Palm Trees and Cherubim

Cherubim and palm trees were central to the vision God gave to Ezekiel about the temple. Why were they so important?

Palm trees symbolize life in the desert. These trees thrive in places where survival was difficult. They also could fill desolate places with beauty. They were constant reminders of God’s promise to be present with His people. To provide for them, as long as He was in the center of their lives.

Cherubim were constant reminders of His presence, and power, and how He has intervened in human history.

They first were mentioned after Adam and Eve had sinned. When God “drove” them out of the Garden of Eden, He stationed cherubim to guard the tree of life (Genesis 3:24). Cherubim were central to the tabernacle, and featured in Solomon’s temple (where they flanked God’s throne and hovered over the Ark of the Covenant).

Palm trees and Cherubim remain important symbols for us. They remind us of God. His character. And His promises. They remind us that He is with us, in every situation. That we can depend on Him to meet our needs and provide for us, even when we are in a desert.

They remind us that, at any moment, He can dispatch His angels, as messengers or warriors. That He continues to intervene in our lives and world events. But they also remind us that we need to be pure and holy. That only those with “clean hands and a pure heart” can enter His presence (Psalm 24:1-4).

Today, worship God, and make sure that He is in the center of your life. He still is a Warrior. Your Defender. Your Shield. Your Deliverer. Your Father. Your God.