The Daily Word of Righteousness

The Olive Tree, #3

Say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I will take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel his fellows, and will put them with him, even with the stick of Judah, and make them one stick, and they shall be one in mine hand. (Ezekiel 37:19)

The remnant of the Lord's people of today, those who are seeking God with all their heart, are being drawn to the Jews and to the land of Israel. This is because the prophecy of Ezekiel is beginning to be fulfilled. The true members of the Body of Christ who are Gentiles by race are being made one with the elect Jews in our day. We are becoming one stick in the hand of King Jesus.

The return of the elect Gentiles to the elect Jews was prophesied by Micah:

Therefore will he give them up, until the time that she which travaileth hath brought forth: then the remnant of his brethren shall return unto the children of Israel. (Micah 5:3)

The Olive Tree remained in the midst of the sons of Jacob, as evidenced by the calling of Moses and Aaron and the plagues on Egypt, the cloud and the fire, the giving of the Law, the priesthood, the Tabernacle of the Congregation, and the victories in Canaan.

The signs of the Divine election continued with the judges, and then with Saul, David, Solomon, and the other kings of Israel. The Spirit of Christ was in evidence in the proclamations and writings of the Hebrew Prophets.

The Hebrew Scriptures have been fulfilled in part, but the Kingdom they announce has not as yet been established in the earth in the fullness of Divine Glory. To the present hour, history is being governed by the Word given through the Prophets, and not one syllable shall be changed in any manner whatever until all has taken place.

The Olive Tree remained in Israel during the days of the kings; but this does not mean every Israelite of that time was of God's elect. Some of the Jews were doing the works of their father the devil, as the Lord Jesus pointed out. Isaiah indicates that God has chosen a remnant of the people:

The remnant shall return, even the remnant of Jacob, unto the mighty God. (Isaiah 10:21)

After the proclamation of Malachi a period of several hundred years ensued. Then the Olive Tree came to Mary and Joseph, and to Elizabeth and Zacharias. John the Baptist announced the Presence of the Lord Jesus—the very Fullness of the Olive Tree.

Following the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus, the Olive Tree continued in the Jewish Apostles and members of the first church in Jerusalem. The Divine inheritance, the same Spirit of Christ that spoke through David and Elijah, was present in the early Jewish Christians.

Soon the Lord made it known, through Peter and Paul, that the Olive Tree was to include Gentiles whom God had chosen. Now the Olive Tree consisted of elect Jews and elect Gentiles.

Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? (Romans 9:24)

To be continued.