Psalm 104:16-17

Psalm 104:16-17

Lebanon, storks and junipers

In Psalm 92:12 we commented on the significance of the cedars of Lebanon. “In Bible times, cedar wood was desirable for a number of reasons. Obviously, the wood was very desirable, it had no knots in it and it was used to adorn the Temple and royal palaces. It was an expensive wood and was durable because it did not decay, and it was generally resistant to disease. A cedar can grow up to 120 feet (10 story building) and its branches spread wide at right angles to the trunk. The roots go down as deep as the branches go up and it is little surprise to learn that this was known as the “king of trees”, even its name means “firm or strong.

So why Lebanon? Lebanon means “whiteness”, it comes from the Hebrew “lawban”, the same word that is used in Isaiah 1:18, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white “lawban” as snow.” Lebanon was renowned for its snow-capped mountains and the cedars grew prolifically on the mountain slopes.”

What we did not comment on at the time was that Lebanon is a fertile land and attractive to many kinds of birds. They migrate up and down the Jordan Valley and there is an absolutely brilliant Nature Reserve in Northern Israel in the Hula Valley, this spills over into modern-day Lebanon where the birds are also prolific. You can see pelicans, herons, storks, cormorants, egrets and cranes today, as well as hundreds of other species. 

So, what do we know about Juniper trees? There are 60 species of junipers that grow all over the world, even in the Arctic! They only require a little bit of rain, and in dry climates they will grow out in open spaces to be able to absorb the maximum rainfall. Because of the way their root systems are created, they can grow on rocky and harsh foundations. Junipers are coniferous and produce oil, berries, and needles, which are harvested by people and animals. According to the Bible, their wood was also desirable. The walls of the temple were built with cedar wood but covered with juniper wood panelling. Solomon also had two doors constructed from juniper wood for the temple. 

Lebanon, storks and junipers – they are all still there, exactly as the Psalm tells us! Hallelujah!

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