Faded Leaves, Fallen Leaves, and Leaves From the Tree of Life

 •  4 min. read  •  grade level: 7
 
WHILE waiting under a tree, one autumn day, I noticed the many faded leaves about me, and the fallen leaves beneath me, and the word of the prophet came to my mind, "We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." (Isa. 64:66But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away. (Isaiah 64:6).)
This is the confession of God's favored people Israel, and it is true of everyone in the light of God's presence.
There is no strength in a faded leaf; it soon withers, and falls to the ground. There is no power in man to stand before God on the ground of what he is in himself, or anything he has done Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. (Job 14:44Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. (Job 14:4).) "For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies; these are the things which defile a man" (Matt. 15:1919For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies: (Matthew 15:19).)
In the first psalm, we read of the perfect man, and he is likened to a tree planted by the river of water, who bringeth forth his fruit in his season, whose leaf also shall not 'wither.
Who is this blessed One? It is the Lord Jesus Christ, who could look up to heaven, and say, "I do always those things that please Him" (John 8:2929And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. (John 8:29).) He was God's green trey; (Luke 22:2121But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. (Luke 22:21)), full of sap, whose leaf never withered, and whatsoever He did prospered. The Son of God has life in Himself, and He is the Giver of eternal life to them that believe in His Name (John 10:2828And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. (John 10:28).) The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 6:2323For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23).)
It was in vain that Adam and his wife tried to cover their nakedness with fig-leaves fastened together, for when God's voice was heard, "they knew that they were naked." Yes, conscience makes cowards of us all, and they tried to hide themselves behind the trees of the garden. But God brought them out, and after hearing and convicting them both, He traced the evil to its source, and pronounced judgment on the serpent. Then He spoke of the coming Deliverer, "the Seed of the woman," who should bruise the serpent's head. "Christ hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:1818For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: (1 Peter 3:18).)
After the judgment of the Flood, the dove returned to the Ark with an olive leaf in her mouth (Gen. 8: 11) which told Noah that the waters were abated from off the face of the earth. So, the risen Christ speaks peace to His disciples, by showing them His hands, and His side, bearing the marks of His sufferings upon the cross. He is the Tree of Life in the midst of the paradise of God. "Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have the right to come to the Tree of Life, and may enter in by the gates into the City." (Rev. 22:1414Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. (Revelation 22:14), R.V.)
"Lord, haste that day of cloudless ray,
That prospect bright unfailing;
Where GOD shall shine in light divine,
In glory never-fading.”
T. B. N.
The Lord Jesus Christ has died for sinners, ungodly and without strength, so that God might be just, and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus. The atoning sufferings of the Lamb have met all that divine justice claimed, and by virtue of which God in the gospel makes Himself known as One who yearns over us in love, call:, us to be reconciled, and is ready to justify us from every charge. "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Rom. 5:11Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: (Romans 5:1)). "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in, Him" (2 Cor. 5:2121For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)).