The Palm Tree Blessing Part 7

"See, your teeth are all loosened. Have pity on yourself, unhappy man."

"Nothing that you can do hurts me, not if you were to cut off all my extremities. I stand steadfastly before you in Christ which strengtheneth me."

"Follow my advice. You had better. Come and sacrifice."

"If I knew that I had better do it, I should not suffer as I do."

"Strike him on the mouth and tell him to cry out."

"When my teeth are dashed out, and my jaws crushed, I can not cry out."

"Will you not even now comply, impious man? Come to the altars, and pour a drink-offering to the G.o.ds."

"Though you have stopped my voice so that I can not cry out, you can not hinder the thoughts of my soul. You have made me bolder and firmer."

"I will take down your firmness, ruffian."

"I am at your disposal. Whatever you devise, I shall be more than a match for you in the name of G.o.d who strengtheneth me."

"Open his hands and put fire in them."

"I am not afraid of your fire, which endures for a moment; but I am afraid lest, if I were to obey you, I should become a partaker of the eternal fire."

"Look, your hands are consumed with the fire. Will you leave off your madness, senseless man, and sacrifice?"

"You talk to me as if I had begged you not to use your arts of persuasion upon my body. I am proof against all that you are doing to me."

"Tie his feet and hang him aloft by them; then send up a thick smoke in his face."

"I thought nothing of your fire; do you suppose that I shall be afraid of your smoke?"

"Consent to sacrifice, now that you are hung up."

"_You_ may sacrifice, sir; you are accustomed to sacrificing--even to sacrificing men. But G.o.d forbid that I should do so."

"Put strong vinegar, mixed with salt up his nostrils."

"Your vinegar is sweet and your salt has lost its saltness."

"Mix mustard with the vinegar and pour it into his nostrils."

"Your officers are deceiving you, Maximus; they gave me honey instead of vinegar."

"I will think of some punishment for you next court day, and I will put an end to your folly."

"And I shall be the readier for your devices."

"Take him down; put him in chains and give him over to the gaoler. Call the next."

CHAPTER XVI

THE PALM BRANCH IS THE SYMBOL OF VICTORY

"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great mult.i.tude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and _palms_ in their hands; and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our G.o.d which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. * * * These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb" (Rev. 7:9, 14).

"When this cruel war is over," and the last enemy, death, has been conquered, and every tribulation has been pa.s.sed through triumphantly, then we shall come forth on the victor's side, clothed with white robes, and waving our palm branches gloriously, having overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.

When Jesus made that triumphal entry into Jerusalem, just before His crucifixion, the rejoicing followers acknowledged His kingly victories, and did homage by preparing His way, and "took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord" (John 12:13).

Not only did the palm branch have the significance of victory in the Bible, but certain countries have used it as a token of victory and rejoicing, a symbol or evidence of superiority or success. In our present day, "to bear the palm" means to come off victoriously. This expression has evidently been borrowed from the ancient symbol.

What other tree in all the world could so well be used to signify victory? When we think of its beauty, its perpendicular straightness, its perennial freshness, its sweet and abundant fruitfulness even in old age, its almost incomprehensible utility, its successful development where other trees fail, its natural propensity to ascend heavenward, its marvelous hardiness with its internal and upward growth, does it not stand to reason that the palm branch should be the most fitting type of Christian triumph and joyous victory? No other tree could be used so well to symbolize the victory of him who is fighting under the banner of King Emmanuel.

Now, if we are to flourish like the palm tree, then we shall flourish with victory.

We are taught in the Word that "we are more than conquerors through him that loved us" (Rom. 8:37). This means that the palm tree saint can fight and win and be ready to fight again.

David's fight with Goliath ill.u.s.trates it. He marched out against his enemy and G.o.d's enemy with five sling stones, and the first throw something entered Goliath's head that made an impression which he never got over. And then the stripling, shepherd lad had four more stones to kill four more giants if necessary.

In the economy of G.o.d's grace He never arranged for us to be succ.u.mbers, but rather overcomers. Read the marvelous promises of Revelation for those who overcome. There are seven of them, and note the ascending scale.

1. "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of G.o.d."

2. "He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death."

3. "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it."

4. "And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations. * * * And I will give him the morning star."

5. "He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels."

6. "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my G.o.d, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my G.o.d, and the name of the city of my G.o.d, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my G.o.d: and I will write upon him my new name."

7. "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his throne."

Wonderful stepping stones to the throne! Seven steps and into glory!

Let us examine them in their order:

1. He eats of the tree of life. Death has slipped away and eternal life has come. He is living forever _now_. We eat of earth's food to live here, and we eat of the tree of life to live forever.

2. He has promise of a safe pa.s.sage and a proper landing. He shall not be hurt with the second death. Insurance in the King's Insurance Company, secures a positive guaranty against the second death. Wrapped in the asbestos robes of full salvation, makes one immune from the fires of perdition.

3. He eats again; but now it is hidden manna. Hidden manna was inside the holy of holies. Thus, he reaches the "second blessing" properly so-called. Now arises special persecution and calumny; but the great Judge in casting the ballot for the condemned, puts in the white stone for acquittal: hence, he receives the white stone at this stage. "What shall we then say to these things? If G.o.d be for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31).