Everyone can draw a flower. Put a circle in the middle, and attach five round petals.
There, we’ve drawn an almond flower.
Seen from the right angle, the petals of this beautiful bloom seem to form a cup. The bloom itself is white, fading to a deep pink in the center.
As beautiful as it is, there are more reasons why the almond tree is so significant in biblical lore. It is one of the first trees to bloom at the start of spring. In fact, the Hebrew word root for almond means to “watch” or “wake.”
This is the tree that symbolizes an awakening, both from an earthly winter, and from our spiritual winter.
It is thought that both Aaron’s rod and Jesus’ cross may have been from almond wood. Numbers 17 tells the story of Aaron’s rod budding, flowering, and producing almonds overnight. John J. Parsons relates the legend of the cross of Christ and how it budded after his death.
John D. Keyser believes Scripture substantiates the crucifixion taking place on a living tree. His reasoning? The Bible never mentions a cross, only the Messiah being hanged on a tree.
Could it have been an almond tree, the first tree in the land to bloom, indicating the end of winter and the arrival of spring?
After all, isn’t that what Jesus did, came to bring new life to a world that was spiritually dead, just as the almond tree signifies new life to those suffering through a wintertime experience? Just as Aaron’s rod signified the infusion of the power of the Almighty God?
In Jeremiah 1:11-12, Jeremiah’s vision of the rod of an almond tree indicated God’s promise to do all that he had promised the great prophet.
Let’s put those three incidences together.
Almond Incident #1 – Aaron’s Rod
Aaron’s rod budded, and the dissidents of the Korah rebellion were swallowed by the ground.
Almond Incident #2 – Jeremiah’s Vision
Jeremiah viewed an almond rod, and God did all he said he would do. With haste, too.
Almond Incident #3 – The Messiah’s Hanging Tree
Christ exploded upon the world, and men’s lives were forever changed.
Is it any wonder the Menorah, the symbol of the “Tree of Life,” is decorated with gold oil cups in the shape of almond blossoms? Exodus 25:31-40 tells of its construction.
“You shall make a lampstand of pure gold...[with] cups made like almond blossoms…”
The almond tree represents life, in every way possible, from the innate and divine power of the Heavenly Father to the redemption brought down to earth by his son, Jesus.
John 1:14 tells us:
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
Remember how easy it was to draw that almond flower? It is just as easy to come to Christ and accept him as Savior, Lord, and King.
All he wants us to do is to ask and receive.
All power comes from the Father, and Jesus is the conduit that channels it to us.
Copyright © 2014 MyChurchNotes.net
Code: FGO.I.01.14.vp
Originally Published: 11-01-14 in Salvation