“I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman./ Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away.”
Tree as a sign was given to Moses to which we shall come anon. Jesus as the true vine and ‘my Father’ who purges it is the one who has broken off or grafted new to the vine. It is thus we need approach St Paul. Before discussing this purging what is the role of the sign?
Validity of any sign is in terms of the everlasting covenant. Trees no less. Trees of righteousness is one.
In the matter of light and waters God separated them first. Light was different from darkness. Waters above was similarly different waters which symbolised nations. Wicked were like the troubled sea while “Forasmuch as this people refuseth the waters of Shiloah that go softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliah’s son” we can sense the same separation marks Israel and Jesus Christ. (Is.8:6). This covenant thus stamps waters below, quality of which is judged by God. God gathers together sea and the dry land is called the earth. The provision for trees as mentioned in the covenant has this characteristic. “Let the earth bring forth” is the divine command.(Ge.1:11). The next verse is how the Son fulfills it,”And the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.” This is under the authority of the Son. The command number in third day establishes it.
So Jesus Christ is the true Vine.
The Song of my Beloved is all about the vineyard. (Is.5:1-4) “Wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?”
Ro.11:17-20 This shall throw light in this passage the relationship of the tree in relation to the root.”Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.” They were broken off for their disbelief. Their fruits or lack of it proved the point. “Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever.”(“forever”- Matt.21:19) So the fig tree that withered away is a sign.”
Trees of righteousness as sign is validated by the tree of life. The burning bush that did not consume itself overarches into eternity where we read of the tree of life. “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.”(Re.22:1-2). On either side of the river establishes the earth where nations require healing while on the opposite side we have new earth and new heaven as one. Twelve manner of fruits from the same tree of life is the Lord’s doing.”This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.” Christ has become the source of healing for nations that rejected him.(Ps.118:19-23). For the nations months are counted while in the holy city of God ‘forever’ is being leaves that do not wither. In the vision of Ezekiel we have the view from the other side. “And by the river upon the bank thereof, on this side and on that side, shall grow all trees for meat, whose leaf shall not fade, neither shall the fruit thereof be consumed: it shall bring forth new fruit according to his months, because their waters they issued out of the sanctuary: and the fruit thereof shall be for meat, and the leaf thereof for medicine.”(Ez.47:12)
God makes a difference between what is holy and what is not. Le.10:10. The nation of Israel failed to honor God. So the tree of life is a sign to them. Yet do we not hear the imposter church teach unity of the Spirit. “And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? Total sanctification means a life of separation. “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,:(2 Co.6:15-18)”
GuidetohisWord 