In the darkest time for Israel, as the oppressive Roman Empire seemed to block all light, the tree of Jesse was not to be seen. Gone was the glory of David and Solomon. But the true life of that tree had come into the world—the Seed of the woman and the ultimate sacrifice for all of humanity. There stood the Life of Jesse’s tree before John the Baptist, and all righteousness was fulfilled.

In a broken world, the word of the Lord had come to a man we know as Abraham. That which was promised at the fall (Genesis 3) was renewed through a promise that Abraham’s son Isaac would bear the promised Seed. But Abraham was put into a position where he had to trust the giver of the promise. Through Isaac would come Jesse, and through Jesse would come hope and joy and life. 

This Advent, we gather in the name of Jesus and consider His great story anew. The Jesse Tree is filled with symbols telling the story of Jesus from creation to His second coming. The story of the Bible, Old and New Testaments alike, is the story of Jesus. He is the Seed of Jesse’s tree. He is the Root of Jesse’s tree. He is the Life of Jesse’s tree. And He is the Firstfruit of Jesse’s tree. 

Every earthly tree has a beginning—a moment of planting and life. The tree of Jesse is no different. There was a beginning as God created Adam from the dust and formed Eve from Adam. But sin and death came to that tree—a destruction that could only be reversed when the Creator of the tree would Himself become the Seed of new life in the midst of death.