WHITER THAN SNOW

 


                                  

                                                                   Cedars of Lebanon

The ermine is a short-tailed weasel that has the unique feature of having its fur change to a snow-white color in the winter. God created this animal with this feature to protect it from others. The ermine instinctively protects his white coat against anything that will soil it. Fur hunters in northern Europe and Asia take advantage of this unusual trait of the ermine. They don’t set a snare to catch him; instead, they find his home, which is usually a cleft in a rock or a hollow in an old tree.

They smear the entrance and interior with grime. Then the hunters set their dogs loose to find and chase the ermine. The frightened animal flees toward home but will not enter because of the filth. Rather than soil his white coat, he is trapped by the dogs and captured while preserving his purity. For the ermine, purity is more precious than life (David Swanger, 2013)

In Psalm 92:12 the Bible says the righteous will grow like a cedar of Lebanon.  What similarity do the cedars of Lebanon have with the godly? In Ezekiel 31:1-9 we find this description of the cedars of Lebanon’s “beautiful branches overshadowing the forest; it towered on high, its top above the thick foliage. The waters nourished it, deep springs made it grow tall; their streams flowed all around its base and sent their channels to all the trees of the field (vv.3-4).

So it towered higher than all the trees of the field; its boughs increased and its branches grew long, spreading because of abundant waters.  All the birds of the sky nested in its boughs, all the animals of the wild gave birth under its branches; all the great nations lived in its shade. It was majestic in beauty, with its spreading boughs, for its roots went down to abundant waters… I made it beautiful with abundant branches the envy of all the trees of Eden in the garden of God” (vv.5-9). 

The trees of the Lord are full of sap, the cedars of Lebanon, which he has planted (Ps.104:16). These trees are peculiarly the Lord’s trees because they owe their planting entirely to Him. The cedars of Lebanon are planted on a mountain ridge no less than six thousand feet above the sea level. How those ancient giants came there is a mystery. They also owe their beauty to him “I made it beautiful with abundant branches, the envy of all the trees” (Ezekiel 31:9).

The snow frequently lies upon their branches in enormous masses. Up there the lightning and thunderbolts are frequent, Still they stand–God’s trees, planted and preserved by Him. Similarly the godly are planted and preserved by God. They face many physical and spiritual dangers yet in all these things they are more than conquerors (2 Cor.4:8-10, Rom.8:37, Lam. 3:19-23)

The inclusion of Lebanon in this trees description gives us further spiritual insight.  Lebanon refers to the trees geographical elevation- Mount Lebanon. Lebanon was named so because of its snow capped mountains. Their eastern ridge is partly covered with perpetual snow to this day. Laban the Hebrew word for Lebanon simply means whiteness. The snow capped mount Up there there is no contamination, the snow is pure. Lebanon reminds us of snow which is pure and spotless white.

Laban is used throughout the Old Testament in reference to being white, purged and cleansed of sin.  Isaiah 1:16-18 states “wash yourself, make yourself clean…cease to do evil, learn to do good. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow”. God is whiter than snow “(Dan. 7:9, Matt. 17:2, 28: 3 KJV) God’s word is pure (Ps. 12:6, 19:8, 119:140). As the godly study and live out God’s word, it purifies them (Eph 5:25-26, James 1:22-24) to conform to God’s likeness.

 After one of his sins, David pleaded with God “purge me with hyssop and I shall be clean, wash me and I shall be whiter then snow” (Ps 51:7). God is pure (1 john 3:3) and our goal is to be like him. When he appears we will be like him (1John 3:2, rev.7:9), . The psalmist declares “As for me I will see your face in righteousness, I shall be satisfied when I awake in your likeness” (Ps. 17:15 NKJV)

Cedar is known for its deep roots and great height (Amos 2:9, Isa.2:13). Hosea 14:5 reads: “Israel … like a cedar of Lebanon will send down his roots.” The cedars of Lebanon cast down their roots as deeply as is their height upwards. In the deep the waters nourish its roots, the streams flow all around its base, deep springs make it grow tall; its beautiful branches overshadow the forest; it towers on high, its top above the thick foliage (Ezekiel 31).

The grandeur and size of Cedars is amazing. These trees are tall (Amos 2:9) and majestic (2 kings 14:9). They are real giants of the forest. Think of it and be amazed, never cared for by man, depending upon God alone and yet they have grown to the height of 30 meters and 12 meters in girth! How splendid is a Christians who come to rest upon God.

In the same way the godly will only grow as tall spiritually as he is deeply and firmly rooted in God’s presence(Col. 2:6-7) where all the resources required to live a victorious life are found (2 Peter 1:3). They godly grow upwards; they keep their hearts on things above (Col. 3:1-4) and their eternal home (Heb. 11:9-10, 14-16, 23-26). They grow outward as they seek to touch others with their faith.

The wood of the cedar specially grown under the condition of its natural habitat is hard, close grained and is full of resin which preserves it from rot and insects. The godly are the salt of the earth (matt 5:13), they keep it from self destruction and from being destroyed by God (Gen. 18:23-33, Isa.62:6).

Its wood has no knots, it was therefore used for building and adorning the temple and loyal palaces (2 Samuel 5:11, 1 Chronicles 17:1, 1Kings 7:2, 7). The cedars provided the best material for a strong and beautiful temple (Ezra 3:7, 1 Kings 7:2-3). God expected his house to be made of cedar (2 Sam.7:7). God expects his children to be of the highest quality spiritually; that way they make his church strong and beautiful (Eph. 5:27).

The trees of the Lord are full of sap (Ps.104:16). This vitally is necessary, without sap the cedar becomes a dead post. Sap is needed to keep a tree alive and make it flourish. The sap spreads live and vitality to all parts of the tree. Any part that lacks sap dries up and dies. The source of the believer’s life is that vital union with Christ, that source must never dry up. A godly man has the Life of God percolating in his life! That’s what keeps him strong and fresh.

When you stand under the cedars of Lebanon the smell is delightful, the fragrant cedar wood perfumes all the air. In Hosea 14 God says this about the restored Israel “I will be like dew to Israel, he will blossom like a lily (not even Solomon in his entire splendor was dressed as beautifully as the lilies of the field (Matt.6:28-29)). Like the cedars of Lebanon, he will send down his roots, his young shoots will grow… His fragrance ( will be) like the cedar of Lebanon”.

The godly sweeten all about them! Their companionship and confidence in God yields a sweet fragrance both to their words, to their actions, and to everything to which they set their hands. They are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those being saved and those who are perishing (2 Cor. 2:15). Their prayers are set before God like incense (Ps. 141:2). Paul says “walk in love just as Christ also loved you and gave himself up for us , an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma (Eph 5:1-2). Solomon wrote “oil and perfume make the heart glad, so a man’s counsel is sweet to his friends (Prov. 27:9)

David very sweetly puts it in one of the last Psalms; “Praise you the Lord, fruitful trees and all cedars” (Psalm 148:9). Praise and gratitude shall ascend to Him who alone preserves all his godly children. God will preserve you in this life and when you die, that you shall be pillars in the temple of your God forever this is your hope and joy. You are the Lord’s trees from first to last.  He is the Author and Finisher of your Faith. Gods expects his children to be majestic strong, and purified, always growing, always green and always living for eternity.

 

 

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