The Palm Branch was an emblem of Palestine and a symbol of Jewish nationalism since the time of the Maccabees which we’ll learn about later. The Roman and Greek Phoenicia even called Palestine the “land of the Palms”. They were a sigh of splendor with the stem rising to 40 or 50 feet and at times even up to 80 feet. It’s only branches are the feathery, pale green fronds that measure 6-12 feet long, bending from the top. The Palms attract eyes wherever they are seen.

You’ll often see the Palms referenced in scripture dating back to the Old Testament. Example, God’s instructions to Moses for the Festival of Shelters to make outdoor booths with Palm Branches as a way to remember God’s provision as they wandered the wilderness in Exodus. You see this reference in both Leviticus 23:40+ and again later in Nehemiah 8:15. Palm branches are also used throughout the Bible (referenced at the end of this post) for something being tall, upright, fruitful, and a sign of flourishing, peace and victory. The Roman athletic competitions even used palm branches awarding them to the winners as a symbol of their strength, power and of course victory.

In Judges 4:5, Deborah conducted an important meeting under the shade of a Palm Tree. While I can assume it was mostly for the shade, we should not be naïve to the symbolic meaning behind stationing herself here as a woman of authority in a very patriarch world even if she was a respected prophetess. Solomon also used the symbolic meaning of the palm in adorning the temple inner and outer sanctuary walls. Matthew Poole comments, “Palm trees were used as emblems of peace and victory over their enemies which the Israelites duly serving God in the temple might expect.”

But it’s in John 12:13, Mark 11:8 and Matthew 21:8 that we remember the Palm Branches most for. The celebration of Palm Sunday when the Jews welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem waving their symbols of victory and strength to their King proclaiming Hosannah. The crowd looked at Jesus as a political and national savior and greeted Jesus as a King, a conquering hero. Some say this looked back to the time of the Maccabees when the people celebrated the rededication of the temple in 164bc and again when the winning of full political independence in 141bc. Using the branches during Palm Sunday commemorated this time and declared their hope in Jesus being their King to overthrow Rome for victory and independence. (Bruce)

But God also uses the symbol of the Palm for a greater victory. In Revelations 7:9, “…behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, saying, “salvation belongs to our God who sites on the throne, and to the Lamb!” This verse points back to Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and forward to the time when we gloriously get to stand before the throne and celebrate with the multitudes the Ultimate and Final Victory.

The Palm Branch what a beautiful reminder of what true victory looks like in Christ. May we be reminded of this day that we read about in Revelations 7 of the day we long for, hope for, and are promised with. Gaze upon the Palm Branch… the final Victory is His. And ours.