THE NATURAL OLIVE TREE AND WILD OLIVE TREE: IT SPEAKS ABOUT GOD'S GENERAL PLAN FOR PROPHETIC ISRAEL AND ISRAEL IN THE MYSTERY

THE NATURAL OLIVE TREE AND WILD OLIVE TREE: IT SPEAKS ABOUT GOD'S GENERAL PLAN FOR PROPHETIC ISRAEL AND ISRAEL IN THE MYSTERY 

EXPOSITION IN ROMANS CHAPTER 11 (Part-3)

By: Bishop Albert Gran

Romans 11:15-21

15 For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?

16 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

18 Boast not against the branches. 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 grafted 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, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

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 grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.

We have to be aware that Paul's tone had always been consistent to God's ultimate plan over the ages for the care of Israel. It's always been our pleasure to establish that which was sound in view of God's delineated purpose in the diverse ways he managed the Israel today for obtaining life eternal which is in accordance to God's most recent plan.

Notice the word "For" as continuously stated by Paul in Romans 11 as a word containing a laid out purpose and great intention pertinent to the issue which matters God's various dispensing plan from ages to ages.

CASTING AWAY OF ISRAEL

15 For if the casting away of them [Israel] be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
Let's be keen to observe that still the issue of character in this verse is "Israel" along with God's prophetic dealing with them as something "fall", "diminishing", and "casting away".

Paul had stated this condition with the fate of Israel intended by God or in other words planned for him to express His heavenly purpose which he kept secret since the world began, Romans 16:5, Eph. 3:9,  (dispensation of grace).

What turns out in the time of Paul is one of the real scenes of the prophetic Israel as being cast away which denote God's blessed condition way back in time past as of who they were before the Gentiles in other nations ( Deut. 14:12, 26:19, 28:1; Romans 9:1-5)

The reality in Paul's time is the casting away of Israel (prophetic program for Israel) and then with that be the condition the world's reconciliation program. It's all in this time that resurrection is in view reconciling the world into himself with Paul as God's instrument to carry out this heavenly purpose for both Jews and Gentiles ( 2 Cor. 5:16-18).  

FIRST FRUIT RESURRECTION 

-----but life from the dead? This is the focal presentation of Paul by which God's program to the entire humanity has been carried out. All people were declared lost and needing God's grace for life eternal (through cross-work of Christ) 

6 For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches.

The firstfruit that is holy is Jesus Christ. The resurrection of Christ is all in effect of God's two-fold program which are both prophecy and mystery.

1 Corinthians 15:20King James Version (KJV)

20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

It's in the message of the apostle Paul through which the declaration of God's resurrection and victory was declared all dead's or those who were slept's grandeur by the faith of the gospel. Again Paul is describing the resurrection event with Christ being called the firsfruits of them that slept.

Paul is describing that those all who have life by believing the truth of the gospel, Christ was made them a pattern of resurrection.

The firstfruit, lump, root, branches made up an olive tree which describes God's plan over the ages (it's entirely addressed to Israel). The entire plan of God throughout Israel was described like a AN OLIVE TREE ( the natural and wild) wherein the firsfruit signifies Christ as the pattern of resurrection for life eternal.

THE BROKEN OFF BRANCHES: PROPHETIC ISRAEL  

WILD OLIVE TREE: JEWS BELIEVERS (ISRAEL) IN THE BOC 

 17 And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert grafted in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;

It's so significant to consider that it's not all the branches be broken off but "some" (prophetic Israel). The ...some of the branches be broken off  appertains to the prophetic Jews who did not believe their Messiah and his redemptive plan including his resurrection and hoped for the earthly kingdom however was held in abeyance due to the grafted in of the wild olive tree which signifies the believing Jews in the most recent program of grace who were keen to respond the message of grace with Paul.

Here, Paul speaks of the two-fold Jews of which one refers to the natural branches in view of prophetic Israel and the second group pertains to wild olive tree which categorically comprised of Jews who believed the gospel of the grace of God with Paul. The phrases "wert grafted IN AMONG THEM, and WITH THEM partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree;  

"In among them", and "with them" simply gave us clear understanding they were one Olive tree ( natural and wild- all in reference to Israel, the prophetic and mystery Jews) But the one's which was grafted is the wild Olive tree (same Jews however grafted in the program of which they were saved by the grace of God through the message delivered by Paul)

JEWS IN THE MYSTERY- SAVED BY GRACE MUST NOT BOAST   

18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee.

The question is: Who will boast not against the branches which were broken off? It is the wild olive tree (mystery program Jews saved by grace through Paul's ministry).  But if THOU (wild olive tree- Jews in the mystery program) boast, THOU bearest not the root, but the root THEE.

Paul pointed out that the root is Israel through which the prophetic program was held in abeyance and that the recent Jews who were saved by the grace of God today, and were grafted in the BOC  in this dispensation of grace bears the same root of the tree with some branches which were broken off (Jews under prophetic program-before their fall in Acts 7 ). 

19 Thou wilt say then, The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.

The Jews who were members of the BOC today must not boast they were mostly privileged today compared to the prophetic Jews whose program was held in abeyance, and that made Paul starred as the in-charge apostle pertinent therein or in this recent dispensation.    

20 Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear:

Because the natural branches (prophetic Jews) were broken off due to unbelief (Father, Son, and HS were rejected) they were broken off (held in abeyance---supremacy program suspension), and THOU STANDEST BY FAITH ( Jews in the mystery program with Paul who were saved by grace). Paul here emphasized clearly how these Jews were grace believers as they stand by faith. They're not standing by works but by grace and so these were Jews who were believers of God's grace with Paul.

These grace-believing Jews were called by Paul not to be highminded for the sole purpose and reason as stated below: 

21 For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee.

This is not a verse stating the loosing of salvation or to strengthen those who will not believe eternal security. However, Paul warned them at the onset that if God suspended the prophetic program of the supreme Israel, time will come he will also end up the program of the dispensation of grace. Thus, today's Jews must believe the gospel delivered by the apostle Paul for their salvation and so obtain life eternal.

CLING TO THE SEVERITY OF GOD IN THE DISPENSATION OF GRACE  

 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 grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again.

Paul had charged today's Jews (wild olive tree grafted) to recognize the goodness of God due to His consistent dealing with them by the grace of God through the apostleship of Paul. They must not go back to the law and adhere the prophetic conditions regarding them. Instead, they must recognize and embrace the most recent program through which they might be saved through the grace of God and His cross-work.

It is simply by believing that he died on the cross, and that he was buried and resurrected on the third day that today's Jews (wild olive tree being grafted) will surely become member of the church the body of Christ which is the mystery of God for both Jews and Gentiles in the Body of Christ.

When this dispensation of grace ends, the supreme Israel will be restored back and the natural branches will be grafted in again. This is the time of the resumption of God's prophetic plan with Israel to fulfill His plan on earth.

Grace and Peace!!!