Tree References in Isaiah

There is no doubt that plants and trees are a theme of Isaiah.  Isaiah refers to trees and parts of trees (stumps, branches, leaves) at many locations and these are just a few: 

Isaiah 6:13

Isaiah 10:33

Isaiah 11:1

Isaiah 27

Isaiah 34:4

Isaiah 41:17-20

Isaiah 55:8-13

Isaiah 56:3

Isaiah 65:22

This is one of the main reasons for using trees in the background pictures throughout this website.

In general, trees represent Kingdoms or Kings in the Scriptures.  (The use of this metaphor seems to be even more frequent in the Scriptures after the time of Isaiah.)  Here are two references for trees throughout the Scriptures, (I am still in the process of reading the second):

Meyers, Carol L., (1974) The Tabernacle Menorah: A Synthetic Study of a Symbol from the Biblical Cult, Scholars Press for The American Schools of Oriental Research, Missoula, Montana, ISBN 0-89130-107-0.

Osborne, William R., (2018) Trees and Kings, A Comprehensive Analysis of Tree Imagery in Israel’s Prophetic Tradition and the Ancient Near East, Bulletin for Biblical Research Supplement 18,  Eisenbrauns, University Park, Pennsylvania, ISBN 9781575067506.

In the Near and Far Theme, and the Literary Structure of Isaiah, it is proposed that the structure of a tree or Menorah has been employed in the poetry of Isaiah, and this has been more formally described as a metaphor-extended-into-the-structure.   It is also a vision.  The proposal in more detail is that the tree representing Ancient Israel is being destroyed (Isaiah 28 - 33), but that a new tree representing the Kingdom of Christ (Isaiah 57:14 -62) is enabled as the result of Christ's sacrifice (Isaiah 53).  This structural correspondence is certainly not universally agreed upon.   The data is described in the Near and Far Theme, and Isaiah Revisited.     

Is Isaiah sublimely telling us that his literary structure is built around a tree (or Menorah)?  I believe so.  God inspired Isaiah, and his writing is clearly connected to Christ’s sacrifice on a tree, the cross.   

When we see barren trees against the sky we can contemplate Christ on the cross, being forsaken and lonely.  But we can also think of His new Kingdom when we see trees alive, growing and budding.  The Scriptures close with mentions of trees (Revelation 22:2,19).