"I will be like the dew to Israel;/He will bud like the lily /And will send forth his roots like the trees of Lebanon./His shoots will go forth;/And his splendor will be like that of the olive tree,/And his fragrance, like that of the trees of Lebanon./Those who sit under his shade will return;/They will revive like grain/And will bud like the vine;/His renown will be like the wine of Lebanon."
Verse 5 refers to life, verse 6 refers to work, and verse 7 refers to fruit. When there are all these, then everything belonging to idols will cease.
"I will be like the dew to Israel" is the beginning of everything. Everything is Christ. He is made unto us righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Dew is the most important thing for trees and flowers. Once we have this dew as the foundation, He will bud like the lily and will send forth His roots like the trees of Lebanon. Here the blossom of the lily is coupled with the roots of the cedar of Lebanon. The lily speaks of the simple, unsophisticated life, the frail life of faith and trust, which God has planted. The cedar has roots which are very deep and hidden, and typifies the need of going down and being deeply buried. It typifies the cross. The lily is the part above the ground and is seen, but there is a hundred times more underneath. How much of our life is seen? Does our life have anything that is not seen by man? Does it have something secret with God? This is the reason some great revelations have to be covered and not told for years. Man sees the lily — a small weak thing — but God sees the roots. Are our roots like those of the cedar?
Verse 6 says, "His splendor will be like that of the olive tree,/And his fragrance, like that of the trees of Lebanon." Fragrance is a smell, and smelling is the most delicate sense. Smelling gives an impression without sign or touch. Where there is fragrance, we do not need to say anything; it cannot be hidden. The olive typifies the Holy Spirit. When we carry His splendor with us, people will smell it, and it cannot be hidden. Lebanon equals strength; the Lord is strength.
According to verse 7, all the people who come under Christ's power will revive as the grain, which typifies food, and bud as the vine, which typifies the display of life. The vine blossom is the most insignificant and short-lived blossom. It is gone almost before it is noticed and quickly turns to fruit. There are three kinds of plants: (1) those that blossom without fruit, (2) those that blossom and bear fruit, and (3) those that have no beauty and only bear fruit. The vine is of the last kind. It speaks of beauty that is hidden from man and of fruit that is for the Lord. There is a temptation to try to show something, to blossom before man. But our aim should be to live only before the Lord by the knowledge of the cross and by abiding in Him. The wine comes last and speaks of power. If we have all of these, there is no place for idols: "What have I yet to do with idols?" (v. 8).
