Proverbs and the Tree of Life—Part 3

Review and Introduction 

Part 2 of this series explored the bigger picture in the book of Proverbs, along with its allegorical and metaphorical meanings. This installment will explore the fig tree as a type of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. The Proverbs 31 woman will also be examined in the context of making the Lord (Tree of Life) the center of her life. 

The Fig Tree

It is believed that the tree of life was the olive tree, which we discussed earlier, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil was likely the fig tree. The fig tree is more of a shrub than a tree. It produces both good and bad fruit, similar to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The "bad" fruit is the fruit that grows from the previous year's growth; it is called Breba figs. They develop before the leaves appear and are far inferior in flavor and quality compared to the main crop. Most harvesters discard them. Breba figs are also larger than the main figs. They can deceptively appear tastier than the "good" fruit. 

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. 

— Genesis 3:6

The fig is botanically classified as a false fruit because the edible part contains additional material from the plant itself that is not part of the flower. False fruits tend to have a much shorter shelf life. "The ovary of the flower forms true fruit." 

The idea of adding extra elements was discussed earlier in the article. The tree was "good" until it became mixed with evil. With this in mind, it is worth noting that, when questioned by the serpent about what God said, some additional material was added to the account of God's instructions.

And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” 

— Genesis 3:2-3

"Nor shall you touch it" was not included in the instructions. The misquote may seem like a mere technicality, but it offers considerable insight into the faithless, self-serving thought processes that led to the decision to partake. 

Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar.

— Proverbs 30:5-6

The addition or subtraction of words is repeated in the book of Revelation.

I testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this book; and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part from the Book of Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. 

— Revelation 22:18-19

A myriad of seeds are produced inside the pseudo-fruit flowers of a fig tree.

There was a time when we were foolish and did not obey. We were fooled in many ways. Strong desires held us in their power. We wanted only to please ourselves. 

—Titus 3:3 NLV

In contrast, the olive is a stone fruit. Its classification is that of a drupe, which consists of a single seed, unlike the fig, which contains many seeds. This next part of Scripture links the ideas of singularity, unity, and fruit.

... be eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, even as you were called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 

— Hebrews 4:3-6

Observe the connection between fruit, unity, and the Holy Spirit. Was the Holy Spirit in the midst of the tree of life? We already know who was in the middle of the other. 

Thought Trees

Seeds can symbolize the conceptual parts of words in thought development and ideas that will lead to attitude and action. Our brain houses trees of nerve cells called dendrites that process information. Jesus illustrates this in the Parable of the Sower, where the seed is sown into different types of soil, representing the hearts and minds of people.

The sower sows the word ... The seed is the word of God ... he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. 

— Matthew 15, Mark 4, and Luke 8 

James employs a similar concept regarding the seeds of human conception in presenting how the fruit of evil is produced.

... each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

— James 1:14-15

James reveals that, just like the fig, our own material (our own desires) mixed into the equation bears bad fruit. 

The following are a few additional comparative facts regarding the fig tree and the olive tree, as well as their potential associations with the Tree of Life and the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  

• Olive wood is strong and durable, whereas fig tree wood is weak and decays rapidly. 
• Olive trees are evergreen, and fig trees are deciduous. 
• Olive trees can live for thousands of years, whereas fig trees only live a couple of hundred years. 
• The olive tree produces no irritating substances and, in fact, has many healing qualities. 
• Fig tree sap is latex, and in its liquid form, it can irritate human skin, especially when exposed to sunlight. Gloves are necessary when harvesting. 

The Fig Wasp

The pollination of figs is mainly done by the fig wasp. The flowers are hidden inside the false fruit, called a pseudocarp or inverted flower. A female fig wasp enters an opening too small for her wings and antennae. She dies after forcing her way into the fig and laying her eggs. The males produced from her eggs will be wingless and only exist to mate with the female wasps and chew a hole in the fig, allowing the females to escape, after which they die.

The spiritual takeaway from this process reveals the trappings of evil, including invitations to partake in seemingly harmless things. The cycle will continue, but not without death. The following video shows the process.

The Two Women of Revelation

Earlier in this study, we discussed the two women from Proverbs, Lady Wisdom and Lady Folly. Now, we will look at the two women described near the end of the Bible in Revelation, who are associated with two different cities.

Much like Proverbs, there is an immoral woman. This time, she is known as a harlot, represented by Babylon, and is contrasted with a pure woman, the Bride of Christ, depicted as the New Jerusalem. As we read, note that cities are places of unified habitation and are always referred to in the feminine in Old Testament Hebrew. 

And I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband ... And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife 

— Revelation 21:2, 9-10

The Lamb's wife, described in the following verse, is righteous and pure. She symbolizes a redeemed people who have made faithful preparations.

Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. 

— Revelation 19:7-8

Paul illustrates this by describing the husband-and-wife relationship in his letter to the Corinthians. His example is filled with fidelity themes and even uses the garden event as an illustration.

For I am jealous for you with godly jealousy. For I have betrothed you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity (a single hearted devotion) For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!

— 2 Corinthians 11:2-4 (inserted parentheses are mine)

He reiterates this theme in his letter to the Ephesians, emphasizing that we are cleansed and purified by the truth.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, in order to make her holy by cleansing her with the washing of water by the word, so as to present the church to himself in splendor, without a spot or wrinkle or anything of the kind—yes, so that she may be holy and without blemish. 

— Ephesians 5:22-27

The bride in Revelation is contrasted with a harlot, as noted earlier. The filthiness of this immoral woman is, once again, described in terms of various unbridled transgressions. This scene marks the culmination of Eden's events and of those who chose to unify in Babylon. 

Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication ... on her forehead a name was written: 

MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, 

THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS 

AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS 

OF THE EARTH ... 

... The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues ... For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her 

— Revelation 17:1-2,5,15, 19:2

In Eden, God provided a way of redemption and patiently gave humankind every opportunity to repent and turn back to Him. Revelation offers the culmination of the final event when all men have made their choice and sealed their fate.  

But the rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands, that they should not worship demons, and idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, which can neither see nor hear nor walk And they did not repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts ... And men were scorched with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of God who has power over these plagues, and they did not repent and give Him glory ... They blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores and did not repent of their deeds 

— Revelation 9:20-21, 16:9,11

This end account gives us the entire purpose of God's plan that began in Genesis, passed through the natural world of Proverbs, and was redeemed in Revelation.

“Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” 

— Revelation 21:3-4

Babylon and Babel

Babylon, the harlot city, is rooted in the Old Testament story of the Tower of Babel, which occurred after the flood of Noah. It follows the same narrative of people uniting to work and achieve independently of God, again illustrating the evil tree.

"Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves ... " 

— Genesis 11:4 

Babel is the Hebrew root word for Babylon, meaning "mixing" and "confusion." It also implies staining or soiling. Once again, the theme of mixing is emphasized. God is calling for our pure worship, which leads to life, order, and light.

Among the gods there is none like You, O Lord;
Nor are there any works like Your works.
All nations whom You have made
Shall come and worship before You, O Lord,
And shall glorify Your name. For You are great, and do wondrous things;
You alone are God.

Teach me Your way, O Lord;
I will walk in Your truth;
Unite my heart to fear Your name.
I will praise You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
And I will glorify Your name forevermore.
For great is Your mercy toward me,
And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol

— Psalm 86:8-13

This concludes Part 3 of this series. All parts of the series are linked below.  

Proverbs and the Tree of Life—Part 1

Proverbs and the Tree of Life—Part 2

Proverbs and the Tree of Life—Part 3

Proverbs and the Tree of Life—Part 4

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