you will be like a tree planted by the river.
Thank you for listening to Bible Study Time this morning. It’s been a pleasure being with you, and I’ll look forward to being with you again next week at this same time.
Write me at: jimjoan77@juno.com
Church links:
No comments:
Post a Comment