An Extinct Judean Date Palm:The Oldest Seed Ever Germinated...
“The seed is the word of God … But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance” (Luke 8:11,15 NASB).
The power of life is in the reproductive power of the seed. A great illustration of this is seen in an almost 2,000 year old seed of the extinct Judean date palm, which was found at Massada about 30 years ago. Dating from 73 A.D., it was sprouted by an Israeli botanist in 2006. The sapling (dubbed “Methuselah”) in June, 2008 is now almost four feet tall. It is the oldest seed ever germinated! This illustrates the restoration principle of sowing the original seed of the gospel. The power to reproduce the original is in the life identity of the seed. “Methuselah” is nothing more or less than the original Judean date palm reborn after 2000 years.
Interestingly, George Barna, who has keep research growth trends in churches for the last 24 years, in a recent book ‘Revolution’ concluded that the established denominational churches of mainstream religion have failed. He came to the startling conclusion after many years of researching “churched” people, finding little evidence that their lives were transformed by their church experience. Is this be true, could it be attributed to a failure to plant the original seed of the gospel in people’s lives?
Today, we can plant the pure seed of the ancient gospel in modern man’s heart, by sowing the same seed that Christ sowed. He told His apostles, "...make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit", and then “teach them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you” (Matthew 29:18,19). This is the quest of restoring the original teaching of Jesus in faith, practice and spirit.
Restoring the seed of the original gospel is the ideal quest for pure, undenominational Christianity. The productive soil, in Luke’s account of the parable of the sower, is both “honest” and “good” because of it reception of this gospel seed. James wrote we should “receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your soul” (James 1:21; cf. 1:18). If we do the same thing, for the same reason, and in the same way that the early believers did in the apostolic age, then we’ll be the same thing they were – followers of Christ (1 Peter 4:16).
The word of God is called an “incorruptible seed” that is “living and abiding” (1 Peter 1:23), which means it has the enduring power to give spiritual rebirth to men’s souls. It abides forever through time just as the Judean date palm has. Jesus said His Word would never pass away (Matthew 24:35), and would judge all in the end (John 12:48). His truth can be known, freeing us from ignorance and error, and when applied, empowering us to bear fruit (John 8:31,32; 15:1-8). The original gospel, will make today what it made in the first century. If not, why not?
This story was originally published January 22, 2009 at 10:22 AM with the headline "An Extinct Judean Date Palm:The Oldest Seed Ever Germinated...."