FRUIT by Raphael ben Levi
“If you have a sapling in your hand and are told, ‘Look, the Messiah is here,’ you should first plant the sapling and then go out to welcome the Messiah” (The Fathers According to Rabbi Natan/Avot de-Rabbi Natan, Version B 31).
Trees serve as a symbol for spiritual choices. A tree stood at the centre of the Garden of Eden that Adam and Eve were warned not to eat from. But they disobeyed. According to the midrash, whilst their action introduced the consequences of sin into the world, the same tree also offered the first step towards spiritual redemption, by providing them with fig leaves to cover their nakedness (Babylonian Talmud Sanhedrin 70a-b).
When sin entered the world there was a flaming fire to keep man from the Tree of Life; but now, in Yeshua we may eat of it and live forever!
There is a story where the forest trees once asked the fruit trees, “Why is the rustling of your leaves not heard in the distance?” The fruit trees replied, “We can dispense with the rustling necessary to manifest our presence because our fruits testify for us.” The fruit trees then enquired of the forest trees: “Why do your leaves rustle almost continually?” The forest trees replied, “We are forced to call the attention of man to our existence.
One day, the intent of every believer’s heart will be exposed before the Bema Seat of God. The fruit of our lives goes before us from which will be measured our eternal reward. But, there will be one question every person will be asked that will supersede all others, penetrating our being and focusing our attention: “How much did you love Me?” Many godly people who are treated with disdain in this life will receive great rewards because they loved God with every fibre of their being. Others who revel in the applause of this world will stumble into Heaven bareheaded with singed garments.
