(TY200 – Lesson 13)
By Kathy L McFarland
7/7/2024
The Mysteries of Trees
Mark 8:22–26 (KJV 1900)
22 And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. 23 And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. 24 And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. 25 After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly. 26 And he sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town.
TY200 – INTERPRETATION CONFIDENCE CHART
- Typology known as fully God’s Truth concerning trees walking as recorded in Mark 8:22-26 (Those specifically, typologically identified in Scripture)
- Trees in Scripture identify the different Spiritual Lives that are lived on this Earth
- Different parts of the trees walking with Christ are fully represented in Scripture as God’s Truth
- Tree – Spiritual Lives of forgiven followers walking with the Lord Jesus Christ and producing powerful fruits of His.
- Root – The foundation of a tree from firstfruit that is secured by a lump of clay that can grow and produce living works of fruit
- Leaves – The preparation that LORD God makes for the coming events of living works.
- Fruit – Living works of the LORD God, done through followers (Branch) of the Lord Jesus Christ (Vine) at the guidance of the Holy Spirit with the spiritual life of a walking tree.
- Seed – Word of God.
- The fruit of righteousness is a Tree of Life.
- Typology Known Confidently (Those represented in Scripture with enough frequency, sufficiency, and accuracy to reveal their typological meanings with full Truth of God unchallenged and supported by the Holy Spirit’s teachings)
- Almond Tree – The believer, as an almond tree, is a Christian leader, chosen by God, that watches over the works of Christians guided by the Lord, and the people he serves.
- Algum/Almug Tree – The Spiritual Life works that honors the LORD God and guides Believers to come closer to Him toward the beauty of His Holiness through the Lord Jesus Christ. Musical worship and high praise are often expressed through these types of Christian works.
- Apple Tree – A Spiritual Life that can comfort those that love God, regardless of their status of sin. These Spiritual works provide protection, sweetness of life; the Christians doing these works are often beloved amongst the worldly receivers. (Believers from the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, Lutheran, Baptist, and Methodist Social Services, and other Missionary and denominational efforts to house the homeless, feed the hungry, and provide comfort in despair are excellent examples of this type of spiritual lives lived in duty toward their works for God.)
- Ash Tree – A Spiritual Life with a deceived heart, that stands among Christians and worships different false gods created by other human beings or self.
- Typology Known Probably (Knowledge of Scripture, God’s Way, Logic and common sense in the typological meaning can NOT be confirmed fully with the Word of God and the moving of the Holy Spirit)
- Typology NOT Known (Can NOT make even simple assumptions of the typological meaning because there is NOT enough frequency, sufficiency, or accuracy recorded in Scripture, and the Holy Spirit is NOT teaching deeper meaning)
Teachings by Kathy L McFarland
Have you heard that newest little phrase that is making the rounds on Facebook? “Nuff’ said” is probably the best comment I could make to capture our next study. Only one place in Scripture is the Ash Tree mentioned, but it is mentioned in such a way that we can be confident of our associations. Isaiah 44:14 is that lone reference, but the entire Isaiah chapter 44 is its reveal. Let’s read the entire chapter through, then we will begin to break it down in manageable pieces with our worksheets to discover the spiritual life of an Ash Tree.
Isaiah 44:1–28 (KJV 1900)
Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant;
And Israel, whom I have chosen:
2 Thus saith the Lord that made thee,
And formed thee from the womb, which will help thee;
Fear not, O Jacob, my servant;
And thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty,
And floods upon the dry ground:
I will pour my spirit upon thy seed,
And my blessing upon thine offspring:
4 And they shall spring up as among the grass,
As willows by the water courses.
5 One shall say, I am the Lord’s;
And another shall call himself by the name of Jacob;
And another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord,
And surname himself by the name of Israel.
6 Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel,
And his redeemer the Lord of hosts;
I am the first, and I am the last;
And beside me there is no God.
7 And who, as I, shall call,
And shall declare it, and set it in order for me,
Since I appointed the ancient people?
And the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.
8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid:
Have not I told thee from that time,
And have declared it? ye are even my witnesses.
Is there a God beside me?
Yea, there is no God; I know not any.
9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity;
And their delectable things shall not profit;
And they are their own witnesses;
They see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image
That is profitable for nothing?
11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed:
And the workmen, they are of men:
Let them all be gathered together, let them stand up;
Yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.
12 The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals,
And fashioneth it with hammers,
And worketh it with the strength of his arms:
Yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth:
He drinketh no water, and is faint.
13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line;
He fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass,
And maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man;
That it may remain in the house.
14 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak,
Which he strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest:
He planteth an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
15 Then shall it be for a man to burn:
For he will take thereof, and warm himself;
Yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread;
Yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it;
He maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
16 He burneth part thereof in the fire;
With part thereof he eateth flesh;
He roasteth roast, and is satisfied:
Yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha,
I am warm, I have seen the fire:
17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image:
He falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it,
And saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.
18 They have not known nor understood:
For he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see;
And their hearts, that they cannot understand.
19 And none considereth in his heart,
Neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say,
I have burned part of it in the fire;
Yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof;
I have roasted flesh, and eaten it:
And shall I make the residue thereof an abomination?
Shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?
20 He feedeth on ashes:
A deceived heart hath turned him aside,
That he cannot deliver his soul, nor say,
Is there not a lie in my right hand?
21 Remember these, O Jacob
And Israel; for thou art my servant:
I have formed thee; thou art my servant:
O Israel, thou shalt not be forgotten of me.
22 I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions,
And, as a cloud, thy sins:
Return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.
23 Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it:
Shout, ye lower parts of the earth:
Break forth into singing, ye mountains,
O forest, and every tree therein:
For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob,
And glorified himself in Israel.
24 Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer,
And he that formed thee from the womb,
I am the Lord that maketh all things;
That stretcheth forth the heavens alone;
That spreadeth abroad the earth by myself;
25 That frustrateth the tokens of the liars,
And maketh diviners mad;
That turneth wise men backward,
And maketh their knowledge foolish;
26 That confirmeth the word of his servant,
And performeth the counsel of his messengers;
That saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited;
And to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built,
And I will raise up the decayed places thereof:
27 That saith to the deep, Be dry,
And I will dry up thy rivers:
28 That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd,
And shall perform all my pleasure:
Even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built;
And to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid.
Study of the Ash Tree Begins
Isaiah 44:1-5
44 Yet now hear, O Jacob my servant;
And Israel, whom I have chosen:
2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee,
And formed thee from the womb, which will help thee;
Fear not, O Jacob, my servant;
And thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.
3 For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty,
And floods upon the dry ground:
I will pour my spirit upon thy seed,
And my blessing upon thine offspring:
4 And they shall spring up as among the grass,
As willows by the water courses.
5 One shall say, I am the LORD’s;
And another shall call himself by the name of Jacob;
And another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD,
And surname himself by the name of Israel.
Jeshurun – 3843 יְשֻׁרוּן (yešǔꞏrûn): n.pr.; ≡ Str 3484; TWOT 930d—LN 93-pers. (gent.) Jeshurun: symbolic name of the nation of Jacob/Israel showing special relationship (Dt 32:15; 33:5, 26; Isa 44:2+)[1]
Worksheet #1 (Isaiah 44:1-5)
1. Who is the LORD God speaking to in Isaiah 44:1-5?
a. Jacob
b. Jesurun
c. Israel
d. All the above
2. Who is Jeshurun?
a. African nation
b. Christian nation in relationship to Christ
c. Jerusalem town
d. Jacob/Israel nation with special relationship to the LORD God
3. What characteristics do the people of the LORD God share?
a. The LORD God formed them from the womb
b. They are all Christians
c. They are all spiritual
d. None of the above
4. How will the people formed in the womb by the LORD God be helped? (Mark all correct answers)
a. The LORD God will pour water on the thirsty
b. The LORD God will create floods on the dry ground
c. The LORD God will place His Spirit on the seeds
d. The LORD God will give blessing to the offspring
e. The LORD God will multiply the offspring as grass and willows
5. What names will the individuals take according to Isiah 44:5?
a. Some will take the name of their LORD
b. Some will take the name of their heritage Jacob
c. Some won’t take any special name but will subscribe to serve the LORD God
d. Some will take the last name of Israel
e. All the above
6. Why do you think that the LORD God explained the surnames of all His people? (Contemplation)
7. How do Christians handle these different types of names to identify with the Lord today? (Contemplation)
Teachings of Kathy L McFarland
I am certain at this point that many of my students recognize some key words like “pour, water, thirsty, floods, dry ground, seeds, blessing, grass, willows.” Good job in seeing these gems! Each one of these words has depth that will take you on a very long journey through Scripture! I love my job!
Of course, we can only learn one step at a time, and these words must wait their turn. I hope by this point my Mature Christian students recognize the powerful tools that are being given to them by the Holy Spirit to enrich and grow their spiritual lives. Thanks be to God!
Isaiah 44:6-8
6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel,
And his redeemer the LORD of hosts;
I am the first, and I am the last;
And beside me there is no God.
7 And who, as I, shall call,
And shall declare it, and set it in order for me,
Since I appointed the ancient people?
And the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.
8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid:
Have not I told thee from that time,
And have declared it? ye are even my witnesses.
vIs there a God beside me?
Yea, there is no God; I know not any.
Exodus 3:13-15
13And Moses said unto God, Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, and shall say unto them, The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; and they shall say to me, What is his name? what shall I say unto them? 14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you. 15 And God said moreover unto Moses, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, The LORD God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath sent me unto you: this is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations.
Exodus 6:2–3
2 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD: 3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
“LORD God’s“ Holy Name – 3378 יהוה (yhwh): n.pr.; ≡ Str 3068, 3069, 3070, 3071, 3072, 3073, 3074; TWOT 484a—LN 12.9 (true God) (NJB) Yahweh: Jehovah, the LORD as an euphemism for Adonai, most versions the name of the one true God, with a focus on sure existence and His relationship to his covenant persons and peoples (Ex 3:15), see also 33634[2]
Kathy L McFarland Teachings
I have been a student of Biblical Hebrew with Jewish teachers from Israel for many years. Not only do I learn the language, and recognize the nuances of old Hebrew, but I have been blessed to acquire some of the devotion toward the LORD God that we share as adopted brothers and sisters.
One of the most precious ones, was recognizing the absolute holiness of the LORD God’s name. Each time I would come to His Holy Name in Hebrew, I bow my head and break for just a second. In that second, I would remind myself the Holy, Holy, Holy, nature of my LORD God and respectively pause. Then, I would not directly translate His name, but would quietly speak a representative name as LORD God with my head bowed in speech and the written word. This became my practice, to always remind myself how Holy my LORD God is and will always be even when His Name is referenced in English.[3]
Zechariah 3:8–10 (KJV 1900)
8 Hear now, O Joshua the high priest, thou, And thy fellows that sit before thee: For they are men wondered at: For, behold, I will bring forth my servant the BRANCH. 9 For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; Upon one stone shall be seven eyes: Behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, And I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. 10 In that day, saith the LORD of hosts, Shall ye call every man his neighbour Under the vine and under the fig tree.
“The Lord of hosts” that is referenced in Isaiah 44:6 speaks of the LORD God’s role as the commander of the armies of Heaven and its cosmic forces (Wildberger, Isaiah, 29–30; Zobel, “Tseva’oth,” 220). It speaks of God’s role as warrior both against divine forces and commander of the historical events of Israel armies.
Revelation 22:12–14 (KJV 1900)
12 And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. 13 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 14 Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city.
Kathy L McFarland Teachings
Mankind has had many little, pretend, and false gods throughout their existence. There is only ONE LORD God that has existed from the beginning to the end. We know that LORD God as Christians through Jesus Christ. We know Him intimately as our Father, but as a Church, we know Him to be the most Holy LORD God. We do His commandments, and we have access to the tree of life and live eternally thanks be to the Lord Jesus Christ’s sacrifice of Crucifixion for our sins and Resurrection for our participation in eternal glory. Christ’s church will enter into the gates of Heaven
and eventually the New Earth to start our new lives with Christ in our presence forever! Thanks be to Him!
8. What are the LORD God’s requirements to His people for the help He will give?
a. They must know He is the LORD God
b. They must know He is the King of Israel
c. They must know He is redeemer
d. They must know He is the LORD of Hosts
e. They must know there is no other God than the LORD God
f. All the above
9. What does the Holy Name of the LORD God mean?
a. Adonai
b. One True God
c. Sure Existence
d. The LORD God’s relationship to covenant peoples
e. I AM
f. All the above
10. What does your Bible Teacher replace the holiest names of the LORD God with?
a. LORD God
b. LORD
c. LORD GOD
d. JEHOVAH
11. (Contemplation) Do you think that the LORD God cares about how folks speak His real NAMES?
12. What is the purpose for your Bible Teacher and Jewish Adherents to speak a different name of LORD God, instead of HIS real NAME revealed in Scripture?
a. They are not certain it is real
b. They want to express and feel the absolute Holiness of the LORD God
c. They want attention for their own holiness
d. They don’t understand; if Scripture reveals it, then His real Name is ok to speak.
13. What does the “Lord of hosts” mean?
a. Commander of armies in Heaven
b. Commander of Heaven’s cosmic forces
c. The LORD God as warrior against divine forces
d. Commander of historical events against Israel
e. All the above
14. What do the Greek words “Alpha and Omega” mean concerning the LORD God?
a. First and the Last (Beginning and End)
b. Holy and Secular
c. Natural Life and Spiritual Life
d. The Highest and Lowest of gods
Isaiah 44:6-8
6 Thus saith the LORD the King of Israel,
And his redeemer the LORD of hosts;
I am the first, and I am the last;
And beside me there is no God.
7 And who, as I, shall call,
And shall declare it, and set it in order for me,
Since I appointed the ancient people?
And the things that are coming, and shall come, let them shew unto them.
8 Fear ye not, neither be afraid:
Have not I told thee from that time,
And have declared it? ye are even my witnesses.
vIs there a God beside me?
Yea, there is no God; I know not any.
Teachings by Kathy L McFarland
The theme of Isaiah 44 is that there is no other god that exists except the LORD God. There is no little god, pretend god, or fake god able to stand with Him. The LORD God has ordered the things of His since the ancient Israelites and even before with the creation of Adam and Eve. He warns His people that the things of tough times are coming, and will come more, and His people will see them. He warns that there will be a chance for fear to overcome them, but to not be fearful or afraid.
He is the omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient LORD God; the One and only God. That message rings loudly to Believers! We worship the LORD God and know Him well as our Father. But there are spiritual lives that just pretend to know Him, while looking the part in the midst of the faithful congregation of the LORD God’s people. Those spiritual lives seem like one of the most prevalent trees present in today’s world as End Times approaches.
If we did not know the deeper teachings of the Lord through the Holy Spirit, through the study of the mysteries of trees we might possibly be tricked. However, our study focuses are spiritual growth on understanding that crucial piece of information that will equip us and protect us as End Times become confusing. Let us examine the exact nature of the men that plants the “ash tree” in the tough times while pretending to be a tree of excellent spiritual life in the midst of the trees of the forest.
Isaiah 44:9-20
9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity;
And their delectable things shall not profit;
And they are their own witnesses;
They see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed.
10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image
That is profitable for nothing?
11 Behold, all his fellows shall be ashamed:
And the workmen, they are of men:
Let them all be gathered together, let them stand up;
Yet they shall fear, and they shall be ashamed together.
12 The smith with the tongs both worketh in the coals,
And fashioneth it with hammers,
And worketh it with the strength of his arms:
Yea, he is hungry, and his strength faileth:
He drinketh no water, and is faint.
13 The carpenter stretcheth out his rule; he marketh it out with a line;
He fitteth it with planes, and he marketh it out with the compass,
And maketh it after the figure of a man, according to the beauty of a man;
That it may remain in the house.
14 He heweth him down cedars, and taketh the cypress and the oak, Which
ghe strengtheneth for himself among the trees of the forest: He planteth
an ash, and the rain doth nourish it.
15 Then shall it be for a man to burn:
For he will take thereof, and warm himself;
Yea, he kindleth it, and baketh bread;
Yea, he maketh a god, and worshippeth it;
He maketh it a graven image, and falleth down thereto.
16 He burneth part thereof in the fire;
With part thereof he eateth flesh;
He roasteth roast, and is satisfied:
Yea, he warmeth himself, and saith, Aha,
I am warm, I have seen the fire:
17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image:
He falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it,
And saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god.
18 They have not known nor understood:
For he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see;
And their hearts, that they cannot understand.
19 And none considereth in his heart,
Neither is there knowledge nor understanding to say,
I have burned part of it in the fire;
Yea, also I have baked bread upon the coals thereof;
I have roasted flesh, and eaten it:
And shall I make the residue thereof an abomination?
Shall I fall down to the stock of a tree?
20 He feedeth on ashes:
A deceived heart hath turned him aside,
That he cannot deliver his soul, nor say,
Is there not a lie in my right hand?
Teachings of Kathy L McFarland
This is a really good time to teach you more about how to make “Statements of Fact.” This type of study allows you to take a great deal of information in the study of the Bible and break it down into smaller chunks that are more manageable and understood.
I will do the statement of facts of Isaiah 44:9-20 in part of this study. Then, I will ask you to give it a try. In a few weeks, I will publish the statement of facts that I derived
from the Scripture, and you will be able to compare yours to mine. Ok. Here I go:
What are the people like that plant an ash tree?
1. They make a graven image against the LORD God (verse 9)
2. They are all vain (9)
3. Their precious things will be worthless (9)
4. They do not have the LORD God as witnessing proof; it is only themselves (9)
5. They do not see the LORD God’s Truth (9)
6. They do not understand the LORD God’s Truth (9)
7. They may be ashamed because of their lack of knowledge of the LORD God (9)
8. They will form and make false gods that will be worth nothing (10)
9. The companions of the participants will be ashamed (11)
10. The workmen will fail to proudly declare their work by standing up like a man (11)
11. The workmen will be fearful and ashamed (11)
12. The smith that fashions the false gods with the hammer and his strength will be thirsty and weak (12)
13. The carpenter that measures the false gods for their creation will try to make it look like the LORD God’s created man to remain in the house. (13)
14. The carpenter will measure the beauties of the world that inspire people and make things according to that judgment to remain in the people’s houses. (13)
15. The carpenter will cut down the cedars, cypress, and oaks, that are mighty trees in the forest, strong spiritual lives of devoted men to the LORD God. (14)
16. The carpenter will plant an ASH TREE to replace them; it will be the spiritual life created by man, not by the LORD God. (14)
17. The Ash Tree will stand in the forest, in the place where real spiritual lives have been (14)
18. ?
19. …
Worksheet #3
Now it is time for you to try your hand at statements of facts. Start with Isaiah 44:15-20. I will share my statements later on so you can learn well. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
This study of the Ash Tree shows that it is a Spiritual Life with a deceived heart, that stands amid Christians and worships false gods created by humans.
We know the type of people involved thanks to Isaiah 44. (Contemplation) What type of false gods are created today from the pretenders that flock amid Christians?
[1] James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).
[2] James Swanson, Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains : Hebrew (Old Testament) (Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997).
[3] The Jewish practitioners take it a step further and will not write the replacement form. So when they write God, they write it like this: G‐d.
