Who is the olive tree?
Israel is the olive tree. Gentiles are grafted into the olive tree when they come to faith in Yahushua.
If you were to ask most students of scripture who the olive tree represents, they would probably say Israel.
Calling Isreal an olive tree in scripture is a recurrent theme, and one of the most unambiguous scriptures that defines the symbolic olive tree is in Jeremiah:
"YHWH has named you, 'Green Olive Tree, Beautiful, of Goodly Fruit.' With the noise of a great sound He has set it on fire and its branches shall be broken. And YHWH of hosts, who planted you, has spoken evil against you for the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah..." Jeremiah 11:16 Certainly, there are many other parallels to Israel made in scripture. Israel seems to be represented not only as the olive tree, but sometimes also as a vine (Psa 80:8-10, Isa 5:1-7 Jer. 2:21, Hos 10:1). Some also believe Israel is represented in the a fig tree of Matt 21:18-22, Mark 11:12-14, and Matt 24:32-34, but deeper study shows the fig tree more likely represents Judah in those verses.
Paul makes it clear in Romans that Israel is the tree, in which some natural branches are broken off (the actual physical descendants) because of unbelief and wild ones (formerly gentiles) are grafted in because of belief. Yahushua does call himself the vine, but he also call himself the root (Isaiah 11:10, Romans 15:12, Revelation 22:16). The root feeds, nourishes and gives life to the tree. Paul has this scriptural symbolism in mind when he says to the reader "...and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them."
"...and you, being a wild olive tree,
were grafted in among them."
"For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches were 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, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you." Romans 11:16
This means Yahushua has ALWAYS been what gives life to the tree. That tree is Israel. Israel the name for his people, whether they be before or after he came. Whether they lived before He arrived or after, it is the messiah who feeds and gives life.
It also interesting that Yahushua says the first of all commandments is this, "Hear, Oh ISRAEL, the Lord our God, the Lord is one," Mark 12:29
SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND ISRAEL?
Yahushua is speaking to Israel -- "Hear, Oh Israel." If he thought there was a change in the name his people or who his people were, he would have changed the verse to say, "Hear, Oh, church." But he didn't. He knows that is the name of His people. Remember he says, "I have ONLY come to save the lost sheep of Israel" Matt 15:24 Which brings us to the best proof in the messianic scriptures that all believers are considered a part of the spritual nation of Israel: "That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world," Ephesians 2 What are the covenants of promise? The covenants He made with Israel, including the new covenant foretold in Jeremiah and reaffirmed in Hebrews: Behold, the days come, saith the YHWH, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the YHWH, I will put my TORAH in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. - Jeremiah 31:31-33
THERE ARE NO GENTILES IN THE NEW COVENANT
Notice who the new covenant is with? Not the "church." Not gentiles. It is with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. Can you find anywhere else the promise of the "new" covenant? This makes sense because Paul tells us that when you are without Christ, you are an alien from the commonwealth of Israel. When you are with Christ, you are no longer an alien from the commonwealth of Israel. You have been grafted in. You are now a part of Israel and can partake of its blessings. Understanding the concept of grafting into Israel is not the same as believing in replacement theology. Scriptures teaches the church never replaced Israel. Israel is simply the name of His people.
