God and..

The Palm Tree

by Wayne Blank

The date palm is a tall (the crown may reach 100 feet / 30 meters above the ground) heavy-bearing tree that has been harvested for thousands of years for its fruit, as well as for its leaves which had various uses, including for weaving into mats. References to the date palm are found throughout Bible History:

• "Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve springs and seventy palm trees, and they camped there near the water." (Exodus 15:27) (see also Moses and Wilderness Journey)

• "So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month [see Bible Months and Bible Calendar], after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to The Lord for seven days; the first day is a day of rest, and the eighth day also is a day of rest. On the first day you are to take choice fruit from the trees, and palm fronds, leafy branches and poplars, and rejoice before The Lord your God for seven days. Celebrate this as a festival to The Lord for seven days each year [see The Feast Of Tabernacles]. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. Live in booths for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in booths so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in booths when I brought them out of Egypt. I am The Lord your God." So Moses announced to the Israelites the appointed feasts of The Lord." (Leviticus 23:39-44)

• "Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There The Lord showed him the whole land - from Gilead to Dan, all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea [i.e. The Mediterranean Sea], The Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms [see The Fall Of Jericho and The Jordan Valley], as far as Zoar. Then The Lord [see Rock Of Ages and The Logos] said to him, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it." (see Heartbreak Mountain) (Deuteronomy 34:1-4)

• "On the walls all around the Temple, in both the inner and outer rooms, he carved Cherubim, palm trees and open flowers." (1 Kings 6:29) (see Solomon and Layout Of Solomon's Temple and Temples)

• "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a Cedar Of Lebanon." (Psalm 92:12) (see Christian Living, The Ten Commandments - Your Keys To Life, and What Is Sin?)

• "The next day the great crowd that had come for the Feast heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of The Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel! Jesus found a young Donkey and sat upon it, as it is written, "Do not be afraid, O Daughter of Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey's colt." (John 12:12-15)

Fact Finder: Were dates pressed into large cakes?
2 Samuel 6:19

 

source: http://www.keyway.ca/htm2000/20000222.htm