Verses: Genesis 1:12; Proverbs 3:18; Matthew 13:31-32; John 15:1-2
Fun Fact: Coastal redwoods are the tallest trees in the world
Favorite Hike: Backpacking the Redwood Creek Trail
Redwood National and State Park is located in Northern California, about five-and-one-half-hours north of San Francisco. Redwoods is unique in that it is actually a combination of four parks from two agencies (Redwood National Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park). In May 1994, the National Park Service and the California State Parks agreed to cooperatively manage these parks as one unit. Together, the combined park contains more than 130,000 acres of Pacific coastline, protecting the remaining coastal redwoods.
Coastal redwoods are only found in this part of the world in a small stretch along the Pacific coast from Big Sur, California, to Oregon. They are related to the giant sequoias found in the Sierra Nevada mountain range, which are typically wider and shorter. Redwoods are the tallest trees in the world, growing to heights over 360 feet tall. The tallest is currently Hyperion at 379 feet.
Almost half of the remaining redwoods are found in the Redwood National Park complex. When the gold rush started in California, the demand for lumber increased and redwoods were a favorite. The forest used to cover over two million acres. By the 1960s, 90% of the redwoods had been cut down due to logging operations. The park has made a concentrated effort to help rebuild and preserve the forests. The park is currently undergoing a number of restoration projects, such as Redwoods Rising, to help protect and restore redwood forests and the surrounding ecosystems.
There are over 200 miles of hiking trails within the park to walk among these giants, along with other activities including kayaking and fishing along the Smith River. Several of the trails are relatively short and flat, such as the Lady Bird Johnson Grove Trail or the Prairie Creek Foothills Trail Loop. You can check out the Tall Trees Trail for something more strenuous, which is four miles roundtrip and requires a free permit from the visitor center. There is no lodging within the park, aside from a few state park cabins, but there are several campgrounds and some neighboring cities such as Crescent City or Klamath that have accommodations.
This Devotion was inspired by Dr. Matthew Sleeth’s book Reforesting Faith: What Trees Teach Us About the Nature of God and His Love for Us.
Dr. Sleeth read the entire Bible and underlined every place where trees were referenced. He found that every important character and every major event has a tree associated with it and that the Bible mentions trees more than any other living thing besides God and people. The premise of his book is that trees can teach us about the nature of God and His love for us.
“There is a tree on the first page of Genesis, in the first Psalm, on the first page of the New Testament, and on the last page of Revelation. Every significant theological event in the Bible is marked by a tree. Whether it is the Fall, the Flood, or the overthrow of Pharaoh, every major event in the Bible has a tree, branch, fruit, seed or some part of the tree marking the spot.”
Dr. Sleeth uses the term tree to apply broadly to all parts of the plant and things made from trees (leaves, fruit, lumber such as the ark or cross).
Dr. Sleeth describes how just within the first few books of the Bible, we see trees playing a critical role in the garden in terms of food and provision, but also playing a central role in the fall in Genesis 2.
The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit with seed in them, after their kind; and God saw that it was good. – Genesis 1:12
Trees are used throughout the Old Testament as a symbol of blessing, cited in the Psalms and Proverbs as referring to wisdom and as a metaphor for spiritual renewal and refreshment.
She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast. – Proverbs 3:18
In Matthew, Jesus refers to the kingdom of heaven like a tiny seed that grows into a flourishing tree.
He presented another parable to them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; and this is smaller than all other seeds, but when it is full grown, it is larger than the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.” – Matthew 13:31-32
And John uses a tree in one of the I AM statements, describing sanctification as a pruning process to bear more fruit.
I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. – John 15:1-2
Dr. Sleeth provides many more examples throughout the entirety of scripture of how trees are used to help us learn more about Christ. What better place to see an example of this than among the tallest trees in the world? I pray as you visit Redwood National Park, you are reminded of the ways the Lord has used trees throughout history to accomplish His purposes and teach us more about Him. Spend some time in the word as you visit Redwoods. Can you see examples of trees? I pray you do.
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