Series - "Bible Trees" II - "Like A Green Olive Tree"
Psalm 52 Jeremiah 11:16

August 28, 2005

Pastor William Underwood

Last week we talked about a tree, any tree, planted anywhere near life-giving water, yielding any kind of seasonal fruit. Today we want to consider a special tree in a special place with special fruit. I want you to think on the subject under three divisions - A Picture - A Privilege - and A Pressure.

I - A PICTURE - Psalm 52 was written by David after he had been betrayed by Doeg to Saul.
A- BY CONTRAST I Samuel 22-23 (Doeg versus David)
David had been anointed King over Israel. Saul threatened his life and gave the order for his death - Jonathan warned David and David fled to the house of Abimelech, the priest - Ahimelech gave David holy shewbread and the sword of Goliath - David then fled to the cave of Adullam - 400 men came to David and offered their help - David promised them protection - Doeg heard David talking with Ahimelech - When none of the soldiers would tell on David, Doeg told all he knew. Ahimelech was brought to Saul who ordered the soldiers to kill him and they would not do it. - Doeg then did it and even went to their town called Nob and killed 84 more priests plus men, women, and children and ruined their city. Psalm 52 was written after this event.
B- BY COMPARISON - The righteous vs. unrighteous
David was no angel - he sinned terribly - but God loved him in spite of his sin! God loves US also - no matter how bad we are. The Olive Tree appears frequently in Scripture - a symbol of peace, prosperity, and wealth - its usefulness and fruitfulness is always emphasized - What the Olive Tree was, the Christian ought to be! Trees were forbidden in God's House - trees were always associated with heathen "groves" "In the house of God, I am like a green olive tree."

II - A PRIVILEGE
A- The EXAMPLE - the major use of olives was for oil - one full sized green yields 1/2 ton of olives per year - the oil was used for light in the lamps of the Tabernacle Exodus 27:20
B- AN EXHORTATION - Matt. 5:13-14
1-vs. 13 "You are the salt of the earth---" 2-vs. 14 "You are the light of the world---" 3-vs. 15 "Men do not hide a candle under a bushel" 4-THIS is what the Christian should be !
C- AN EXPLANATION
1-Romans 15:1-2 - refreshing and helping others.
2-Galatians 6:1 - Restoring a fallen brother - this requires: 1-spirituality, 2- a spirit of meekness 3-Galatians 6:2 = "Bearing" 6:9 = "Caring - 6:10="Sharing" 4-Zechariah 4:2-3 Two olive trees poured oil into the bowl and lamp had 2 tubes to the bowl - oil came direct from the tree to the lamp in constant supply - Zech. asked who the two olive trees were - they were two men - Zerubabble and Joshua who stood for God and interceded with the people.

III - A PRESSURE - Olives give oil under pressure!
A- A small bowl with a few olives was beaten with a stick
B- Sometimes olives were put in a flat trough with 4 layers of wood on top to crush them until the oil flowed.
C- Sometimes they were put in a large stone basin and a large flat stone on a screw was forced down till the olives were ground into the rock - Moses spoke of "oil in the rock" Deut.32:13
D-If you are to minister to others you will have to endure pressure! - that is not always easy!
E- "Gethsemane" means "olive press" - Jesus prayed for us under great pressure in the Garden of Gethsemane.

YOU should be like a green olive tree! ARE YOU? Do you want to be like that?