Biblical Zionism XI
Grafted into
the Holy Root
Romans
11:11-36 is both a promise and a warning to the Church as a new
priesthood. Just as the priesthood of Israel
moved away from the promise of salvation by grace through faith in the
Abrahamic Covenant, the priesthood of all believers of the Church is warned about
God’s foreknowledge of her own apostasy.
This apostasy would be like the corruption of salvation by grace through
faith detailed in the Abrahamic Covenant.
However, there would evolve another level of corruption that Christ
calls “the doctrine of the Nicolaitans” (Revelations 2:6 and 15). “The doctrine of the Nicolaitans” is a
division created between what came to be called clergy and laity. The corruption was the clergy lording over the laity. There are no such things as clergy or laity within the priesthood of all believers. The pastors/elders/bishops are not
clergymen. Every believer priest is to
be “perfected for the work of the ministry” (Ephesians 4:12). This corruption evolved into lording clergy and lazy laity.
Also, out of the faithful
foundation built upon the teachings of Jesus would evolve something that Christ
calls “the great whore” in Revelation 17:1 and 19:2. This drift
into Ecumenical apostasy would take place over many centuries as defined by
Christ’s seven epistles to seven local churches (Revelation chapters two and
three).
Just
as God committed the preservation of His inspired Scriptures and the Gospel of
salvation gifted by God’s grace through faith into the care of the priesthood
of Israel, God has committed the preservation of the Scriptures and the
doctrines therein taught into the care of thousands upon thousands of local
churches of believer-priests.
It is this faith seed of Abraham of “born again” Christians (Galatians 3:6-7) from
the Church Age that are grafted into
national Israel at the beginning of the Kingdom Age. This will be the Melchizedecan priesthood of
Christ that will rule the Kingdom Age with a “rod of iron” as His judges.
At the beginning of the Kingdom Age, every person alive on planet earth
will be a “born again” Christian. There will be those
saved from all nations during the Tribulation who survive the catastrophic
judgments of God. These will be alive in
physical bodies. They will remain alive,
marry, and reproduce children throughout the one-thousand years of the Kingdom
Age. There will be all believers from Adam
to the Day of Pentecost who died, were resurrected, and were glorified. They will return with Christ at His second
coming. National Israel will be comprised of all “born again” Jews from Abraham
to the beginning of the Church Age and all the surviving Jews saved during the seven-year
Tribulation.
Lastly,
there will be all the believers from the Church Age including those martyred believers
from the seven-year Tribulation. It is this
latter group of glorified believers that will rule and reign with
Christ as His new Melchisedecan priesthood.
This is the group that will be “grafted in” to national Israel at the
beginning of the Kingdom Age.
Not all professing Church Age believers will prove
themselves to be genuine believers. This
is the substance of the warning in the parable of the “talents” (Matthew
25:14-30). The “unprofitable servant” (Matthew
25:30) proves himself to be a false believer by his unfaithfulness. Such an unfaithful person will be cast out
into outer darkness separated from the presence of God. This is also the warning of Romans 11:11-36.
“11 I say then,
Have they {the Jews} stumbled that
they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is
come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke
them {the Jews} to jealousy. 12
Now if the fall of them {the Jews} be
the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them {the Jews} the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness {the
future restoration of national Israel}? 13 For I speak to you Gentiles {in warning}, inasmuch as I am the
apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office: 14
If by any means I may provoke to
emulation them which are my flesh {the Jews}, and might save some of them {the Jews}. 15 For if the casting
away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the
receiving of them be, but life from the dead? 16
For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and
if the root be holy, so are the branches. 17
And if some of the branches be
broken off, and thou {Church Age
believers-priests}, being a wild
olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; 18 Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root
thee. 19 Thou wilt say then, The branches
were broken off, that I might be graffed in. 20
Well; because of unbelief they were
broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 21 For if God
spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee” (Romans
11:11-21).
On the
Day of Pentecost, a new host of Ambassadors
of Grace were saved, baptized with the Holy Spirit into the “body of
Christ,” indwelled by the Holy Spirit, and sent into all the world to preach
the wonderful Gospel of Jesus Christ.
This was the formation of a new Priesthood of all believers, “born
again” of the Spirit of God, and sent forth as Ambassadors of Jesus Christ, as
Ministers of Reconciliation, and given the “words of reconciliation.”
“17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old
things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And
all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus
Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To
wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing
their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of
reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though
God did beseech you by us: {the
following words define the Ambassadorship of all believers “in Christ” and
their appeal to salvation “by grace
through faith” to the lost of the whole world, not just the Jews} we pray you
in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to
be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of
God in him” (II Corinthians 5:17-21).
Because
most lack an understanding of the Biblical continuity within the Abrahamic
Covenant, they lack the understanding of the overwhelming nature of the
beginning of the transition within the Abrahamic Covenant in the setting aside
of the Mosaic Covenant and the beginning
of the unfolding (already, not yet)
of the New Covenant “in Christ.” Because
many professing Christians do not understand this transition, they do not
understand their stewardship within
the Age of Grace and exactly for what God will hold Church Age believers
accountable.
Prior
to the Day of Pentecost, the physical descendants of Abraham were God’s chosen
people through which the Seed (Messiah; i.e. JEHOVAH incarnate) would be born
into humanity.
“15
And the angel of the LORD called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, 16
And said, By myself have I sworn, saith the LORD, for because thou hast done
this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: 17
That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed
as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore;
and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; 18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the
earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice” (Genesis 22:15-18).
Paul
tells us that the “seed” of Genesis 22:18 does not refer to the many physical descendants
of Abraham, but to One Individual; the Christ of God that we know as
Jesus. When we read the Messianic Psalm seventy-two,
we should understand that every Jew should
have known that the Messiah was the Seed to which Abrahamic Covenant refers. Paul tells us in very specific words in Galatians
3:16 that this is God’s intent.
“His
name shall endure for ever: his name shall be continued as long as the sun: and
men shall be blessed in him: all nations shall call him {the Messiah} blessed”
(Psalm 72:17).
“11
But that no man is justified by the law {Mosaic Covenant} in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live
by faith. 12 And the law {Mosaic
Covenant} is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.
13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law {Mosaic Covenant}, being made a curse for
us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14
That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ;
that we might receive the promise of the
Spirit through faith. 15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of
men; Though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it be confirmed,
no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. 16 Now to Abraham and his seed {Jesus} were the promises {the
Abrahamic Covenant} made. He saith
not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
17 And this I say, that the covenant , that was confirmed
before of God in Christ, the law {Mosaic
Covenant}, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul,
that it should make the promise {the
Abrahamic Covenant} of none effect. 18 For if the inheritance be
of the law {Mosaic Covenant}, it
is no more of promise {the Abrahamic
Covenant}: but God gave it to Abraham by promise” (Galatians
3:11-18).
Essential
to our understanding of Romans 11:11-32 is understanding exactly what Romans
11:11 says, “I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid:
but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the
Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.”
The problem in most English translations lies in the use of the same
word “fall” to translate two different Greek words. The first word translated “fall in the
opening question is from the Greek word pipto (pip'-to). The second word translated “fall” is from the
Greek word paraptoma (par-ap'-to-mah). These two Greek words are not referring to
the same thing. That is why the
translation as we read it does not make any sense.
In
the question, “Have they stumbled that
they should fall,” the answer is emphatic in the negative; “God forbid.” It corresponds with the opening question and
answer in Romans 11:1, “Hath God cast away his people? God forbid.” The opening question of Romans 11:11 consents
to Israel’s stumble. But the question is,
did Israel fall completely and for good[1]. The “God forbid” is Paul’s inspired response
to such a foolish notion. The facts of
both the Palestinian Covenant and the Davidic Covenant would emphatically
refute the very idea of such a question.
The second
use of the word “fall” translated from paraptoma (par-ap'-to-mah) means a side-slip,
referring to a lapse or deviation[2] from
the right pathway. A more common term
for this would be backsliding. The text is not referring to the salvation of
individuals or even the backsliding of individual Jews. The text is referring to corporate Israel
or the nation of Israel collectively primarily as represented in the
priesthood of Israel. The fact that the
spiritual condition of the Levitical Priesthood of Israel was thee
representation, not merely a representation, of the spiritual condition
of the nation of Israel is critical to our understanding of what Paul is saying
in Romans chapter eleven.
“1 Hear the word of the LORD, ye children of Israel:
for the LORD hath a controversy with the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor
knowledge of God in the land. 2 By
swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they
break out, and blood toucheth blood. 3
Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth therein shall
languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea, the
fishes of the sea also shall be taken away. 4
Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they
that strive with the priest. 5 Therefore shalt
thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night,
and I will destroy thy mother. 6 My people are destroyed for lack of
knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that
thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I
will also forget thy children. 7 As they
were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore will I change their
glory into shame. 8 They eat up the sin of my
people, and they set their heart on their iniquity. 9
And there shall be, like people, like
priest: and I will punish them for their ways, and reward them their doings”
(Hosea 4:1-9).
The majority of the Levitical Priesthood
were unfaithful to teaching the Law and in living it. They perverted the Law by injustices in that
they were also those who administrated the Law. They perverted the purpose of the sacrifices
and the moral Law to the place that Moralism and Ritualism, “works,” perverted
“the way” of faith. The people became like the priests.
They thought that if they kept the sacrifices, they were alright with
God, even if their hearts were far from Him.
Moralism and Ritualism became replacements and pseudo-substitutes for a
real, intimate, and righteous relationship with God. The priesthood of Israel had perverted the
purpose of the Law to such a degree that they literally turned things upside down from God’s original intent.
“13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me
with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their
heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among
this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of
their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men
shall be hid. 15 Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel
from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and
who knoweth us? 16 Surely your
turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for
shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing
framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding (Isaiah 29:13-16)?
The priesthood of Israel’s side-step, referred to by the second use
of the word “fall” in Romans 11:11, was the priesthood leading the nation of
Israel away from salvation “by grace through faith” to salvation by “works”;
i.e., Moralism and Ritualism. Because
of this side-step of the priesthood
of Israel, God would call a new priesthood of all believers during the Church
Age, test that new priesthood throughout each individual’s lifetime. God would prove that new priesthood by each person’s
faithfulness to discipleship and the Great Commission with the intent that
those proven faithful will be installed
(consecrated) over national Israel at the beginning of the Kingdom Age as the
new Melchisedecan Priesthood, then ruling with Christ in glorified bodies.
The criteria
for testing and proving of this new Priesthood of all believers are found in two
phrases in the Scriptures: saved “by
grace through faith” and “the just {those
saved} shall live by faith” (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38). Many get saved
“by grace through faith,” but few of those saved “live by faith.” The grace-life is the Christ-life that
becomes available to every believer in the indwelling
of the believer and is manifested through the filling of the Spirit.
“1
O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth,
before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among
you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the
works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish?
having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 4
Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. 5
He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among
you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith”
(Galatians 3:1-5)?
[1]
A.T. Robertson’s Word Pictures, Romans 11:1, SwordSearcher Software 4.8
[2]
Strong’s Greek Dictionary, SwordSearcher software 4.8
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Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist.
He has served the Lord for over 40 years.
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