Today is the day of the Florida primaries (1/31/12) so I thought it appropriate to share information on a symbol of Florida, the palm tree.
The Hebrew word for palm tree is תמר ‘tamar’ which has the meaning of an erect standing palm tree or pillar.
Believers in Messiah are likened unto palm trees.
Psa 92:12 The righteous shall flourish (פרח ‘parach’ – blossom, bear fruit) as the palm tree (Palms and evergreens are linked together as Palm trees are evergreens…Jeremiah 10:5).
Psa 92:13 Those planted in the house of YHWH, in the courts of our God, shall flourish.
Psa 92:14 They shall bear fruit in old age; they shall be fat and fresh,
Psa 92:15 to declare that YHWH is upright (ישר ‘yashar’ – this is a description of the palm), my Rock! And in Him is no evil.
Son 7:7 Your stature compares to a palm tree, and your breasts to clusters of grapes.
Upright ישר ‘yashar.’ Israel is called Jeshurun. Jeshuron comes from ישר ‘yashar.’
Isa 44:2 So says YHWH, who made you and formed you from the womb. He helps you. Do not fear, My servant Jacob; and you, Jeshurun whom I have elected.
Deu 33:26 None is like the God of Jeshurun, riding the heavens for your help, and the clouds in His majesty.
Psa 1:1 Blessed (אשר ‘asher’ literally means an upright one, from the same root as ‘yashar’) is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly, and has not stood in the way of sinners, and has not sat in the seat of scorners.
Psa 1:2 But his delight is only in the Law of YHWH, and he meditates in His Law day and night.
Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivulets of waters, which will give its fruit in its seasons, and its leaf will not wither, and all which he does will prosper.
The palm tree is a perfect portrayal of a tree planted by the rivers of water.
The temple, which is a picture of Messiah and His body, had palm trees carved into it.
1Ki 6:29 And all the walls of the house all around he carved with figures of cherubs and palm trees, and spread out flowers inside and out.
1Ki 6:30 And he overlaid the floor of the house with gold, inside and out.
1Ki 6:31 As to the entrance of the Holy of Holies, he made doors of the olive tree; the lintel, the side posts, being a fifty part.
1Ki 6:32 And the two doors were of olive wood. And he carved on them carvings of cherubs, and palm trees, and spread out flowers; and he overlaid them with gold. And he caused the gold to go down on the cherubs and on the palm trees.
1Ki 6:33 So also he made side posts for the entrance of the temple from the olive tree, a fourth part.
1Ki 6:34 And the two doors were of fir wood; the two sides of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.
1Ki 6:35 And he carved cherubs, and palm trees, and spread out flowers, and overlaid them with gold fitted on the carved work.
1Ki 6:36 And he built the inner court, three rows of hewn stone, and a row of cedar beams.
1Ki 6:37 The house of YHWH was founded in the fourth year, in the month of Zif.
The palm tree is likened unto a man wearing a crown.
Smith Bible Dictionary
“Its trunk is straight, tall and unbroken, terminating in a crown of emerald-green plumes.”
Palms are further linked to crowned individuals through the town of Bethany. Bethany literally means ‘house of dates.’
Jesus was in Bethany before His ‘triumphal entry’ (Luke 19:29) and returned there afterwards (Matthew 21:17). Messiah ascended from Bethany as well. It was at the ‘triumphal entry’ of Messiah, proclaiming Him as King, that branches of the palm tree were waived.
Luk 19:29 And it happened as He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany toward the Mount called Of Olives, He sent two of the disciples,
Luk 19:30 saying, Go into the village opposite you, in which having entered you will find a colt having been tied up, on which no one of men ever yet sat. Untying it, bring it.
Luk 19:31 And if anyone asks, Why do you untie it? you shall say to them, The Lord has need of it.
Luk 19:32 And going, those having been sent found as He told them.
Luk 19:33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, Why do you untie the colt?
Luk 19:34 And they said, The Lord has need of it.
Luk 19:35 And they led it to Jesus. And throwing their garments on the colt, they put Jesus on it.
Luk 19:36 And as He went, they were spreading their garments in the highway.
Luk 19:37 And as He was already drawing near to the descent of the Mount of Olives, all the multitude of the disciples began rejoicing, to praise God with a loud voice concerning all the works of power which they saw,
Luk 19:38 saying, “Blessed is the One coming in the name of the Lord,” the King. Peace in Heaven, and glory in the highest! Psa. 118:26
Joh 12:12 On the morrow, coming to the Feast, hearing that Jesus is coming to Jerusalem, a great crowd
Joh 12:13 took palm branches and went out to a meeting with Him, and they were crying out, Hosanna! “Being blessed is the One coming in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel!” Psa. 118:26
Joh 12:14 And finding an ass colt, Jesus sat on it, even as it had been written,
Joh 12:15 “Do not fear,” “daughter of Zion. Behold, your King comes” “sitting on” “the foal of an ass.” Isa. 40:9; Zech. 9:9
Bethany is where Messiah ascended into Heaven. His ascension is linked with Him being King.
Luk 24:50 He led them out as far as to Bethany. And lifting up His hands, He blessed them.
Luk 24:51 And it happened as He blessed them, He withdrew from them and was carried into Heaven.
Psa 68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.
Heb 1:3 who being the shining splendor of His glory, and the express image of His essence, and upholding all things by the Word of His power, having made purification of our sins through Himself, He sat down on the right of the Majesty on high, Psa. 110:1
Heb 1:4 having become so much better than the angels, He has inherited a name more excellent than they.
Heb 1:5 For to which of the angels did He ever say, “You are My Son; today I have begotten You”? And again, “I will be a Father to Him, and He shall be a Son to Me.” Psalm 2:7
Psa 2:6 Yea, I have set My king on My holy mount on Zion.
Psa 2:7 I will declare concerning the statute of Jehovah: He said to Me, You are My Son. Today I have begotten You.
Rev 7:9 After these things I saw, and behold, a great crowd which no one was able to number them, out of every nation, even tribes and peoples and tongues, standing in front of the throne, and before the Lamb, having been clothed with white robes, and in their hands palm branches.
Rev 7:10 And they cry with a great voice, saying, Salvation to our God sitting on the throne, and to the Lamb.
70 Palms for 70 nations
Exo 15:27 And they came to Elim. And there were twelve springs of water and seventy palm trees. And they camped by the waters.
Deu 32:8 when the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance; when He separated the sons of Adam, He set up the bounds of the peoples, according to the number of the sons of Israel.
The Hebrew word for the branch of a palm tree is כפה ‘kapheh’ which comes from the root כף ‘kaph’ which means the palm of the hand.
The hand = body of Messiah
Lines drawn into the ‘hand’ of the Most High
Isa 49:15 Can a woman forget her suckling child, from pitying the son of her womb? Yes, these may forget, yet I will surely not forget you.
Isa 49:16 Behold, I have carved you on the palms of My hands; your walls are always before Me.
WALLS=Lines on Hands=12 Walls of Israel (Revelation 21:12-27). 12 lines on the 4 fingers=12 tribes, 12 walls.
Dates
The type of palm tree mentioned in Scripture is the date palm, the fruit of which is the date. The word in Hebrew for date דבש, is the same word for honey.
Honey is likened unto the Word.
Psa 119:103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
The fruit of the righteous, healing and the tree of life
Pro 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he who takes hold of souls is wise.
Pro 15:4 A wholesome (מרפא ‘marpe’ – healing) tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it is a break of the spirit.
Pro 16:24 Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.
Rev 22:2 In the midst of its street and of the river, from here and from there, was a tree of life producing twelve fruits: according to one month each yielding its fruit. And the leaves of the tree were for healing of the nations.
Dates have a high tannin content and are used medicinally as a detersive (having cleansing power) and astringent in intestinal troubles. As an infusion, decoction, syrup, or paste, dates may be administered for sore throat, colds, bronchial catarrh, and taken to relieve fever and a number of other complaints. The seed powder is also used in some traditional medicines.
The promised land is spoken of as a land of milk and honey.
Deu 6:3 Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the LORD God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey.
It is interesting to note that the other most well known type of palm tree bears coconuts, which produces ‘milk.’
Date Seed
The survival time of a date seed is unknown. There is record of a date palm seed sprouting after being in ‘storage’ for 2000 years. {Seed from Masada is the oldest to germinate – http://articles.latimes.com/2008/jun/13/science/sci-methuselah13}
The Word is likened unto Seed
Luk 8:11 And this is the parable: The seed is the Word of God.
Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
The Palm & the Resurrection
The Greek word for Palm tree is φοῖνιξ ‘phoenix.’
‘Phoenix’ is used in the book of Job translated as palm tree.
LXX
Job 29:18 And I said, My age shall continue as the stem of a palm tree; I shall live a long while.
Job 29:18 Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply days like the sand.
Job 29:19 My root was open to the waters, and the dew lay all night on my branch.
Job 29:20 My glory was fresh with me, and my bow was renewed in my hand.
In Job 29:18, ‘phoenix’ is used to translate the Hebrew word חול ‘chol’ which means sand. Sand is a picture of the body of Messiah and is linked to the resurrection, as seen in a previous tidbit.
Sand and the palm are further linked through the word תמרור ‘tamror’ which comes from the root תמר ‘tamar’ which means a palm tree.
Jer 31:21 Set up road marks for yourself; make sign posts for yourself. Set your heart toward the highway, even the way you went. Turn again, O virgin of Israel; turn again to these cities of yours.
Waymarks or signposts are linked to Zion, His body. Zion literally means a signpost or waymark.
ציוּן
tsı̂yûn
BDB Definition:
1) signpost, monument, market
Zion comes from the following root speaking of the desert.
Which means a sign or waymark
In ancient Egypt the Bennu bird and the Date Palm were given the same name and in many cases were considered synonymous
The Phoenix is an emblem of the resurrection amongst early believers.
Clement 1st Epistle to the Corinthians: Chapter XXV.—The phœnix an emblem of our resurrection.
“Let us consider that wonderful sign [of the resurrection] which takes place in Eastern lands, that is, in Arabia and the countries round about. There is a certain bird which is called a phœnix. This is the only one of its kind, and lives five hundred years. And when the time of its dissolution draws near that it must die, it builds itself a nest of frankincense, and myrrh, and other spices, into which, when the time is fulfilled, it enters and dies. But as the flesh decays a certain kind of worm is produced, which, being nourished by the juices of the dead bird, brings forth feathers. Then, when it has acquired strength, it takes up that nest in which are the bones of its parent, and bearing these it passes from the land of Arabia into Egypt, to the city called Heliopolis. And, in open day, flying in the sight of all men, it places them on the altar of the sun, and having done this, hastens back to its former abode. The priests then inspect the registers of the dates, and find that it has returned exactly as the five hundredth year was completed.”
littleguyintheeye@gmail.com
Little Guy in the Eye 