A Luxuriant Olive Tree in the House of God

*** w00 5/15 pp. 25-29 A Luxuriant Olive Tree in the House of God ***


IN THE land of Israel, there grows a tree that is practically indestructible. Even when chopped down, its rootstock soon sends up new shoots. And when its fruit is harvested, it rewards its owner with abundant oil that can be used for cooking, lighting, hygiene, and cosmetics.

According to an ancient parable recorded in the Bible book of Judges, “once upon a time the trees went to anoint a king over them.” Which tree of the forest was their first choice? None other than the hardy, bountiful olive tree.—Judges 9:8.
Over 3,500 years ago, the prophet Moses described Israel as ‘a good land, a land of olives.’ (Deuteronomy 8:7, 8) Even today, olive groves dot the landscape from the foot of Mount Hermon in the north to the outskirts of Beersheba in the south. They still grace the coastal Plain of Sharon, the rocky hillsides of Samaria, and the fertile valleys of Galilee.

Bible writers often used the olive tree in a figurative sense. Features of this tree served to illustrate God’s mercy, the resurrection promise, and happy family life. A closer look at the olive will help us to understand these Scriptural references and will deepen our appreciation for this unique tree that joins the rest of creation in praising its Maker.—Psalm 148:7, 9.

The Rugged Olive Tree

An olive tree is not particularly impressive at first sight. It does not reach to the heavens like some stately cedars of Lebanon. Its timber is not so prized as the juniper, and its blossoms do not delight the eye like those of the almond tree. (Song of Solomon 1:17; Amos 2:9) The most important part of the olive tree lies unseen—under the ground. Its extensive roots, which may reach 20 feet [6 m] beneath the surface and much farther horizontally, are the key to the tree’s bounty and survival.
Such roots allow olive trees on stony hillsides to survive a drought when trees in the valley below have already died of thirst. The roots enable it to continue producing olives for centuries, even though the gnarled trunk may look fit only for firewood. All this rugged tree demands is room to grow and aerated soil so that it can breathe, free from weeds or other vegetation that might harbor harmful pests. If these simple demands are met, one tree will supply up to 15 gallons [57 liters] of oil a year.

Undoubtedly the olive was beloved by the Israelites for its precious oil. Lamps with wicks drawing up olive oil illuminated their homes. (Leviticus 24:2) Olive oil was essential in cooking. It protected the skin against the sun, and it provided the Israelites with soap for washing. Grain, wine, and olives were the main crops of the land. Failure of the olive harvest would thus be a disaster for an Israelite family.—Deuteronomy 7:13; Habakkuk 3:17.
Usually, however, olive oil was abundant. Moses referred to the Promised Land as ‘a land of olives’ likely because the olive was the most commonly cultivated tree in the area. Nineteenth-century naturalist H. B. Tristram described the olive as “the one characteristic tree of the country.” Because of its value and abundance, olive oil even served as useful international currency throughout the Mediterranean region. Jesus Christ himself referred to a debt that was calculated to be “a hundred bath measures of olive oil.”—Luke 16:5, 6.
“Like Slips of Olive Trees”
The useful olive tree aptly illustrates divine blessings. How would a God-fearing man be rewarded? “Your wife will be like a fruit-bearing vine in the innermost parts of your house,” sang the psalmist. “Your sons will be like slips of olive trees all around your table.” (Psalm 128:3) What are these “slips of olive trees,” and why does the psalmist compare them to sons?

The olive tree is unusual in that new shoots constantly sprout from the base of its trunk. When, because of old age, the main trunk no longer bears the fruit it once did, cultivators may allow several slips, or new shoots, to grow until they become an integral part of the tree. After a time, the original tree will have three or four young, vigorous trunks surrounding it, like sons around a table. These slips have the same rootstock, and they share in producing a good crop of olives.
This characteristic of the olive tree aptly illustrates how sons and daughters can grow firm in faith, thanks to the strong spiritual roots of their parents. As offspring grow older, they also have a share in bearing fruit and supporting their parents, who rejoice to see their children serving Jehovah alongside them.—Proverbs 15:20.
“There Exists Hope for Even a Tree”
An elderly father who serves Jehovah delights in his godly children. But these same children mourn when their father eventually ‘goes in the way of all the earth.’ (1 Kings 2:2) To help us cope with such a family tragedy, the Bible assures us that there will be a resurrection.—John 5:28, 29; 11:25.

Job, the father of many children, was keenly aware of man’s short life span. He compared it to a blossom that quickly withers. (Job 1:2; 14:1, 2) Job longed for death as a way to escape from his agony, viewing the grave as a place of concealment from which he could return. “If an able-bodied man dies can he live again?” Job asked. Then he confidently answered: “All the days of my compulsory service I shall wait, until my relief comes. You [Jehovah] will call, and I myself shall answer you. For the work of your hands you will have a yearning.”—Job 14:13-15.

How did Job illustrate his conviction that God would call him forth from the grave? By means of a tree, the description of which makes it likely that he was referring to the olive. “There exists hope for even a tree,” Job said. “If it gets cut down, it will even sprout again.” (Job 14:7) An olive tree may be chopped down, but that will not destroy it. Only if the tree is uprooted will it die. If the roots remain intact, the tree will sprout again with renewed vigor.
Even if a prolonged drought severely withers an old olive tree, the shriveled stump can come back to life. “If its root grows old in the earth and in the dust its stump dies, at the scent of water it will sprout and it will certainly produce a bough like a new plant.” (Job 14:8, 9) Job lived in a dry, dusty land where he had probably observed many an old olive stump that looked dried up and lifeless. When the rains came, however, such a “dead” tree returned to life and a new trunk emerged from its roots as if it were “a new plant.” This remarkable resilience led one Tunisian horticulturist to observe: “You can say that olive trees are immortal.”
Just as a farmer longs to see his withered olive trees sprout again, so Jehovah yearns to resurrect his faithful servants. He looks forward to the time when faithful individuals like Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebekah, and many others will be restored to life. (Matthew 22:31, 32) How wonderful it will be to welcome back the dead and see them living full and fruitful lives once more!

The Symbolic Olive Tree

God’s mercy is manifest in his impartiality as well as in his provision for a resurrection. The apostle Paul used the olive tree to illustrate how Jehovah’s mercy extends to people regardless of their race or background. For centuries the Jews had prided themselves on being God’s chosen people, ‘the offspring of Abraham.’—John 8:33; Luke 3:8.

Being born into the Jewish nation was not in itself a requirement for obtaining divine favor. Jesus’ earliest disciples, however, were all Jews, and they had the privilege of being the first humans selected by God to make up the promised seed of Abraham. (Genesis 22:18; Galatians 3:29) Paul likened these Jewish disciples to branches of a symbolic olive tree.

The majority of the natural Jews rejected Jesus, disqualifying themselves as future members of the “little flock,” or “the Israel of God.” (Luke 12:32; Galatians 6:16) Thus, they became like symbolic olive branches that had been lopped off. Who would take their place? In the year 36 C.E., Gentiles were chosen to become part of Abraham’s seed. It was as if Jehovah had grafted wild olive branches onto the garden olive tree. Those who would make up the promised seed of Abraham would include people of the nations. Gentile Christians could now become ‘sharers of the olive’s root of fatness.’—Romans 11:17.
For a farmer, grafting a wild olive branch onto a garden olive tree would be unthinkable and “contrary to nature.” (Romans 11:24) “Graft the good upon the wild, and, as the Arabs say, it will conquer the wild,” explains the work The Land and the Book, “but you cannot reverse the process with success.” Jewish Christians were likewise amazed when Jehovah “for the first time turned his attention to the nations to take out of them a people for his name.” (Acts 10:44-48; 15:14) This was a clear sign, however, that the outworking of God’s purpose did not depend on any one nation. No, for “in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.”—Acts 10:35.

Paul indicated that since unfaithful Jewish “branches” of the olive tree had been lopped off, the same could happen to anyone else who through pride and disobedience did not remain in Jehovah’s favor. (Romans 11:19, 20) This surely illustrates that God’s undeserved kindness should never be taken for granted.—2 Corinthians 6:1.

Greasing With Oil

The Scriptures make both literal and figurative references to the use of olive oil. In ancient times, wounds and bruises were ‘softened with oil’ to promote the healing process. (Isaiah 1:6) According to one of Jesus’ illustrations, the neighborly Samaritan poured olive oil and wine on the wounds of the man he encountered on the road to Jericho.—Luke 10:34.
Applying olive oil to one’s head is refreshing and soothing. (Psalm 141:5) And in handling cases of spiritual sickness, Christian elders may ‘grease a member of the congregation with oil in the name of Jehovah.’ (James 5:14) The elders’ loving Scriptural counsel and heartfelt prayers in behalf of their spiritually sick fellow believer are compared to soothing olive oil. Interestingly, in idiomatic Hebrew a good man is sometimes described as “pure olive oil.”
“A Luxuriant Olive Tree in God’s House”
In view of the foregoing points, it is not surprising that servants of God can be likened to olive trees. David desired to be like “a luxuriant olive tree in God’s house.” (Psalm 52:8) Just as Israelite families often had olive trees surrounding their houses, so David wished to be close to Jehovah and to produce fruit to God’s praise.—Psalm 52:9.

While faithful to Jehovah, the two-tribe kingdom of Judah was like “a luxuriant olive tree, pretty with fruit and in form.” (Jeremiah 11:15, 16) But the people of Judah lost that privileged position when ‘they refused to obey Jehovah’s words and walked after other gods.’—Jeremiah 11:10.

To become a luxuriant olive tree in God’s house, we must obey Jehovah and be willing to accept the discipline by which he “prunes” us so that we can bear more Christian fruitage. (Hebrews 12:5, 6) Moreover, just as a natural olive tree needs extensive roots to survive a period of drought, we need to fortify our spiritual roots in order to endure trials and persecution.—Matthew 13:21; Colossians 2:6, 7.

The olive tree well symbolizes the faithful Christian, who may be unknown to the world but is recognized by God. If such a person should die in this system, he will live again in the new world to come.—2 Corinthians 6:9; 2 Peter 3:13.
The practically indestructible olive tree that keeps on bearing fruit year after year reminds us of God’s promise: “Like the days of a tree will the days of my people be; and the work of their own hands my chosen ones will use to the full.” (Isaiah 65:22) That prophetic promise will be fulfilled in God’s new world.—2 Peter 3:13.

[Footnote]

Usually these new shoots are pruned every year so that they do not sap strength from the main tree.

Design in Nature

*** g00 1/22 pp. 4-9 Learning From Designs in Nature ***

Learning From Designs in Nature

“Many of our best inventions are copied from, or already in use by, other living things.”—Phil Gates, Wild Technology.

AS MENTIONED in the preceding article, the aim of the science of biomimetics is to produce more complex materials and machines by imitating nature. Nature manufactures its products without causing pollution, and they tend to be resilient and light, yet incredibly strong.

For example, ounce for ounce, bone is stronger than steel. What is its secret? Part of the answer lies in its well-engineered shape, but the key reasons lie deeper—at the molecular level. “The success of living organisms lies in the design and assembly of their smallest components,” explains Gates. As a result of peering into these smallest components, scientists have isolated the substances that give natural products from bone to silk their envied strength and light weight. These substances, they have discovered, are various forms of natural composites.

The Miracle of Composites

Composites are solid materials that result when two or more substances are combined to form a new substance containing properties that are superior to those of the original ingredients. This can be illustrated by the synthetic composite fiberglass, which is commonly used in boat hulls, fishing rods, bows, arrows, and other sporting goods. Fiberglass is made by setting fine fibers of glass in a liquid or jellylike matrix of plastic (called a polymer). When the polymer hardens, or sets, the end result is a composite that is lightweight, strong, and flexible. If the kinds of fibers and the matrix are varied, an enormously broad range of products can be made. Of course, man-made composites are still crude compared with those found naturally in humans, animals, and plants.

In humans and animals, instead of fibers of glass or carbon, a fibrous protein called collagen forms the basis of the composites that give strength to skin, intestines, cartilage, tendons, bones, and teeth (except for the enamel). One reference work describes collagen-based composites as being “among the most advanced structural composite materials known.”

For example, consider tendons, which tie muscle to bone. Tendons are remarkable, not just because of the toughness of their collagen-based fibers but also because of the brilliant way these fibers are woven together. In her book Biomimicry, Janine Benyus writes that the unraveled tendon “is almost unbelievable in its multileveled precision. The tendon in your forearm is a twisted bundle of cables, like the cables used in a suspension bridge. Each individual cable is itself a twisted bundle of thinner cables. Each of these thinner cables is itself a twisted bundle of molecules, which are, of course, twisted, helical bundles of atoms. Again and again a mathematical beauty unfolds.” It is, she says, “engineering brilliance.” Is it any surprise that scientists speak of being inspired by nature’s designs?—Compare Job 40:15, 17.

As mentioned, man-made composites pale when compared with those of nature. Still, synthetics are remarkable products. In fact, they are listed among the ten most outstanding engineering achievements of the past 25 years. For example, composites based on graphite or carbon fibers have led to new generations of aircraft and spacecraft parts, sporting goods, Formula One race cars, yachts, and lightweight artificial limbs—to mention just a few items in a rapidly growing inventory.

Multifunctional, Miraculous Blubber

Whales and dolphins don’t know it, but their bodies are wrapped in a miracle tissue—blubber, a form of fat. “Whale blubber is perhaps the most multifunctional material we know,” says the book Biomimetics: Design and Processing of Materials. Explaining why, it adds that blubber is a marvelous flotation device and so helps whales surface for air. It provides these warm-blooded mammals with excellent insulation against the cold of the ocean. And it is also the best possible food reserve during nonfeeding migrations over thousands of miles. Indeed, ounce for ounce, fat yields between two and three times as much energy as protein and sugar.

“Blubber is also a very bouncy rubberlike material,” according to the above-mentioned book. “Our best estimate now is that acceleration caused by the elastic recoil of blubber that is compressed and stretched with each tail stroke may save up to 20% of the cost of locomotion during extended periods of continuous swimming.”
Blubber has been harvested for centuries, yet only recently has it come to light that about half the volume of blubber consists of a complex mesh of collagen fibers wrapped around each animal. Although scientists are still trying to fathom the workings of this fat-composite mix, they believe that they have discovered yet another miracle product that would have many useful applications if produced synthetically.

An Eight-Legged Engineering Genius

In recent years scientists have also been looking very closely at the spider. They are keen to understand how it manufactures spider silk, which is also a composite. True, a broad range of insects produce silk, yet spider silk is special. One of the strongest materials on earth, it “is the stuff that dreams are made of,” said one science writer. Spider silk is so outstanding that a list of its amazing properties would seem unbelievable.

Why do scientists use superlatives when describing spider silk? Besides being five times stronger than steel, it is also highly elastic—a rare combination in materials. Spider silk stretches 30 percent farther than the most elastic nylon. Yet, it does not bounce like a trampoline and so throw the spider’s meal into the air. “On the human scale,” says Science News, “a web resembling a fishing net could catch a passenger plane.”

If we could copy the spider’s chemical wizardry—two species even produce seven varieties of silk—imagine how it could be put to use! In vastly improved seat belts as well as in sutures, artificial ligaments, lightweight lines and cables, and bulletproof fabrics, to name just a few possibilities. Scientists are also trying to understand how the spider makes silk so efficiently—and without the use of toxic chemicals.

Nature’s Gearboxes and Jet Engines

Gearboxes and jet engines keep today’s world on the move. But did you know that nature also beat us to these designs? Take the gearbox, for example. Gearboxes allow you to change gears in your vehicle so as to get the most efficient use out of the motor. Nature’s gearbox does the same, but it does not link engine to wheels. Rather, it links wings to wings! And where can it be found? In the common fly. The fly has a three-speed gearshift connected to its wings, allowing it to change gears while in the air!

The squid, the octopus, and the nautilus all have a form of jet propulsion that drives them through the water. Scientists view these jets with envy. Why? Because they are composed of soft parts that cannot break, that can withstand great depths, and that run silently and efficiently. In fact, a squid can jet along at up to 20 miles [32 km] an hour when fleeing predators, “sometimes even leaping out of the water and onto the decks of ships,” says the book Wild Technology.

Yes, taking just a few moments to reflect on the natural world can fill us with awe and appreciation. Nature truly is a living puzzle that prompts one question after another: What chemical marvels ignite the brilliant, cold light in fireflies and certain algae? How do various arctic fish and frogs, after being frozen solid for the winter, become active again when they thaw out? How do whales and seals stay under the water for long periods without a breathing apparatus? And how do they repeatedly dive to great depths without getting decompression sickness, commonly called the bends? How do chameleons and cuttlefish change color to blend with their surroundings? How do hummingbirds cross the Gulf of Mexico on less than one tenth of an ounce [3 gm] of fuel? It seems that the list of questions could go on endlessly.
Truly, humans can only look on and wonder. Scientists develop an awe “bordering on reverence” when they study nature, says the book Biomimicry.

Behind the Design—A Designer!

Associate professor of biochemistry Michael Behe stated that one result of recent discoveries within the living cell “is a loud, clear, piercing cry of ‘design!’” He added that this result of efforts to study the cell “is so unambiguous and so significant that it must be ranked as one of the greatest achievements in the history of science.”

Understandably, evidence of a Designer creates problems for those who adhere to the theory of evolution, for evolution cannot account for the sophisticated design within living things, especially at the cellular and molecular levels. “There are compelling reasons,” says Behe, “to think that a Darwinian explanation for the mechanisms of life will forever prove elusive.”

In Darwin’s time the living cell—the foundation of life—was thought to be simple, and the theory of evolution was conceived in that era of relative ignorance. But now science has gone past that. Molecular biology and biomimetics have proved beyond all doubt that the cell is an extraordinarily complex system packed with exquisite, perfect designs that make the inner workings of our most sophisticated gadgets and machines look like child’s play by comparison.

Brilliant design leads us to the logical conclusion, says Behe, “that life was designed by an intelligent agent.” Is it not reasonable, therefore, that this Agent also has a purpose, one that includes humans? If so, what is that purpose? And can we learn more about our Designer himself? The following article will examine those important questions.

[Footnotes]
Strictly speaking, fiberglass refers to the glass fibers in the composite. However, in common usage the term refers to the composite itself, which is made of plastic and fiberglass.

Vegetable composites are based on cellulose rather than collagen. Cellulose gives wood many of its coveted qualities as a building material. Cellulose has been described as a “tensile material without peer.”
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An Extinct Fly Helps to Improve Solar Panels

While visiting a museum, a scientist saw pictures of an extinct fly preserved in amber, says a report in New Scientist magazine. He noticed a series of gratings on the insect’s eyes and suspected that these might have helped the fly’s eyes to capture more light, especially at very oblique angles. He and other researchers began conducting experiments and confirmed their hunch.

Scientists soon made plans to try to etch the same pattern of gratings onto the glass of solar panels. This, they hope, will increase the energy generated by solar panels. It might also eliminate the need for the costly tracking systems presently required to keep solar panels pointed at the sun. Better solar panels may mean less fossil fuel use and, thus, less pollution—a worthy goal. Clearly, discoveries like this one help us to appreciate that nature is a veritable mother lode of brilliant designs just waiting to be found, understood and, where possible, copied in useful ways.

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Giving Credit Where It Is Due
In 1957, Swiss engineer George de Mestral noticed that the small, tenacious burs clinging to his clothes were covered with tiny hooks. He studied these burs and their hooks, and soon his creative mind caught fire. He spent the next eight years developing a synthetic equivalent of the bur. His invention took the world by storm and is now a household name—Velcro.
Imagine how de Mestral would have felt had the world been told that no one designed Velcro, that it just happened as the result of a string of thousands of accidents in a workshop. Clearly, fairness and justice demand that credit be given where it is due. Human inventors obtain patents to ensure that it is. Yes, it seems that humans deserve credit, financial rewards, and even praise for their creations, which are often inferior imitations of things in the natural world. Should not our wise Creator receive acknowledgment for his perfect originals?

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Ounce for ounce, bone is stronger than steel
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Anatomie du gladiateur combattant...., Paris, 1812, Jean-Galbert Salvage
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Whale blubber provides flotation, heat insulation, and food reserves
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© Dave B. Fleetham/Visuals Unlimited
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Crocodile and alligator hides can deflect spears, arrows, and even bullets
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Spider silk is five times stronger than steel, yet highly elastic
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A woodpecker’s brain is protected by very dense bone that acts as a shock absorber
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Chameleons change color to blend with their surroundings
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The nautilus has special chambers that enable it to regulate its buoyancy
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The ruby-throated hummingbird makes a 600-mile [1,000 km] journey on less than one tenth of an ounce [3 g] of fuel
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The squid uses a form of jet propulsion
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Chemical marvels ignite the brilliant, cold light in fireflies
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© Jeff J. Daly/Visuals Unlimited