Isaiah 41:19

I will plant in the wilderness

Trees

The “cedar” grew on Mount Lebanon, and was of great height, and had extended branches, which afforded kindly shade.

The “shittah” tree is probably, as the R.V. renders it, the acacia. This was “a large tree, growing abundantly in Egypt and Arabia, and is the tree from which gum-arabic is obtained. It is covered with black thorns, and the wood is hard, and when old resembles ebony.” The “myrtle” rises eight or ten feet high, its characteristic being “a dense, full head.” It is thus convenient for shade.

The “off tree” is probably the olive tree. The “fir tree” usually denotes the cypress, an evergreen. This is also a tree whose wide-spread foliage would afford shade. The “pine” tree is perhaps the poplar (according to the Septuagint), or elm (according to the Vulgate), or a kind of hard oak (according to Gesenius). The “box” tree is probably some tall tree of the cedar kind, also affording shade. The chief common characteristic of these trees is that they afford welcome shade. In Western lands the intensity of the sun’s heat and rays is not felt; but in the East he is at his fiercest, and a shadow is a most grateful possession. A missionary from the South Seas said: “Oh, the shining of the sun! The one thing we wanted to hide from was the sun. Its glare was intolerable!” (J. A. Davies, B. D.)

The rejoicing wilderness

What meaneth this figurative picture of a vast oasis--a wen-watered grove of stately, fragrant shady trees? Observe, there are seven kinds of these mentioned; seven--the Hebrew symbol of abundance, diversity, perfection. The words may well be taken, therefore, to denote the plenitude of Divine grace vouchsafed in the hour of deepest perplexity and sorrow. (J. R. Macduff, D. D.)

Divine grace adapted to human need

The beautiful part of the picture is, that God bestows grace varied in its manifestations; adapted in its wondrous diversity to meet the wants and necessities and trials of all His suffering people. He has sustaining grace for one, restraining grace for another; strengthening grace for one, sanctifying grace for another; comforting grace for one, dying grace for another. But all these “trees of God” are “full of sap,” from the lowly: “nabk” or mountain-thorn, to the “cedar of Lebanon which He hath planted.” Each tree may be taken as the type or emblem of a cluster of Bible promises. To the weak, there is the cedar in its strength; to the bereaved, there is the olive, with its ashen leaves, and yet with its “oil of joy” for the mourner; to the fainting and downcast, there is the tall pine and tapering cypress pointing upwards; to the wounded spirit, there is the balsam tree of Gilead and the fragrant myrtle; to the dying, there is the palm tree with its graceful fronds, according to the Eastern tradition, whispering in the ear the name of Jesus! And the further peculiarity of this promise is, that it is in the hour of sorest want and trial and perplexity that that grace is most abundant. It is in the depths of the arid desert, with hillocks of sand on all sides bounding the horizon,--in seasons of loneliest bereavement and uttermost sorrow,--that these palm and acacia and olive and myrtle groves, as if by the hand of an enchanter, rise up to view. It was “at the fourth watch of the night (when the darkness was deepest, and the hearts of the disciples were most despairing and desponding) that Jesus “cometh unto them walking upon the sea.” Man’s extremity is often God’s opportunity. (C. H. Spurgeon.)

The symbolism of trees

In the more figurative sense it intimates that the Lord God would raise up, for the benefit of His Church, men of distinguished eminence and usefulness, such as judges and generals, to afford them protection; rulers and governors, who should prove both ornamental and useful to them; and choice ministers of the Word, from whose doctrine they were to derive defence from evil, spiritual nourishment, and consolation. (R. Macculloch.)