Olive trees live longer than most other tree species. Some are recorded at over 1,000 years old.
Although its gnarly trunk and limbs don’t make it the prettiest tree, an olive tree holds so much value and rich history that it has been named the national tree of Israel. Olive trees grow in Israel like oak trees in Texas. They’re native, evergreen and everywhere.
First mentioned in the Bible book of Genesis when a dove carried an olive branch to Noah after the flood, olives, olive trees, and their precious olive oil are referenced about 200 times in the Old Testament.
Olive oil in the Bible and still today is used for anointing ceremonies, cooking and cosmetics, lighting, medicine and religious practices.
The prophet Jeremiah preached the gospel to God’s people, “The Lord called you a thriving olive tree, with fruit beautiful in form” (Jeremiah 11:16). King David compared himself to an olive tree: “I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever” (Psalm 52:8). Thriving. Beautiful. Flourishing. High compliments for believers!
Jesus is also like an olive tree. He often spent time on the Mount of Olives near Jerusalem (Matthew 21:2; 24:3; 26:30; Mark 11:1; 13:3; 14:26; Luke 19:37; 22:39: John 8:1), and when he began suffering for our sins he chose to be alone with his Father praying, sweating, bleeding, being stressed and pressed in a place called “oil press,” that is, gat shemanim, that’s Hebrew for Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36; Mark 14:32).
“‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’ An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground” (Luke 22:42-44).
When you and I experience stress—our response is too often self-centered and focused on our own survival, not on others or on God’s promises. So Jesus experienced the ultimate stress for us. To pay for our sins and forgive us. Jesus’ response to stress was God-centered and you-centered.
In Gethsemane, Jesus is kneeling down, falling down, lying down, his body clenching the earth as the roots of the olive tree dig into the earth deeply.
In Gethsemane, Jesus is being pressed like olives from a tree so that he emits out of his crushed body a substance that is life-saving and life-changing—his own sweaty blood.
In Gethsemane, Jesus is fulfilling all of the promises of God made through Old Testament anointed kings and prophets about him being THE Messiah, THE Christ, meaning “THE anointed one”—anointed to serve and save you.
In Gethsemane, Jesus is worn, sweaty, bloody and at his weakest but by the love and power of the Father (including angels sent from heaven) he is also at his strongest like gnarly branches of the olive tree, even ugly, are some of the strongest and long-lasting wood in Israel.
Your salvation in Jesus Christ is strong even when you are weak, and long-lasting even when you feel like a stressed out failure.
PRAYER: Dear Jesus, I pray to you because you prayed first for me. I confess my weakness to you even as you fell down in weakness before the Father, who strengthened you. May his will be done in my life, even as in yours. May I pray and sacrifice for others, even as you did for me. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY: Here is a video from an olive press in Nazareth, showing how olive oil is made. Pay attention to the 3 different steps and how they relate to Jesus.