What is the full picture of the olive tree in Romans 11:24?
For if you (Gentiles) were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree (the Covenanted Kingdom of Israel), how much more will these, the natural branches (Israelites), be grafted back into their own olive tree.
– Romans 11:24
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Firstly, what does it mean of this “cultivated olive tree“?
This olive tree refers to the original (old) covenant that made by God with Israelite on Mount Sinai, Israel was “cultivating” by Jehovah God about 3,500 years ago. In this covenant, God promised “Israel” would be cultivated to be the “kingdom of priests” and the holy nation, the (holy) people for YHWH God His own possession (Exodus 19:5,6). God prophesied this tree will become the greatest top tree that will reach to the heaven in Daniel chapter 4, so the olive tree symbolises the heavenly Israel – the heavenly Kingdom of God – the New Jerusalem.
But it does not mean all Israelites would automatically become the member (the holy people) of the heavenly Israel, only those are chosen would be.
So, “all members” are chosen from Israelites originally, the chosen ones would become the heavenly Israel – the kingdom of priests – the holy nation. And all Families will be blessed because of “Israel”.
The choosing timing begins when Jesus Christ sacrificed himself to atone sins for Israelites, so that Israelites could be a “clean” “righteous” people, to be the holy people.
Unfortunately, as a whole of Israelites, they rejected Jesus as Christ Messiah (even now our days), so Jesus foretold the heavenly Israel – Kingdom of God “will be taken away from you (Israelites) and given to a people(Gentiles) producing its fruits” – Matthew 21:43
That means originally all members are chosen from Israelites has changed, for they refused to be holy people of God’s Kingdom. But God’s covenant won’t be abolished, but would be fulfilled in the New Covenant that made by Jesus and Apostles (the “representatives” of Israelites), the New Covenant will cover and fullfill all terms under the old Covenant.
“20 …“This cup that is poured out for you is the “New Covenant” in “my blood”…
29 and I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom (a kingdom of priests and a holy nation),
30 that you may eat and drink at my table in my (heavenly) kingdom and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of (heavenly) Israel.”
– Luke 22:20,29,30
“Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world (but heavenly)… ” – John 18:36
So, how is God’s covenant being fulfilled?
“Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” – Matthew 3:10
So God uses “stump” – the root of the tree symbolises Israelites, therefore Israelites as the stump (root) which is supporting the whole plant and become the source of life. When did “the stump – root” come fulfillment?
“6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the (“heavenly”) kingdom to Israel?”…
8 …you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, …”
“12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
13 And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, (Apostles) Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James… 15 … (the company of persons was in all about 120)…”
– Acts 1:6-8, 12-15
“2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit…” – Acts 2:2,3
Therefore, 120 disciples including Apostles, all of them are “Israelites” were formally formed the prototype of the “Stump – Root” of heavenly Kingdom at that time, Apostles are the foundations of the New Jerusalem.
Then when did the Gentiles – “branch” of wild olive tree, grafted into the true “olive tree” officially?
“At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius (Gentiles), a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, … 3 About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God come in and say to him, “Cornelius.”
4 And he stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” And he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God…” – Acts 10:1-4
“And the voice came to him (Apostle Peter) again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” – Acts 10:15
“28 And he (Apostle Peter) said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person (Gentiles) common or unclean” – Acts 10:28
“44 While Peter was still saying these things, the Holy Spirit fell on all who heard the word. 45 And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the ‘Gentiles’.” – Acts 10:44,45
Therefore, the wild branch (Gentiles) begun grafted officially into the “covenant stump” was from Cornelius, He was the first one of Gentiles sealed by the Holy Spirit to be a holy people (Saint), the first Gentile to be the Son of (heavenly) Israel, belongs to 12 heavenly Tribes and “now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree” (Romans 11:17).
“So Peter opened his mouth and said: “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in “every nation” “anyone” who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” – Acts 10:34,35
Moreover, Jesus termed the Israelites as “the little flock” that similar to apostle Paul termed Israelites as the “root”, and Jesus termed “other sheep” of Gentiles that similar to Paul termed them as the “wild olive branch”. They will “be one flock”, “be one olive tree”, to one shepherd Jesus. It seems the numeric of “other sheep” are much more than “the little flock”.
The number of little flock (7000 Israelites?) seems to be “fullness” in AD 70, while Jerusalem was destroyed that year and the nation of Israel was disappeared. And the number of wild branch are growing, they are sealing by Holy Spirit continuously from the 1st century until the number of Gentiles (137000?) reached “full“, then will be the end of the Age.
Could Gentiles to become the 12 Tribes of Heavenly Israel?
Yes, Apostle Paul proved that the heavenly 12 Tribes consists of or chosen from both Israelites and Gentiles, and they would combine together as “One Olive Tree”, no matter Israelites or Gentiles.
Apostle Paul said when Gentiles fully come in, then “all Israel” will be saved. That means he count Gentiles as part of Israel: Gentiles are also belong to (heavenly) Israel 12 Tribes, Gentiles are also the sons of Israel. For all the 144,000 will “born again” to be the heavenly sons of Israel, no matter Israelites or Gentiles. Romans 11:25-27 says,
25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel (partial Israelites are not chosen), “until” the “fullness” of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way “all Israel” (a whole of heavenly Israel) will be saved, as it is written,
“The Deliverer will come from Zion,
he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;
27 “and this will be my covenant with them
when I take away their sins.”
“And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and “by your blood” (New Covenant) you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.”” – Revelation 5:9,10
Amen.
When the number of Gentiles are “fullness“, “all Israel” – sealing of all 144000 of heavenly 12 Tribes will be complete. The Bride of the Lamb – the New Jerusalem will be complete, the New Covenant of God’s Kingdom will be complete. After that…
“Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man (Jesus)… and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. 31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect (the rest saints on earth) from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” – Matthew 24:30,31
Amen. May Lord Jesus come!
<The Mystery of Kingdom of God>, <Saints>, <Who are the 144000)
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