There is a New Year holiday in Israel this week called Tu B’shevat. It is not the Jewish civil New Year of Rosh HaShana, nor is it their religious New Year of Passover. It is not even the Gregorian calendar New Year that most of the world observes on January 1. It is a New Year for the trees. This holiday could also be compared to “Arbor Day” in other countries. It is observed by planting new seedlings of trees and by eating dried fruits and nuts of every species of tree. But it is not just a celebration of nature; it has its roots in Scripture when the people were commanded to bring their tithes to the Temple. This date marks the end of the previous agricultural tithing cycle and the beginning of a new agricultural season. All tithing of the produce of the land brought to the Lord after Tu B’Shevat was considered ‘first fruits’ on the new agricultural calendar.

You might be thinking, “That’s nice, but what does it have to do with me?” I’m glad you asked! Often in Scripture, God’s followers are compared to trees. There is a verse in Isaiah 55:13 that I found very intriguing,

“Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.”

At first this verse really confused me. What are these trees coming up instead of thorns and how will these trees be to the LORD for a name? So I started digging a little and discovered a beautiful picture that I want to show you today.

First of all, let’s look at the thorns. Micah identifies these in Micah 7:1-4 as people who are not faithful or upright, hunting and trapping even their own family members in evil schemes for personal gain. He says,

“The best of them is like a brier; the most upright is sharper than a thorn hedge…”

In a way, we all are like these briers when we are living worldly, sinful lives. But when the Word of the Lord comes in, seeds us with righteousness and waters us with His Holy Spirit and causes faith to bud within us, we are transformed into lovely, verdant trees whom God will transplant into His own garden in His house.

How does this happen and how are you a part of it if? This promise is not only for the Jewish people but also welcomes the Gentiles into the Commonwealth of Israel (see Ephesians 2:12). Look a few verses further in Isaiah 56:3-5,

“Do not let the son of the foreigner who has joined himself to the LORD speak, saying ‘The LORD has utterly separated (cut off) me from His people; nor let the eunuch say, ‘Here I am, a dry tree.’ For thus says the LORD: to the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me and hold fast My covenant, even to them I will give in My house and within My walls a place AND A NAME better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting NAME that shall not be cut off.”

There it is. We are the fruitful trees whom the Lord nurtures and transplants and waters and transforms from ugly, sharp briers into lush green trees. He will never cut us off, but has a special place chosen to plant us within the walls of His own house. If you honor His Sabbaths and hold on to His covenant and do what pleases Him, He will give you a new, everlasting name. You have been grafted into His roots and His sap will feed you (see Romans 11).

My prayer for you today is in Isaiah 61:3, that the Lord will…

“…console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”

So, grow where He has planted you today. Send your roots down deep into His Word and receive the rich, life-giving sap that He has stored for you there. May you flourish like a tree in the house of the Lord today (see Psalm 92:12-15)! And again, Happy New Year to all you Trees of Righteousness in God’s house!

–dmrf