Topical Bible: The Cedar: High

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The cedar tree, known for its majestic height and strength, holds significant symbolic and practical importance throughout the Bible. It is frequently mentioned in the Scriptures, often representing power, beauty, and durability. The cedar, particularly the famed cedars of Lebanon, is a symbol of God's creation and the grandeur of His works.

Biblical References and Symbolism

The cedar tree is first mentioned in the context of the construction of the Temple of Solomon. In 1 Kings 5:6, Solomon requests cedar wood from Hiram, king of Tyre, for building the temple: "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." The use of cedar wood in the temple construction underscores its value and the desire for the temple to be a place of lasting beauty and strength.

The cedar is also used metaphorically in the Bible to describe the righteous and their flourishing. Psalm 92:12 states, "The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, and grow like a cedar in Lebanon." Here, the cedar symbolizes the spiritual growth and stability of those who live in accordance with God's will.

In Ezekiel 31:3, the cedar is used to describe the greatness of Assyria: "Consider Assyria, once a cedar in Lebanon, with beautiful branches overshadowing the forest; it towered on high, its top above the thick foliage." This passage highlights the cedar's association with majesty and dominance, yet it also serves as a reminder of the transience of earthly power, as Assyria eventually fell.

Cedar in Prophetic Imagery

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

Conversely, the cedar is also a symbol of hope and restoration. In Ezekiel 17:22-23, God promises to plant a tender shoot on a high and lofty mountain, which will grow into a majestic cedar: "On the mountain heights of Israel I will plant it, and it will produce branches and bear fruit and become a splendid cedar." This prophecy points to the establishment of a new, righteous kingdom under God's rule.

Cedar in Practical Use

Beyond its symbolic meanings, cedar wood was highly prized in the ancient Near East for its durability, resistance to decay, and pleasant aroma. It was used extensively in construction, particularly for temples and palaces, as well as in shipbuilding. The cedars of Lebanon were renowned for their quality, making them a valuable resource for trade and diplomacy.

Conclusion

The cedar tree, with its towering presence and enduring strength, serves as a powerful symbol throughout the Bible. It represents the beauty and majesty of God's creation, the stability and growth of the righteous, and the ultimate triumph of God's kingdom. Through its various uses and symbolic meanings, the cedar continues to inspire awe and reverence for the Creator.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 37:24
By your servants have you reproached the Lord, and have said, By the multitude of my chariots am I come up to the height of the mountains, to the sides of Lebanon; and I will cut down the tall cedars thereof, and the choice fir trees thereof: and I will enter into the height of his border, and the forest of his Carmel.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Ezekiel 17:22
Thus said the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it on an high mountain and eminent:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Amos 2:9
Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Of the Predicted Rejection of Idols.
... every one that is lifted up and humbled, [623] and they shall be brought low; and
upon every cedar of Lebanon of the high ones and the lifted up, [624] and ...
/.../the harmony of the gospels/chapter xxviii of the predicted rejection.htm

Building a Great Temple
... Solomon built the wings against the sides of the temple, each seven and a half feet
high; and they were joined to the temple with timbers of cedar. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/sherman/the childrens bible/building a great temple.htm

In the Days of Queen Esther
... They were likened by Inspiration to "the highest branch of the high cedar," which
was to be planted "upon an high mountain and eminent: in the mountain of the ...
/.../white/the story of prophets and kings/chapter 49 in the days.htm

The High Woods
... That, he will say, is Fiddlewood; {133g} that a Carapo, {133h} that a Cedar, {133i}
that ... He will make a stage round it, some eight feet high, and cut it above ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/at last/chapter vii the high woods.htm

Of the Building of this Temple
... of cloisters, which stood on high upon pillars of native stone, while the roofs
were of cedar, and were polished in a manner proper for such high roofs; but he ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 3 of the building.htm

The Primitive Church.
... THE CHOSEN PEOPLE. LESSON XXIV. THE PRIMITIVE CHURCH. "I will also take of the highest
branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top ...
/.../yonge/the chosen people/lesson xxiv the primitive church.htm

How Solomon Built Himself a Royal Palace, Very Costly and Splendid ...
... It was a hundred cubits long, and fifty broad, and thirty high, supported by
quadrangular pillars, which were all of cedar; but its roof was according to the ...
/.../josephus/the antiquities of the jews/chapter 5 how solomon built.htm

"But the End of all Things is at Hand, be Ye Therefore Sober and ...
... Sobriety walks with a low sail, and creeps through under the wind, but the high
mind is like the cedar, that moves with the wind, and falls when the bowing ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xx but the end.htm

Psalm 92
... of th' unicorn, exalt. My horn on high: thou with fresh oil. anoint me also shalt. ...
shall be the righteous one; He shall like to the cedar grow. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/anonymous/scottish psalter and paraphrases/psalm 92.htm

The Story of Solomon and his Temple
... made ready great store of precious things for the temple; also stone and cedar to
be ... Joab, the general of the army, and Abiathar, one of the two high-priests. ...
/.../marshall/the wonder book of bible stories/the story of solomon and.htm