An article in Kingdom News stated, “the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the tree at Calvary, and the tree of life in eternity sum up the history of the world. To understand the impact these three trees have on humanity is to understand the good news.” These trees reveal God’s love for us in the deepest sense. Trees found in scripture often symbolize life, growth, and fruitfulness. They reflect the abundant blessings that God bestows on creation. Juxtapose that to a lowly tree stump. A stump represents life ended or the brevity of life. In scripture, a stump symbolizes God’s judgement because of sin. As we take a closer look, we find that even though sin entered the world, God’s love has always been coming for us. God promised David that his throne would be established forever. The promise is found in the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who is a descendant of the house of David, and whose kingdomwill last forever. So what does that have to do with a stump? Promises were made that related to David’s immediate successor, Solomon, and the royal family line. Sadly, David’s choice to commit adultery and the murder of one of his mighty men, Uriah, created a downward spiral of faithlessness. Solomon’s downfall was rooted in a quest for power, pleasure, and idolatry. The third king in David’s line, Jeroboam, was one of the most evil kings to ever exist. David 36
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