Trees in the Wilderness (Isaiah 41:14-20)
From Notebook 2, 04-05-11 and 04-05-18, organized according to the following outline of the chapter. From a series taught at Tuesday Night Bible Study on the Song of Solomon.

Unfortunately, this document as written is very incoherent. The study, at least when I went over it again, was however very eye-opening, especially that part labeled "God's Intention".

To the Verses and Table of Contents

[The original order in which these were taught was - God's Motivation, Places of Testing, The Attitude, God's Intention. There are painful gaps in my notetaking, but the main ideas do come through.]


"The Song of Solomon symbolizes the love of Jesus bringing us to His righteousness."

Is. 41:14-20 (For now, mostly ASV, w/ some minor alterations (proto-OGV). Blue = words of God)

The Attitude | The Attitude Revisited (Epilogue)

[14] "Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel;
I will help thee,"
says Yahweh, "and thy Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.
[15] Behold, I have made thee [to be] a new, sharp threshing sledge with teeth;
Thou shalt thresh the mountains and beat [them] small,
And shalt make the hills like chaff.

[16] Thou shalt winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away,
And the storm (tempest, whirlwind) shall scatter them;
And thou shalt rejoice in Yahweh,
Thou shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.


God's Motivation
[17] "The poor (afflicted) and needy seek water, and there is none,
And their tongue fails for thirst;
I, Yahweh, will answer them Myself,
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
Places of Testing
[18] I will open rivers on the bare heights,
And fountains in the midst of the valleys;
I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
And the dry land springs of water.
God's Intention
[19] I will put in the wilderness the cedar,
The shittah (acacia), and the myrtle, and the oil tree (olive);
I will set in the desert the juniper (cypress),
The box tree (or, plane tree) and the cypress (or, pine) together;
The Outcome
[20] That they may see, and know,
And consider and understand together,
That the hand of Yahweh has done this,
And the Holy One of Israel has created it.


[The Attitude] (5-18) Return to Top | To God's Motivation
[15] Behold, I have made thee [to be] a new, sharp threshing sledge with teeth;
Thou shalt thresh the mountains and beat [them] small,
And shalt make the hills like chaff.

[16] Thou shalt winnow them, and the wind shall carry them away,
And the storm (tempest, whirlwind) shall scatter them;
And thou shalt rejoice in Yahweh,
Thou shalt glory in the Holy One of Israel.
  The threshing floor is a place of reckoning. God uses it to bring us to righteousness. We are (all) at a place of destiny right now, to be a vital part of the body. This is what ye were made for. Stop looking elsewhere. All of us are given something that the body needs. Start small. Ye may have the talent and have used it in the past, but now it is in testing to prepare for testing. But remember that helps is also a ministry. Look to God.
  Testing is to improve you. Seek that place, seek God for His Spirit, however He chooses to manifest, and stir up His talents, use them wisely and for edification. (Help me to see this in every trial, Lord.) Go deep into God, His Word, His Spirit. Wilderness, dryness, bare heights, valleys are all times and places of testing. To know of Him and His righteousness, How to grow in Him. We have to be anointed, that is, Christs. Everything changes, except His Word.

[God's Motivation] (5-11) Return to Top | To Places of Testing

[17] "The poor (afflicted) and needy seek water, and there is none,
And their tongue fails for thirst;
I, Yahweh, will answer them Myself,
I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them.
  Have faith in God, He will heal, but seek His ways, His water always [even when you find none]. Though the adversary and your own guilt/sin prevent it, yet find Him, for He will find you, and not only you!
  If we are seeking, we will hunger and thirst for more of Him. [When we don't seek, we become numb to the hunger, just as, after going without food for sometime you become used to being hungry...until you smell food, that is.]
  Pray for a real passion for God and His Word, coming out of our love for Him.
Surely there is a latter end,
And your hope will not be cut off. [Pr 23:18]
  Jacob's tenacity caused him to receive a blessing from God (when he wrestled with Him at Jabbok). Pray harder, study harder, fellowship and commune harder. Do not give up or give in, [but rather remember] every temptation is a chance to obey God.
  Father, I will seek Thee until ye bless me. Jacob was a schemer all his life, now God wanted to and did make him Israel, the contender with God, from whom came our Advocate w/ the Father. Tenacity. Faith, strong and fervent integrity. Firm, Tenacious, yet Gentle.
  Study to take to heart the fruit of the Spirit. Pray and fight and war for it. War with the weapons of the Spirit (the word and prayer). [and then to Places of Testing]

[Places of Testing] (5-11) Return to Top | To Page 2 | To God's Intention
  Each place of testing is a place of Blessing:

[18] I will open rivers on the bare heights
And springs in the midst of the valleys;
I will make the wilderness a pool of water
And the dry land fountains of water.


We know that all things works together for good to those who love God,
to those who are called according to [His] purpose. [Ro 8:28]


4 Places (bare heights, valleys, wilderness, dry land):
  1) the bare heights - high places, places of vulnerability, when you begins to relax in your service of God, and become prideful. Neglect [comes in]. Be vigilant when your vision is clear, so that you do not become secure in your own knowledge.

  2) valleys - despondency, crises, where it is dark, and you cannot find your way. Here is where you learn to trust and lean on God, where you have to depend on Him. It can be a great place of growth if you recognize it for what it is, for the water is (naturally) in the valleys. The higher you go, the fewer trees there are. Remember also that the Bride calls herself the lily of the valley (Song 2:1, [also see Hos 14:5 and context...]). Living water (bubbling springs) comes forth from our bellies in the valleys.
[this paragraph was garbled...and, as written, contradictory, so] Trees planted firmly by the river, no withered root. Endeavour to be in this valley. Deep roots get the water, grow stronger. Study trees, roots, etc.
  If ye study the word of God and your roots grow deep in it, ye will not be blown about by winds of doctrine.

  3) wilderness - wide open, lawless. Escape from this land by going deeper into His mountains. Here there are wild beasts, dragons (snakes, and the Adversary), lack of food.

  4) dry land - disappointment of spirit. Back to Page 1 | To God's Intention
  Every promise has a precondition. Teach the latter too.
  For twelve years, the woman in the gospels had an issue of blood. She sought cure after cure, and could have despaired of ever finding one, yet she did not. She continued to risk disappointment, she kept faith, and in the tenacity of her faith, she reached out and touched Christ, and she was healed!
  Ye gain wisdom from Christ, from the tests you go through. Look back to see what God has done for you, when the crisis is over. Praise, continually show faith, and continually act with it.

  Valleys come from change. When you become comfortable [i.e. complacent], He will bring change so you learn to trust and follow Him. Change your attitude, therefore, and do not lean on your own understanding, own ways, etc.

[Following "paragraph" is a lot of isolated, vaguely related sentences"]
  Wisdom comes not just from reading the word, but through experience [in the Light of His Word, and of Him]. Father, bring these trials, give me, give us the strength to stand. Know that God loves you and will not desert you. The secret of life is having the proper attitude toward Christ. Father, work, Labour in me. I shall work in Thee.
  God works through the same circumstances to teach different lessons to different people. God wants your faith. Trust God, don't worry, but place your trust in Him and go forth, in courageous faith. Lord, though Thy trials are different, yet are they similar.
  Jesus will protect you. Do not live your life in fear. Even if you do die, or enter into affliction, Praise God! For one is, in truth, life, and the other is for the glory of God [and through it He will do a great and good work, cf. Sonday the 24th message].
  Remember, and meditate upon the works and gracious dealings of the Lord.
  If anything troubles you, pray to God and surrender it, believing that whatever He gives in answer will be good. [and then, on 5-18, to The Attitude]

[God's Intention] (5-18, Amplified in parentheses) Return to Top | Attitude Revisited
[19] I will put the cedar in the wilderness,
The acacia and the myrtle and the [Lit:] tree of [olive] oil (wild olive);
I will place the juniper (cypress) [or, fir] in the desert
Together with the box tree (or, plane tree) and the cypress (or, pine),

Seven kinds of trees are to be planted. These are seven characteristics which God has established to be found for His glorious movement. If they are not found, the full move of God has not yet come. Seek these trees from God, and so desire them.
To grant those who mourn Zion,
Giving them a garland instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting.
So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified. [Is 61:3]

These oaks symbolize trees in general. They are straight, upright, tall, planted by the Lord. Each of them is planted for His glory, and the fruit of His trees is righteousness. It is important for righteousness to be preached, and holiness, for these are the goals of God's grace.

[Trees 1-4 are in the wilderness, and 5-7 in the desert. These places may be poetic equals, or two different places. The latter may indeed be the case, since number 1 and number 6 represent similar (not identical) things. Coincidentally, the Heb. for "wilderness" may mean, literally, the land without speech (empty of all human voices).]

[Tree 1] the Cedar [Hebrew erez] [Represents Tenacity] Return to Top | Next Tree
  A strong, hard tree, firm in its roots. It has established roots - established in the church, not wavering, with a hard core and a beautiful fragrance that keeps bugs away--it is impervious to the bites of the enemy.
  A cedar tree takes time to grow, it does not spring up overnight.
[Also, from Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT): "Grows best in a high and dry region. The average height of the cedar of Lebanon is eighty-five feet, though some have been over a hundred feet in height. In trunk circumference, the cedar may reach forty feet (diameter ~ 13 feet). Not infrequently the tree's horizontal spread of branches equals its height. It is also common for this tree to spread its roots among the rocks and thus secure a stronghold. A particular oil in the cedar prevents destruction by dry rot and insects."]

[Tree 2] the Acacia (Heb/KJV shittim) [Represents a United Body] Return to Top | Next Tree
  means "sticks of wood". [Wood, according to earlier lessons on the Tabernacle and on spiritual symbolism, indicates mankind, or individual man.] Sticks of humanity, plurality yet united in one tree. Transparent spirit, cries be to keep the body togther, doesn't flee like the hired shepherds, nor exploits the body. Loyal, conscious of the body.
  All speaking the same thing.

[Tree 3] the Myrtle [Represents Clear(ed) Vision] Return to Top | Next Tree

 And the Man who was standing among the myrtle trees answered and said, "These are those whom the Lord has sent to patrol the earth."
 So they answered the Angel of the Lord who was standing among the myrtle trees, "We have patrolled the earth, and behold, all the earth is peaceful and quiet."
 Then the Angel of the Lord said, "O Lord of hosts, how long will You have no compassion for Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, with which You have been indignant these seventy years?" [Zech 1:10b-12]

  The Angel of the Lord, while walking to and fro beneath the myrtle trees, made known the mind of the Lord. [The Amplified usually capitalizes Angel of the Lord, because she (the woman whose notes were the basis of the original) believed that this Angel was the preincarnate Christ. I agree with her, as does Mrs. Moschetti. This was brought up in the study, but I don't see any note about it.]
  Brier patches grow under the myrtle trees, and hide anything which lies at the feet of the trees. Be careful to be the myrtle tree and not the brier patch. Make known the clarity of God's truth to dissipate the confusion and entanglement.
  We were once entangled in sin (like a young myrtle sapling), but God brings us up, and the tree grows above the tangle of the thorns, to clear vision. Thorns, bitterness, sin, evil-- there is no vision in the brier patch. So do not even taste the forbidden fruit, and do not become entangled in any sin.

[Tree 4] the Olive Tree [Represents the Anointing of the Spirit] Return to Top | Next Tree
[The oil of the olive tree was used to anoint priests, kings, even prophets.]
  However, to get the oil out of the olives, it was necessary to crush them. Two massive stones were used, to press out the anointing oil. [Mrs. Moschetti described the process of making olive oil in much more detail, which I have not reproduced] The grinding out of the oil must come before the anointing (40 days in wilderness).
  Health is benefitted by olive oil--including the skin.
[I need to research extra virgin olive oil. I thought it came from the first pressing, but Mrs. Moschetti indicated that it came from the last and hardest pressing. However, even if her illustration is incorrect, the principle is still correct, - the purest gold is the most refined.]
  Don't just know about the Spirit. Speak out of anointing, not knowledge. Lord, I can do nothing without Thy anointing. Nothing can replace Thy oil.
  In Thy Presence is fullness of Joy [first line of the chorus of a song Miss Lay sang in the Spirit during worship, which was clearly an anointed song].
  Prophecy w/o anointing is nothing.
  Fast and pray. Anointing comes through prayer. Be possessed (controlled, filled) by the holy spirit. It is our right and our privelege to be totally under the Spirit's direction and control. We do not want to go unless Thy Angel (presence, Spirit) goes with us!

[Tree 5] the Fir (Juniper?) Tree [Represents Praise and Worship] Return to Top | Next Tree
  another kind of cypress. Lances and spears are made from this tree, as are musical instruments. These two are linked together, for music, praise and worship, is a part of spiritual warfare. Do this fervently in every trial. Praise is not singing a song. It is praising for at least an hour, devoting ourselves to Him, for what else can men do before God but bow and praise Him. Congregations who don't worship, are dead. Everything changes when true worship and praise come. [Dead congregations suddenly come alive, love appears, etc (illustrations given)]. Present yourself before God.
[There is no agreement between the different English bibles as to what these last three trees are. For this, Strong's Exhaustive Concordance says: berowsh, of uncertain derivation, a cypress (?) tree, hence, a lance or a musical instrument (as made of that wood).]
[This particular wood was used in flooring the templedoors of the entrance (6:34). The main temple was ceilinged with berowsh overlaid with gold (2 Chr. 3:5). Also, in Is. 55:13 this pine tree is said to come up instead of the thorns. It is used in II Sam. 6:5 to refer to musical instruments, and in Nahum 2:3 to lances (cypress spears in NAS).]

[Tree 6] the Pine or Cypress [Represents Endurance] Return to Top | Next Tree
  An enduring, lasting tree. Hardwood. He who endures shall be saved. To Him who overcomes, the fruit of the tree of life shall be given to eat. Don't be conscious of the enemy's dipslays of power, but listen to the word of God, rejoice in the obstacles, for they are an opportunity to overcome. Glorify God.
[This is Heb. tidhar. The TWOT has "elm". It appears only in Is. 41:19, seems to mean enduring or lasting (per Strong's), and may mean oak, or any other enduring tree. (see Nah 3:2, Judg 5:22, where related words are used.)]

[Tree 7] the Box Tree [Represents Dignity] Return to Top | The Attitude Revisited
  dignity, erectness, straightness, upstanding, dignified, the church will have her honour and glory restored. Your concept of God is your concept of the Church. A wrong attitude to God produces a wrong attitude toward the Church. Learn about God and the Church.
[te'ashsh�r - TWOT: "boxtree" from a word meaning to go straight, to walk. Strong's: a species of cedar, from its erectness. Also in Is. 60:13.]

[The Attitude Revisited] (end of 5-18) Return to Top
[14] "Do not fear, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel;
I will help you," declares the Lord, "and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

  Though we are now on the threshing floor, though now we are a worm, yet He will make us into a new, sharp threshing sledge. He will first give us righteousness, so that we have a right to judge the nations.
The Church will judge in righteousness.

[These verses came at the end of 5-11. They all have to do with the Lord not forsaking His people:]

"Just as I have been with Moses, I will be with you; I will not fail you nor forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall give this people possession of the land which I swore to their fathers to give them." [Josh 1:5b-6]

"Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the Lord is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. [2 Chr 15:2]

For we are slaves, yet in our bondage our God has not forsaken us, but has extended lovingkindness to us in the sight of the kings of Persia, to give us reviving to raise up the house of our God, to restore its ruins and to give us a wall in Judah and Jerusalem. [Ezra 9:9]

[Make sure that] your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He Himself has said, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you," [so that we confidently say, "The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid, what will man do to me?"] [Heb. 13:5(-6)]