The Palm

Newsletter #255 - January 2000 - By Shepherds Chapel - http://www.shepherdschapel.com/

The palm stands for victory and peace in the Bible. The palm tree is a type for the tree of life. Nomadic people have found over 300 uses for the date palm. The fruit and other products from the date palm are almost completely capable of sustaining human life. In the Hebrew language the palm is "tamar" (taw-mawr'). One of David's daughters was named Tamar, as was Judah's daughter-in-law. The latter Tamar referenced above was the seed line through which Jesus Christ was born. Tamar, the palm, is the giver of life. Jesus Christ is the tree of life. Without Him there is no eternal life. This groundwork having been laid, let's begin our study in Revelation.

Revelation 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

The 4 winds bring about the at the end of this dispensation, and the return of Jesus Christ at the 2nd advent. Why are the 4 angels holding the wind back?

Revelation 7:2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying, "Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads."

The seal of God is His truth. The 4 winds are being held because not all of God's servants have been sealed with the truth in their foreheads, that is to say their minds.

Revelation 7:4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

The number 144,000 are just a number meaning spiritual completeness. It means the number God chooses is correct. In the following verses the numbered sealed from each tribe of Israel is listed. For the sake of time we will skip to verse nine. What happens after the sealing should be exciting and interesting.

Revelation 7:9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

These that have accepted Christ are holding that which is symbolic of the life-giving tree of life in their hands, the palm.

Revelation 7:10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." 11 And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God,

The 4 beasts are the 4 living creatures that guard the throne of God.

Revelation 7:12 Saying, Amen: "Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen." 13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, "What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?"

Who are these standing here with white robes? Why are they holding palms in their hands?

Revelation 7:14 And I said unto him, "Sir, thou knowest." And he said to me, "These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.

These are they that overcome the tribulation of antichrist.

Revelation 7:15 Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. 16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.

They don't hunger or thirst anymore because the Shepherd is with them. Remember, we will be in spiritual bodies at this time.

Revelation 7:17 For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."

There will be tears until Satan and those that follow him go into the lake of fire. After that, they will be blotted out never to be remembered again. No tears shed then after that. Keep the thought that God feeds the overcomers in mind as we turn to Chapter 22 and the eternity following the lake of fire.

Revelation 22:1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

The Spirit of God will flow from the throne.

Revelation 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

It is difficult to capture the meaning from the Greek; however, the leaves from this tree prevent boredom and sadness. The palm tree is a type for the Tree of Life. The date palm is capable of sustaining life. Belief on Jesus Christ is capable of sustaining eternal life. He is capable of providing your every need. Let's turn to St. John. We are going to pick it up with Mary having anointed Jesus' feet with an expensive ointment. One of the disciples asked, "Why was not this ointment sold for 300 pence, and given to the poor"?

John 12:7 Then said Jesus, "Let her alone: against the day of My burying hath she kept this.

Mary was anointing Jesus for burial.

John 12:8 For the poor always ye have with you; but Me ye have not always."

The greatest gift the poor, or anyone, could receive was the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

John 12:9 Much people of the Jews therefore knew that He was there: and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom He had raised from the dead. 10 But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death;

The miracle of Lazarus being raised from the dead was bringing many to Jesus and away from the Sanhedrin.

John 12:11 Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus. 12 On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 13 Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet Him, and cried, "Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord."

Once again we see the people with palm branches in their hands. They believed Jesus had the power to save their eternal souls. The palm branches are symbolic of their trust that the Lord will take care of them. Do you trust Him?

John 12:14 And Jesus, when He had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, 15 "Fear not, daughter of Zion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt."

It is important for you to know where this is written. The 1st advent is written of in Zechariah 9:9. The 2nd advent is written of in Zechariah 9:10. The palm branches were there at the 1st advent, and they will be there at the 2nd advent. There is nothing new under the sun.

John 12:16 These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things unto Him.

His disciples understood not at first. Do you know the written Word well enough that you instantly recognize the 2nd advent? "Study to show yourself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. " [2 Timothy 2:15]. In conclusion, let's look to one of the first examples in God's Word that the palm will provide and protect in the Book of Leviticus. The feast of tabernacles will be our subject.

Leviticus 23:37 These are the feasts of the LORD, which ye shall proclaim to be holy convocations, to offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD, a burnt offering, and a meat offering, a sacrifice, and drink offerings, every thing upon his day:

The law is our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ [Galatians 3:24]. The sacrifices were types of the supreme sacrifice Christ would make on the cross. Christ became the sacrifice for one and all time. God doesn't want your burnt offerings; He wants your love.

Leviticus 23:38 Beside the sabbaths of the LORD, and beside your gifts, and beside all your vows, and beside all your freewill offerings, which ye give unto the LORD. 39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.

Again, our subject is the feast of tabernacles. This was a joyous time when God's children celebrated the harvest of the land.

Leviticus 23:40 And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.

With these boughs and branches they were to build booths, or small houses, in which they were to dwell 7 days. Here we see another example of the palm being symbolic of the protection and care God provides His children.

Leviticus 23:41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:

What was the purpose?

Leviticus 23:43 That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. 44 And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD.

God brought His children out of bondage in Egypt. He will bring many that love and serve Him out of bondage today. Do you place your trust and faith in Him? Do you believe He will provide your every need? Look to the palm as an example. Jesus Christ sustains life to all that believe on Him. He will feed you and provide your every need.

In His service,
Arnold Murray

Home