You may recall the U2 album entitled “The Joshua Tree” in 1987. Up until this past weekend, I did not know such a tree even existed and was led to believe it was only found on the cover of an album. .
The Joshua Tree can be found along the Grand Canyon in Arizona. It is known to represent Prophet Joshua from the Bible. Like the tree, Joshua was known to be a man of strength. He was the leader of the Israelite tribes up until Moses died.
The English name of Joshua means “Yehoshua” in Greek. The word Yehoshua means Yahweh in Hebrew and “Yahweh is Salvation.”
The tree has thick dagger shaped leaves that poke anyone who grabs it. It is part of the Agave family of plants. The tree twists and turns like roots above ground.
“Desert sky, dream beneath the desert sky
The rivers run but soon run dry
We need new dreams tonight
Desert rose, dreamed I saw a desert rose
Dress torn in ribbons and bows
Like a siren she calls (to me)”
- U2, from the Joshua Tree Album, the song is In God’s Country