IN our previous papers we looked at Israel as having failed in every way to meet the mind of God. Let us go back in our thoughts some 1800 years. Four thousand long years of this world's sad history have rolled away, and now God is about to test man in a new and different way—in other words, He is about to commence a new dispensation. With this new dispensation we will connect a symbolic tree, "the plant of renown," and whom this plant represents we shall presently see. God in His fresh dealings with man was not looking for fruit from man, as under the law. Instead of looking to man as such for fruit, He planted, as it were, His own tree, “whose fruit was in itself," and this was none other than His only begotten and well-beloved Son.
If you will find the reference to the texts printed in this skeleton tree, you will see that the allusions to the Saviour as a tree are full of meaning.
The first part of a tree is its root. Of the Lord it is said He was a “root out of a dry ground," also” the root of David."
Second, its stem. Jesus is said to be “the stem of Jesse."
Thirdly, the bough shooting out from the stem. He is said to be “a fruitful bough."
From the bough there spring the tender branches. So we read of “the man whose name is the Branch."
The next thing we look for in a tree is fruit. And, oh! what a contrast is Jesus to Israel! Instead of looking for fruit and finding none, we read: " He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of waters, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season."
Then the tree requires to be clothed with verdure: so of Jesus, the "godly man" of Psa. 1, it is said, “His leaf also shall not wither."
Then, what a suitable place for rest is a shady tree! Jesus said, " Come unto Me, and I will give you rest "; and the one who has come to Him can say, in Old Testament language, “I sat under His shadow with great delight, and His fruit was sweet to my taste."
Thus we find the seven things—root, stem, bough, branch, fruit, leaf, and shade—are all in Jesus.
Since Christ came to the earth God has not been looking to man in his nature state for fruit. Israel was God's sample tree. The olive failed to give light, the vine to give joy, and the fig to produce sweetness. You remember how John, the forerunner of Jesus, said to the people of Israel, " The ax is laid unto the root of the tree: therefore every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire."
Jesus, on the contrary, had during the years of His ministry on earth always afforded infinite delight to His Father. He could truly say, “I always do the things that please Him." He had brought "forth fruit in His season." How good is fruit in its season! So with Jesus, everything was perfect. At the end of His wonderful life and ministry, He, of His own perfect will, “offered Himself without spot to God." His life was taken from the earth, and the next time we read of Him, under the figure of a tree, we find Him as blooming in the paradise of God.
Thus ended this fresh dealing of God with man—God, full of love, had given His Son, who perfectly revealed the Father, and showed unmistakably that man was lost indeed, and full of bitter enmity and hatred against perfect and infinite goodness. Such conduct on the part of man was enough to change the love of one less than God into hatred; but God "cannot deny Himself."