Trees of Righteousness

One of the metaphors we see in the book of Isaiah is that of people being represented by trees and plants.  This is perhaps most prominent in Isaiah 5 when he compared the House of Israel to a vineyard in very similar language to Zenos’s allegory in Jacob 5.  Isaiah spoke of a man who “hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill” that he took care of and hoped would bring forth grapes, but it brought forth wild grapes.  We read that “the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant” (Isaiah 5:1-7).  So here the people of Israel were represented by trees and vines and plants that were in a “fruitful” place but only brought forth wild grapes.  Many other statements from Isaiah similarly compare humans to trees, both with positive and negative connotations. 

                In one of the most beautiful prophecies of the Savior, Isaiah spoke of how the people of Zion would become like trees: “To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified” (Isaiah 61:3).  “Trees of righteousness” seem to suggest righteousness that lasts indefinitely; righteousness that doesn’t waver; righteousness that is grounded and firm like mighty trees.  In speaking perhaps of the return form Babylon he also likened those who would survivie to trees: “But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof” (Isaiah 6:13).  Just as a tree has its “substance” or seed or power to recreate what is felled down, so too would Israel rise again after its destruction by the Babylonians.  Other references to trees focus on the wicked who think they are so lofty and great.  Of the days surrounding the Second Coming the Savior said this through Isaiah: “For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low: And upon all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and upon all the oaks of Bashan” (Isaiah 2:12-13).  The cedars and oaks were trees near Israel, and the trees mentioned should remind us to stay humble.  Another passage refers to the wicked rulers of Israel who did not have faith in the Lord in the midst of potential political troubles: “And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim.  And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind” (Isaiah 7:2).  So in this instance the wicked were like trees very different from the ones described in Isaiah 61; these “trees” swayed in the wind and were not firm in their convictions.  Yet another reference to trees speaks of those who will rejoice at the fall of Lucifer:        

“Yea, the fir trees rejoice at thee, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since thou art laid down, no feller is come up against us” (Isaiah 14:8).  In this case the trees rejoice that there is no more someone seeking to cut them down as Satan does now.  That will certainly be a glorious day.

                Isaiah clearly loved to use trees as metaphors for humans in his poetic writing.  The lesson for us is to not be trees that are lifted up above others in pride or trees that sway and bend with every new worldly trend.  Rather we must seek to be the vine that brings forth good fruit and those trees of righteousness that are the “planting of the Lord” and which endure forever.