Open your doors, O Lebanon, That a fire may feed on your cedars. Wail, O cypress... Zech 11 1-2a NASB
That is a verse that I randomly turned to during my morning devotions a few days ago. It would not have struck me as important except I had recently heard about the big cypress tree that mysteriously caught on fire and fell to the ground on 1/16/12. I read about the story and thought there might be some prophetic significance to it but did not see anything at first. Then when I randomly turned to the verse above I felt prompted to investigate it further. The deeper I dug the more amazed I became.
We will start with taking a look at some of the facts about the tree and the incident. The following information was derived from the many accounts on the web, and some accounts differ in various details. Here are some links to some of the many accounts of the story.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Senator_(tree)
http://www.floridata.com/tracks/thesenator/thesenator.cfm
http://www.tampabay.com/features/humaninterest/biggest-tree-in-florida-dwarfed-history-towered-in-peoples-hearts/1211053
The Facts
The tree is approximately 3500 years old, oldest pond cypress in the world (some consider the pond cypress to be a type of bald cypress.)
5th oldest tree of any type in the world.
Originally 165 ft tall, reduced 46-47 ft to 118-119 ft after a hurricane in 1925 broke its top off.
The unusually late hurricane hit Florida the night of Nov 30 as a tropical storm and achieved hurricane force after crossing into the Atlantic. So I believe the tree was most likely damaged on 11/30 or 12/1. During the storm 55 people died at sea.
Diameter 17-18 ft
Named “The Senator” after Florida state senator Moses Overstreet, the tree was nicknamed “The Big Tree.”
Tree was located in Big Tree Park, FL which is located between U.S. 17/92 and The General Hutchinson Pkwy.
Local fire company responded at 5:50 AM EST
At 7:50 a 20 ft section fell off the top leaving approx 99 ft
By 8:15 most of the tree finally collapsed.
20-25 ft remains standing after the fire.
Investigators believe that the fire started near the top of the tree an was most likely caused by an old smoldering lightning strike or by friction. One reason the tree burned so quickly was because it was hollow.
A nearby 2000 yr old cypress tree named Lady Liberty was not damaged.
The Analysis
A senator named Moses donated the land the tree was on and thus the tree was named after him. The age of the tree puts its birth at approx. 1488 B.C. This is very close to the time that Moses led the children of Israel out of Egypt. Ussher places the Exodus at 1445 B.C. So it is not outside the realm of possibility that this tree sprouted the same year as the Exodus. And let’s not forget about Moses’ encounter with a burning plant.
The late archaeologist Ron Wyatt believes that he has found the place of the Red Sea crossing as indicated in this diagram. BTW; he also found chariot wheels on the sea floor there.
http://wyattmuseum.com/red-sea-crossing.htm
Ready for this; drawing a line from the tree to a spot of the Red Sea crossing as indicated below is 5772 Nautical miles. We are in the Hebrew year of 5772 now. The line also goes through the land of Goshen and is very close to Succoth where Ron has indicated the Exodus started and the line approximates their trek through the wilderness to the Red Sea.
The next noteworthy event in the life of the tree was in 1925 on 12/1 when its top was broken off by the hurricane. Did anything happen on 12/1 in relation to Israel or that would affect Israel?
1925 December 1 The Locarno Treaties are signed. These agreements are an attempt to settle security problems left unresolved at the end of World War I. The main treaty, which confirms Germany's western borders with France and Belgium, is signed by the powers directly concerned and is guaranteed by Britain and Italy. Germany signs treaties with its eastern neighbors, Poland and Czechoslovakia, but they are not given the same protection. France, however, concludes an agreement with the latter countries promising to help them if Germany breaks its commitment to settle any future disputes with them peacefully. The Locarno Pact makes Germany's entry into the League of Nations possible. http://www.humanitas-international.org/holocaust/1925-29t.htm
So on the exact day the tree broke, Germany—Israel’s arch enemy-- is strengthened. I am not a historian but I would imagine that this strengthening eventually led to the destruction of many Jews during WWII at the hands of the satanic psychopath Hitler. And how many Jews were killed by the Germans? According to many estimates, about 30-35%. How much of the tree got destroyed in 1925? About 29 % (rounded up). And remember we are not dealing with exact numbers, just estimates, so the numbers are very close.
The next recorded event in the life of the tree was that a plaque and decorative iron fence were removed by vandals in 1945. What happened of importance in 1945 in relation to the children of Israel?
January 27, 1945
Soviet troops liberate the Auschwitz and Birkenau concentration camps
April 11, 1945
U.S. troops reach the Buchenwald concentration camp and discover that the prisoners had liberated themselves from a forced evacuation. A few days later, British troops liberate the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp for women.
April 29, 1945
U.S. troops liberate the Dachau concentration camp
May 8, 1945
V-E Day is declared -- Victory in Europe
August 15, 1945
V-J Day is declared -- Victory over Japan
http://www.worldwariihistory.info/1945.html
So an iron fence was removed from around the tree the same year that the Jews were set free from prison.
The nearest road to the tree is the General Hutchinson Parkway, and the nearest address to the tree is 777 General Hutchinson Pkwy.
I did a little research on General Hutchinson. If I have the right general he was a famous aviator that was instrumental in defeating the enemies in WWII, making another WWII delivering of the Jews connection to this tree.
https://slsp.manpower.usmc.mil/gosa/biographies/rptBiography.asp?PERSON_ID=444&PERSON_TYPE=General
http://www.yellowfootprints.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12280
So in light of all of this I believe that this tree has symbolic connections with the children of Israel. Take note that the tree named Lady Liberty was not damaged—indicating The Big Tree does not represent the United States. Why would a tree representing Israel be on American soil? Was it not the United States that gave the children of Israel a place of refuge before, during, and after WWII? Do we not have the highest population of Jews in the world, even greater than in Israel?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_population
The Future Implications
Assuming this tree is a symbolic representation of the children of Israel, and assuming the recent fire and destruction of most of the tree is a representation of what might happen to Israel in the future, what are the possible implications? In my opinion the immediate implication is that many Jews will leave America and or die in the future.
What might bring about the destruction of many Jews and or their leaving America in the near future? Let me speculate and imagine a scenario of how this could possibly occur. Note: this is not a prediction, just speculation. Let’s say Israel launches a preemptive attack against Iran, and the strike does not go as planned and Iran inflicts a lot of damage upon Israel, killing many Jews, other nations are also involved and the crisis involves nuclear materials, resulting in large amounts of radiation being put into the air. Much damage is done to the oil industry including the shutdown of the straits of Hormuz from sunken ships. Oil prices skyrocket, causing massive inflation. In retaliation for our support of Israel a nuclear action is attempted against the United States. The world views Israel’s actions as evil and blames them for the sad state of world affairs. Great persecution arises against Jews across the world causing them to flee their present countries of residence and return to Israel.
Scripture tells us that at some point in time the entire world will come against Israel and she will fall and will be persecuted and trampled underfoot for 3.5 years just as the ashes of this tree are being trampled underfoot. Why did the tree burn down? Because it was hollow, just like Israel is “hollow,” because she does not recognize the Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. But just like this tree did not fall all the way down and her roots are intact giving the possibility that shoots will sprout up, so Israel will not be totally devastated but she will “come back to life” after her demise. Jesus will save her and raise her back up.
Zechariah 11, the passage I randomly turned to, speaks of her demise and associates it with the antichrist in v 15-17.
1Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars.
2Howl, fir tree (translated cypress in NASB); for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down.
3There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled.
4Thus saith the LORD my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter;
5Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not.
6For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour's hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them….
15And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd.
16For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces.
17Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened.
Here is another connection; if you draw a line from The Big Tree to
The approximate location of the missile launch west of Los Angeles (exact location not known) on 11/8/2010 the same day Netanyahu was in New Orleans being heckled over settlements--the line goes through Phoenix, Arizona and is 2012 nautical miles long.
So this draws connections between this tree, Israel, settlements, Phoenix, and a missile—who some think came from a Chinese sub.
And here are a few final connections; the tree fell on the birthday of a famous mason--Benjamin Franklin—I assume you know about them and their future plans regarding Israel. And it just so happens that I share the same birthday, and as far as I know I am the only one to make the associations, by God's power of course, between Israel and this tree. How about that for a coincidence?
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Update 3/1
The name Sara is a derivative of Sarah, Abraham’s wife. She is the proverbial ancestral mother of the children of Israel. The name Barnes can have associations with a barn, or it can mean warrior. “According to one etymology, the name is derived from Old English beorn (warrior)”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnes_(name)
Therefore Sara Barnes in its essence means or can represent Israel as a warrior or Israel at war. Thus Sara Barnes setting the tree on fire and destroying it can represent Israel going to war and bringing destruction upon herself as a result. Also from what I gathered a lot of people were upset at the tree being destroyed and I am sure those feelings will be transferred to Sara Barnes for her foolish act. In the same way I believe that the world will look at Israel’s war actions with hatred at the difficulties that it will bring to the world.
Thus I believe that the tree being set on fire by a lady named Sara Barnes is a confirmation of the future implications that Israel’s war actions will bring destruction and hatred upon Israel. Please do not misunderstand me, I am not against Israel defending, and protecting her interests—I stand with Israel. I am merely stating what I believe will be the results of her actions as implicated by the burning tree incidents.