ENCOURAGEMENT FOR THE DAY

Whose Family Tree Is It?

Romans 11:17-18
If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you.


There are three trees used in Scripture to symbolically represent Israel: the vine, fig tree, and the olive tree.
 The vine or vineyard speaks of Israel up to the time of Jesus. Isaiah 5:7: "The vineyard of the LORD Almighty is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are the garden of his delight. And he looked for justice, but saw bloodshed; for righteousness, but heard cries of distress." Also, Matthew 21:28-32 (the Parable of the Two Sons), and Matthew 21:33-44 (The Parable of the Tenants).
 The fig tree speaks of Israel from the crucifixion of Jesus to the present time. Matthew 24:32-35: [Jesus speaking] "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away."
 The olive tree speaks of Israel in the millennial period. We Gentiles, "though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap." This was simply and solely because of God's grace. We haven't earned, and surely don't deserve mercy. In fact, just the opposite. Therefore we have no room to boast or look down upon the Jews.

Throughout my life I have heard disparaging comments made about Jews. Some by people who consider themselves Christians. God chose the Jews of all the people on the earth to be His people. The lineage of Jesus comes through David. How can we look upon the Jews with any emotion other than the same love God has expressed to them since the time of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob? "You do not support the root, but the root supports you." Remember, we have been grafted into to their family tree.

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