"Like a Green Olive Tree"
Psalms 52:8 (ESV)
But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.
Longevity
Olive trees can live for thousands of years. There are many trees in the Mediterranean region that are scientifically verified to be as old as 2,000 years
Proverbs 9:11 (NKJV)
For by me your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you.
Proverbs 21:21 (TPT)
The lovers of God who chase after righteousness will find all their dreams come true: an abundant life drenched with favor and a fountain that overflows with satisfaction.
Proverbs 19:23 (TPT)
When you live a life of abandoned love, surrendered before the awe of God, here’s what you’ll experience: Abundant life. Continual protection. And complete satisfaction!
John 10:10 (TPT)
A thief has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy. But I have come to give you everything in abundance, more than you expect —life in its fullness until you overflow!
1 Peter 1:3 (TPT)
Celebrate with praises the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has shown us his extravagant mercy. For his fountain of mercy has given us a new life—we are reborn to experience a living, energetic hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Prolific (many offspring)
The olive tree starts bearing fruit at around 5 years of age. A tree in Croatia that is radiocarbon-dated to be 1,600 years old still produces abundant fruit today.
Proverbs 11:30 (TPT)
But a life lived loving God bears lasting fruit, for the one who is truly wise wins souls.
Psalms 1:3 (TPT)
He will be standing firm like a flourishing tree planted by God’s design, deeply rooted by the brooks of bliss, bearing fruit in every season of life. He is never dry, never fainting, ever blessed, ever prosperous.
Psalm 92:12-15 (TPT)
12 Yes! Look how you’ve made all your devoted lovers to flourish like palm trees,each one growing in victory, standing with strength!
13 You’ve transplanted them into your heavenly courtyard, where they are thriving before you,
14 for in your presence they will still overflow and be anointed.Even in their old age they will stay fresh, bearing luscious fruit and abiding faithfully.
15 Listen to them! With pleasure they still proclaim: “You’re so good! You’re my beautiful strength! You’ve never made a mistake with me.”
John 15:4-5 (TPT)
4 So you must remain in life-union with me, for I remain in life-union with you. For as a branch severed from the vine will not bear fruit, so your life will be fruitless unless you live your life intimately joined to mine.
5 “I am the sprouting vine and you’re my branches. As you live in union with me as your source, fruitfulness will stream from within you—but when you live separated from me you are powerless.
Indestructible
The root system of the olive tree is so robust that it’s capable of regenerating itself even when the above-ground structure of the tree is destroyed by frost, fire or disease. In Tuscany in 1985 a severe frost destroyed many productive and aged olive trees, ruining the livelihoods of many farmers. However, when new shoots appeared in the spring and the dead wood was removed, they soon became new fruit-producing trees.
Psalms 18:33 (TPT)
Through you I ascend to the highest peaks to stand strong and secure in you.
Romans 8:10 (TPT)
Yes, God raised Jesus to life! And since God’s Spirit of Resurrection lives in you, he will also raise your dying body to life by the same Spirit that breathes life into you!
Romans 8:36-37 (TPT)
even though it is written: All day long we face death threats for your sake, God. We are considered to be nothing morethan sheep to be slaughtered! Yet even in the midst of all these things, we triumph over them all, for God has made us to be more than conquerors, and his demonstrated love is our glorious victory over everything!
1 John 4:4 (TPT)
Little children, you can be certain that you belong to God and have conquered them, for the One who is living in you is far greater than the one who is in the world.
1 John 5:5 (TPT)
So who are the world conquerors, defeating its power ? Those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
Drought-Defying
Olive trees are ‘drought friendly’ and just like eucalyptus trees do not need to be watered.
John 4:14 (NKJV)
but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
John 6:35 (NKJV)
And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
Nehemiah 9:20 (NKJV)
You also gave Your good Spirit to instruct them, And did not withhold Your manna from their mouth, And gave them water for their thirst.
Isaiah 58:11 (NKJV)
The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought, And strengthen your bones; You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.
Generous
Large olive trees produce on average about 400 pounds of olives annually. Older and larger trees can produce more. It’s estimated that there are about 865 million olive trees in the world today.
John 15:4 (TPT)
So you must remain in life-union with me, for I remain in life-union with you. For as a branch severed from the vine will not bear fruit, so your life will be fruitless unless you live your life intimately joined to mine.
Psalms 92:14 (TPT)
for in your presence they will still overflow and be anointed. Even in their old age they will stay fresh, bearing luscious fruit and abiding faithfully.
John 15:16 (TPT)
You didn’t choose me, but I’ve chosen and commissioned you to go into the world to bear fruit. And your fruit will last, because whatever you ask of my Father, for my sake, he will give it to you!
Matthew 12:35 (TPT)
“When virtue is stored within, the hearts of good, upright people will produce good fruit. But when evil is hidden within, those who are evil will produce evil fruit.
Matthew 13:23 (TPT)
“But what was sown on good, rich soil represents the one who hears and fully embraces the message of the kingdom. Their lives bear good fruit—some yield a harvest of thirty, sixty, even one hundred times as much as was sown.”
Colossians 1:10 (TPT)
We pray that you would walk in the ways of true righteousness, pleasing God in every good thing you do. Then you’ll become fruit-bearing branches, yielding to his life, and maturing in the rich experience of knowing God in his fullness!
Ancient
The edible olive has been cultivated for at least 6,000 years. Lore has it that olives fell from trees into salt water on the banks of the Mediterranean where they were discovered and eaten.
John 1:1-4 (NKJV)
The Eternal Word
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.
4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Revelation 1:8 (TPT)
“I am the Aleph and the Tav, the beginning and the ending,” says the Lord God, “who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Revelation 4:8 (NKJV)
The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”
Revelation 11:17 (NKJV)
saying: “We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
Revelation 16:5 (NKJV)
And I heard the angel of the waters saying: “You are righteous, O Lord, The One who is and who was and who is to be, Because You have judged these things.
Sacred
Olive oil has long been considered sacred. Olive oil is still used today in many religious ceremonies.
The olive branch was often a symbol of abundance, glory and peace - emblems of benediction, purification, and used to crown the victors of both games and wars. Over history, the olive tree's symbolism has been the symbol of peace, wisdom, glory, fertility, power and purity.
I John 2:20 (NKJV)
But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.
Mark 6:13 (NKJV)
And they cast out many demons, and anointed with oil many who were sick, and healed them.
Luke 4:18-19
18-19“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, and he has anointed me to be hope for the poor, healing for the brokenhearted, and new eyes for the blind, and to preach to prisoners, ‘You are set free!’ I have come to share the message of Jubilee, for the time of God’s great acceptance has begun.”
Romans 8:37 (NKJV)
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
I Corinthians 15:57 (NKJV)
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Healthy
Olives are incredibly healthy fruit (yes, fruit—they are a distant cousin of the peach) containing antioxidants, healthy fats and fiber. Olives are harvested from trees and must be vinegar or salt water brined, dry cured with oil or fermented before they can be edible.
Mark 9:50 (NKJV)
Salt is good, but if the salt loses its flavor, how will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and have peace with one another.”
Colossians 4:6 (NKJV)
Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
Galatians 5:22-23 TPT
But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its varied expressions:
- joy that overflows peace that subdues patience that endures kindness in action
- a life full of virtue faith that prevails gentleness of heart strength of spirit
- Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.
Psalms 52:8 (ESV)
But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God. I trust in the steadfast love of God forever and ever.