B
The doors of the temple were made of cypress wood and were carved with cherubim and palm trees—1 Kings 6:34-35; cf. Ezek. 41:18-20:
１
Cherubim signify the glory of the Lord manifested upon the creatures (10:18; Heb. 9:5), and palm trees signify the victory of Christ and the everlasting and ever-existing power of Christ (Ezek. 40:16; Rev. 7:9).
２
The carving of the palm trees and the cherubim on the doors of cypress wood signifies that the victory of Christ and the glory of the Lord have been “carved” into our being through sufferings—Acts 16:7; Phil. 3:10; 2 Cor. 4:10-12.
Ⅲ
Cedar signifies the resurrected Christ—1 Kings 6:9-10, 15-16, 36:
A
Cedar trees grew on the mountains of Lebanon; thus, cedar signifies Christ’s humanity in resurrection, the resurrected Christ—Psa. 104:16; S. S. 4:8.
B
The resurrected and ascended Christ as the King is a majestic and magnificent cedar out of the house of David—Ezek. 17:22-23; Rom. 1:3-4; Acts 2:22-24, 32-36; Heb. 2:9.
C
We need to be those who send forth our roots into Christ, like the cedar trees of Lebanon, causing us to grow in life as we are planted in the house of Jehovah, flourishing in the courts of our God, still bringing forth fruit in old age, and being full of sap and green—Hosea 14:5-9; Psa. 92:12-14; 2 Kings 19:30.
D
The church is the depository and the storehouse of the resurrection power of Christ; when this power operated in Christ, it made Him the Head; when this power operates in us, it makes us His Body—Eph. 1:19-23; Rom. 8:2, 11; 12:1-2; Phil. 3:10.
Morning Nourishment
1 Kings 6:34-35 ...Two doors of cypress wood;... And he carved cherubim and palm trees and open flowers on them...Hosea 14:5-6 I will be like the dew to Israel; he will bud like the lily and will send forth his roots like the trees of Lebanon. His shoots will go forth; and his splendor will be like that of the olive tree,... his fragrance, like that of the trees of Lebanon.
All the parts of the building related to the temple... are covered, wainscoted, with wood (Ezek. 41:16). On all the wooden wainscoting, cherubim and palm trees were carved (41:18-20). The cherubim... signify the glory of the Lord manifested upon the creatures. Among the cherubim are palm trees, signifying the victory of Christ and the everlasting and ever-existing power of Christ.
The cherubim and palm trees are not painted on the wood but are carved into the wood. This reveals that, as the wainscoting, we need to be “carved” by the Lord... When we meet certain brothers and sisters, we have the impression that upon them there is something carved of the Lord. The victory of Christ and the glory of the Lord have been carved into them. The everlasting power, the freshness, and the evergreen life have been carved into their being. Because of the Lord’s carving, they bear this kind of image and impression wherever they go. (Life-study of Ezekiel, pp. 265-266)
Today’s Reading
In Hosea 14:4-8 we have a picture of Israel in the restoration (Matt. 19:28), as revealed in Hosea 2:15-23; 3:5; 6:1-3; 10:12... He will be like the dew to Israel. Israel will bud like the lily (signifying a pure life trusting in God) and will send forth his roots like the trees of Lebanon (signifying standing steadily in the uplifted humanity). His shoots will go forth (signifying flourishing and spreading); his splendor will be like that of the olive tree (signifying glory in fruitfulness); and his fragrance will be like that of the trees of Lebanon (signifying the sweet odor of a life in the uplifted humanity). Those who sit under his shade (signifying being overshadowed by the sufficient grace enjoyed by them—2 Cor. 12:9) will return. They will revive like grain (signifying being full of life for producing the satisfying food) and will bud like the vine (signifying blossoming for producing the cheering drink). Israel’s renown will be like the wine of Lebanon (signifying a good name spreading like tasteful wine).I hope that this will be the situation with all the local churches in the Lord’s recovery. Then...we will be like lilies, trees of Lebanon, olive trees, and budding vines. (Life-study of Hosea, p. 61)
Ephesians 1:19-20 speaks of the surpassing greatness of His power which God caused to operate in Christ. The church is the place where God demonstrates the operation of the might of His strength, according to the power which He caused to operate in Christ... Those who have might do not necessarily have strength, and those who have strength do not necessarily have might, but here we have “the might of His strength.” The same might of strength which God caused to operate in Christ is now similarly operating in the church... The church is the same as the resurrected Lord not only in nature but also in power... Just as God broke through all barriers in the Lord, He is breaking through all barriers in the church. Therefore, the church should be the same as the resurrected Lord. It should be as powerful, as free, and as unfettered by any limitation as the Lord is... The might of God’s strength not only operated in Christ, but it continually operates in the church as well. Today the church is the depository and storehouse of the power of resurrection.
Today the same resurrection power is operating within us. When this power operated in Christ, it made Him the Head. When this power operates in us, it makes us the Body. (CWWN, vol. 59, pp. 86, 94)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1964, vol. 4, “The Vision of God’s Building,” chs. 10-11; CWWN, vol. 59, chs. 10-11