Ancient olive tree in the Garden of Gethsemane
The church has kept a deep secret hidden for almost two thousand years. It is the secret of our Christian family tree. It is time this long-hidden secret is brought to light. Let us now proclaim it to all believers. Here is the secret – our family tree is Jewish!
The Christian family tree is clearly pictured for us in Romans 11:17-21 “If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.’ Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.”
What astounding information this is! How could we have missed it for so long? We Christians are grafted into the House of Israel; into that old olive tree. Regardless of what anti-Semites have said over the centuries, the tree is still around. It is also alive and well. Furthermore, this passage makes it clear that all the branches of the old tree were never broken off as we have been taught, but only some of them.
So, we Christians have a heritage. It is the old olive tree heritage of Israel. This old tree can teach us a great deal. Let us consider some characteristics of our heritage.
THE OLIVE TREE IS ANCIENT
The olive tree is one of the longest-living trees on earth. While we may have problems getting our regular fruit trees to live fifty years, the olive can live hundreds of years and still remain fruitful. Some people think the old olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane were alive at the time of Christ. They have probably been cut down a few times since then, but the olive has the remarkable ability to sprout from its roots and keep on living. These olive sprouts are probably referred to in Psalm 128:3: “Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table.”
The olive seems practically indestructible. A friend of mine tells of an attempt to dig up an olive tree. They dug down some five feet and thought they had succeeded, but the sprouts came up and the tree lived on. After the Genesis flood it is interesting that the dove brought Noah an olive twig (Gen. 8:11). Somehow the olive had withstood the deluge
quite well.
We can see by this that we are grafted into something very old, very sturdy and very much alive. When I was a young person I once heard a professor say something like this: “Christianity is a very young religion.” At the time this statement shocked and discouraged me. Now I realize that the professor didn’t understand much about the Christian heritage. We are part of something old. We have roots!
THE OLIVE IS BEAUTIFUL
All around our former home in the Galilee there were hundreds of olive trees. The olive is a beautiful tree, especially when it is loaded with fruit or when its silvery leaves are blowing in the breeze. In Hosea 14:6, the Lord says of Israel: “…His splendor will be like an olive tree, his fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.” In Jeremiah 11:16, we read of Israel: “The LORD called you a thriving olive tree with fruit beautiful in form…”
The olive seems to grow in abundance in Israel. Whether it be on the rugged hills or in the luscious valleys, the olive graces the Holy Land. When we consider the vast number of olive trees in the land we might guess that it is one of the Lord’s favorite trees. What a glorious heritage the Lord has given us in the olive tree! In Psalm 16:6, the Psalmist remarks about this: “…surely I have a delightful inheritance.” Also, in Psalm 61:5 we read: “… you have given me the heritage of those who fear your name.”
THE OLIVE IS A VERY FRUITFUL TREE
The olive tree seems to produce its crop with a minimum of care. One can find olives on untended trees even on the most barren hills of Judea and Galilee. In the fall, as the green olives begin to turn black in the very tops of the trees, the olive harvest begins. The workers simply strip the abundant fruit from the branches. I have seen a time in the Galilee when the olive harvest was so great that the farmers had their fill and simply stopped picking them.
Since olive oil is one of the main products from the olive, we realize that this tree speaks of the Holy Spirit (1 Sam. 16:13). We thus have a spiritual heritage. The olive illustrates to us how the Father wishes to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. Some of this spiritual fruit is mentioned in Galatians 5:22: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” This is certainly not an exhaustive list. There are many other qualities that God desires, like humility, unselfishness, generosity, integrity, courage, diligence, prayerfulness, etc.
Our problem in producing spiritual fruit is that we often try to bring it forth from ourselves and with our own efforts. This is impossible. It comes only from the Holy Spirit and it comes naturally by being connected to our olive tree heritage. It comes through Jesus who is the root of this tree (Rev. 22:16).
THE OLIVE CONVEYS MUCH SYMBOLISM
Not only does the olive speak of the Holy Spirit and spiritual fruit in our lives, but it conveys many other pictures to us. Since the olive is the “tree of light” with its production of olive oil for ancient lamps, it speaks to us of spiritual light and revelation. In Proverbs 29:18 we read: “Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint…” Thus it is spiritual light and revelation that motivates, expands and even protects the church. Little of this is accomplished by the many programs we so ingeniously devise. It is spiritual revelation, not programs, that keeps our lamps burning brightly.
When the Apostle Paul prayed for people, he prayed in this wise: “…that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe…” (Eph. 1:18-19). We could use some prayers like that in the church today.
Our olive tree heritage speaks to us of many other things. It speaks of anointing and we realize that it is not by might or power but by the Lord’s Spirit that we accomplish great things (Zech. 4:6). The olive also speaks of healing. In biblical times olive oil was poured upon the sick in connection with the healing process. We see this usage of oil in
James 5:14-15.
There is more, much more, that we yet do not understand about our heritage. Since soap is made from olive oil, it also speaks of purification and holiness. After all, God’s word does say, “…be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord” (Heb. 12:14).
As we now perceive, we Christians have a very rich heritage. How sad it is that we have been cut off from this heritage over the many centuries by ignorance and by false teachings in the church.
The prophet speaks in Isaiah 51:11, that the redeemed of the Lord will return to Zion. Today according to the sure words of the prophet, the church is beginning to go home. Also, the old sap is coming up into the branches of the tree, even into the Gentile branches that were grafted in. The sound of Hebrew melodies is beginning to be heard once more in our worship. All this makes Gentile Christians want to dance the hora and even speak some good Hebrew words like “Amen,” “Hallelujah,” or even “Shalom.”
– Jim Gerrish
April, 2002