Very thought provoking. I thought the root represented the covenants. But I do understand about grafting. My father-in-law bought an almond tree. It had been grafted onto an apricot tree. After my father-in-law passed, my son spent a lot of time and money to move the almond tree to his property. The next year, the tree produced apricots. It stopped producing almonds. Was it the soil? Was exposing the roots detrimental? I’m going to rewatch the teaching.
Excellent message... I believe the pre-Israel root in Romans 11:18 is a description of the patriarchs--Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (who became Israel). The gentile followers of Christ who are currently arrogant toward the natural branches are going to either fully apostasize or repent, and come into agreement with Scripture regarding the full regathering and restoration of Israel.
Two distinctly separate issues need to be confronted before we can address any claim that the NT church replaced Israel and is the recipient of the promises to Abraham and to his seed: 1) Did the New Testament ekklesia replace the Old Testament ekklesia? 2) Is the nation of Israel elect and restored to God at the return of the Son of man as King? The brick wall that most dispensationalists run into, leading to unnecessary confusion and division, is the denial that the New Testament (new covenant) ekklesia replaced the Old Testament (old covenant) ekklesia [Note: ekklesia, the Greek New Testament word for "church," or more precisely, "assembly," "gathering," or "congregation," is used 66 times in 62 verses of the old testament (LXX) canonical books, starting with Deuteronomy 4:10; ekklesia is found 114 times in 111 verses of the Greek New Testament]. Our Lord Jesus states this truth in the gospel of Matthew... Matthew 21:43-44 "Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him." Let me share some commentary with you (Note: I don't agree with everything the commentators state)... "shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof-that is, the great evangelical community of the faithful, which, after the extrusion of the Jewish nation, would consist chiefly of Gentiles, until “all Israel should be saved” (Ro 11:25, 26). This vastly important statement is given by Matthew only." >>> Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 53). "Our Lord tells them plainly, that God was removing his church from them to the Gentiles, which he calleth a people that should bring forth the fruits thereof." >>> Poole, Matthew (1853). Annotations upon the Holy Bible (Vol. 3, p. 102). Robert Carter and Brothers. "The words foreshadow the appearance of the Christian church." >>> Morris, L. (1992). The Gospel according to Matthew (p. 544). W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press. I believe it is helpful to use language like, "I believe Christians (Jew & gentile) replaced the nation of Israel as the church of God in the New Testament," or, "I believe the New Testament church replaced the Old Testament church in God's economy," or something to that effect. You could also say the New Testament (new covenant) ekklesia is a continuation of the ekklesia of God. The eschatological revelation is multi-layered; we have to qualify biblical truth with additional biblical truths in order to gain understanding and see the big picture. It can be very, very difficult to articulate, and that is to the glory of God (Proverbs 25:2). Where covenantalists are dangerously errant is in regard to Israel; some even state that the church is Israel (the truth is, I believe, the saints, all the saints in salvation history, and not the NT church, are the "Israel of God;" the cultivated olive tree; the sons of Abraham counted righteous by faith). Scripture bears out a dual fulfillment of the promises to Abraham and to his seed. The fulfillment of people to the natural descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, is a remnant of regenerated Jews/Israelites (Zechariah 12:10-14) who cry out, "Baruch haba b'shem Adonai." Matthew 23:39 "For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'" These natural descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be saved when the Deliverer comes from Zion... Romans 11:26-27 "And in this way all 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.'" This group is prophesied in Zechariah 13... Zechariah 13:8-9 "And in all the land, declares the LORD, two-thirds will be cut off and perish, but a third will be left in it. 9 This third I will bring through the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are My people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’ ” This group is the fulfillment of the prophecy in Ezekiel 36... Ezekiel 36:24-29 "I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. 28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. 29 And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. And I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you." This remnant of Jews/Isaelites will be regathered and regenerated, and enter the Messianic kingdom as mortal men and women in the nation of Israel. Yeshua is the only way! Blessings
Very thought provoking. I thought the root represented the covenants. But I do understand about grafting. My father-in-law bought an almond tree. It had been grafted onto an apricot tree. After my father-in-law passed, my son spent a lot of time and money to move the almond tree to his property. The next year, the tree produced apricots. It stopped producing almonds. Was it the soil? Was exposing the roots detrimental? I’m going to rewatch the teaching.
Excellent message... I believe the pre-Israel root in Romans 11:18 is a description of the patriarchs--Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (who became Israel). The gentile followers of Christ who are currently arrogant toward the natural branches are going to either fully apostasize or repent, and come into agreement with Scripture regarding the full regathering and restoration of Israel.
Two distinctly separate issues need to be confronted before we can address any claim that the NT church replaced Israel and is the recipient of the promises to Abraham and to his seed:
1) Did the New Testament ekklesia replace the Old Testament ekklesia?
2) Is the nation of Israel elect and restored to God at the return of the Son of man as King?
The brick wall that most dispensationalists run into, leading to unnecessary confusion and division, is the denial that the New Testament (new covenant) ekklesia replaced the Old Testament (old covenant) ekklesia [Note: ekklesia, the Greek New Testament word for "church," or more precisely, "assembly," "gathering," or "congregation," is used 66 times in 62 verses of the old testament (LXX) canonical books, starting with Deuteronomy 4:10; ekklesia is found 114 times in 111 verses of the Greek New Testament].
Our Lord Jesus states this truth in the gospel of Matthew...
Matthew 21:43-44 "Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him."
Let me share some commentary with you (Note: I don't agree with everything the commentators state)...
"shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof-that is, the great evangelical community of the faithful, which, after the extrusion of the Jewish nation, would consist chiefly of Gentiles, until “all Israel should be saved” (Ro 11:25, 26). This vastly important statement is given by Matthew only." >>> Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Vol. 2, p. 53).
"Our Lord tells them plainly, that God was removing his church from them to the Gentiles, which he calleth a people that should bring forth the fruits thereof." >>> Poole, Matthew (1853). Annotations upon the Holy Bible (Vol. 3, p. 102). Robert Carter and Brothers.
"The words foreshadow the appearance of the Christian church." >>> Morris, L. (1992). The Gospel according to Matthew (p. 544). W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.
I believe it is helpful to use language like, "I believe Christians (Jew & gentile) replaced the nation of Israel as the church of God in the New Testament," or, "I believe the New Testament church replaced the Old Testament church in God's economy," or something to that effect.
You could also say the New Testament (new covenant) ekklesia is a continuation of the ekklesia of God.
The eschatological revelation is multi-layered; we have to qualify biblical truth with additional biblical truths in order to gain understanding and see the big picture. It can be very, very difficult to articulate, and that is to the glory of God (Proverbs 25:2).
Where covenantalists are dangerously errant is in regard to Israel; some even state that the church is Israel (the truth is, I believe, the saints, all the saints in salvation history, and not the NT church, are the "Israel of God;" the cultivated olive tree; the sons of Abraham counted righteous by faith).
Scripture bears out a dual fulfillment of the promises to Abraham and to his seed.
The fulfillment of people to the natural descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, is a remnant of regenerated Jews/Israelites (Zechariah 12:10-14) who cry out, "Baruch haba b'shem Adonai."
Matthew 23:39 "For I tell you, you will not see me again, until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'"
These natural descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be saved when the Deliverer comes from Zion...
Romans 11:26-27 "And in this way all 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.'"
This group is prophesied in Zechariah 13...
Zechariah 13:8-9 "And in all the land, declares the LORD, two-thirds will be cut off and perish, but a third will be left in it. 9 This third I will bring through the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘They are My people,’ and they will say, ‘The LORD is our God.’ ”
This group is the fulfillment of the prophecy in Ezekiel 36...
Ezekiel 36:24-29 "I will take you from the nations and gather you from all the countries and bring you into your own land. 25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules. 28 You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers, and you shall be my people, and I will be your God. 29 And I will deliver you from all your uncleannesses. And I will summon the grain and make it abundant and lay no famine upon you."
This remnant of Jews/Isaelites will be regathered and regenerated, and enter the Messianic kingdom as mortal men and women in the nation of Israel.
Yeshua is the only way!
Blessings