The Palm Branches In Heaven
Revelation 7
There are such wonderful things in God’s Word.
Hope is one of those wonderful things!
Remember the question from last week? How long LORD? Habakkuk 1.2 the prophet went to God in a time of perplexity. It was about the nation. Things were getting worse and he was overwhelmed. The LORD gave him an answer that troubled him at first even more (things are going to get worse before they get better)but the end of the book the prophet testifies to the peace and joy God gave him after he had prayed and listened to the LORD.
We see these souls before the throne of God with palm branches in their hands. We are told that they are the ones who were given white robes and came out of the great tribulation. God answered their prayers of “How long Sovereign LORD” (we looked at last week in 6.10)).
1. Where have we seen palm branches before?
The most obvious is Palm Sunday. John 12.12-16
Ancient prophecies are fulfilled when the palm branches come out
and are waved before the LORD!
and are waved before the LORD!
Jesus called it “Jerusalem’s day” Luke 19.41-42 The Palm branches were outside the city. The city could have had peace but they rejected the One who would have given it to them.
The palm branches were out that first Palm Sunday and we commemorate it each year to begin Holy Week. Jesus rode into Jerusalem and the shouts of Hosanna rang out.
This was their day (Jerusalem’s) and they did not recognize it.
Matthew 23.37-39
So Palm Sunday was both a day of victory and a fulfillment of ancient prophecy but it was also a day of tragedy. Please note the destruction of Jerusalem did not take place until some 48 years later but the decision that sealed it was made on that first Palm Sunday.
Daniel told about this day. (Daniel 9.24-27).
2. Palm Trees Branches stand for peace.
They thought the Messiah would bring a military domination of Israel like that of David’s time. After David’s conquests there was a peace in Solomon's reign.
Matthew 21.8 The people took these down and laid them on the road as a sign peace was finally coming to Israel.
Psalm 118 was a Psalm that was recited in the liturgy the week before Passover in Jerusalem. It probably was recited as Jesus made id way towards the city of Jerusalem.
Jerusalem has been conquered 40 times and destroyed 17 times in it history. While its name means set you double peace.
The Jerusalem that is now- present day city, Israel’s capital.(Galatians 4.25)
The Jerusalem that is above. The Jerusalem here on earth is a copy of it.
(Galatians 4.26) The Jerusalem that is above is the Heavenly Jerusalem. Where God lives.
The New Jerusalem. The city that will be let down from heaven at the time the earth and the heavens are renovated.
Both are cities of Palms. We see them in both places these palm branches.
The palm is a beautiful tranquil tree. It grows slowly but surely. Biblically it has significance.
Palm trees… Psalm 92.12 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree.
True lasting peace ushers from a righteousness.
Palm trees have come to symbolize a tropical vacation but according to the Word of God they are immeasurably more than that. They mean victory and peace…
And they mean the final settlement of God’ people after a long journey. They were part of the journey but they are at the end as well. In the New Testament we have seen their use. In the Old Testament…
3. Palm Branches had to do with the Feast of Tabernacles- Leviticus 23.40, Nehemiah 8.15
The Passover Feast, Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Day of Atonement were all fulfilled by Jesus. The Passover, Unleavened Bread and the Day of Atonement were fulfilled by Jesus when He died on the cross.
The coming of the Holy Spirit fulfilled the feast of Pentecost.
The only feast yet to be fulfilled is the feast of Tabernacles. That will be fulfilled when Jesus comes again. It is spoken of in the Book of Revelation. Revelation 21.3
Succoth or the Feast of Booths as it was called took place at the harvest. The Jews still celebrate it to this day. It is so interesting. It is to remind them of that journey from Egypt to the Promise Land, Israel. It is celebrated to remind them of the journey. Palms were one of the four trees specified to be used. When we get to heaven there are Palm Branches in the hands of the souls there. They have completed their earthly journey. They have left the bondage of sin, journeyed with the LORD on this earth and are now in the place God has prepared for them.
He has given of peace along the way. The Palm branches speak of this. We have had trouble and Jesus told us plainly we would but in the midst He has given us peace… and now…
4. These Palm Branches in Heaven speak of the peace that is there.
Revelation 21.1-4
5. God wants us to experience His peace in our hearts and lives today on earth.
His peace Jesus left with us.
His will being done on earth as it is in heaven is having His peace in our hearts.
Do you have peace today?
His peace surpasses all understanding.
His peace keeps us in the storms of life.
His peace is not like the world gives and the world cannot take it away!
He is our peace!
The righteous will flourish like the palm.
Is that your relationship with Jesus Christ today?
Spiritually the way to peace with Jesus is to surrender to Him.
His peace surpasses all understanding.
His peace keeps us in the storms of life.
His peace is not like the world gives and the world cannot take it away!
He is our peace!
The righteous will flourish like the palm.
Is that your relationship with Jesus Christ today?
Spiritually the way to peace with Jesus is to surrender to Him.
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