“And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper,” verse 3.

I. NATURE HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND GOD’S TRUTH AND ITS AFFECT UPON THE SOUL.

‘He shall be like (note this word appears many times in the parables of Matthew 13)  a tree planted by the rivers of water.’ Well supplied with the very source of life. Note it is ‘rivers’, plural.  There is abundant supply of nourishment and refreshment for the soul in God’s Word.  “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God,” Matthew 4:4.

II. A LIFE SO LIVED WILL BE FRUITFUL.

Note ‘his fruit’. Each one of God’s people bear a fruit that is peculiar to them! Again nature illustrates that for us. We have apple trees, pear trees, plum trees etc. Indeed, there are dozens and dozens of different fruit trees plus many different berry and nut trees! Likewise, the Lord’s ‘orchard’ contains many different people all bringing forth individual fruits.

There is a proper season for fruit-bearing. William Carey was 7 years labouring in India before he saw a convert.

III.  SUPPLIED BY THAT SUSTENANCE THAT COMES FROM THE WORD OF GOD, THERE WILL BE NO WITHERING.

“His leaf also shall not wither.” The word ‘wither’ means ‘wear away, fall down’. The main function of a leaf is to produce food for the plant by photosynthesis. Chlorophyll, the substance that gives plants their characteristic green colour, absorbs light energy. Likewise, the soul absorbs light from God’s Word where by we are fed! See Malachi 4:2. So that process will not stop in the life of the believer, even though it stops in winter time in nature!

IV. THE PERSON WHO FOLLOWS THE PATH LAID OUT IN VERSE 1, WILL ENJOY CONSTANT ADVANCEMENT AND PROGRESS.

“Whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” The word prosper means “advancement and prosperity”. Note the word ‘shall’. That is a strongly assertive word. “Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth [him with] his hand,” Ps 37:24.

What an assurance of good success that is!