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Keypoints on this page
	There are many trees mentioned in the Bible and some of them have significant, symbolic meanings.
	The trees mentioned in Genesis, in the account of events in the Garden of Eden, are particularly important.
	Another tree, the Fig tree, is used in the Bible as a symbol of Israel and revealed details about their future.

A symbol is ‘a thing conventionally regarded as typifying, representing or recalling something, especially an idea or quality’ (Concise Oxford Dictionary). We know that the many symbols used throughout the Bible are divinely chosen by God to emphasise and give power to His message. They also give clarity to His promises as spoken through the prophets.

The symbolic representation of trees can be introduced by a passage from the prophecy of Jeremiah:

‘…blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.’ [Jeremiah 17.7,8 NIV]

As we look at a tree in our garden or on a walk in the countryside, we wonder at its sturdiness, at its changing appearance in relation to the seasons, at its beautiful foliage, its textured bark and its fruit. We can see the hand of God in its creation. Of this we can have no doubt, designed and nurtured on that day of creation, everything created to manifest God’s glory.

The Bible contains many symbolic references to different types of trees, each with their own set of unique characteristics enabling them to be used very specifically to emphasise a point or to demonstrate a lesson. Some of these are listed in the table shown below:

Trees in the Garden of Eden
Trees are first used as symbols in the second chapter of Genesis where we read:

‘And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.’ [Genesis 2.9]

These trees we believe are unique in their own spheres, for if they were the same tree Eve could have eaten the forbidden fruit with impunity. It is difficult to ascertain which types of tree these were in the garden of Eden.

What is clear is that the tree of life is used symbolically throughout the Bible to represent the way of salvation through Jesus Christ. Adam and Eve were forbidden to eat of the tree of life after they had sinned, for as we read in Paul’s letter to the Romans ‘the wages of sin is death.’ [Romans 6.23] We read in Genesis that the tree of life was to be guarded by cherubims. [Genesis 3.24] By contrast through the saving work of Christ we have an opportunity to become like the tree of life and obtain its symbolic fruits if we believe in God and obey His Word, as the wise man Solomon wrote:

‘She (wisdom) is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed.’ [Proverbs 3.18 NIV]

‘The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise.’ [Proverbs 11.30 NIV]

‘The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life…’ [Proverbs 15.4 NIV]

The way to the tree that was barred to our first parents in the first book of the Bible will be opened up as promised by God. This is reaffirmed in the last book of the Bible where we read:

‘... To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.’ [Revelation 2.7 NIV]

Trees of Righteousness

Date Palms

The Date Palm
The botanical name for the date palm is Phoenix dactylifera. Phoenicia, an ancient maritime nation and neighbour of Israel, means the land of the palms and Jericho was known as the city of palms. In the book of Psalms it is declared that ‘The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree.’ [Psalm 92.12] Therefore palms are symbols of righteousness as they grow steadily upwards towards heaven. They are crowned with leaves, symbols of victory and this reminds us how the Jews greeted Jesus on his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. They took branches of palm trees and went to meet him shouting ‘Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.’ [John 12.13] This also points forward to the time when Jesus will return to the earth to be truly victorious as expressed in the last book of the Bible. [Revelation 7.9,10]

Other characteristics of the palm tree also symbolise the attributes of the righteous, living in the ways of God. If it is given a degree of moisture it can flourish in any soil and its growth is perfectly straight; even when it is heavily weighted with fruit, it never bends downwards towards the earth. The tree can grow to 30 metres (100 feet) in height and yet has no branches. It can avoid the interests of other ‘opportunist’ trees and bushes or climbers which can attach themselves to neighbouring trees and in some cases bring them to the ground. We are told throughout the Bible that we must try and live our lives in an upright way, growing nearer and nearer to our Heavenly Father. We know that Jesus set us this example which is beautifully and symbolically described in the Song of Solomon, a book which is recognised to represent the future union of Christ and his symbolic bride, the church (or 'ecclesia'):

‘How beautiful you are and how pleasing, O love, with your delights! Your stature is like that of the palm, and your breasts like clusters of fruit.’ [Song of Songs 7.6,7 NIV]

We then must let this symbology have an effect on us, to have an influence on our lives as we are instructed in God’s Word:

‘He whose walk is upright fears the LORD, but he whose ways are devious despises him.’ [Proverbs 14.2 NIV]

And again

‘For the grace of God that brings salvation hath appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age,’ [Titus 2.11,12 NIV]

Cedars of Lebanon and Oaks of Bashan

Cedars of Lebanon

Cedars of Lebanon
The Cedars of Lebanon are regarded as the most magnificent of trees, often reaching 37 metres (120 feet) in height and some 12 metres (40 feet) in girth. The Oaks of Bashan grow to a lesser height of 15 metres (50 feet) or so. Both trees are used in Scripture to represent proud and eminent people who are well established and prospering by the world’s reckoning. The Scriptures tell us that the pride of man will be brought low when God’s plan for this earth comes to fruition and His promises are fulfilled. Once again the symbology of trees is used to describe this:

‘The LORD Almighty has a day in store for all the proud and lofty, for all that is exalted (and they will be humbled), for all the cedars of Lebanon, tall and lofty, and all the oaks of Bashan.’ [Isaiah 2.12,13 NIV]

Again we can see this symbology used in the prophecy of Zechariah where it refers to those seen as great in the Jewish nation:

‘Open your doors, O Lebanon, so that fire may devour your cedars! Wail, O pine tree, for the cedar has fallen; the stately trees are ruined! Wail, O oaks of Bashan; the dense forest has been cut down!’ [Zechariah 11.1,2 NIV]

This prophecy was fulfilled in the first century AD when the Roman armies entered the land from the north, passing through Lebanon and Bashan on their way to besiege Jerusalem. The city which had previously witnessed the cruel death of their Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ, was inhabited at that time by an unrepentant people who were to experience the wrath of God, so accurately predicted in this prophecy in Zechariah.

The parable of Jotham
In this Old Testament parable, which we can read in its entirety in Judges chapter nine, trees are again used symbolically to represent influential men among the people. Each type of tree represented characters and groups of people prominent in Jotham’s life. Jotham was the youngest son of Gideon and the only surviving brother of 70 in number as a result of the murderous actions of Abimelech. He had killed Jotham’s siblings and potential contenders to the throne, to pursue his solitary kingship.

However, Jotham through his symbolic imagery, was to place a curse on him and the people of Shechem, for the way he and they had treated his brothers. Jotham uses the Olive, the Fig and the Vine to represent his father and brothers who had previously declined kingship. [Judges 9.7-13] The Bramble or Briar (NIV Thornbush) is a fitting representation of ungodly Abimelech and the Cedars of Lebanon represent (perhaps sarcastically) the leaders of Shechem. This use of symbology was not an unusual mode of communication to those in Bible times and it remains a powerful visual lesson for us today.

The Fig Tree
The first of the fruit trees to be recorded in God’s Word, [Genesis 3.7] this tree is used symbolically throughout the Bible. First of all, it is associated with God’s promise of long continued well being and prosperity, as the wise man Solomon wrote:

‘He who tends a fig-tree will eat its fruit, and he who looks after his master will be honoured.’ [Proverbs 27.18 NIV]

During Solomon’s lifetime Judah and Israel lived in safety, each man under his own vine and fig tree. [1 Kings 4.25 NIV] However the fig tree was to be found in prophetic warnings that the above feelings of contentment could be shattered:

‘I will ruin her vines and her fig-trees, which she said were her pay from her lovers; I will make them a thicket, and wild animals will devour them.’ [Hosea 2.12 NIV]

‘The vine is dried up and the fig-tree is withered; the pomegranate, the palm and the apple tree- all the trees of the field- are dried up. Surely the joy of mankind is withered away.’ [Joel 1.12 NIV]

The fig tree was also used in a parable by Jesus, in which it represents the nation of Israel. [Luke13.6-9]. In this parable Jesus is the dresser of the vineyard. The owner of the vineyard is God, and the fruitless tree was Israel. Jesus had tried throughout his ministry to cultivate an interest in God’s Word. He had walked in the vineyard that was the land of Israel hoping to see some fruits from his work. The owner was disappointed and decided to cut the tree down.

However, as the dresser of the vineyard, Jesus wanted to give it more time and effort (There is possibly a reference here to the Law of Moses relating to fruiting trees as set out in Leviticus 19.23-25). Also the dressers perseverance again could be seen as symbolic as it was recognised in Bible times that the fig was a slow growing tree and demanded years of patient labour and attention. It was regarded as a calamity if the tree failed and had to be destroyed - and so it was a national calamity when the fig tree nation of Israel failed to please God and was eventually removed from the land.

As we have dwelt upon the trees of the Bible and their symbolism, the most powerful and significant lesson for us must be that, like the many varieties of trees, we too come in varying shapes and sizes. Each of us has our own unique defining characteristics with our own strengths and fruits to offer, but the one thing we must do and are commanded to do, is to trust in God and read and understand His Word. We must let it affect our whole lives so it helps us to grow upright, that we may be strong in faith and fruitful, looking forward to the fulfilment of God’s promises and the opportunity to eat from the tree of life.

‘Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.’ [Psalm 1.1-3 NIV]