Contemplative Bible Reading

2 Chronicles 3:5 (New Living Translation)

He paneled the main room of the Temple with cypress wood, overlaid it with fine gold, and decorated it with carvings of palm trees and chains.

This verse describes how Solomon built the Temple in Jerusalem. The main room was decorated with carving of palm trees.

Palm trees? How about beings such as angels or God? How events such as creation or the parting of the Red Sea? Palm trees?

Do a little searching and there are many descriptions of palm trees and their significance in the time of Solomon and also of Jesus—you know, Palm Sunday and the triumphal entry and all that.

There they are. Palm trees. Enter the Temple of the Lord and you see palm trees. By putting the palm tree in the temple, Solomon and God honored it. The palm tree had religious significance.

I’ve lived in and around southern Louisiana for many years. The southern live oak tree is wonderful and means so much to people in that region. If the Temple were built in south Louisiana, southern live oaks would be carved into the walls.

In the time and place of Solomon, the palm tree was revered and honored. I’ve always liked palm trees. I guess there is a connection.