Topical Bible: Lebanon: Cedars of

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Topical Encyclopedia

The Cedars of Lebanon hold a significant place in biblical literature and history, symbolizing strength, beauty, and longevity. These majestic trees are frequently mentioned throughout the Scriptures, reflecting their importance in the ancient Near East and their symbolic representation of God's creation and majesty.

Biblical References and Symbolism

The Cedars of Lebanon are first mentioned in the Bible in the context of the construction of significant structures. King Solomon used these cedars in building the Temple in Jerusalem, as recorded in 1 Kings 5:6: "So give orders that cedars of Lebanon be cut for me. My servants will work with yours, and I will pay you for your servants according to whatever you say. You know that we have no one so skilled in felling timber as the Sidonians." This passage highlights the high regard for the quality and durability of the cedar wood, as well as the collaboration between Israel and the neighboring regions.

The cedars are also used metaphorically to describe the splendor and power of nations and individuals. In Psalm 92:12, the righteous are compared to these trees: "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon." This imagery conveys the idea of spiritual strength and enduring faithfulness.

Historical and Cultural Context

The Cedars of Lebanon were renowned in the ancient world for their size and quality. These trees, native to the mountains of Lebanon, were highly prized for their durable wood, which was used in construction and shipbuilding. The Phoenicians, who inhabited the coastal regions of modern-day Lebanon, were known for their maritime prowess and utilized cedar wood extensively in their ships.

The cedars also held religious significance. They were associated with the divine and the eternal, often used in the construction of temples and palaces. The grandeur of these trees made them a fitting symbol for the majesty of God and the enduring nature of His covenant with His people.

Prophetic and Poetic Imagery

The prophets of Israel frequently used the imagery of the Cedars of Lebanon to convey messages of judgment and restoration. In Isaiah 2:13, the cedars are mentioned in the context of God's judgment against human pride: "against all the cedars of Lebanon, lofty and lifted up, and against all the oaks of Bashan." This passage illustrates the futility of human arrogance in the face of divine sovereignty.

Conversely, the cedars are also used to depict restoration and blessing. In Ezekiel 17:22-23, God promises to plant a cedar on a high mountain, symbolizing the restoration of Israel: "This is what the Lord GOD says: ‘I will take a shoot from the lofty top of the cedar and plant it. I will break off a tender sprig from its topmost shoots, and I will plant it on a high and prominent mountain. On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it, and it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a majestic cedar. Birds of every kind will nest under it; they will find shelter in the shade of its branches.’"

Conclusion

The Cedars of Lebanon, with their towering presence and enduring strength, serve as a powerful symbol throughout the Bible. They represent not only the physical beauty and resources of the ancient world but also the spiritual truths of strength, righteousness, and the eternal nature of God's promises.

Nave's Topical Index

Judges 9:15
And the bramble said to the trees, If in truth you anoint me king over you, then come and put your trust in my shadow: and if not, let fire come out of the bramble, and devour the cedars of Lebanon.
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2 Kings 19:23
By your messengers you have reproached the LORD, and have said, With the multitude of my chariots I am come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon, and will cut down the tall cedar trees thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the lodgings of his borders, and into the forest of his Carmel.
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2 Chronicles 2:8
Send me also cedar trees, fir trees, and algum trees, out of Lebanon: for I know that your servants can skill to cut timber in Lebanon; and, behold, my servants shall be with your servants,
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Psalm 29:5
The voice of the LORD breaks the cedars; yes, the LORD breaks the cedars of Lebanon.
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Psalm 104:16
The trees of the LORD are full of sap; the cedars of Lebanon, which he has planted;
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Isaiah 2:13
And on all the cedars of Lebanon, that are high and lifted up, and on all the oaks of Bashan,
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Isaiah 14:8
Yes, the fir trees rejoice at you, and the cedars of Lebanon, saying, Since you are laid down, no feller is come up against us.
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Ezekiel 27:5
They have made all your ship boards of fir trees of Senir: they have taken cedars from Lebanon to make masts for you.
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Library

The Cedars of Lebanon.
... I shall be ever grateful"to have spent days in primeval forests, as grand, and far
stranger and far richer than that of Lebanon and its cedars; amid trees ...
/.../kingsley/westminster sermons/sermon xvi the cedars of.htm

His Legs are as Pillars of Marble, Set Upon Sockets of Fine Gold ...
... CHAPTER V. 15. His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine
gold; his countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/guyon/song of songs of solomon/15 his legs are as.htm

Continued.
... And Jehovah rends the cedars of Lebanon, And makes them leap like a calf; Lebanon
and Sirion like a young buffalo The voice of Jehovah hewing flashes of fire! ...
//christianbookshelf.org/maclaren/the life of david/iii early dayscontinued.htm

The Building of the Golden House.
... There were men at work in the quarries, cutting great stones, and there were men
in the forests of Lebanon cutting and hewing cedars, and others gathering iron ...
/.../lathbury/childs story of the bible/chapter xxvi the building of.htm

Psalm 29
... 5The voice of the Eternal doth. asunder cedars tear; Yea, God the Lord doth cedars
break. that Lebanon doth bear. ^6He makes them like a calf to skip,. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/scottish psalter and paraphrases/psalm 29.htm

On Earthly Things
... [Ps.91(92):13(12)]. The cedars are men of the highest power; in the psalm:
that they may grow as the cedars of Lebanon. And in a ...
/.../eucherius/the formulae of st eucherius of lyons/iii on earthly things.htm

A Discourse
... But why should Lebanon, the cedars in Lebanon, in an especial manner here, be said
to rejoice at his downfall: doubtless to show that as the enemy made his ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/a discourse.htm

Song of Songs of Solomon
... 15. His legs are as pillars of marble, set upon sockets of fine gold; his
countenance is as Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. 16. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/guyon/song of songs of solomon/

Zechariah
... of victory, and Ephraim is assured that her exiles will be gathered and brought
home from Egypt and Assyria to Gilead and Lebanon; the cedars of Lebanon and ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/zechariah.htm

Fresh Supplies of Power.
... The beauty of the lily, and of the olive-tree; the strength of the roots of Lebanon's
giant cedars, and the fragrance of their boughs; the fruitfulness of the ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks on power/fresh supplies of power.htm