07 - The "Olive Tree" and Its Branches

B.W. Newton The "Patmos" Series No. 7 The “Olive Tree” and its Branches The Doom of Israel and Christendom “Now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees.”—Luke 3:9 “If God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest He also spare not thee.”—Romans 11:21

One great proof that God has not “cast away” His ancient people Israel is that had He done so it would have been the frustration of all that had been predicted respecting the blessing that is to be diffused over the nations through them. The Psalms, the Prophets, and even the books of Moses are full of joyful testimony to the blessing that will overspread the earth in the “latter day,” when “Israel shall blossom and bud and fill the face of the world with fruit.” It is the great expectation that has been proposed by God from the beginning—to make Israel the instrument in effecting His purposes. So, what can persons see respecting Truth, if they are blind to these things if they are ignorant of the calling of Israel as a nation to this place of blessing? If minds are blinded to this, they are blinded to all that God has written respecting the future blessing of the earth and that involves blindness to other things that are future.

Two proofs are given that God has not “cast away” His Israel. The apostle had spoken of the calling out of the Gentiles—the grace of the Gospel being directed towards them—and Israel being left in darkness. It was remarkably so, when the light of the grace of the gospel began to cease to shine on Israel corporately. In the beginning of the Acts, Light shone brightly, and, for a time continued, but it was gradually withdrawn and at last was almost confined to the Gentiles—the outcast Gentiles! So it might seem as though God had utterly forsaken Israel, and many a Gentile heart was ready to say so; to rejoice in having received blessing itself, and then secretly to rejoice in the thought that it had been taken from Israel! Strange that there should be a disposition in any heart to find joy in the restriction of blessing to themselves! Yet, if we watch the heart, we shall find, a tendency to rejoice in any restriction which seems to exalt or give greater privileges to ourselves. That is the reason. Not so much dislike that others should have the blessing, as the thought that, if they had it, we ourselves should lose a certain pre-eminence and distinction. So self is at the root of this feeling. And now it has developed so much among Gentile believers, that they have lost all thought of the future blessing of Israel; they have applied to themselves promises that belong to Israel’s future, and, as a consequence, have settled down in worldliness in the earth; have sought “to reign as kings before the time;” and have, applied to themselves passages, which belong not to the period when Truth is rejected, but to the period when Truth has supremacy in the earth! Instead of waiting, and saying “The time for the supremacy of Truth will come, and it will be the time of our exaltation too,” they have forestalled that hour, and have wished to “reign;” while Truth, to which the allegiance of their souls is due, is yet suffering and outcast in the Earth!

Therefore, the Apostle gives two proofs that Israel was not forsaken. First, that even at that present hour—as indeed there ever had been—a little remnant was year after year gathered from among them; in other words, not a year rolls over our heads, in which there is not one or other in the house of Israel found, who has received the Spirit of Christ and is a true believer in Him. So that is one thing to which the faithfulness of God is pledged, that there shall always be a “remnant”—even though it may be a small one—a seeing remnant in Israel, so that the darkness is never total. And the second proof is, that a time is coming when “all Israel,” i.e. Israel as a whole, “shall be saved,” (Romans 11:26). The words “all Israel” are contrasted with the previous clause, where it is said “blindness in part is happened to Israel;” the contrast being between a part of Israel and all Israel. “Blindness in part” you must remember, does not mean partial blindness, in the sense in which we say “a person can see a little.” It is not with respect to the blindness itself being not full blindness, for those who were blinded were totally blinded, they saw not at all; no darkness could be more complete. “They groped at noonday as in the night;” so, those on whom this blindness falls are thoroughly blind. But these words mean that all are not blinded: there have always been some “seeing ones” among them—a remnant—yet the time is coming when, the Apostle says “all Israel shall see”! The contrast is, between the period when there is only a seeing remnant, and, when blindness is taken from all; which will be the convincing proof that God has not “cast away” His people. But to return. How important it is to remember that, from the beginning of Israel’s history; at the present moment; and yet more, in the history of those who have succeeded Israel as God’s present witness in the earth (i.e. those who now profess the Name of Jesus), have only been a little remnant in every age, in the midst of the corruption abounding around them; that faithful Christianity has always had this place hitherto, of being only a “little remnant.” Was it not so when Moses himself, in the early part of Israel’s history, took the Tabernacle and placed it “without the camp,” and bade all that were “on the Lord’s side” to go “without the camp” of Israel? So there was a separation from Israel itself. Israel had been separated from Egypt, but then there was need of a second separation, even from Israel!

Remember, that has been so in every age since. In the Christian dispensation as well as the Jewish, that has been the method of the dealing of God. There has always been necessity for this double separation; a separation not only from those who did not own the Name of Christ at all, who made no confession of Him; but a necessity of separation from those who, being professedly His witnesses, as circumcised or baptized, have gone astray and wandered from Truth.

Now trace this for a moment through Israel’s history. Think of Joshua, Caleb, and a few others when all Israel turned back to die in the wilderness; was it not “a little remnant”? Think, when they came into the Land at the time of the Judges, when evil abounded. How few were the remnant gathered to act on principles of faith!

Again, in the days of Samuel when Saul sat on the throne and seemed to be honored as the Lord’s Anointed; yet, how needful for those who were truly of faith, to go to the cave of Adullam, either actually or in heart only, as Jonathan. They were a “little remnant” in the midst of professing Israel, yet God’s true blessing lay with them.

Then think of the time when all true ministry of Truth was confined to the Prophets; when Kings and priests failed, and the time of the ministration of Truth was with the Prophets alone! Think of Jeremiah and Ezekiel, etc.; were they not almost all solitary witnesses even from the time of Elijah? Elijah thought he alone was left; but there were others; for God always has a larger remnant than even His people are disposed to think. We do not always see them. They are not always marked. If there were more energy of faith, no doubt they would be more marked. Few, who lived when Jesus was upon Earth, would have thought of numbering Nicodemus amongst those who belonged to Him, for he seemed ashamed of Him. Yet he did belong to Jesus, and no doubt there were many others like Him, who, for various reasons, did not follow as they might have followed their Lord, openly, honestly, steadfastly; but who yet were bound to Him in faith. And now that this, which we call the Christian dispensation, has commenced, only carry your thoughts throughout it; and has it not been from the time when the Apostle died, a “little remnant” struggling in the midst of abounding corruption; God, from time to time raising up individuals; granting a little light; and then, floods of error closing around and often overwhelming that light? It has been a perpetual interference of the hand of God to keep Truth alive, but only with a little remnant; so, how must those, who deny that Christianity has that character—who say it is intended to increase and prosper in this dispensation—how must they be deceived! The deception is this, that they mistake the spread of that which is called Christianity—”Christianity,” which like Saul, has the energy of nature in it, but not of real sanctifying Truth—they mistake that for real and true Christianity; which is the same mistake as, if we had lived in the days of Saul, and had said “the blessing of God is with Saul’s house,” and had never cared to seek after David. But what was the end of Saul? Think how he turned to the power of Satan, and—then his punishment came! So it is a solemn question, whether our souls have at all discerned that position of Truth as connected with the “little flock,” and have contrasted that place with the history of the great outward body which only professes His Name. Few have done this, and that is the reason why so few are able to read aright “the signs of the times.” The Apostle speaks of the reason why this blindness had fallen on the greater part of Israel—on almost all of them—viz., because God had blinded them. The blindness is judicial; and have they not well deserved it? Only read Psalms 69:1-36 from which the Apostle quotes, and see the description which the Lord Jesus Himself gives—for He is the Speaker—of what the relation of Israel to Himself was. How they “hated” Him; “talked to the grief of Him whom God had wounded”! How, when they saw His sorrows, though their consciences discerned His holiness, and recognized that He was the Blessed of the Lord, yet they rejoiced in His affliction; added all the bitterness to His cup they could, and desired to tread Him down to the dust!

Now, it was this rejection of light, when it came not only in the way of Truth but of Grace, that sealed their blindness to Israel. They rejected the testimony of Grace three times! The Prophets spoke of blessing to come through the extension of God’s grace. They refused it! The Lord Jesus brought to them amore distinct testimony still. Again they refused it! The Apostles spoke of grace preached to them through His Blood—that, though they had slain Him, yet God was willing to receive them, and to impute to them the preciousness of the Blood which their wicked hands had shed—but they gnashed their teeth more sternly even, than when they rejected Jesus before! So then intensity of blindness was allowed to settle on them, and there they are to the present hour; “grace” working among them, to preserve a remnant. And when this was the case with Israel; when this blindness had been sealed on them, then, almost all—not quite all, but almost all—were “broken out” of their olive-tree!

You may take as the figure, an olive-tree with a branch on one side—the great leading branch—thoroughly broken out, so that one side of the tree is regarded as entirely bare. But, at the moment one side is thus stripped of its branches, on the other side stands a branch, which, at the moment when the other was “broken off” was “grafted in.” There is the calling of the gentiles, and Paul was the instrument of this. So that virtually, the Jewish branch was “broken off” when Paul began to constitute the separate Gentile churches in the earth; when he was sent forth into the wide Gentile world to gather Gentile believers together in their various cities. Then the second branch was “grafted in,” the former having been “broken off,” (Acts 13:46).

Well, so far, it is a picture of blessing to Gentiles. But then comes another question, Does this Gentile olive-branch prosper; does it retain its fruitfulness and continue in God’s goodness? If it does, well; but if not, shall it escape the judgment that fell on Israel? If there be the same unrighteousness, the same rejection of Truth, shall this Gentile branch escape the judgment of God? Shall it be inflicted on the natural branch—His own people—and shall He not inflict a similar judgment on this Gentile olive-branch, if it become cankered and corrupt?

God cannot act on two principles; so this chapter tells us that, if it continue not in God’s goodness the Gentile olive-branch shall be “cut off”! Now, do you think it has continued in God’s goodness; in other words, is Christendom at this moment—all those who are baptized in the Name of Jesus—are they indeed servants of Christ in His Truth ? If they are, then the Gentile olive-branch has continued in God’s goodness: but if not; if we cannot assert that of Christendom, then, what remains for it, but to be broken off by judgments, more terrible far than those which fell on that other olive-branch, when it was “broken off”?

Therefore, if this be so, what are we as believers in Jesus? We belong in one sense to this cankered and corrupt olive-branch, for we are part of Christendom; we cannot separate ourselves in that sense from Christendom, any more than Jeremiah could separate himself from Israel his people. Was not Jeremiah an Israelite? Did he not stand in the midst of Israel as a witness? Did he not drink of the cup of suffering that Israel drank of? Was he not associated with its outward sorrows? So in that sense he did belong to that Jewish olive-branch. But in another sense was he not really distinct as the servant of God, and recognized as so by God? Because he formed part of that outward system, did God confound him with the evil of that system? Did not God value Jeremiah the more, because he was not connected with the evil of it, but walked with Him when all the rest departed? So with ourselves, we cannot say we are not part of Christendom, for we are; but if Truth separate us; if it guide us; if we are indeed servants of Truth, there is a sense in which we stand distinct in God’s sight, having a separate calling in the midst of it, and may be represented by little twigs or little berries on that cankered branch. Have you never seen that in nature; a branch cankered and about to fall, yet here and there a little twig in which sap is? That is the figure: the branch as a whole cankered, but here and there a twig with life in it on which berries are growing, it may be but two or three. That is not a figure that gratifies Gentile pride; but it is the picture which the hand of God here draws.

But, “has Israel stumbled that they should fall” (i.e. irrevocably)? God forbid (Romans 11:11)! There is a time when, as a nation, they will be brought back to God in blessing; but more than that, “by means of their fall, salvation comes to Gentiles,” i.e. the time of their fall became the occasion for God to manifest His grace towards the Gentiles! How remarkable is this statement of the Apostle, that even the fall of Israel should be used thus! God has been pleased, you see, to appoint that blessing should so much revolve around that people Israel, that He even makes their very fall an occasion of blessing to others! Think of that statement. It most marvelously shows how God has connected blessing with Israel.

Well, by means of their fall—as an occasion—salvation is come to Gentiles: but observe, not to all Gentiles. Unless you note the manner in which the Apostle writes, you might say that the verse means salvation comes to every Gentile in the world—that all are absolutely saved! He does not mean that. He means that salvation began to be preached to the Gentiles, and that salvation came to all Gentiles who believed. So you see, spiritual understanding is intended to be used in reading the Scriptures, and no one is supposed to be so foolish as to say that Salvation comes to all, whether they believe or not. I dwell on this, because in many parts of Scripture it is of deep importance to remember the manner in which it is written; e.g. “The reconciling of the world.” It has been a favorite doctrine to say from this, that all are absolutely saved: but the same principle applies there. It means that until then, Gentiles were regarded as outcast.” Mercy was not sent to them at all; but now it is sent; and if that be not rejected, it brings to a state of reconciliation. The two expressions “reconciling of the world” and “salvation of the Gentiles” are identical expressions. It came then on the Gentiles, and one reason was, that God had thoughts of mercy toward Israel still; viz. “to provoke them to jealousy,” (Romans 11:11). He wished to bring other means to bear on their obdurate hearts; to try whether, when they saw the power of God by His Spirit going away from them, and producing effects in the Gentiles which they could not but observe, whether that would not produce an effect on their hearts to provoke them to jealousy. No doubt it did on some souls; but for the most part, Israel rejected that too; and now alas! Israel has not that test, but the reverse; for have you not heard Israel speak of the iniquity seen among professing Christians; using that as an argument why Christianity cannot be from God?

But, see Romans 11:12, that if God availed Himself as it were, of the occasion when Israel was “diminished;” when blessing was drained away from them judicially; when they were deprived of it; if He made that an occasion of bringing “riches” to us Gentiles who believe, what will God do when the tide of blessing shall flow back to Israel in all fulness; when they shall be, not emptied of blessing, but filled with blessing? What will be the character of that hour to the world? It will begin the period of the world’s complete blessing, when there shall be universality of peace and truth; when outwardly and inwardly alike, the whole earth shall be “filled with fruit!” That will be the result.

But, be very careful to guard against this false inference, that therefore the period of Israel’s blessing will not be a period of judgment to” Christendom.” “Christendom” as Christendom will have no part in that blessing; on the contrary, it will be a time when that which we call Christendom will be destroyed; will cease to be! What will God do? He will send forth His angels; He will take to Himself everyone who has truly believed in Jesus; and what will become of the rest of Christendom? They are the “tares;” the “bad fish” in the net; the “foolish virgins;” the “goats in the flock.” They will be destroyed with everlasting destruction from the “presence of the Lord”! So Christendom, you see, will cease to be! That is the “breaking off” of the Gentile olive-branch, because it has not continued in God’s goodness. How needful that we should be most careful of the inferences we draw from Scripture! I believe that this verse, respecting the blessing to come on the world when Israel is restored, has been the means of blinding millions to the doom of Christendom.

You may perhaps ask, “who will be saved in that day?” Christendom you know, is but a small part of the world. The heathen nations are far more numerous; they “who have not heard His Name, neither seen His glory;” whose hearts have never received any intelligible acquaintance with the Gospel. The greater part of them will be spared; and in Christendom, those of tender age who have never had the Gospel presented to them will, no doubt, be spared in that day. So it is those who have had the Gospel presented to them; who have had the opportunity of hearing it and yet have not learnt it, who will be the” tares,” etc., in that day!

Yet, though there is thus a solemn thought connected with it, it is not to take our minds away from the thought of blessing that is to come on Israel, for, as a nation they will be converted; and blessing, through them, will come to all the nations of the earth! (Psalms 67:1-2, Psalms 67:7).

Romans 11:15 is a remarkable expression, and is to be taken as extensively as it can. Some have confined it to that which is no doubt, one of its greatest accomplishments; viz., the absolute revival to life of all those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. That is to take place in that hour. It is the hour of “the first resurrection,” when Jesus will descend in glory; but that descent in glory will be the means of the removal of blindness from the “remnant of Israel” that is to be spared; just as His voice from glory was the means of causing Saul to confess His Name. So will it be with Israel in that Day. “They will look on Him whom they have pierced” and it will be His manifestation in the brightness of glory that will at length break down their unbelief. They deserve it not; but “grace” has said a “remnant” shall be spared.

But, that same “coming of the Lord,” what will it be to all who have believed on Him, whether they have fallen into the grave or are alive on the earth? In either case, “mortality will be swallowed up of life!” The moment they glimpse the Lord in His glory, they are changed into His likeness! The moment the trumpet sounds, the dead hear His voice and rise incorruptible; and the living are changed. All Scripture testifies to this fact, that the hour when Israel will be converted and the Lord will appear in His glory, will be the hour of quickening those that are in the grave, and changing those that are alive at His coming. This is the emphatic tense in which it will be “life from the dead.” But there are also other ways in which this is to be fulfilled; for do we not read of the vision of “dry bones,” (Ezekiel 37:1-28)? The prophets saw them all come together; all clothed with flesh till they became living. And what does that apply to? To the national revival of Israel. The prophet himself explains the vision, and applies it to the time, when Israel; quickened in soul and nationally renovated, shall be brought back instinct with spiritual life, to be no more a nation “cut off,” but, having all circumstances of blessing around them will be a living witness to God in the midst of the nations. So it is the political and social renovation of “Israel as a whole.” There also, will be “life from the dead.” And again; When is the desert to blossom as the rose? Is not death, as it were, in the desert? When the earth stood in its Paradisiacal beauty, was there barrenness; a wilderness; a land of drought? That was not the character of the earth in its beauty. Was it then the character of created life in this earth as seen in animals preying cruelly on each other, so that death is marked upon the way they pursue one another to death? Was Death marked on Creation in Paradise? No. Sin caused that: and the judgment which God pronounced on the earth and all in it was because of Adam’s sin. So that is to be removed, and we shall see “the desert blossom as the rose”! Do you know any parts of the earth more desert than the northern parts of Arabia, through which Israel passed? Well, they are to be included in Emmanuel’s land—the joy of the whole earth—one of the great manifestations in the earth of what blessing, when it descends on the earth in the worthiness of Emmanuel, will effect. What a change will this be! How will the land of Death be turned into Life! That is another intelligible sense in which it will be “life from the dead.”

And, when we remember that it will be the hour when “tears will be wiped away;” when death will be repressed—though there will be the consciousness of life working against death—is not that another ground of saying “life from the dead”?

So, to put it in one simple expression “Hitherto we have had proofs of the application of the power of Death to things around, because of what Adam did: on the other hand, we shall recognize the application of the power of Life to things around because of the worthiness of the second Adam.” Do we not see the power of Death acting in everything here? God has intended to mark everything with Death, in order that the contrast might be felt and known, when even creation here beneath shall bear traces of Life according to the worthiness of the Lord from Heaven, working on all below, till at last, Death shall be abolished and everything made new, and it will be nothing but “Life.” Thus, what is done the moment Israel is restored is intended to be the pledge on God’s part of what He will finally do, when all corruption will be abolished, and when everything in the new earth will be instinct with Life. There will be no repression of corruption then, because everything will be in the fulness of Life. These thoughts, then, are connected with the expression “Life from the dead.” This is put before us as a blessed object of hope, to be chastened, however, by the thought that there is a “breaking off” of the branch to which we outwardly belong; but it is not a depressing thought, when we remember the honor that is granted to these who, in a day of abounding evil, yet walk in the truth of their God.