Isaiah 27:6

“In days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit.” NIV

The original colored pencil drawing was done the at the request of a friend. The easily identifiable apple represented the bud, blossom and fruit.

In the later painted version the color scheme became more intense. This time I felt led to portray the “fruit” with hearts that are white. The hearts represent LOVE, the first of the “Fruits of the Spirit” in Galatians 5:22-23. (“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.). They also are representative of the answer Jesus gave when asked about the ‘greatest commandment’ in Matthew 22:37-40. ("Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.")

It seemed necessary to keep the hearts white because white is the color of purity. This is the condition our hearts need to be in to see God, (Matthew 5:8), and to stand in His presence (Psalm 24:4).