Nettles to Myrtles
GOD is able to turn your thorny world into a Paradise of the Heart.
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Do you need Good News in your dark, troubled, and confusing world?
Isaiah the prophet gives us some:
“Instead of the thorn, the cypress will come up,
And instead of nettles, myrtles will come up;
And this will be a memorial to the LORD,
An everlasting sign of His covenant with you.”
That verse may make little sense to you, so let me give you the context.
GOD’S people, the Jews, had been captured by the wicked Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, in 586 BC. Nebuchadnezzar separated children from their parents, razed the Temple of YHWH, and burned Jerusalem to the ground.
It was a dark time for God’s people.
But Isaiah the prophet gave a message of hope to the captives in Babylon. In Isaiah 53, Isaiah describes a Suffering Servant from YHWH who’d take all punishment for the sins of God’s people upon Himself, giving His people forgiveness, peace, and prosperity in their hearts.
It is possible, says Isaiah:
To experience a Paradise in your heart in this dark, troubled world as you trust the Suffering Servant from YHW to bear the punishment due to your sins and to ensure for you all of YHWH’S good promises associated with those who have perfect righteousness.
THORNS In the Bible Picture Sin’s Consequences
Thorns have less meaning in an urban, civilized world than in the ancient world. Farmers, livestock growers, and people of the earth understood that thorns were a detriment to productivity.
Thorn(s): As part of the curse for man’s rebellion against our Creator, we find our lives filled with “thorns and thistles” (see Genesis 3:18). Thorns, a picture of the consequences of our sins, harm us as they get “under our skin.” Pointing the finger at others and their “thorns” has nothing to do “with the thorns” in us. All of us have sinned and been stabbed by thorns of life. The Messiah took our place on the cross, bearing a crown of thorns on His head, symbolizing dying for our sins, in our place.
Cypress Trees: In ancient Israel, cypress trees represented healing, uprightness, evergreen, and eternal life. They are long living trees that are able to endure harsh climates and poor soil. GOD calls the Cypress a mighty tree (Zechariah 11:2). The temple contained cypress wood overlaid with fine gold (2 Chronicles 3:5). Thorns are manifestations of sin’s great curse on earth because of man’s sin (Genesis 3:17), but through the work of Jesus the Messiah, the curse of sin is forever removed (Revelation 22:3).”
Nettle(s): In Israel, nettles refer to plants from the Urtica, especially Urtica dioica (commonly called stinging nettle). These plants are covered with tiny hairs that release irritating chemicals, causing a stinging sensation, redness, and swelling when they come into contact with human skin. Nettles throughout the Old Testament represent symbolically the desolation, ruin, or punishment of sin.
Proverbs 24:30-31 describes a neglected field overgrown with thorns, nettles, and other signs of abandonment: "I passed by the field of the sluggard, by the vineyard of a man lacking sense, and behold, it was all overgrown with thorns; the ground was covered with nettles, and its stone wall was broken down."
Hosea 9:6 mentions nettles as a sign of destruction and ruin: "For behold, they are gone because of destruction; Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them. Nettles shall possess their precious things of silver; thorns shall be in their tents."
Myrtle Trees: The Bible's myrtle tree symbolizes peace, restoration, and divine blessing. Known for its fragrant leaves, delicate white blossoms, and evergreen nature, the myrtle is often associated with God’s promise of renewal and hope. In Isaiah 55:13, the prophet speaks of a future time of redemption when the myrtle will replace the thornbush, representing the transformation of suffering into joy. Its resilience, thriving even in dry conditions, mirrors the enduring nature of God's covenant with His people. The myrtle's sweet fragrance is also symbolic of God's pleasing presence, bringing comfort and healing in times of difficulty. Often, it represents a turning point from despair to hope, as it flourishes in arid places where life seems unlikely to grow. Thus, the myrtle in biblical texts embodies the promise of new beginnings, the restoration of life, and the beauty of God’s enduring peace.
GOD TURNS BRIAR PATCHES INTO A PARADISE OF THE HEART FOR HIS PEOPLE
YHWH’s Everlasting Covenant with Us
“Incline your ear and come to Me.
Listen, that you may live;
And I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
According to the faithful mercies shown to David.
Isaiah 55:3
I will never forget my friend, Dr. David Darnell, a Hebrew scholar par-excellence, who one day said to me in passing:
“Why do Christians make a hero of David? Don’t they know of his miserable and wrecked life?
I’ve never forgotten David Darnell’s words. He’s right.
David screwed up in his life multiple times and in various ways.
He committed adultery with Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11).
He murdered Uriah (2 Samuel 11).
He took a census of Israel (2 Samuel 24; 1 Chronicles 21), not trusting GOD.
His family’s failed - his son Amnon raped Tamar (2 Samuel 13) and his son Absalom's rebelled against his father and mother (2 Samuel 15-18)
He allowed his general Joab’s oppressive and violent behavior (1 Kings 2:5-6)
Polygamy and idolatry wrecked his home throughout David’s life.
David’s weakness worsened later in life (1 Kings 1).
David was no saint.
Yet, GOD was merciful to David, blessed, protected, honored, and cared for David in everlasting agape love.
That’s precisely what GOD does for you.
He turns all your nettles into myrtles, all your thorns into cedars.
“God sees no sin in His people” because the Messiah has born it all.
That’s the Good News of the sacred Scriptures.
Don’t let institutional religion destroy the Gospel of Christianity.
History is His Story.
Rest in Him.
Thank you for being so supportive of Istoria Ministries! Rachelle and I could not do this without you. For our supporters, you may download a 25-page PDF or WORD Document of “Beautiful Bible” that can be printed to study the symmetry of Scripture.
Thank you so much for the opportunity to print and share this. I have friends that do not use technology very well and they will love to read this. I sure appreciate you.
Thank you Wade. Your pdf of Perfect Bible is fantastic!