The olive tree theology.....

[Arrabon]

..and the Sabbath.

I posted this commentary on another forum, and after reading it, decided to post it as a new topic here, as I thought it may be important to those who have never read about this.

I GUARANTEE you have never heard this or read this before!!!

All this came from a long study I did about Christians honoring the Sabbath, and was quite an eye opener for me, and made me rethink parts of my faith.
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If you go back in your bible to Exodus 31:12-18, that in verses 16 and 17 it says, (16) "So the sons of Israel shall observe the Sabbath to celebrate the Sabbath throughout their generations as a PERPETUAL COVENANT" ( MEANING FOREVER), (17) It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel >"FOREVER"<!!! (NEVER ENDING).

So why would gentile Christians care about Jews honoring the Sabbath forever or care about a COVENANT agreement of being GOD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE??

Follow me here.
In Romans 11: 11-24 Paul compares Israel to the "NATURAL OLIVE BRANCHES" of a cultivated or natural olive tree (Gods kingdom), and the gentile believers are compared to the branches of a WILD OLIVE TREE (Worthless and good for nothing).
The NATURAL BRANCHES (Israel) were broken off (From the Kingdom of God - The olive tree) because they rejected Christ as their Savior, and the WILD OLIVE BRANCHES (Gentile believers))were GRAFTED in to the NATURAL OLIVE TREE (Gods kingdom), where they are nourished spiritually by the "ROOT OF JESSE" (Jesus Christ).

In doing so, being grafted in, then the gentile believers have been made partakers of the SABBATH COVENANT, along with the Israelite nation when God calls them back as Christ believers, and after that occurs, has grafted them back in to the NATURAL OLIVE TREE with the gentile believers, then the 2 of them together enter into that CHOSEN RELATIONSHIP with God together, and BOTH share in the COVENANT of honoring the SABBATH together, as a COLLECTIVE of ONE new complete body in Christ, as God has planned from the beginning - Ephesians 2:11-22.

As gentile believers becoming one with the original CHOSEN by God, the Israelites, as His Chosen people, we the gentile believers, who are also CHOSEN by God to be HIS at our conversion, are included as Gods CHOSEN with the Israelite believers in Christ as one NEW complete body of believers - Ephesians 2:14, and as such are under the original agreement of OBSERVING THE SABBATH FOREVER - EXODUS 31:17 together under the SABBATH COVENANT that the Israelites agreed to - Exodus 19:8, as the condition of becoming Gods CHOSEN at the base of Mt. Sianai.

This is another validation that all believers who are grafted in to the Natural olive tree are to honor the Sabbath FOREVER - Exodus 31:18.

Gods final comment on this is in Exodus 31:14-15, where God says, "anyone who PROFANES the SABBATH, does any work, twice God says they will be put to death.
Remember this Sabbath is FOREVER, Exodus 31:17
YES - I do honor the Sabbath, and have for 12 years for all the listed reasons above, and because of the 4th commandment, of the 10 commandments, to honor the Sabbath - But that's a topic for another time.

It's an interesting idea to consider. Think about it.

God bless you all.
My name is OLIGOS

You may need to reread this a few times as it's pretty deep and complicated.

If any of you have the time, study the olive tree symbolism, and also the history of the olive tree and it's fruit in Greece, and how God uses symbolism to create a beautiful picture of this part of our faith.
It's FACINATING and FANTASTIC!!

Edited May 31, 2021 by Arrabon

[Waggles]

2 hours ago, Arrabon said:

Ephesians 2:14, and as such are under the original agreement of OBSERVING THE SABBATH FOREVER - EXODUS 31:17 together under the SABBATH COVENANT that the Israelites agreed to - Exodus 19:8, as the condition of becoming Gods CHOSEN at the base of Mt. Sianai.

We do observe the Sabbath through the indwelling Holy Spirit who is the rest; the refreshing. 

When we pray in tongues we cease from our own work and allow God to take away our burdens and give us rest. 

Also in the NT the observance of specific days is not commanded and we are free like the first church to choose which day of the week to set aside from our labours and to worship formally on. And the church of God in the NT chose Sundays for this.

But I digress, for the Sabbath does continue through the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the Spirit-filled Christian doing all things through the power of God, and not of ourselves. 

[Arrabon]

@Waggles

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. All very much appreciated.

All the best in Christ.

My name is Arrabon

[Michael37]

The good olive tree . . . in contrast to idolatrous and disobedient Israel.

[Waggles]

HEBREWS 4:1 Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest remains, let us fear lest any of you be judged to have failed to reach it. 2 For good news came to us just as to them; but the message which they heard did not benefit them, because it did not meet with faith in the hearers. 3 For we who have believed enter that rest, as he has said,

“As I swore in my wrath,
‘They shall never enter my rest,’”

although his works were finished from the foundation of the world. 4 For he has somewhere spoken of the seventh day in this way, “And God rested on the seventh day from all his works.” 5 And again in this place he said,

“They shall never enter my rest.”

6 Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 7 again he sets a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,

“Today, when you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.”

8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not speak later of another day. 9 So then, there remains a sabbath rest for the people of God; 10 for whoever enters God’s rest also ceases from his labours as God did from his.

11 Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, that no one fall by the same sort of disobedience. 12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 And before him no creature is hidden, but all are open and laid bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do.

Edited June 1, 2021 by Waggles

[Arrabon]

Love to hear more comments and opinions on this topic.

[Michael37]

3 hours ago, Arrabon said:

Love to hear more comments and opinions on this topic.

From my notes:

On 5/22/2021 at 11:12 AM, Michael37 said:

Interesting that branches on the good olive tree became unbelieving, and were removed. Like most metaphors, the intended meaning is limited in aspect.

The good olive tree has a holy root from which the believing Jew and Gentile partake.

Rom 11:17  But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them, and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree;
Rom 11:18  don’t boast over the branches. But if you boast, it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you.

Unbelieving Israel stopped partaking of the holy root and became dead.

Rom 11:15  For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead?

 

[Arrabon]

1 hour ago, Michael37 said:

From my notes:

 

@Michael37

If you haven't studied this out already, it's a beautiful symbolism of a reality that took place as part of our Christian heritage and a real part of Jewish heritage as well.

The "ROOT OF JESSE" refers to Jesus Christ as the ROOT that supports our Christian faith, the "Olive tree reference" in Isaiah 11:10,  "On that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will seek Him, and His place of rest will be glorious."

"PRAISE GOD."

Edited June 2, 2021 by Arrabon

[Michael37]

2 hours ago, Arrabon said:

@Michael37

If you haven't studied this out already, it's a beautiful symbolism of a reality that took place as part of our Christian heritage and a real part of Jewish heritage as well.

The "ROOT OF JESSE" refers to Jesus Christ as the ROOT that supports our Christian faith, the "Olive tree reference" in Isaiah 11:10,  "On that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples. The nations will seek Him, and His place of rest will be glorious."

"PRAISE GOD."

Yes, the imagery is indeed wonderful, the root, the branch, the tender plant.

Isa 11:1  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:

Isa 53:2  For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he has no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
 

The origin of the Good Olive Tree is of course the Word of God, and its establishment is noticable in Abraham.

The grafting in of the wild olive Gentiles means the Good Olive Tree is somewhat changed for regrafted Israel, but this was something the prophets foretold, and which regrafted Israel has no problem with.

Rev 22:16  I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.

[LearningToLetGo]

On 5/31/2021 at 3:08 PM, Arrabon said:

In doing so, being grafted in, then the gentile believers have been made partakers of the SABBATH COVENANT

Are gentile believers made to partake in all the laws of Israel or just the sabbath?