Plant a Tamarisk Tree this Christmas

Have you planted a tree?

Well, good for you 🙂 But to those who haven’t…

Did you know a newly planted tree doesn’t provide shade or fruit or much foliage for many years? Sometimes not even until a generation later! The hope is for a healthy tree with leafy branches–but that’s all it is at first: a hope, a dream.

Those who plant trees may mark a significant event in time, such as the time a family moved into their first house, a new marriage or even the passing of a loved one. As the tree grows, the person measures the passing of time and stands as a continual reminder for the original reason for planting.

Or it may be to provide benefits for a future generation.

Sandwiched between Genesis 21, which describes the joy and laughter at the birth of Isaac and Genesis 22, where God tests Abraham, telling him to sacrifice his son as a burnt offering to God, but then provides a ram to spare a boy’s life is this verse in Genesis 21:33, “Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Eternal God.”

This verse comes after the birth of Isaac, after Hagar and Ishmael are sent away, and after the treaty between Abimelek and Abraham. This odd and interesting event is the focus of this testimony.

As you might remember, Genesis 21 is not the first meeting between Abraham and Abimelek.

In Genesis 20, a chapter before this passage, Abraham had lied to Abimelek, the king of Gerar, to protect himself, but God had mercy and Abimelek sent Abraham away with generous gifts.

Here, in today’s passage in Genesis 21, Abimelek comes to Abraham and says, “God is with you in everything you do.” He wants Abraham to show kindness to his people and Abraham agrees and the two men made a treaty.

Two significant things happened after this treaty. Abraham calls this place Beersheba, which means, “well of an oath.”

Then, Genesis 21:33 tells us, “Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba, and there he called on the name of the Lord, the Eternal God.”

A tamarisk tree is an evergreen that grows to be fifty-feet high with very deep taproots and forms dense thickets. The leaves are scale-like, only two millimeters long, overlap each other and secrete salt. At night, as moisture collects in the cooler air of the arid Middle East climate, the water vapor collects on the salt particles and forms droplets. The morning sun evaporates the water, providing a refreshing coolness in the shade of the tree.

But remember, Abraham planted the tree and wouldn’t receive this benefit in his lifetime. Rather, Abraham was providing shade, comfort and relief for the generations to follow.   

Also remember that at this time Abraham has a son. A son!

A miraculous son born to Abraham and Sarah in their old age. God was faithful to His promise to give a son to Abraham. And Abraham was confident that God, the Lord, the Eternal God will fulfill all His promises.

Specially, Abraham believed that God would keep His promise that through his son, Isaac, his offspring would be reckoned (Gen 21:12).

The word “reckoned” means “counted.” As in as numerous as the stars in the sky (Gen 15:5) and as countless as the sand at the seashore (Gen 13:16).

When Abraham planted the tree, he called on the name of the Lord, the Eternal God. A God with deep roots, unmoving, who has been since the beginning of time and will endure for eternity. God who has a guaranteed plan in place of salvation, with all generations and all nations in mind.

Some time after this, as recorded in Genesis 22, Abraham is tested. But—and listen to this!—after Abraham sacrifices Isaac and receives him back, he returns to Beersheba and stays there, where the tamarisk tree was steadily growing, a commemoration of the promises of the Eternal God.

And—did you know?—Abraham’s descendants did in fact visit Beersheba, “the well of an oath,” and received refreshment from this deep-rooted tamarisk tree.

When Isaac had grown and was searching for a well of water, he stopped at Beersheba and there he had a vision at night where God renewed His promise to be with him and to bless him (Genesis 26:23-24). Immediately after the vision, Isaac’s servants found water there (Gen 26:32).

Jacob also visited Beersheba. On his journey to Egypt to reunite with Joseph, Jacob’s first stop is at Beersheba. Here, he offered sacrifices to God and God told Jacob that He would go with him to Egypt and make him a great nation.

As we enter the holiday season, let’s refresh our faith and claim our confidence in our God who makes promises and fulfills them.

Through Genesis 21 and 22, we can glimpse the fulfillment of God’s far-reaching promise to all peoples on earth:

Not only of a son born to a woman in her old age, but the birth of the Son of God, the Messiah and Savior of the world.

Not only of a ram caught by his horns to spare a boy’s life, but the offering of an unblemished Lamb of God who takes the place of every sinner on earth as the once-for-all atoning sacrifice for sin.

Today, as we celebrate Advent, may God bless you as you get ready to worship God who became man this Christmas. And remember that through your faith in Christ you have planted a tamarisk tree at Beersheba, and those who pass by may meet our Eternal God and find refreshment in their arid, dry pilgrimage to the promised land!

And you were wondering what a tamarisk tree had to do with Christmas… 🙂

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