Date Palms – The Prophetic Royal Tree
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ALSO AVAILABLE IN: Indonesian
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“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing; To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him†(Psalm 92:13-15)
Years ago I heard my first lesson about palm. This tree, which scientific name is Phoenix dactylifera L. (in English is specifically called as Date Palm), together with coconut, its relative,  is from Arecaceae / Palmae family. Today date palms has been cultivated in vast amount in Indonesia because the fruit are in great demand among the Muslims. The journey of one date palm to grow in an desert-like environment from seed to a fruitful plant mirrors the life and the growth of the life of the writer of the Psalm above.
In God’s plan, the date palm is one of the very few plants that can grow in deserts. In a sandy and dry environment, the seed of the date palm does not immediately die and grow above the ground for many years. Through those years, the seed dies and grows root deep into the ground, looking for any source of water and the deeper it grows, the stronger it becomes. By the farmer, the seed of the date palm is covered by a stone to make sure that the desert storm won’t flow away the seed buried in desert sand. Thus the roots can continue growing its roots deeper and stronger into the ground.
When the roots find water, in one turn of a moment we will see the shoot coming out of the sand after long years of waiting. Within only a very short time, the palm tree will grow strong and tall and no strong desert storms can shake or uproot it until it bears fruit continuously until a very old age.
Often, people want to see result and succeed overnight, only to fall and be uprooted by the storms of life. But God wants His children to grow like a date palm. Psalm 92 is a song for Shabbat, the day of rest for God. On his day of rest, God wants us to look back into our lives and tap ourselves on our shoulders having gone through a long journey of growing and maturing, feeding ourselves from the Living Water, becoming a shelter and light bearer to the Source of Life for those who are still growing and maturing in the desert. While we continue helping others, we continue to bear more and more fruit for the Kingdom of God and fulfill His eternal plan.. .. .
 
When Moses was called to lead Israel from Egypt, the promise that God constantly repeat to the nation was,
And I am coming down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, to bring them up out of that land, to a good land, a large land, to a land flowing with milk and honey (Ex 3:8)
Historic research show that the honey that God referred to was honey made out of juice of the dates.
In pre-Christian times the palm was regarded as a symbol of victory (Aulus Gellius (ca. 125 CE—after 180 CE, in “Noct. Att.”, III, vi). It is said, “The Palm is the symbol of victory because the trunk does not give in when pressure is infliced upon it.”
The date palm is also a symbol of Christian victory over death. Origen (Greek: ὨÏιγÎνης ÅŒrigénÄ“s, Origen Adamantius, circa 185–254) said that the date palm is the symbol of victory in that war waged by the spirit against the flesh. In this sense it was especially applicable to martyrs. Martyrs are people who died defending the truth of the Christ and also people who have conquered over their carnal flesh.
After these things I looked, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of all nations and kindreds and people and tongues, stood before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palms in their hands. (Rev 7:9)
Those people on white robes, holding palm leaves, are people who had passed through all the tribulation. Now they are standing proudly in the presence of the Lord!
Because of its way in growing, its strength, benefits, beauty and all other excelllences, date palm is highly valued as royal plantation. Its pictures could be found everywhere in the Tabernacle built by King Solomon.
“And he (Solomon) carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without.” (1 Raj 6:29 )
Waving branches of palm is common, even has been instructed by God, to do on national celebrations in Israel. Leviticus 23:40 ff explain us about the prophetical Feast of Tabernacles,
“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.”
It is crucial for all of us to be aware that each of the feasts, which are commanded by God to Israelites,  are prophecies. They have been fulfilled in the life of Christ or will be fulfilled on His second coming.
On the Lord’s prophetical visitation some time before the Passover, Lord Jesus moved from Bethany towards the Temple.
“On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, 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!”” (John 12:12,13).
The very great multitude spread their garments in the way and strawed green branches from the trees, including palm, shouting the King of kings, who entered Jerusalem through the Eastern Golden Gate, with the voice of triumph.
Some months ago I’ve just realized how the coconut trees, which is in the family of palm, grow a lot in this home town of mine, North Sulawesi, which is called as ‘Waving Palms’ province. With its capital city, Manado, which is claimed by many as the ‘Jerusalem of Indonesia’, North Sulawesi is located on the upper front of Indonesia, where the warriors of Christ have to watch especially in this northern veranda of the integrated nation of Republic Indonesia, in direct confrontation with the demonic covering which is set by Satan upon Indonesia in order to blockade God’s great movement in this end time.
So let us become like palm trees all over this country. Let us all keep on waving and reaching our palms of hands towards the heaven, preparing this Eastern Golden Gate highway for the coming of the King of kings!
Barukh Hasheem Adonai!
Posted by Mary Rita Salaa
on June 30, 2011. Filed under Ev. Mary Rita Salaa, Spritual & Character Growth, Teachings, Writers.
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