Then speak to him, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, saying: “Behold, the Man whose name is the Branch! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the LORD.'”
Zechariah 6:12*
As unusual as it sounds, Branch was a well-recognized term for the Messiah, used four times by Old Testament prophets. First century Jews understood the meaning, but last century folks like us usually wrestle with the sense of it.
In an agricultural society, the orchard is as important as the garden or herds of livestock. Fruit, oil, nuts, and berries come from trees, so caring for them is a basic life-skill. Planting, pruning, grafting, and harvesting all involve knowing something about branches.
Isaiah 11:1 tells us: “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, And a Branch shall grow out of his roots.” Obviously a branch is a living thing that grows out of a tree’s trunk. Branch-like shoots also come out of the roots to make new trees, but what is this idea that a branch comes out of a rod?
I’ve learned a lot about the simple things of life having lived in the Amazon rainforest for many years. In a land where rainfall can exceed 200 inches of rain per year, literally everything rots. Leather shoes grow mold within a week and fence posts decompose at the base in less than six months. This is a problem, because the jungle people need to keep their small herds of 6-12 cows fenced in to keep them safe. They will take their machete and cut several pointy-ended sticks which they will thrust into the damp ground. Within weeks those sticks have leaves and roots and within a few months the long, slender, new trees are strong enough to support barbed wire.
Jesus was the Branch that was cut down and cast away, but He sprung to life again and produces fruit for all who believe.
*See also Isaiah 4:2; 11:1, Zechariah 3:8
April 9
