"In the beginning," trees came before us, many revered and sacred. In the Old Testament, trees often serve as direct sites of "divine encounter," symbols of God's presence, and a source of sacred materials for building holy objects and structures. When we review scripture, several trees hold tremendous "favor," uniquely and specifically named:
1. The Olive Tree (Olea europaea)
The olive tree is often one of the most sacred trees, recalling the iconic dove bringing a freshly plucked olive leaf to Noah when the flood waters had receded, signaling the restoration of peace between God and the Earth. (Genesis 8:11). Olive oil was later prized for its light (Exodus 27:20) and specifically mandated by God to anoint the priests, holy lamps and utensils inside the Tabernacle.
2. The Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani)
Known as the "King of Trees," the magnificent Cedars of Lebanon symbolize majestic power, immortality and God's grandeur. King Solomon used this highly valued, fragrant wood to construct the first temple in Jerusalem. In Psalm 92:12, "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon."
Growing in the arid desert, acacia wood is exceptionally durable. God specifically commanded Moses to source Acacia wood for the Ark of the Covenant, the Altar of Burnt Offering and the structural poles of the traveling Tabernacle (
Exodus 25:10 and
Exodus 30:1).
The sacred fig tree has been know as a symbol of fruitfulness, modesty, calling and growth. Indelibly etched on humanity (
Genesis 3:7) when Adam and Eve sewed and wore fig leaves during their fall from grace. In
Micah 4:4, "They shall all sit under their own vines, under their own fig trees, undisturbed; for the Lord of Hosts has spoken." The fig tree would later appear several times in the New Testament,
Gospel of John 1:48 when Jesus surprised Nathanael ("Before Philip called you, I saw you under the fig tree."). In the
Gospel of Luke 13:6-9, Jesus tells the Parable of the Barren Fig Tree.
5. The Almond Tree (Prunus amygdalus)
In
Jeremiah 1:11, "The word of the Lord came to me: What do you see, Jeremiah? 'I see a branch of the almond tree,' I replied."
In
Numbers 17:8,
describes the morning when Moses enter the sacred traveling tent Tabernacle and saw Aaron's staff had mystically sprouted and blossomed with ripe almonds.
The palm tree has "stood strong bearing fruit (dates)" remaining upright under heavy loads, a symbol of strength. In
Exodus 15:27, an oasis appeared for the Israelites in Elim where there were twelve springs of water and 70 palm trees, a place of rest and refreshment during the hot, dry desert journey.
In
Deuteronomy 34:3, Jericho was referred as the "City of Palms," the lush, well-watered Jordan valley was famous for its palm trees.
In the Gospel of John 12:12-19, Jesus arrives in Jerusalem for the Passover festival as a large crowd is greeting him with palm branches shouting, "Hosanna" and calling him the "King of Israel" as he rides on a young donkey, fulfilling prophecy.
The biblical sycamore properly called, "sycamore-fig" is a large, wide-spreading evergreen tree with mulberry like leaves and clusters of edible, fig-like fruit. Unlike North American or European sycamores, this tree is native to Egypt and the mild lowlands of ancient Israel, prized for its dense shade, resilient wood and agricultural value.
In the Gospel of Luke 19:1-10, Jesus calls Zacchaeus down from a sycamore tree, as the tax collector was short in stature and wanted to desperately see Jesus. Zacchaeus was so overwhelmed, he immediately repented to give to the poor.
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