The Righteous Shall Grow and Flourish

‘The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing’ (Psalm 92:12-14). 

Righteousness is the key to the Christian’s dominion; it is the scepter or sword of state of God’s kingdom (Heb 1:8). Even though it is every Christian’s birth right to reign as a king in life, without righteousness no Christian can reign. Sin made man lose his dominion anyway. In psalm 92:12-14 the psalmist compares the life of the righteous to that of a palm tree and the cedar of Lebanon. "The palm grows slowly, but steadily, from century to century, uninfluenced by those alternations of the seasons which affect other trees’ (Barnes Notes on the Bible). Even in old age the palm tree bears fruit, so is the life of the righteous. 

The Palm tree provides a great part of the diet of the East. Its leaves are made into baskets. The palm tree produces juices, the threads of the leaves makes ropes and its wood is used as building materials and for fire wood. Indeed the palm tree Signifies consistency and multi dimensional fruitfulness, so has God made the righteous. God’s blessing upon Adam and Eve was the primary key to their dominion and fruitfulness (Gen 1:28). They lost the blessings after they sinned. Glory to God, the last thing Jesus did before He ascended was that He blessed the disciples (Luke 24:51). Hallelujah!!! The blessings of God on the righteous have been restored. As a Christian, you are blessed and ordained to prosper in all your endeavors. The psalmist says you are like a tree planted by the streams of waters and everything you do shall prosper (Psalm 1:3).

Secondly the Psalmist says that the righteous shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. It is said that the best, tallest, largest, and strongest cedars grow in Lebanon. Because of the blessings of the Lord on the righteous he will be the best, tallest, largest, and strongest among his peers. In Heb 1:9 it was said of Jesus that, ‘You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;   therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions, by anointing you with the oil of joy’.  The benefits of living a righteous life are enumerable. ‘The Cedar of Lebanon can live up to 1000 years, it can also grow to become 100 feet tall and 40 feet around the trunk, it signifies stability, longevity and honor or majesty (Finis Dake). God promises the righteous long life, prosperity with good health (3 John 1:2).

Christians are justified and made righteous at their Spiritual birth; the righteousness of Christ is imputed to the believer. As long as a Christian remains in Christ he is clothed with the righteousness of Christ and God sees him through the righteousness of Christ. However, as God works in us, we are supposed to work out that which the Holy Spirit is accomplishing in our inward parts, by making a conscious effort not to sin. ‘For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins’ (Heb 10:26). We are not saved by our righteousness but our righteous deeds become a result of our salvation. It becomes a fruit of the Holy Spirit in the Christian. 1 John 3:9 says ‘No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God’.  

Are you going through difficult times, regardless of the righteous life you are leading? Be assured that the troubles you are going through are only for a period. Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers Him from them all. God will surely reward you for your faithfulness in this life and the life after. On the other hand if you are living in sin, this is the day of your deliverance, surrender your life to Christ by repenting of your sins and believing in Him.