He is like a shrub in the desert, and shall not see any good come. He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness, in an uninhabited salt land. (ESV)

That person will be like a bush in the wastelands; they will not see prosperity when it comes. They will dwell in the parched places of the desert, in a salt land where no one lives. (NIV)

Dive Deeper

“You will know them by their fruits.” 

It’s a biblical teaching we have heard over and over again: 

“For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit,” - Luke 6:43

Here’s what is important not to miss: this tree, whether good or bad, is producing fruit! Jesus doesn’t say, the good tree produces fruit and the bad one produces no fruit at all. It’s about the quality of the fruit—whether it provides enjoyment and sustenance, not necessarily whether it’s there or not. 

The foundation that separates a good tree from a bad one is all about location. 

Where roots are laid determines the fruit that is made. 

The word translated bush or shrub in this verse refers to the tree whose name is Arar in Hebrew. To the passerby, it appears healthy, with leaves and fruit. But in cracking open the fruit from its branches, all you’ll find inside is emptiness and disappointment. It’s hollow, filled with air and dust. It’s got bad fruit—it’s missing the good! The word Arar is similar to the word arur, meaning cursed. Fitting. Without roots planted by the Living Water, no matter how impressive your fruit looks, it will be empty and sour. Location is everything. 

Our God reminds us that He is never concerned with outward appearance, but with what’s going on inside.

This is where we all came from before Christ. We tried to dig roots in the wasteland, searching desperately for a drop of water. But we’d always come up empty, and likewise, our seemingly good fruit would too. Placing your trust in man will always produce this result. Disappointment. 

Without the Living Water, we have no hope and no future. No satisfaction to our endless longing. But now that He has delivered us from the desert, we are rooted to the source of all, in whom we will never hunger or thirst again. And being rooted by the stream, His goodness and mercy will overflow through us to others by the good fruit we produce. 

Written by Keaton Hewitt