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by Wayne Blank
Cedar is one of the most aromatic and resistant types of wood known.
The variety known as the Cedar of Lebanon was of especially good
quality, solid, not many knots, and of a deep rich reddish color. The
trees themselves were of a rather unusual shape - quite wide with
branches growing nearly straight out, and a nearly flat top (in
contrast to, for example, the North American White or Black Cedar
varieties which are seldom as tall and always narrower). They could
sometimes reach a height of well over 100 feet (30 meters). Their very
name came to symbolize strength and magnificence.Cedar wood was used in Jerusalem for various construction projects, including the king's palace and the Temple itself (perhaps unfortunate there, when the Babylonians under King Nebuchadnezzar conquered and burned much of the city - cedar, although very beautiful and aromatic, also burns very hot and fast due to the highly flammable resins in the wood).
For a long time very plentiful, Cedars of Lebanon are now extremely rare. This magnificent tree (and many other great and beautiful plants and animals now extinct) will be making a big come-back one day however. God will be seeing to that.
Fact Finder: How did the cedar lumber ordered by King Solomon from
King Hiram of Tyre travel most of the distance from Lebanon to Jerusalem?
(a) mule wagon (b) carried by slaves (c) floated as sea rafts
1 Kings 5:9
See also The Mediterranean Sea
