Recently we wrote in Watchman part 3 of the Cyprus tree felled by Israel and the confrontation with Lebanon which in the Bible is the Great Cedar. Shortly after we have a very significant incident where a wind gust broke the Anne Frank Tree in Amsterdam as if it were a matchstick.

According to news reports there were great efforts made by many to keep and preserve the 150 year old tree even though it was dying. The once great tree in 2007 had been marked by city officials for removal. It was only recently saved from removal in a court case and strengthened and staked with steel. The fall of the tree was unexpected, as  "it had been calculated that the tree could live several more decades",Jerusalem Post

The tree is often a symbol of a nation. And this tree is not Anne Frank's tree so much as being part of Amsterdam. The Franks went there to escape Germany in 1933. It wasn't far enough, but there was a little haven (sanctuary) in hiding and the sense of freedom of looking out to the tree and sky.

"Nearly every morning I go to the attic to blow the stuffy air out of my lungs," she wrote on Feb. 23, 1944. "From my favorite spot on the floor I look up at the blue sky and the bare chestnut tree, on whose branches little raindrops shine, appearing like silver, and at the seagulls and other birds as they glide on the wind."

She also wrote: "As long as this exists, ... and I may live to see it, this sunshine, the cloudless skies — while this lasts I cannot be unhappy." Jerusalem Post

In this juxtaposition "as long as this exists" includes the tree, but the tree is now gone and does not exist.

An interesting report see here adds, Anne Frank wrote,

"Our chestnut tree is in full blossom. It is covered with leaves and is even more beautiful than last year," she wrote in May 1944, not long before she was betrayed to the Nazis.

The tree had developed fungus and was set to be felled in 2007 due to concerns for the safety of the 1 million people who visit Anne Frank's house each year.

But officials and conservationists later agreed to secure it with a steel frame to prolong its life and saplings from the tree were planted last year in an Amsterdam park and other cities around the world.

A Dutch tree foundation, which fought to keep the tree alive with another support group, said horticulturalists had estimated the tree could still have lived for dozens of years.

Arnold Heertje, a member of the Support Anne Frank Tree group said there were no plans to plant a sapling on the site or preserve the tree's remains.

"You have to bow your head to the facts. The tree has fallen and will be cut into pieces and disappear. The intention was not to keep this tree alive forever. It has lived for 150 years and now it's over and we're not going to extend it," he said.
 

"You have to bow your head to facts", is a very interesting comment. They could plant a sapling there. But they won't. Of most interest is that the fall of the tree was witnessed and the tree was clean snapped at 1m.

"Someone yelled, 'It's falling. The tree is falling,' and then you heard it go down," said museum spokeswoman Maatje Mostart. "Luckily no one was hurt." Jerusalem Post

It snapped unexpectedly in wind, and the word wind is Hebrew is the same for the 'Spirit' of the Holy One. (See link to spirit)

This brings to mind a vision of another tree, a tree of the leader's of empire, not snapped but cut and bound,

I saw, and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and the height thereof was great. .. (4:9) The leaves thereof were fair, ...I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and a holy one came down from heaven. (4:11) He cried aloud, and said thus: Hew down the tree, and cut off its branches, shake off its leaves, and scatter its fruit; let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from its branches. (4:12) Nevertheless leave the stump of its roots in the earth, even in a band of iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth; (4:13) Let his heart be changed from man's, and let a beast's heart be given unto him; and let seven times pass over him. (4:14) The matter is by the decree of the watchers,(Daniel 4:10-17)

Except that in the Dutch case even the stump is to be removed, by the decree of the watchers. What does this portend? Daniel's explanation was that the leader became arrogant and if he did not repent he would be made mad, and live like a beast.

The felling of the tree seems a sign, a warning, of the failure of the Dutch struggle against anti-Semitism. In 2007 the Dutch 'tree' that Jews had seen as liberal and beautiful (just as Anne was made happy by the silver on its branches in winter and saw its beauty in blossom) was found to be eaten out by 'moth' ideas and other fungus. The authorities and a minority have done their best since then to shore up the 'tree' of Dutch liberalism, but it has been decreed "you have to bow your head to facts". It has lived for 150 years. For Europe 150 years takes is back to 1860, a significant year for Jewish and non-conforming Protestant Dutch and other's religious freedom. See here.

The beauty of that tree planted in 1860 has been recently eaten by ecumenical Roman moths and Islamic fungus. See here. A few of the Dutch see it, and they themselves have cried out "it's falling".

Underneath this is the knowledge that Amsterdam was not after 1933, in the end, a haven. There the Franks and others were betrayed. The tree shows the reality of events, and it must be accepted. The efforts to shore up traditional Dutch protestant ideals, to leave a little beauty for Jews to look out on, are likely to fail suddenly. What does it say in Daniel?- that the tree cut down equals the leaders despising the Holy One and having the heart of a beast. The cutting of the tree then was to make it evident that all could see the beast that the leader became in his arrogance saying "my hand has done this". He was shown for what he was. This is a sign of Europe, as the emerging Beast. This beast is the one that the woman called the 'mother of harlots' is beginning to ride (Revelation 17). As it is said,

“You have to bow your head to the facts. The tree has fallen and will be cut into pieces and disappear.”

It is also decreed that another greater and more glorious tree be planted. Not in Europe. But where they plant trees: Israel.

Part 2: Small shoot of the Anne Frank tree

It was announced that the stump of the Anne Frank Chestnut tree is not to be removed as reported yesterday, as a small shoot is growing. The JTA report says

The day after the storm, a green shoot was seen growing from its splintered trunk, according to the Associated Press. JTA

The Associated Press put it this way,

A shoot growing from the splintered trunk of a chestnut that cheered Anne Frank during her time in hiding could give the tree a new lease of life after a storm toppled it, a spokeswoman for a group that campaigned to save the tree said Tuesday.

Helga Fassbinder of the Support Anne Frank Tree foundation said the remains of the trunk will be left in the ground so that a shoot growing out of healthy wood on one side can grow. www.haaretz.com (picture of shoot)

No story yesterday mentioned the shoot, so it might be stated as a fact that it was the day after that the new green shoot was noticed. As Job said

For there is hope of a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that the tender branch thereof will not cease. (Job 14:7)

Above we commented on the parallel to Daniel's tree of the decree of the watchers. We did not know what to make of the Anne Frank tree stump being taken out as Daniel's tree was left as a stump bound and the stump was not taken out. The tree was cut down and bound until the pride of man (as a beast) was tamed. The roots of the tree were not to die. When Nebuchadnezzar learned to praise God then presumably the tree was to grow – from the stump. Daniel says,

And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shall have known that the heavens do rule. (Daniel 4:26)

But Daniel does not say there was to be a shoot from the stump or roots. The stump was the sign that the kingdom would remain. Nebuchadnezzar's “seven times” passed, and he prasied God, but the context hints that, like Ezekiel, Nebuchadnezzar was acting out a prophecy of the nations. Kingdoms would exist over a long era without their leaders being noble or giving true praise of God. See here the era winds up approx. 2013-2021.

Today, it is known that now the stump will stay, as a small shoot has come from the roots (of a tree that was all but considered dead).

Ezekiel takes up Daniel's theme in his parable of the great exalted and beautiful tree of human empire at its most noble, saying, like Daniel, that it is to be cut down.

to the end that none of all the trees (nations) by the waters exalt themselves in their stature, neither set their top among the thick boughs, nor that their mighty ones stand up in their height, even all that drink water; for they are all delivered unto death, to the nether parts of the earth, in the midst of the children of men, with them that go down to the pit. (Ezekiel 31:14)

However, he adds

therefore thus saith the Lord GOD: I have lifted up My hand: Surely the nations that are round about you, they shall bear their shame. But ye, O mountains of Israel, ye shall shoot forth your branches, and yield your fruit to My people Israel; for they are at hand to come. (Ezekiel 36:7-8)

The mountains of Israel are to shoot forth branches (plural). The mountains are Judea and Samaria...

But there is an amazing parallel. Today we hear of 'a shoot from the stump' of a tree that had been thought not worthy to keep yesterday. Isaiah proclaimed,

And there shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, and a twig shall grow forth out of his roots. And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. And his delight shall be in the fear of the LORD; and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither decide after the hearing of his ears; (Isaiah 11:1-3)

This is Messiah.

It is possible that when we see the new shoot (or rod) the time is close. Jeremiah is told that the shoot of an almond tree is a sign that the word would soon be fulfilled,

Then the LORD put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the LORD said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth. See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant. Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what see thou? And I said, I see a rod (new shoot) of an almond tree. Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it. (Jeremiah 1:9-12)

Are trees as an analogy or image important? This, the Anne Frank tree, is important as a symbol of the survival of hope. People rallied to save it. There was great concern it was lost, not because it is a tree, but because of what it means. There is no doubt there is a great loss, in the felling of the tree. In analogy the European 'moths' and 'fungus' have eaten out the liberal noble 'tree' planted 150 years ago. These 'moths' and 'fungus' seek to take the buildings built and the planting in Judea and Samaria and give it to others. But as Israel is like a tree, the day will come, when the righteous leader the 'shoot' out of the 'stump' is revealed, at the time the shooting forth of the 'branches', that,

They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands. (Isaiah 65:22)

There is another image of new growth out of a dead tree, for all the servants,

Neither let the son of the stranger, that has joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD has utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree. For thus says the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my Sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant; Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off. (Isaiah 56:3-5)

The trees that exalt themselves shall be cut off, cut down . The dry trees will have new growth.

Thus saith the Lord GOD: Moreover I will take, even I, of the lofty top of the cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and I will plant it upon a high mountain and eminent; in the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it; and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a stately cedar; and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing, in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell. And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish; I the LORD have spoken and have done it.' (Ezekiel 17:22-24)

For more see The vision of the decree of the watchers

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