Wood – The Meaning and Symbolism of Wood In The Bible

wood in the BibleWood – The Meaning and Symbolism of Wood in The Bible

When something in the Bible is mentioned several times it must be for a reason.  I was reading 1 Kings 6 and here it is

 So Solomon built the house (temple) and finished it. 15 He built the walls of the interior of the house [that is, the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies] with boards of cedar, from the floor of the house to the rafters of the ceiling. He overlaid the interior with wood, and he overlaid the floor of the house with boards of cypress. 16 He built twenty cubits on the rear of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the ceiling; he built its interior as the [inner] sanctuary, the Holy of Holies. 17 The [rest of the] house, that is, the temple in front of the Holy of Holies, was forty cubits long. 18 The cedar on the house within had wood carvings in the shape of gourds and open flowers. Everything was cedar; no stone was visible. 19 Then he prepared the Holy of Holies within the house in order to put the ark of the covenant of the Lord there. 20 The Holy of Holies was twenty cubits in length, twenty cubits in width, and twenty cubits in height (a cube), and he overlaid it with pure gold. He also overlaid the cedar altar [with gold]. 21 Solomon overlaid the interior of the house with pure gold, and he drew [e]chains of gold across the front of the Holy of Holies (inner sanctuary), and he overlaid it with gold. 22 Then he overlaid the entire house with gold, until the whole house was finished. He also overlaid the entire [incense] altar which was by the Holy of Holies with gold.

Wood or cypress or cedar was mentioned 7 times in 8 verses. I ask myself  “Why wood?”

This leads to other passages of wood that I know about. I know about them because I read the Bible.  You should also read the Bible everyday.  It is God's word to you - His love letter and His instruction manual.  Let's get back to wood. The Ark of the Covenant was constructed of wood and covered in gold.  Noah’s ark was made of wood. The tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden is wood.  And let’s not forget the cross Jesus was crucified on was also wood.

One of the first times we see wood man is committing sin and making all people born sinners. Then we see wood being used to save man in the great flood. Then the Ark of the Covenant was made in the dessert as Moses was instructed.  In it was the Law.  The Law brought death.  The law was said to be the ministry of death.2 Corinthians 3:7 Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end,

The Ark of the Covenant contained the Law and Jesus contained the effects of the law when He was crucified as us for our sins.  This is all to say that wood represents salvation.  It also represents the humanity of Jesus.

God in His infinite wisdom and use of irony has turned bad into good.

You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. — Genesis 50:20 NIV

What to do?

Faith comes by hearing.  Hear the Bible - read it every day.  Let God turn what was meant for evil into good for your life.  It will be faith that produces works. The works will be because of the love you have for Jesus.