In a Shermon, delivered by C. H. Spurgeon, at the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington, in 1879, the focus was on the beauty of the godly man and the beauty of the olive tree. He was referring to the true Believer.
God created beauty to attract our eyes, attention and thoughts. Beauty can not be left unnoticed. Beautiful things should be admired. If it is the beauty of a tree or a man, both mean joy forever and do not go unnoticed.
We should not glorify Believers, but only God in them, that is the only way, that we honor our Creator. The beauty is not on things, but the Creator and his workmanship. The olive tree is very beautiful, but we do not worship it, we praise God for creating it. If a man is beautiful, we do not worship the man, we praise God on his behalf.
Glory to God who has done such great things for human nature. He said: “I will be like the dew unto Israel and his beauty will be as the olive tree”. The Believer with spirituality, attended with the Holly Spirit, has a beauty like the olive tree. A beauty that grows on you.
Looking at the olive tree time and time again, you develop admiration and respect. This is also true with the full of Grace of God, Christian. He is different from the rest of the people. He seems distant until he gets to know you, and then when you look at him, you ‘ll see he is God’s greatest work and greatest creature.
The olive orchard is more beautiful when the sun is beaming through the branches and a mass of the silver shadows of the leaves, reaches beneath the olive trees. The same way when Christians receive the light of God, you see the in-beauty, if you are truly spiritual. You obtain the beauty of the olive trees when you see them in a crowd.
When finally the church of God is gathered in one big crowd, what a sight would that be! The Christian and the olive tree are a beauty of a very special kind. The true Believer and the olive tree posses the same silence and humility. As the olive tree always has green shiny leaves, the true Christian is blessed, at peace and always believes in Jesus Christ!
Olive trees appear differently in color and shade. The sun’s position, the wind, the evening dark, even the rain, cause a change in their appearance. It is like they follow and blend with the mood of Nature. The same is with the true Believers. Every mood they are in, has beauty because the Grace of God shines in them.
No olive tree looks like the other. They have different shapes, their branches tangle with other branches and their trunks split into many separate trunks, with each one being full of vitality.