THE HOLLY AND THE IVY (2025)
THE HOLLY AND THE IVY
Pastor Carolyn Sissom
Sunday, December 21,2025
I have shared often with our congregation the open eye vision given to me by the LORD many years ago when He opened my ears to hear the creation of our natural environment praising the LORD in perfect harmony. The trees, grass, leaves, flowers, and birds were all singing, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus.
The Bible’s story of salvation begins and ends with references to symbolic trees. The Tree of Life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil are in the Garden of Eden, and every tree that is pleasant to the sight. Then in the final chapter of the Bible, we again find the Tree of Life. Blessed are they that do his commandments that they may have the right to the tree of life and may enter through the gates into the city (Rev. 22:14).
The Lord summons the evangelists of nature, ---the rain, the snow from heaven; the seed and the harvest; the mountains and hills; and trees of the field; that they may endorse and countersign His glorious, promised blessings of grace and salvation. He tells, that as surely as the material world rejoices under the rains and dews; springtime and harvest; so surely will the seed of the divine word, watered by the rains and dews of the Spirit of God eternally be a revelation of His Glory.
This year in seeking the LORD on how to approach our annual Christmas Miracle Service, I have heard for a few weeks, “The Holly and the Ivy,” a British folk Christmas carol first published in 1861 but can be traced back to 1711 and into the middle ages.
The holly and the ivy,
When they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The Holly bears the crown.
REFRAIN: The rising of the sun
And the running of the deer,
The playing of the merry organ,
Sweet singing in the choir.
The holly bears a blossom,
As white as the lily flower,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ.
To be our Sweet Savior.
(REFRAIN).
The holly bears a berry,
As red as any blood,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ.
For to do us sinners good.
The holly bears a bark,
As bitter as any gall,
And Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ.
To redeem us all.
The holly and the ivy
When they are both full grown,
Of all the trees that are in the wood,
The holly bears the crown.
(REFRAIN).
This year, we were gifted by Oksana Lemons this beautiful tree in our vestibule. Christmas trees are symbolic of Jesus Christ, the Tree of Life and the ornaments represent Christians. Prov. 4:9: She shall give to your head an ornament of grace, a crown of glory shall she deliver to you. 1 Pe. 3:4: Let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.
Isaiah, like many of the prophets, used the metaphors and symbolism of nature to reveal the revelation of Jesus Christ in creation. The prophetic gift of the “seer,” sees Christ in everything, the beauty of a sun set, falling leaves floating in the breeze, white clouds drifting in a blue sky, etc.
Trees in the Holy Scripture are metaphorical of people; Jesus Christ, the Tree of Life; a righteous believer; a country or nation; the Cross; Life; the Kingdom of God; Family; Company of people; if planted by a stream means prosperity; hanging on a tree means judgment or cursed; beside still waters mean peace/rest; under a green tree means idolatry, etc.
Isaiah 41:1 begins with the Lord calling all of the nations of the earth before him to give account for themselves. Of course, the nations are left with no reply. The Lord uses the metaphor and symbolism of Him planting trees to reveal the power of His Glory over the nations.
41: 17-19: When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue fails for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the shittah tree, and the myrtle, and the oil tree; I will set in the desert the fir tree, and the pine, and the box tree together.
The blood of Jesus Christ and the living waters will break through all human barriers, and the waste places of unbelief will be made to rejoice and blossom as the rose.
Through the metaphor of creation, the Lord describes a festive procession through these beautiful regions. “You shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall calp their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree; and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off” (Isa. 55:12-13). The way along which the procession passes is through a renovated, regeneratated, rejoicing creation. The worship of the mountains and hills will resound. The trees of the field join in the jubilant welcome. The choicest vegetations take the place of dwarf and offensive plants. The lofty cypress has supplanted the prickly thorn; the fragrant myrtle-tree has come in place of the unsightly nettle.
Jesus, the true Vine, and the Tree of Life is the “choice fir” from heaven (2 Kings 19:23)
The seven trees in Isaiah 41:17-19 are symbolic of God, Holy Spirit, Christ, Head and Body, plenitude of divine grace.
Seven = Symbolic of abundance, diversity, and perfection.
1. The Cedar = the King of the trees. Jesus Christ King of kings. His kingdom will prevail over all other kingdoms of the earth. He will build His Church and finish it, covering it “with beams and boards of cedar”.
2. The Shittah = the Acacia = used in the tabernacle of Moses, the humanity of Christ, Head and Body. This is rendered an incorruptible wood. Jesus died on a wooden cross, typified by the brazen altar made of acacia wood. His body did not see corruption in the tomb.
3. The Myrtle = Esther = used for the Feast of Tabernacles = the Glory of God.
4. The Oil Tree = the Holy Ghost - Metaphors of the Holy Spirit include the force of wind, the intimacy of breathing, the instincts of a dove, the energy of fire; strong; comfort and the fragrant balm of oil.
5. The Fir Tree = the blessings of God toward his people. Isaiah foresaw the glory of the Body of Christ: “The glory of Lebanon shall come unto you, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of My sanctuary; and I will make the place of My feet glorious.”
6. The Pine = God Himself – Hos. 14:8: “I am like a green pine; your fruitfulness comes from me.”
7. The Box tree = perhaps a boxwood which is sometimes mistaken for Holly.
Sandwiched between Genesis and Revelation is the tree, the cross of salvation, which delivered us from the curse and into the blessing of life everlasting and fullness of joy.
Isa. 44:23: Sing, O heavens for the Lord has done it. You lower parts of the earth, Shout. Mountains break forth into singing; O forest, and every tree therein…
These are not just beautiful words of poetry. Isaiah saw by vision the triumph of Jesus Christ and his church through the testimony of creation.
As we cover our fir trees with ornaments, lights, and our homes with garlands of fir, pine and red berries, every decoration is a revelation of Jesus Christ. Yes, the prophets saw all creation revealing Christ. The prophets still see the natural world as a revelation of Jesus Christ in all of creation. We daily rejoice with creation at His Glory which covers the earth. We are those to whom the gracious promises have been given. The magnificent triumph of the Church of Jesus Christ shall be a perpetual and enduring memorial of divine power and love,
Heaped upon us is the Lord’s pledge of covenant faithfulness and love, till Word, symbolism and metaphor go into eternity. We are they who are guaranteed a divine escort through flood, river, fire, and flame.
Each tree may be taken as the type or emblem of a cluster of bible promises. To the weak there is the cedar in its strength; to the bereaved, there is the olive, with its ashen leaves, and yet with its “oil of joy” for the mourner; to the faint and downcast, there is the tall pine and tapering cypress pointing upwards; to the wounded spirit, there is the balsam-tree of Gilead and the fragrant myrtle; to the dying there is the palm-tree with its graceful fronds, whispering in the ear the name of Jesus; there is the fruitful fig tree, the true Vine from Heaven; to those who thirsts, there are the willows by the water courses.
Trees are symbolic of the whole of the renewed created order, praising the Lord eternally.
My Christmas gift to each of you today is a branch of a fir tree or the red winterberry holly which grows in Texas. Last year I gave a “thrifted” silver tray which was prophetic symbolism for vessels of honor in your homes. Today, I give you one small branch, again as prophetic symbolism of the miracle of Christ’s presence in our lives; the promise of Christ’s blessings to you; the redemption of your family in 2026; Prosperity and health to you and your family. For some there is an unknown future before you; changes; The miracle is in the exceedingly great and precious promises of Jesus Christ.
I expect miracles today because I was hesitant to walk out on this sermon with gift of miracles. I am in obedience. The Lord loves to see us helpless so He gets all the glory. If you need a miracle today, whether it is healing, finances, a job, a family member redeemed, restoring the family unit; new car or home, I believe the Lord is here for your need and you’re blessing.
“Of all the trees that are in the wood, the holly bears the crown.” (Overcomers Crown).
“And Mary bore sweet Jesus to be our sweet Savior.”
“Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to do poor sinners good.”
“Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ on Christmas Day in the morn.”
“Mary bore sweet Jesus Christ to redeem us all.”
Rev. 2:7… To him that overcomes I will give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.
Rev. 22:2: In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
Isa. 41:18-19-Rev. 22:2: I will open rivers in high places and fountains in the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness… (trees of righteousness) for the healing of the nations.
Carolyn Sissom, Pastor
Eastgate Ministries Church, 10115 West Hidden Lakes Lane, Richmond, TX.
Scripture from K.J.V. I entered into the labors of Understanding Types and Shadows by: Kelly Varner; Dictionary of Biblical Imagery; The Harp Taken From the Willows by: John Ross MacDuff. Comments and conclusions are my own and not meant to reflect the views of those who I entered into their labors; Sermon, Trees of Righteousness, Pastor Sissom, 9/21/2014,