Isaiah 61:3 To appoint to them that mourn in Zion, to give to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning… The passage takes in the whole family of God. Observe — I. WHY THEY ARE CALLED TREES OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 1. A tree is the beauty of the landscape. The Church of God is the beauty of the world. 2. A tree is remarkable for its strength. And there is that in the believer that gives one the conviction of strength. Where is his strength? He is united to Christ — "Rooted in Him." 3. A tree is fruitful (Philippians 1:9-11; John 15:5). II. THEY ARE DESCRIBED AS "THE PLANTING OF THE LORD." There are some trees that are not of His planting, and yet they seem for a time to be good trees. There is a good deal of outward acquaintance with Divine things, a good deal of outward change; yet, after all, it is not a tree of the Lord's right hand planting. It is a solemn truth — "Every plant which My heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up." It may look well for a time; it may be fair and promising to the outward eye; but not being rooted in Christ, not bringing forth fruit, it shall be destroyed. But these are trees of "the Lord's planting." He chose them for His own. And with His own hand He transplants them out of the "waste howling wilderness, and plants them in His own garden. All the "trees of righteousness" are transplants. The end for which the Lord did it was that they might be," trees of righteousness.' III. THE GREAT END. "That He might be glorified. It shall be His Glory when they exhibit the beauty of a consistent profession. He shall be glorified especially by their fruitfulness. Concluding remarks: If you are trees of the Lord, do not be surprised if He should take His knife. You must be exposed to storms. (J. H. Evans, M. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. |
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