Commentaries:
God says that Israel "shall grow like the lily." Israel, representing all of mankind, uses the Holy Spirit to grow. The lily is one of nature's most productive plants. According to Pliny the Elder, the first-century Roman scholar and author of the seminal work, Natural History, the lily bulb of his time and locale could produce as many as fifty additional bulbs. The exact species of lily to which he refers is not known, but it was probably native to the region and common enough to be known by the average person.
Having been buried in the ground all winter long, a bulb receives the spring dew and quickly shoots straight up, topped by a lovely bloom. Christ claimed the lilies of the field were every bit as glorious as Solomon's robes (Matthew 6:28-29). Now recall the early days of conversion. God's Holy Spirit began to open our minds and our growth was swift, and the result was a beautiful change of heart and the flowering of godly conduct.
Yet, the lily is not a complete metaphor for a Christian. Because its roots are shallow, a lily is easily pulled up. So God adds that we should lengthen our roots "as [the cedars of] Lebanon." Mentioned throughout the Bible, cedars of Lebanon are stately, evergreen, slow-growing, long branched, durable, and sweet-smelling trees. They are, by themselves, a good comparison to a Christian.
Smith's Bible Dictionary, written well over a hundred years ago, mentions a specimen living on Mount Lebanon that was 70 feet tall, 63 feet in circumference, and thought to be 2,000 years old! One writer said that the roots of these cedars could go as far down into the ground as the tree was tall—a foundation not easily destroyed. Nevertheless, these mammoth trees start as little seedlings, easily plucked up or eaten by grazing animals. If they survive long enough to gain some size, then, through the years they endure storms, drought, and countless environmental concerns. Each year, pushing their roots deeper and deeper into the soil, they build strength, constantly gaining a more solid footing. Such should occur in a Christian's life.
Mike Ford
Be There!
Other commentary entries containing this verse:
Hosea 14:6
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