The Willow and the Sticks

He showed me a great willow tree that spread its shade over plains and mountains, and everyone who had been called by the name of the Lord had come in under the shade of that willow. Beside the willow stood an angel of the Lord, glorious and very tall, holding a great pruning hook. He was cutting branches off the willow and handing them out to the people sheltering under it, and the sticks he gave them were small, about eighteen inches long. When they had all taken their sticks, the angel put down the pruning hook, and the tree was as sound as it had been when I first saw it. I wondered at this to myself and said, “How can the tree be sound when so many branches have been cut off it?” The Shepherd said to me, “Do not be surprised that this tree has stayed sound after so many branches were cut off it. Wait until you have seen everything, and then it will be shown to you what it means.” [a]

Then the angel who had handed the sticks out to the people asked for them back. They were called up to him in the same order in which they had received them, and each one handed his stick back. The angel of the Lord took them and looked them over.

From some he took sticks that were dry and eaten as if by a moth, and those who handed in sticks like that he ordered to stand apart. Others handed in dry sticks that were not moth-eaten, and these too he ordered to stand apart. Others handed in half-dry sticks, and these stood apart. Others handed in sticks that were half-dry and had cracks in them, and these stood apart. Others handed in sticks that were green and had cracks in them, and these stood apart. Others handed in sticks that were half dry and half green, and these stood apart. Others brought sticks that were two-thirds green and one-third dry, and these stood apart. Others handed in sticks two-thirds dry and one-third green, and these stood apart. Others handed in sticks that were nearly all green, with only the very tip dry, but they had cracks in them, and these stood apart. In others only the smallest part was green and the rest of the stick was dry, and these stood apart.

Others came carrying their sticks green, just as they had received them from the angel, and most of the crowd handed in sticks like that. The angel was very glad about them, and they stood apart. Others handed in their sticks green and with new shoots on them, and these stood apart, and the angel was very glad about them too. And others handed in their sticks green and with new shoots, and the shoots had something like fruit on them. The men whose sticks were found like that were full of joy, and the angel was overjoyed at them, and the Shepherd too was very glad about them.

Then the angel of the Lord ordered crowns to be brought, and crowns were brought that looked as if they were made of palm. He crowned the men who had handed in the sticks with new shoots and some fruit, and sent them away into the tower. The others he sent into the tower as well — the ones who had handed in green sticks with new shoots but no fruit — and he gave them seals. Everyone who went into the tower had the same clothing, white as snow. And those who had handed in their sticks green, just as they received them, he let go, giving them clothing and seals. When the angel had finished all this he said to the Shepherd, “I am going away. You are to send these people off inside the walls, each one according to where he deserves to live. Look their sticks over carefully, and send them off on that basis — examine them carefully. See that no one slips past you. And if anyone does slip past you, I will test them at the altar.” With these words to the Shepherd he left. [f]

After the angel had gone, the Shepherd said to me, “Let us take everyone’s sticks and plant them, in case any of them can come to life.” I said to him, “Sir, how can these dry ones live?” He answered, “This tree is a willow, and it is a kind that clings to life. So if the sticks are planted and take in a little moisture, many of them will live. Now let us try pouring water over them as well. If any of them can live I will be glad along with them, and if one does not live, at least I will not be found careless.”

The Shepherd told me to call them up in the order in which each of them was standing. They came, rank by rank, and handed their sticks to the Shepherd. He took the sticks and planted them by ranks, and after planting them he poured so much water over them that the sticks could not be seen for the water. When he had watered them he said to me, “Let us go, and come back after a few days and inspect all the sticks. The one who created this tree wants everyone who received branches from it to live. And I too expect that once these little sticks have taken in moisture and been watered, most of them will live.”

I said to him, “Sir, explain this tree to me — what it is. I am at a loss about it, because so many branches have been cut off and the tree is still sound, and nothing looks as though it had been cut from it. That is what puzzles me.” “Listen,” he said. “This great tree that shades plains and mountains and the whole earth is the law of God, given to the whole world. And this law is the Son of God, proclaimed to the ends of the earth. The peoples under its shade are those who heard the proclamation and trusted him. The great and glorious angel Michael is the one who has authority over this people and governs them; he is the one who puts the law into the hearts of those who believe. So he keeps watch over the people he gave it to, to see whether they have kept it. You see each person’s sticks — the sticks are the law. So you see many sticks that have been made useless, and you will recognize all those who have not kept the law, and you will see where each of them lives.” [h]

I said to him, “Sir, why did he send some off into the tower and leave the others to you?” “All who broke the law they received from him,” he answered, “he left in my charge, for repentance. But all who have already lived so as to please the law and have kept it, he holds under his own authority.” “Then who,” I went on, “are the ones who were crowned and are going into the tower?” “All who wrestled with the devil and beat him are the ones who were crowned: these are the ones who suffered for the law. The others — those who handed in green sticks with new shoots but no fruit — are the ones who were pressed hard for the law but did not suffer and did not deny their law. And those who handed theirs in green just as they received them are the dignified and the righteous, who walked very carefully with a pure heart and kept the Lord’s commands. The rest you will learn once I have looked over these sticks that have been planted and watered.”

A few days later we came to the place, and the Shepherd sat down in the angel’s place and I stood beside him. He said to me, “Tie a linen apron round you and serve me.” So I tied on a clean linen apron made of sacking. When he saw me with it on and ready to serve him, he said, “Call up the men whose sticks were planted, by ranks, in the order in which each one handed his stick in.” So I went off to the plain and called them all, and they all stood there rank by rank. He said to them, “Each of you pull out your own stick and bring it to me.” [k]

The first to hand theirs in were the ones who had had the dry, gnawed sticks; and since these were found to be dry and gnawed just as before, he ordered them to stand apart. Next came those whose sticks had been dry but not gnawed. Some of them handed theirs in green, and some dry and gnawed as if by a moth. Those who handed theirs in green he ordered to stand apart, and those who handed in dry, gnawed ones he ordered to stand with the first group.

Next came those whose sticks had been half-dry and cracked. Many of them handed theirs in green and without cracks; some handed theirs in green with new shoots and with fruit on the shoots, like the ones who had gone crowned into the tower. Some handed theirs in dry and eaten, some dry and not eaten, and some just as they had been, half-dry and cracked. He ordered each of them to stand apart, some by their own ranks and some away from them.

Then the ones whose sticks had been green but cracked handed theirs in. All of these handed them in green, and they stood in their own rank. The Shepherd was glad about them, because they had all been changed and had lost their cracks. Those whose sticks were half green and half dry handed theirs in too. Some of their sticks were found completely green, some half-dry, some dry and eaten, and some green with new shoots. All of these were sent away, each to his own rank. [m]

Then those handed theirs in who had had two-thirds green and one-third dry. Many of them handed theirs in green, many half-dry, and others dry and eaten. All of these stood in their own rank. Then those handed theirs in who had had two-thirds dry and one-third green. Many of them handed theirs in half-dry, some dry and eaten, others half-dry and cracked, and a few green. All of these stood in their own rank.

Then those handed theirs in whose sticks had been green with the smallest part dry and with cracks in them. Some of these handed theirs in green, and some green and with new shoots; and these too went off to their rank. Then those handed theirs in who had had the smallest part green and the rest dry. Their sticks were found green for the most part, with new shoots and with fruit on the shoots, and some were green all through. The Shepherd was very greatly pleased with these sticks, because that is how they were found; and these went away, each to his own rank.

After the Shepherd had looked over everyone’s sticks, he said to me, “I told you that this tree clings to life. Do you see how many repented and were saved?” “I see it, sir,” I said. “It is so that you may see the great compassion of the Lord,” he said, “how great and glorious it is, and that he has given a spirit to those who are worthy of repentance.” “Then why, sir,” I said, “did they not all repent?” “Those whose heart he saw would become pure and would serve him with the whole heart — to them he gave repentance. But those in whom he saw treachery and wickedness, who were going to repent as a pretense, to them he did not give repentance, in case they should profane his name all over again.” [n]

I said to him, “Sir, now show me about the people who handed in the sticks — what sort each of them is, and where they live. Then those who believed and received the seal and broke it and did not keep it whole may hear it, and may recognize what they have done and repent, and may receive a seal from you and give glory to the Lord, because he had compassion on them and sent you to make their spirits new.” “Listen,” he said. “The ones whose sticks were found dry and moth-eaten are the deserters and the traitors of the church, who blasphemed the Lord in their sins and, on top of that, were ashamed of the Lord’s name that had been called over them. So these were lost to God for good. And you see that not one of them repented, though they heard the words you spoke to them, which I had commanded you. Life has gone from people like that. “Those who handed in dry sticks that were not rotten are close to them, for they were hypocrites who brought in strange teachings and twisted God’s servants — especially those who had sinned — not letting them repent, but talking them round with foolish teachings. These, then, do have a hope of repenting. And you see that many of them have repented since I spoke my commands to them, and more of them will still repent; but all who will not repent have lost their life. Those of them who did repent became good, and their home was inside the first walls, and some of them even went up into the tower. So you see,” he said, “that repentance from sins means life, and not repenting means death.”

“Now hear about all those who handed in half-dry sticks with cracks in them. Those whose sticks were half-dry are the double-minded; they are neither alive nor dead. Those who had them half-dry and with cracks in them are both double-minded and slanderers, never at peace among themselves but always at odds. Yet repentance,” he said, “lies open to these people too. You see,” he said, “that some of them have repented; and there is still,” he went on, “a hope of repentance in them. And all of them who have repented,” he added, “will have their home in the tower. Those of them who have been slower to repent will live inside the walls; and all who do not repent but stay in what they are doing will surely die. [r]

“Those who handed in their sticks green and cracked were always faithful and good, but they had a certain jealousy among themselves about first place and about standing. All of these are fools, holding a jealousy against one another about first place. Yet these too, when they heard my commands — being good men — cleaned themselves up and quickly repented, and so their home was in the tower. But if any of them turns back to quarreling, he will be thrown out of the tower and will lose his life. Life belongs to everyone who keeps the Lord’s commands; and in the commands there is nothing about first place or about standing of any kind, but about a man’s patience and humility. So among people like that is the Lord’s life, but among the quarrelsome and the lawbreakers, death.

“Those who handed in their sticks half green and half dry are the people tangled up in business who do not stick close to the holy ones. That is why half of them is alive and half is dead. Many of them, then, heard my commands and repented, and the ones who did repent have their home in the tower. But some of them fell away for good, and these have no repentance, because on account of their business dealings they blasphemed the Lord and disowned him. So they lost their life through the wickedness they practiced. And many of them became double-minded. These still have repentance open to them if they repent quickly, and their home will be in the tower; but if they are slower to repent they will live inside the walls, and if they do not repent, they too have lost their life. “Those who handed in their sticks two-thirds green and one-third dry are the people who denied, in all sorts of denials. Many of them repented and went off to live in the tower; but many fell away from God for good, and these lost life for good. And some of them became double-minded and made quarrels. So repentance is open to these if they repent quickly and do not stay on in their pleasures; but if they stay on in what they are doing, they too are working death for themselves. [t]

“Those who handed in their sticks two-thirds dry and one-third green are the people who had become believers, but then grew rich and became important among the nations. They put on great arrogance and turned proud-minded; they left the truth behind and did not stick close to the righteous, but lived alongside the nations, and this way of life became more pleasant to them. Still, they did not fall away from God; they stayed in the faith, though they did not do the works of faith. So many of them repented, and their home was in the tower. “Others of them lived among the nations to the end and were corrupted by the nations’ empty ambitions; these fell away from God and did what the nations do, and they were counted along with the nations. Others became double-minded, having no hope of being saved because of the things they had done; and others became double-minded and made splits among themselves. So for those who became double-minded because of the things they had done there is still repentance, but their repentance has to be quick, so that their home may be in the tower. As for those who do not repent but stay on in their pleasures — death is near. [v]

“Those who handed in their sticks green with the very tips dry and cracked were always good and faithful and held in honor before God. They went wrong only in the smallest way, through small cravings and through holding little things against one another. But when they heard my words, most of them quickly repented, and their home was in the tower. Some of them became double-minded, and some of those who became double-minded stirred up a bigger quarrel. So there is a hope of repentance in these people, because they were always good, and it would take a great deal for any of them to die. “Those who handed in their sticks dry with the smallest part green are the ones who only believed but did the works of lawlessness. Yet they never fell away from God; they gladly carried the name, and gladly took God’s servants into their houses. So when they heard about this repentance, they repented without hesitating, and they are practicing every virtue and doing what is right. And some of them are even afraid, knowing the things they have done. So the home of all of these will be in the tower.” [w]

When he had finished explaining all the sticks, he said to me, “Go and tell everyone to repent, and they will live to God. For the Lord took pity and sent me to give repentance to everyone, even though some are not worthy of it because of what they have done. But the Lord is patient, and he wants the calling that was made through his Son to be saved.” I said to him, “Sir, I expect that everyone who hears these things will repent. I am convinced that each one, once he recognizes what he has done and comes to fear God, will repent.” He answered me and said, “All who repent from their whole heart and clean themselves of the wickedness I listed earlier, and add nothing more to their sins, will receive healing from the Lord for their earlier sins — as long as they are not double-minded about these commands — and they will live to God. But all who add to their sins and go on walking in the cravings of this present age will condemn themselves to death. As for you, walk in my commands and you will live to God; and everyone who walks in them and does what is right will live to God.” When he had shown me all this and said all these things, he said to me, “And the rest I will show you in a few days.” [x]