Hello LGW. Your reply generates a contradiction, the branch of Israel was severed from the root of the olive tree. Israel was hardened to the truth of Jesus Christ. How can Gentiles be grafted onto severed branches. How can Gentiles be grafted into an apostate nation? The scripture says we grafted in among the other branches, not attached to these branches.
Hi David,
Did you have a chance to
read post # 1573? (linked) showing who God's Israel is? There is no contradiction with God's Word as all the other scriptures previously provided in post # 1573 confirm and compliment
Romans 11:17-24. This post will continue and build on
post # 1573.
All throughout the Old and New Testament the scriptures refer to
God's Israel as defined by His Word as those that are chosen by God from the
seed of Abraham who have his Word. His true followers are those the have his Word and believe and follow it.
Q1 What is represented by the Olive tree?
Jeremiah 11:16-17
6, The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken. 17, For the LORD of hosts, that planted thee, hath pronounced evil against thee, for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done against themselves to provoke me to anger in offering incense unto Baal.
Hosea 14:5-6
5, I will be as the dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. 6, His branches shall spread, 4 and his beauty shall be as the olive tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
A.1 God's Israel is represented in scripture as the olive tree. (also fig tree and grape vine)
Now that we know that the Olive tree in scripture represents God's Israel let's look at
Romans 11:17-24. The scripture on being grated in reads as follows;
Romans 11:17-24
17,
And if some of the branches be broken off <Only some of the branches are broken off>,
and thou, being a wild olive tree <2. Who is the Wild olive tree? Gentiles>,
wert graffed in among them <where were they grafted? In among the branches that were broken off>, 5
and with them <Who is them? Israel> partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree <Who is the root? Jesus>;18,
Boast not against the branches <Israel>. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. 19, Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 20, Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21,
For if God spared not the natural branches <Israel>,
take heed lest he also spare not thee <Gentiles>. 22, Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23,
And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again <Those of Israel that did not believe>. 24, For if thou were cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
Summary
Q1. What does the Olive tree represent in God's Word?
A1. The Olive tree represents Israel (Jeremiah 11:16-17; Hosea 14:5-6)
Q2. Who is the wild Olive tree being referred to?
A2. Gentiles (Romans 11:11-13)
Q3. Who is being referred to as having some of the branches broken off and why?
A3. Israel because of their unbelief (Romans 11:20)
Let's bring it all together...
Romans 11 uses the Olive tree to demonstrate that God was bringing the Gentiles (wild branches) into His cultivated
olive tree (God's Israel;
Jeremiah 11:16-17) through the Messiah, (Jesus). He makes it clear that while Israel is not cast aside (vs. 1) only a remnant (vs. 5) believed and the rest fell in order to bring the richness of salvation to the Gentiles of the world. Vs. 17 and vs. 24 illustrate that
Israel is the olive tree “And if some of the branches be broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree (Jesus).
Galatians 3:29,
And
if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed <God's Israel>, and heirs according to the promise
For it is written…
Now to Abraham and his seed <Israel> were the promises made. He says not, and to seeds, as of many; but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ
Now who is Abraham’s seed?
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus and if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed <Israel>, and heirs according to the promise.
For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed <The children of the promise are those in Christ; previous verses>.
Hope this is helpful. The above should be read in connection with
post #1573 which supports this post.
In Christ Always!