2 Kings 19:30,31 – “And the remnant who have escaped of the house of Judah Shall again take root downward, And bear fruit upward. For out of Jerusalem shall go a remnant, And those who escape from Mount Zion. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will do this.”
This passage is a prophecy from Isaiah during the reign of Hezekiah. It is in response to the threat made by the king of Assyria to come and destroy Judah. It contains a principle of spiritual growth that needs to be emphasized. Bearing fruit upward is a result of taking root downward. Bearing fruit is what everyone sees. Taking root is what no one sees. And that is the point. It is doing what no one else sees that makes the difference. Jesus gave us this lesson powerfully in the book of Matthew chapter 6. Verses 3,4 states, “But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.” Verse 6 states, “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” Verses 17, 18 states, “But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”
There are three spiritual disciplines in Matthew chapter 6 that we are told if we do them in secret (take root downward) we will be rewarded openly (bear fruit upward) by God. They are giving, praying, and fasting. It is the secret things that take time and effort and diligence and discipline. It is the part of our lives that is hidden to everyone else but God. Bearing fruit upward man applauds. Taking root downward God applauds. It is a principle aptly stated by God Himself in 1 Samuel 16:7 – “…for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” Notice the outward things man focuses on but the inward things God focuses on.
What do you do in secret that causes you to bear fruit?