Ezekiel 31:1–18 Pharoah Shall Be Slain

[Study Aired September 9, 2024]

Introduction

Today’s study continues with the prophecy against Egypt with focus on Pharoah, the King of Egypt. As we have indicated in previous studies, Pharoah represents our old man or flesh. Today’s study compares Pharoah to the Assyrian who is likened to a cedar of Lebanon.

As we are aware, the Bible is full of metaphors and sometimes it compares our walk with the Lord with the growth of trees. A metaphor is a figure of speech that implicitly compares two unrelated things, typically by stating that one thing is another. For example, we, His elect, are likened to palm trees and cedars of Lebanon.

Psa 92:12  The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. 
Psa 92:13  Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.
Psa 92:14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;

The house of the Lord is the same as the courts of our God. These verses therefore show us that it is when we are given to come into the assembly of the Lord’s elect, that is the house of the Lord, that we grow spiritually like trees as a result of what every joints supplies, that is, the water of the word.

Heb 12:22  But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, 
Heb 12:23  To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 
Heb 12:24  And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.
Heb 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:  

Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.   

Our growth spiritually, is dependent on our fellowship with our brothers and sisters as we all grow together in the unity of the faith. This unity of the faith means that we all have the same mind of Christ.

1Co 1:10  Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 

This dependence of our spiritual growth based on the fellowship of our brothers and sisters is given a witness in Proverbs which says that He who finds a wife, finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord. The wife here signifies the bride of Christ who represents the fellowship of the Lord’s elect.

Pro 18:22  Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the LORD. 

The favor of the Lord here is being given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God which comes through being part of the bride, that is, finding a wife.

In Today’s study, the focus is on the cedars of Lebanon. To understand our discussion for today, we need to know some basic characteristics of cedars of Lebanon. They grow up to 120 feet tall (about 10-12 story buildings) and their branches are wide-spreading (about 30-50 feet from its truck). They are known in Biblical times as the kings of trees. They cast down their roots as deeply as is their heights upward.

Hos 14:5  I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.

According to Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary, his roots as Lebanon means the roots of the trees of Lebanon especially cedars. A tree with deep roots is able to survive in all kinds of conditions. Apostle Paul used this to tell us to be rooted and grounded in God’s love. In other words, we must be rooted and grounded in the resources the Lord provides for us because He loves us.

Eph 3:17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 
Eph 3:18  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
Eph 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

The Assyrian Compared to Cedars of Lebanon

Eze 31:1  And it came to pass in the eleventh year, in the third month, in the first day of the month, that the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 
Eze 31:2 Son of man, speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt, and to his multitude; Whom art thou like in thy greatness? 

The number eleven signifies the ruin and disintegration of the perfection of the flesh and that of the number three is about the process of spiritual maturity through judgement. The number one shows us that everything is of God. With this in mind, the eleventh year in the third month of the first day of the month in which the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel in verse 1 signifies the coming of the Lord to His elect to start the process of spiritual maturity through His judgement of our old man or flesh.  This process entails the ruin and disintegration of our flesh. The time that our Lord comes to us with His judgement is when our sins have reached their fulness. In this case, the sins of Pharoah the King of Egypt, who represents our flesh or old man has become complete. In the Book of Revelation, it is when the sins of Babylon have reached their fulness or become complete is the time that the Lord shall come to judge her.

Rev 18:5  For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
Rev 18:6  Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
Rev 18:7  How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
Rev 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

In verse 2, Pharoah refers to our old man or our flesh and his multitude represent the people of this world who are dominated by the flesh including our brothers and sisters in the churches of this world. It is this multitude that do evil as they are dominated by the flesh. 

Exo 23:2  Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:

Exo 12:38  And a mixed multitude went up also with them; and flocks, and herds, even very much cattle.

Here in verse 2, the Lord wants to show us the dominance and the destruction of our old man by seeking a comparison with one of the greatest empire in ancient times – the Assyrian empire. By comparing our old man or flesh (Pharoah) to the Assyrian empire, the Lord is showing us how He has resourced our flesh or old man to dominate us until the set time that He has appointed, to come and deal with him. In Second Thessalonians, Paul shows us how our old man or flesh has flourished as he dominates or is worshipped by every human being until the set time that the Lord has appointed, where He comes and deal with him with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness.

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 
2Th 2:5  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Eze 31:3  Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs. 
Eze 31:4  The waters made him great, the deep set him up on high with her rivers running round about his plants, and sent out her little rivers unto all the trees of the field. 
Eze 31:5 Therefore his height was exalted above all the trees of the field, and his boughs were multiplied, and his branches became long because of the multitude of waters, when he shot forth. 

In verse 3, the Assyrian is compared with a cedar in Lebanon. In the Bible, those who are rich or kings use cedar to build houses to live in. In this case, cedars of Lebanon represent our tabernacle or our flesh or bodies since we, His elect, are spiritually rich in Christ. Since the Assyrian in verse 3 was likened to a cedar of Lebanon, it implies that the Assyrian represent our flesh or old man.

2Sa 7:2  That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.

2Sa 7:7  In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?

Son 1:17  The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.

Here in verse 3, the Lord is showing us that our old man or flesh is like a cedar of Lebanon with a shadowing shroud, high stature and its top being among the thick bough. This implies that our flesh or old man is a formidable force to deal with and it is only in Christ that we can win the victory over him.

1Co 15:57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Being a formidable force within us is another way of saying that our flesh or the beast within us is such that no one can make war with Him.

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him? 

Verse 4 focuses on the deep or the waters that makes our old man great as he sent out his little rivers unto all the trees of the field. The deep refers to the sea of mankind. The waters refers to the false doctrines of human wisdom and tradition which come from the sea of human flesh which nourish all mankind (except the Lord’s elect), signified here by the trees of the field. Our flesh from which comes the waters that nourish all mankind is another way of saying that our old man or flesh or beast is worshipped by all mankind.

Rev 13:8  And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.    

Verse 5 is about how the height of the cedar tree is exalted above all the trees of the field and his branches are long because of the multitude of waters when it shoots up. As we are aware, it is Christ our Lord who is exalted above all humanity in the world. Verse 5 starts with “therefore”, meaning that it is the waters in verse 4 which causes our flesh or old man to be exalted, thinking that he is God. These waters refer to our false doctrines in our heavens which make us believe that we have our own freewill which is the prerogative of God alone. Thus, what is being said in verse 5 is that our flesh exalts himself to the status of God because he thinks he is the one in control of his own destiny.

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 
2Th 2:5 Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?

Isa 14:13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 
Isa 14:14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Isa 14:15 Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

Eze 31:6  All the fowls of heaven made their nests in his boughs, and under his branches did all the beasts of the field bring forth their young, and under his shadow dwelt all great nations. 
Eze 31:7  Thus was he fair in his greatness, in the length of his branches: for his root was by great waters. 

All the fowls of heaven making their nests in his boughs in verse 6 signify the devil being the empowering force behind our old man or flesh.

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

The beasts of the field signifies our flesh. All the beasts of the field bringing forth their young under his branches means within us or out of our flesh comes forth false doctrines of man’s wisdom and tradition.

Act 20:30  Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. 

When we are dominated by the flesh or spiritually dead, then it means that we have been given over to the fowls of the air and the beasts of the field.

1Sa 17:44  And the Philistine said to David, Come to me, and I will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the air, and to the beasts of the field.

In verse 6, we are also told that it is under the shadow of our old man that all great nations dwell which means that everyone not born of God is under the sway of our flesh.

1Jn 5:4  For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

1Jn 5:18 We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.

Verse 7 continues the description of our flesh by indicating that our flesh or old man is like cedar which is big and beautiful with its many branches. This is because its roots reach down to many sources of water.  Just as all the good and evil things that were created by the Lord serve the very purpose for which they were created, our old man being beautiful means he serves the purpose for which it was created. Being big with many branches means our flesh has a dominant influence on people of the world except the Lord’s elect. This dominance over mankind is due to many waters or sea of flesh that he is in contact with. This many waters represent the false doctrines emanating from the sea of flesh. That means false doctrines of man’s wisdom and tradition.

Gen 1:31  And God saw everything that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

Col 2:8  Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 

Mar 7:7  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. 
Mar 7:8  For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.

Mar 7:13 Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye.

Eze 31:8  The cedars in the garden of God could not hide him: the fir trees were not like his boughs, and the chesnut trees were not like his branches; nor any tree in the garden of God was like unto him in his beauty. 
Eze 31:9  I have made him fair by the multitude of his branches: so that all the trees of Eden, that were in the garden of God, envied him. 
Eze 31:10 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because thou hast lifted up thyself in height, and he hath shot up his top among the thick boughs, and his heart is lifted up in his height; 

The reference to the garden of Eden in verses 8 and 9, where the cedar is distinct in terms of its beauty among all the trees is to let us know that the flesh or our old man was the epitome of the Lord’s creation. That is to say that the Lord’s hands specifically formed our flesh or old man to be the excellence of His creation, just as the Lord’s hands formed the crooked serpent.

Job 26:13  By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent. 

In Isaiah 14:12, our old man or flesh is referred to as Lucifer, the son of the morning. The accolade “Lucifer” which means the shining one and son of the morning all describes our old man’s status as the excellency of the Lord’s creation. However, being worshipped by the whole world resulted in pride and therefore had to be brought down through the Lord’s judgement. This is all part of the Lord’s work as our flesh or the beast within was made to be taken and destroyed.

Isa 14:12  How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 
Isa 14:13  For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Isa 14:14  I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
Isa 14:15  Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.
Isa 14:16 They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms;

2Pe 2:12  But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption;

Jud 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

The Lord’s Judgement

Eze 31:11  I have therefore delivered him into the hand of the mighty one of the heathen; he shall surely deal with him: I have driven him out for his wickedness. 
Eze 31:12  And strangers, the terrible of the nations, have cut him off, and have left him: upon the mountains and in all the valleys his branches are fallen, and his boughs are broken by all the rivers of the land; and all the people of the earth are gone down from his shadow, and have left him. 
Eze 31:13 Upon his ruin shall all the fowls of the heaven remain, and all the beasts of the field shall be upon his branches: 

As indicated in verse 11, as a result of the wickedness of our old man or flesh, the Lord has come to judge him by giving him over into the hands of the mighty one of the heathens. The mighty one of the heathen signifies the devil whom the Lord has given over the kingdoms of this world. Thus, delivering our old man or flesh to the devil implies being judged, resulting in the death of our flesh or old man.  We must remember that the man who slept with his father’s wife and was therefore handed over to Satan was for the purpose of the destruction of his flesh.

1Co 5:3  For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
1Co 5:4  In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Co 5:5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.

In verse 12, the Lord will use foreigners from the most ruthless nation to judge our flesh. The instrument of judgement here is the sword which the Lord shall cause every man’s sword to be against his brother.

Eze 38:21 And I will call for a sword against him throughout all my mountains, saith the Lord GOD: every man’s sword shall be against his brother.

Jdg 7:22 And the three hundred [men with Gideon] blew the trumpets, and the LORD set every man’s sword against his fellow, even throughout all the host [of the Midianites]: and the host fled to Bethshittah in Zererath, and to the border of Abelmeholah, unto Tabbath.

As a result of the Lord’s judgement, its branches fell on the mountains and every valley with his broken branches falling into all the rivers of the land. In the Bible mountains and valleys can signify worship sites or the assembly of believers. This implies that it is through the assembly of the Lord’s elect and the word of the Lord that we come to see the destruction of our old man or flesh which prepares us to be manifested as the sons of God. That is what will result in the salvation of all humanity as the people of the earth come out of the shade of the flesh or old man.

Eze 6:3 Say this, ‘You mountains of Israel, listen to the word of the Almighty LORD! This is what the Almighty LORD says to the mountains and hills and to the ravines and valleys: I am going to attack you with a sword and destroy your worship sites.

Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 
Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,
Rom 8:21 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

In verse 13, we are told that on its fallen trunk dwell all the birds of heaven and on its branches are all the beasts of the field. It is as we are judged that we come to see that our old man received his power from the devil. We also come to realize that we are indeed beast before our Lord.

Psa 73:22  So foolish was I, and ignorant: I was as a beast before thee. 

Ecc 3:18  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts. 

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Eze 31:14  To the end that none of all the trees by the waters exalt themselves for their height, neither shoot up their top among the thick boughs, neither their trees stand up in their height, all that drink water: for they are all delivered unto death, to the nether parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with them that go down to the pit. 

As we have indicated, trees represent people. The judgement of the Lord together with His elect during the lake of fire age shall result in the salvation of all people of every age. This judgement shall destroy the pride in man and everything that mitigate against the rule of Christ in the lives of all humanity. It shall also destroy all the false doctrines of man’s wisdom and tradition which is signified here in verse 14 by the stopping of the flow of the many water sources. The old man of every man or woman shall be destroyed completely as symbolized by the trees being given over to death.

1Ti 4:9  This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
1Ti 4:10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.        

1Ti 2:3  For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.  

In this age however, it is only the Lord’s elect that are being judged to become saviors of all mankind as judgement shall be given to them to judge the human race from every generation.

1Pe 4:17  For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? 
1Pe 4:18 And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?

1Co 6:2  Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 
1Co 6:3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

Rev 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

Eze 31:15 Thus saith the Lord GOD; In the day when he went down to the grave I caused a mourning: I covered the deep for him, and I restrained the floods thereof, and the great waters were stayed: and I caused Lebanon to mourn for him, and all the trees of the field fainted for him.

Here in verse 15, we are being told that the judgement of our old man or flesh as the Lord’s elect is an evil experience as we mourn during this process of His judgement. That is why the two witnesses in the Book of Revelation were clothed in sackcloth to symbolize the mourning of the Lord’s elect as we go through the Lord’s judgement in this age.

Rev 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth. 

Verse 15 emphasizes the benefits of the Lord’s judgement as the Lord destroys all the false doctrines in our heavens by covering the waters from the sea and holding back the rivers to stop the many water sources from flowing in our hearts and minds.

Verse 15 also indicates that all those in Lebanon shall mourn the destruction of our flesh. Lebanon means white. On a positive note, white refers to the light of the truth of the word of the Lord. In other words, it is those whose garments are being made white who are given to know the truth of the Lord’s words. Thus, Lebanon being caused to mourn our old man’s destruction means that the Lord’s elect shall mourn as we go through the Lord’s judgement of our old man.

Ecc 9:8  Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment.   

Isa 1:18  Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

In verse 15, we are made aware that all the trees of the field faint for the destruction of our old man. The word “faint” used in verse 15 means mourning according to Strong’s Dictionary. The trees of the field refers to all humanity who are not given to know Christ in this age. This implies that all humanity shall also mourn the death of their old man as they go through the Lord’s judgement during the lake of fire age.

Eze 31:16  I made the nations to shake at the sound of his fall, when I cast him down to hell with them that descend into the pit: and all the trees of Eden, the choice and best of Lebanon, all that drink water, shall be comforted in the nether parts of the earth. 
Eze 31:17  They also went down into hell with him unto them that be slain with the sword; and they that were his arm, that dwelt under his shadow in the midst of the heathen. 
Eze 31:18 To whom art thou thus like in glory and in greatness among the trees of Eden? yet shalt thou be brought down with the trees of Eden unto the nether parts of the earth: thou shalt lie in the midst of the uncircumcised with them that be slain by the sword. This is Pharaoh and all his multitude, saith the Lord GOD. 

It is instructive to note that in verse 16, the nations shall shake at the sound of the destruction of our old man. The nations mentioned here refers to non-Hebrew people. In other words, those who are not the Lord’s elect. The word “shake” is used most of the time in the Bible to indicate the Lord’s judgement as shown in the following verses:

Hag 2:7  And I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the LORD of hosts. 

Joe 3:16  The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

The nations shaking at the noise of the destruction of the old man of the Lord’s elect therefore implies that the judgement of the Lord’s people or elect shall have repercussions on the rest of humanity as the Lord’s elect are being prepared to judge all humanity. In verse 16, the judgement of all humanity is what will result in the comforting of all trees of Eden, the choicest and the best of Lebanon as they all shall drink the water of life. All the trees of Eden, together with the choicest and the best of Lebanon refers to all humanity of God’s creation.

Rev 22:1  And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.
Rev 22:2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.

Verse 17 continues with the judgement of all humanity as it states that they (the nations) had gone down in the grave with the tree which represents our flesh or old man. All those who live in the tree’s shadow represent all those who are dominated by the flesh. They shall be judged by the Lord as indicated by their scattering among the nations.

In verse 18, we are made aware that Pharoah is the cedar of Lebanon who represents our flesh or old man and that the judgement of our flesh will surely be carried out by the Lord to lay waste our old man. This is to assure us that what the Lord has begun in us, He is able to bring to completion as He makes us His vessels of honor.

May His name be praised. Amen!!

By God’s mercy being shown to His people today through judgment (1Pe 4:17), we can come to a place of being able to deeply praise God and say with all that is in us “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name”(Psa 103:1).

That “all” that is within me, is all of us working together as one body as we glorify God with that same mind, which is the mind of Christ that recognizes the many joints that supply and give thanks to God for the wonderful works (raising and calming of the storms) that He is doing within the body of Christ which we are.

Joh 14:20  At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.

1Co 12:12  For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

Eph 4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Psa 107:31  Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
Psa 107:32  Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.
Psa 107:33  He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;
Psa 107:34  A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.
Psa 107:35  He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.
Psa 107:36  And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;
Psa 107:37  And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.
Psa 107:38  He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.
Psa 107:39  Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.
Psa 107:40  He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.
Psa 107:41  Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.
Psa 107:42  The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.
Psa 107:43  Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the LORD.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Those works of judgment – “the lovingkindness of the Lord” – within our own heavens, which God’s word defines as His work (“For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands” Eph 2:10) will result  in the fruit or increase or triumph that God gives to those who are given to properly identify the enemy within our own carnal minds that needs to be renewed daily and be conformed to the mind of Christ and no longer to the world as we die daily (Rom 12:2-3, 1Co 1:26, 1Co 15:31). That dying daily happens when we “fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church” and will bring about the rejoicing and blessing of the Lord “with all that is within me [us]”.

The cleansing of the inside of our cup is a gift of God that must unfold if we are going to be able to love our enemies, and forgive them from our hearts within.

Luk 23:34  Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.

Mat 6:15  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Mat 18:35  So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

We can by His hand working in our lives today come to see that the chastening and scourging and judging which are an ongoing trimming of our own lamps “is, was and will be” what is needed if we are going to be a city set on a hill whose builder and maker is God.

Mat 5:14  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Mat 5:15  Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

Psa 127:1  A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

In this particular study we will look at the last part of our three-part study entitled “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name”, and examine the correlation of that verse with verses 11 to 15 of Psalms 92. We will see all this as simply another way of defining “the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Heb 13:15).

God causes this “flourishing” within His vineyard as a witness to all of the world of the joy of His kingdom, of which we are experiencing within ourselves today in earnest, knowing that one day in the fullness, when “in a moment, in the  twinkling of an eye”, we will praise God for the ultimate deliverance from our flesh, even as we praise him today for helping us to endure until the end.

Heb 13:15  By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

1Co 15:52  In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

Psa 18:49  Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.
Psa 18:50  Great deliverance giveth he to his king; and sheweth mercy to his anointed, to David, and to his seed for evermore.

Rev 5:10  And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.

Col 1:14  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Col 1:15  Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:
Col 1:16  For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

Job 38:6  Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;
Job 38:7  When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Psa 92:11  Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.
Psa 92:12  The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Psa 92:13  Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.
Psa 92:14 They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
Psa 92:15  To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

Psa 92:11  Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.

It should sound foreign to our ears to think of this admonition in verse 11 as applying only to someone outside of ourselves. God has given His people to see how blessed we are to know that His goodness enables us to examine ourselves daily so that “Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me” within ourselves.

2Co 13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Rom 2:4  Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

Mat 7:5  Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.

If we’re not attentive to the fact that sin is at the door and desires to rule over us, then the devil will find his foothold on our complacent hearts that have forgotten that we are the man, and our own worse enemy, and that we must be bringing every thought into subjection unto Christ so that we can rule and reign over that man of sin within us who wants to dominate our spiritual heavens by having us forget where the battle resides; just as verse 10 reminds us where our strength comes from.

Gen 4:7  If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

2Sa 12:7  And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;

2Pe 1:9  But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins.

Eph 4:27  Neither give place to the devil. (KJV)

Eph 4:27  And do not give the devil a foothold (NIV)

Eph 4:27  Neither be giving place unto the adversary; (Rotherham)

Eph 4:27  And give no place to the Accuser.(Murdock)

Eph 4:27  Don’t give the devil a way to defeat you. (ERV)

Eph 4:27  Don’t give the devil any opportunity to work.(GW)

Eph 4:28  Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
Eph 4:29  Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

2Co 10:5  When we pull down, calculations, and every height that uplifteth itself against the knowledge of God, and when we bring into captivity every thought unto the obedience of the Christ,

Eph 6:11  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12  Because our struggle is not against blood and flesh, but, against the principalities, against the authorities, against the world-holders, of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenlies.
Eph 6:13  Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Psa 92:10  But my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn: I shall be anointed with fresh oil.
Psa 92:11  Mine eye also shall see my desire on mine enemies, and mine ears shall hear my desire of the wicked that rise up against me.

Psa 92:12  The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.
Psa 92:13  Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God.

The righteous are likened to a palm tree and a cedar in Lebanon in verse 12.

In John 12:13 they took branches of palm trees and “went forth to meet him” crying “Hosanna”. In the early stages of our walk, we want to “meet him”, the physical Christ and Saviour, and we cry “Hosanna” which means ‘Save now!’ or ‘Save, we beseech’, which according to Easton’s dictionary was a customary form of acclamation at the feast of Tabernacles. This praise is genuine and heartfelt, but short-lived when the flesh comes to realize that Christ has not come to save ‘now’ at this particular time.

Joh 12:13  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.

Hosanna  Save now! or Save, we beseech, (Mat_21:9). This was a customary form of acclamation at the feast of Tabernacles. (Compare Psa_118:25.) 

G5614  hōsanna ho-san-nah’  Of Hebrew origin [H3467] and [H4994]; oh save!; hosanna (that is, hoshia-na), an exclamation of adoration: – hosanna.

The true gospel message of how we are saved is hidden from the masses (Mat 13:10-11) who are wanting Christ to be their physical saviour now while He is in the flesh. That spirit has not changed in the hearts of mankind who are still desirous of a physical deliverance in the flesh, looking for a gospel message that is easy to bear and does not require laying down our life to follow Him, going where we don’t want to go. The miracle of providing wine when there was none left at the marriage in Cana, was symbolic of those earthen vessels (God’s elect) that God would miraculously change within from being vessels of water to becoming vessels who have the word of God within them. Christ’s turning the water to wine was, as he said, asking him to do something before his time: “mine hour is not yet come”, and was symbolic of the wine (the word) that he is going to provide through the body of Christ one day (Joh 2:1-11, Isa 3:1).

Mat 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Joh 21:18  Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not.

Joh 2:4  Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.

The parable in chapter 12 of John reveals how Christ brings the beast (the donkey in this case, which represents the beasts we are Ecc 3:18) into subjection unto Himself.  Christ tells us He is the way and the truth and the life (Joh 14:6) into the narrow gates of New Jerusalem which is above (Gal 4:26).

We go into that city only because the Father has granted us dominion over the beast through Christ (Rev 13:4, Ecc 3:8).  The other thing to notice is that the beastly flesh of Christ is also in subjection to the Father as He is used to crush the palms of fronds (Mat 21:44) which are being laid in the way as He enters into Jerusalem. We can see therefore our being crushed by our Lord who is directing the beast, is represented by these fronds that are lined up and put in the way of Christ so we can fill up what is behind of His afflictions and be used to help others to enter into Jerusalem above when God deems that time to begin (Col 1:24). This event is another way of saying the grapes have to be crushed in order to fill those earthen vessels with the best wine. Also it’s interesting to note that Christ rides this donkey in contrast to our beast which at first is directed by the harlot. That beast is predestinated to go into perdition (Rev 17:3, Rev 17:8, 2Th 2:8).

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

Ecc 3:18  I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts.

Mat 21:8  And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.

Joh 12:13  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.

Mat 21:44  And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Rev 17:3  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

Rev 17:8  The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:

The cedar also represents Christ and His Christ as these following verses make very clear. We are that second bird that God is directing by the first bird Christ, who was slain for us and become our high priest who is able to guide and direct us through this wilderness experience that is used to purify His life within each of us (Col 1:24, Col 1:27)

Heb 4:15  For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16  Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Lev 14:4  Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:

Lev 14:6  As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:

Lev 14:49  And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:

Lev 14:51  And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times:
Lev 14:52  And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet:

Num 19:6  And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.

Scripture that uses the word palm:

Exo 15:27  And they came to Elim, where were twelve wells of water, and threescore and ten palm trees: and they encamped there by the waters.

Lev 14:15  And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand:
Lev 14:26  And the priest shall pour of the oil into the palm of his own left hand:

Lev 23:40  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.

Num 33:9  And they removed from Marah, and came unto Elim: and in Elim were twelve fountains of water, and threescore and ten palm trees; and they pitched there.

Deu 34:3  And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.

Jdg 1:16  And the children of the Kenite, Moses’ father in law, went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah into the wilderness of Judah, which lieth in the south of Arad; and they went and dwelt among the people.

Jdg 3:13  And he gathered unto him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and went and smote Israel, and possessed the city of palm trees.

Jdg 4:5  And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in mount Ephraim: and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.

1Ki 6:29  And he carved all the walls of the house round about with carved figures of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, within and without.

1Ki 6:32  The two doors also were of olive tree; and he carved upon them carvings of cherubims and palm trees and open flowers, and overlaid them with gold, and spread gold upon the cherubims, and upon the palm trees.

1Ki 6:35  And he carved thereon cherubims and palm trees and open flowers: and covered them with gold fitted upon the carved work.

1Ki 7:36  For on the plates of the ledges thereof, and on the borders thereof, he graved cherubims, lions, and palm trees, according to the proportion of every one, and additions round about.

2Ch 3:5  And the greater house he cieled with fir tree, which he overlaid with fine gold, and set thereon palm trees and chains.

2Ch 28:15  And the men which were expressed by name rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them, and carried all the feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm trees, to their brethren: then they returned to Samaria.

Neh 8:15  And that they should publish and proclaim in all their cities, and in Jerusalem, saying, Go forth unto the mount, and fetch olive branches, and pine branches, and myrtle branches, and palm branches, and branches of thick trees, to make booths, as it is written.

Psa 92:12  The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Son 7:7  This thy stature is like to a palm tree, and thy breasts to clusters of grapes.
Son 7:8  I said, I will go up to the palm tree, I will take hold of the boughs thereof: now also thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine, and the smell of thy nose like apples;

Jer 10:5  They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.

Eze 40:16  And there were narrow windows to the little chambers, and to their posts within the gate round about, and likewise to the arches: and windows were round about inward: and upon each post were palm trees.

Eze 40:22  And their windows, and their arches, and their palm trees, were after the measure of the gate that looketh toward the east; and they went up unto it by seven steps; and the arches thereof were before them.

Eze 40:26  And there were seven steps to go up to it, and the arches thereof were before them: and it had palm trees, one on this side, and another on that side, upon the posts thereof.

Eze 40:31  And the arches thereof were toward the utter court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof: and the going up to it had eight steps.

Eze 40:34  And the arches thereof were toward the outward court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the going up to it had eight steps.

Eze 40:37  And the posts thereof were toward the utter court; and palm trees were upon the posts thereof, on this side, and on that side: and the going up to it had eight steps.

Eze 41:18  And it was made with cherubims and palm trees, so that a palm tree was between a cherub and a cherub; and every cherub had two faces;
Eze 41:19  So that the face of a man was toward the palm tree on the one side, and the face of a young lion toward the palm tree on the other side: it was made through all the house round about.
Eze 41:20  From the ground unto above the door were cherubims and palm trees made, and on the wall of the temple.

Eze 41:25  And there were made on them, on the doors of the temple, cherubims and palm trees, like as were made upon the walls; and there were thick planks upon the face of the porch without.
Eze 41:26  And there were narrow windows and palm trees on the one side and on the other side, on the sides of the porch, and upon the side chambers of the house, and thick planks.

Joe 1:12  The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.

Joh 12:13  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.

Joh 18:22  And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so?

Scripture that use the word cedar:

Lev 14:4  Then shall the priest command to take for him that is to be cleansed two birds alive and clean, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:

Lev 14:6  As for the living bird, he shall take it, and the cedar wood, and the scarlet, and the hyssop, and shall dip them and the living bird in the blood of the bird that was killed over the running water:

Lev 14:49  And he shall take to cleanse the house two birds, and cedar wood, and scarlet, and hyssop:

Lev 14:51  And he shall take the cedar wood, and the hyssop, and the scarlet, and the living bird, and dip them in the blood of the slain bird, and in the running water, and sprinkle the house seven times:
Lev 14:52  And he shall cleanse the house with the blood of the bird, and with the running water, and with the living bird, and with the cedar wood, and with the hyssop, and with the scarlet:

Num 19:6  And the priest shall take cedar wood, and hyssop, and scarlet, and cast it into the midst of the burning of the heifer.

Num 24:6  As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river’s side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.

2Sa 5:11  And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, and carpenters, and masons: and they built David an house.

2Sa 7:2  That the king said unto Nathan the prophet, See now, I dwell in an house of cedar, but the ark of God dwelleth within curtains.

2Sa 7:7  In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar?

1Ki 4:33  And he spake of trees, from the cedar tree that is in Lebanon even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall: he spake also of beasts, and of fowl, and of creeping things, and of fishes.

1Ki 5:6  Now therefore command thou that they hew me cedar trees out of Lebanon; and my servants shall be with thy servants: and unto thee will I give hire for thy servants according to all that thou shalt appoint: for thou knowest that there is not among us any that can skill to hew timber like unto the Sidonians.

1Ki 5:8  And Hiram sent to Solomon, saying, I have considered the things which thou sentest to me for: and I will do all thy desire concerning timber of cedar, and concerning timber of fir.

1Ki 5:10  So Hiram gave Solomon cedar trees and fir trees according to all his desire.

1Ki 6:9  So he built the house, and finished it; and covered the house with beams and boards of cedar.
1Ki 6:10  And then he built chambers against all the house, five cubits high: and they rested on the house with timber of cedar.

1Ki 6:15  And he built the walls of the house within with boards of cedar, both the floor of the house, and the walls of the cieling: and he covered them on the inside with wood, and covered the floor of the house with planks of fir.
1Ki 6:16  And he built twenty cubits on the sides of the house, both the floor and the walls with boards of cedar: he even built them for it within, even for the oracle, even for the most holy place.

1Ki 6:18  And the cedar of the house within was carved with knops and open flowers: all was cedar; there was no stone seen.

1Ki 6:20  And the oracle in the forepart was twenty cubits in length, and twenty cubits in breadth, and twenty cubits in the height thereof: and he overlaid it with pure gold; and so covered the altar which was of cedar.

1Ki 6:36  And he built the inner court with three rows of hewed stone, and a row of cedar beams.

1Ki 7:2  He built also the house of the forest of Lebanon; the length thereof was an hundred cubits, and the breadth thereof fifty cubits, and the height thereof thirty cubits, upon four rows of cedar pillars, with cedar beams upon the pillars.
1Ki 7:3  And it was covered with cedar above upon the beams, that lay on forty five pillars, fifteen in a row.

1Ki 7:7  Then he made a porch for the throne where he might judge, even the porch of judgment: and it was covered with cedar from one side of the floor to the other.

1Ki 7:12  And the great court round about was with three rows of hewed stones, and a row of cedar beams, both for the inner court of the house of the LORD, and for the porch of the house.

1Ki 9:11  (Now Hiram the king of Tyre had furnished Solomon with cedar trees and fir trees, and with gold, according to all his desire,) that then king Solomon gave Hiram twenty cities in the land of Galilee.

2Ki 14:9  And Jehoash the king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.

2Ki 19:23  By thy messengers thou hast reproached the Lord, and hast said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.

1Ch 22:4  Also cedar trees in abundance: for the Zidonians and they of Tyre brought much cedar wood to David.

2Ch 1:15  And the king made silver and gold at Jerusalem as plenteous as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that are in the vale for abundance.

2Ch 2:8  Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that thy servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants shall be with thy servants,

2Ch 9:27  And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that are in the low plains in abundance.

2Ch 25:18  And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trode down the thistle.

Ezr 3:7  They gave money also unto the masons, and to the carpenters; and meat, and drink, and oil, unto them of Zidon, and to them of Tyre, to bring cedar trees from Lebanon to the sea of Joppa, according to the grant that they had of Cyrus king of Persia.

Job 40:17  He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.

Psa 92:12  The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.

Son 1:17  The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.

Son 8:9  If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will inclose her with boards of cedar.

Isa 41:19  I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together:

Jer 22:14  That saith, I will build me a wide house and large chambers, and cutteth him out windows; and it is cieled with cedar, and painted with vermilion.
Jer 22:15  Shalt thou reign, because thou closest thyself in cedar? did not thy father eat and drink, and do judgment and justice, and then it was well with him?

Eze 17:3  And say, Thus saith the Lord GOD; A great eagle with great wings, longwinged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar:

Eze 17:22  Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent:
Eze 17:23  In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.
Eze 27:24  These were thy merchants in all sorts of things, in blue clothes, and broidered work, and in chests of rich apparel, bound with cords, and made of cedar, among thy merchandise.

Eze 31:3  Behold, the Assyrian was a cedar in Lebanon with fair branches, and with a shadowing shroud, and of an high stature; and his top was among the thick boughs.

Zep 2:14  And flocks shall lie down in the midst of her, all the beasts of the nations: both the cormorant and the bittern shall lodge in the upper lintels of it; their voice shall sing in the windows; desolation shall be in the thresholds: for he shall uncover the cedar work.

Zec 11:2  Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.

What we’ve just discussed about the palm and the cedar can help us better understand what it means to be “planted in the house of the LORD” and how we don’t flourish outside of His courts and can only truly worship God in spirit and truth after we have been “planted^H8362 or transplanted in the house of the Lord.” Luke 13:6-13 is a parable of this transplanting that takes place in the life of His children:

Luk 13:6  He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none.
Luk 13:7  Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?
Luk 13:8  And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it:
Luk 13:9  And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.
Luk 13:10  And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
Luk 13:11  And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself.
Luk 13:12  And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity.
Luk 13:13  And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.

This woman represents the same fig tree that won’t bear fruit until that “year” of the Lord, and can only make her ways straight after she is judged, or as stated “loosed from thine infirmity” which she had for eighteen years to come to this point where “this year” she will be made free by Christ through judgment typified by the numbers 1 and 8 that add up to 9 which is the number for judgment.

H8362    shâthal     shaw-thal’

A primitive root; to transplant: – plant.

The symbolism continues to grow in that we are the temple of God, and within that physical temple we see how the physical cedar and palm is used to explain our role and sacrificial function in God’s house which has been built and is being built by His hands (Rom 12:1, Act 17:24, Eph 2:10).

Psa 92:14  They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing;
Psa 92:15  To shew that the LORD is upright: he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.

Without the sacrifice and the judgment that is clearly connected to the words ‘palm and cedar’ we would not “bring forth fruit in old age”, neither would we be “fat and flourishing”, because we know that ability is given of the Lord, that increase, “to shew that the LORD is upright” and that “he is my [our] rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him.”

Without re-writing the study on the positive application of the colour green: “Green” Part 3 (http://www.iswasandwillbe.com/the-spiritual-significance-of-colors-in-scripture-green-part-3/) , suffice is to say that the Strong’s number for “flourishing” in verse 14 is most often (18 out of 20 times) translated as the english word “green”, which is a mixture of blue (heavenly/Spirit) and yellow (sickly/dying/flesh).

flourishing^H7488 of verse 14 and fresh^H7488 of verse 10 in this Psalm:

– Strong’s: From an unused root meaning to be green;
verdant; by analogy new; figuratively prosperous: – green flourishing.

Total KJV Occurrences: 20

•flourishing, 1

Psa_92:14
•fresh, 1

Psa_92:10
•green, 18

Deu_12:2; 1Ki_14:23; 2Ki_16:4; 2Ki_17:10; 2Ch_28:4; Job_15:32; Psa_37:35; Psa_52:8; Son_1:16; Isa_57:5; Jer_2:20; Jer_3:6; Jer_3:13; Jer_11:16; Jer_17:2; Jer_17:8; Eze_6:13; Hos_14:8

In this case in verse 14, it is the positive application of the blue working with the yellow, or as Mike wrote in that study:

“On the positive side, green identifies with those who have the seal of God in their foreheads. Green typifies God’s elect, green typifies the tree of life, and all who are ‘in Him’ as saviors of mankind.”

Knowing that God is doing this for us today is the reason we “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name”

We are like King David knowing that we have nothing to offer God and that we are giving back to God that which was his already. It is both humbling and amazing beyond words to consider what God has set before those who love him in this age.

1Ch 29:14  But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.

1Co 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

What fruit we will bring forth in our old age as stated in this verse is more a reference to our being mature in the Lord which is when we can bring forth fruit. Joseph typifies the increase that God has set before us and it is going to be abundant beyond what any of us can think or imagine in this life.

Joh 15:8  Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples.
Joh 15:9  As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

Isa 54:1  Sing, O barren, thou that didst not bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, thou that didst not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife, saith the LORD.

Gal 4:27  For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

Gen 43:34  And he took and sent messes unto them from before him: but Benjamin’s mess was five times so much as any of theirs. And they drank, and were merry with him.

Eph 3:19  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Eph 3:20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Eph 3:21  Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.