The Fig Tree

Mark 11:12-14
¶ And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: 13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. 14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

The scripture regarding the fig tree says “his disciples heard it,” but did they truly perceive what had just happened in their presence and what Jesus was saying about the fig tree?

One has to wonder, does the modern-day Church truly perceive what the parable of the fig tree means?

For the modern-day Church, the body of baptized believers in Jesus Christ, has been so strongly focused on a modern theological view point of its interpretation of the fig tree (being as the creation of the state of Israel) that it has made an idol, or un due worship, of the 1948 United Nations created Israeli statelet and the Israeli Jewish people from an Israel-centered theological doctrinal outlook which appears to be contrary to the very words of our Lord Jesus, the Christ.

The fig tree as symbolic imagery in the Holy Bible represented the house of Judah. The house of Judah was the divided house of Israelites which remained behind as a remnant of all of the twelve tribes of Israel.

Under king David and later his son Solomon, the twelve tribes were united as one united kingdom of Israel. Because king Solomon worshiped the idols of his wives and broke YHWH God’s holy commandments, the kingdom would not be united any longer under Solomon’s son Rehoboam.

Under king Rehoboam the kingdom of Israel was split into to two separate kingdoms; one northern kingdom of ten tribes was the house of Israel ruled by Jeroboam. The other kingdom was ruled by Rehoboam called the house of Judah (the Jews).

Ten tribes of the house of Israel, of the twelve tribes of Israel, had been lost, or taken away, into the Gentile nations by the Assyrians in 722 BC. They were scattered into the Gentile nations.

The remainder remnant of Israel was then the two tribes of Judah (the Jews) largely comprised the Israelite tribes of Benjamin and Judah. These two tribes remained behind, thus the house of Judah existed as the remnant of visible Israel.

Now the house of Judah was taken in captivity by the Babylonians in 586 BC and the majority of the Judah, the Jews, were scattered into Babylon and the lands of Gentile nations for seventy years until a minority of less than 50,000 Jews of Israel returned to build Jerusalem and the second temple. This remnant of the house of Judah, and the only recognizable official remnant of all 12 tribes of Israel, would in time grow in population and would wait upon the messiah for their redemption promised by the holy prophets of Israel.

“Figs” in the Hebrew Old Testament only refer to the house of Judah, and the prophet Jeremiah confirms this fact.

Jeremiah 24:1-10
¶ YHWH shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of YHWH, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon. 2 One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad. 3 Then said YHWH unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the evil, very evil, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil. 4 Again the word of YHWH came unto me, saying, 5 Thus saith YHWH, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good. 6 For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up. 7 And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am YHWH: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart. 8 And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus saith YHWH, So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt: 9 And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them. 10 And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers.

Jeremiah shows that there were two kinds of figs, one good and one evil.

Both clearly are of the house of Judah and remnant of Israel. One group is cursed by YHWH and other is blessed by YHWH.

These “good figs” will return to YHWH and thus they will wait upon his Messiah.

Let’s look at another scripture from the Old Testament which identifies not only figs but the vine of the vineyard.

Jeremiah 8:13
¶ I will surely consume them, saith YHWH: there shall be no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree, and the leaf shall fade; and the things that I have given them shall pass away from them.

In the above poetic imagery, God is talking about his casting away of Israel, the 12 tribes, from the land of Israel in his wrath. The grapes of the vine represent in the Holy Bible the fruit of the vineyard, or all of the ten tribes of the house of Israel. The figs represent, again, the house of Judah.

With this knowledge, let us now look the Greek New Testament scriptures to see if we cannot determine what our Lord Jesus had to say about the fig tree (Judah) and the vineyard (Israel).

First note, in the New Testament scriptures of Mark, Jesus entered the temple and has rather forcibly cast away the moneychangers and those who sold doves.

Mark 11:14-17
And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. 15 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves; 16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple. 17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.

Jesus was not happy at all with the state of his Father’s house, and as you soon will see, Jesus was not happy with the status of the vineyard which the vinedressers of remnant Judah were supposed to be attending to.

Mark 12:1-9
¶ And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country. 2 And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard. 3 And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty. 4 And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled. 5 And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some. 6 Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son. 7 But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. 8 And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard. 9 What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others.

In the parable Jesus speaks to the religious leaders of Judah Israel, Jesus outlines the history of how God’s prophets and holy men were treated by the people of Judah who rejected their advice and warning and admonitions to follow YHWH’s righteous laws and instead rebelled and sinned greatly against God.

Jesus then switches in the parable to the present time of his coming, and the arrival of the Messiah, “the one son”, and future time of his death, the fact that Messiah, the son of the vineyard owner, will be rejected and put to death by the very husbandmen of Judah.

The men will kill the son and cast him out of the vineyard. Again, the vineyard represents Israel, the 12 tribes of Israel over which Christ is to reign over forever.

Finally, Jesus states in his parable, that He, the owner of the vineyard (Almighty God) will come and destroy the vinedressers (evil sinful men of Judah) and give the vineyard (Israel’s inheritance) to others (all those faithful in Christ).

The Gospel of Matthew also repeats this parable by Jesus to the Pharisees.

Matthew 21:33-45
¶ Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: 34 And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. 35 And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. 36 Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. 37 But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. 38 But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. 39 And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. 40 When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? 41 They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. 42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? 43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. 44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. 45 And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.

This is not the only scripture seeming to show that God will remove the vineyard from Judah and give it to others.

This next parable is about the king’s Son's wedding.

Matthew 22:1-14
¶ And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, 2 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, 3 And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. 4 Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. 5 But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: 6 And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. 7 But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. 8 Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. 9 Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. 10 So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. 11 And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: 12 And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. 13 Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 14 For many are called, but few are chosen.

The parable clearly speaks of those who were bidden, or invited, to the wedding. This refers to Israel, and in particular, that of the remnant house of Judah. Again, the king sends his holy men and prophets to warn Israel of their sinful ways and rebellion and again the king destroys the rebellious and evil murderers and burns up their city (Jerusalem).

What did Jesus teach that God does? He sends his servants out to into the highways for others to bring them to the wedding feast for “those who were invited were not worthy.”

Again, this a parable negative to Judah, the remnant of Israel.

Another example of this can be seen by Jesus’ healing of the Gentile centurions’ servant.

Matthew 8:5-13
¶ And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, 6 And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. 7 And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. 8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel. 11 And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. 12 But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 13 And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

Again, here the message is faith, the faith of the centurion, a faith so great it surpasses that of Israel.

Note what Jesus continues to say.

"And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven. But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

The children of the kingdom, or those of Judah, the present remnant of Israel in Jesus’ day, shall be cast out into outer darkness.

This is not referring to all of Judah, but those who clearly lack faith.
The entire scripture is about one’s faith in God.

Let us again return to the fig tree imagery in the New Testament.

There is another parable Jesus spoke about the fig tree.

Luke 13:1-9
¶ There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. 2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? 3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. 6 ¶ He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. 7 Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground? 8 And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9 And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down.

The lesson is beginning about repentance, the idea to repent to God for one’s sins. But Jesus then teaches a parable about the fig tree.

A man, the man being God, comes seeking fruit on fig tree in his vineyard. The fruit is no doubt faith. God looking for fruits of Judah, the fig tree, but finds no fruit. God, the man, says to the keeper of the vineyard, or the keeper being God’s Son, look these three years I have been looking for fruit and find none. God then says “Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?”

But God’s servant likely God’s Son, says let it alone this year and I will dig around it and fertilize it. God is showing mercy here to Judah and time for Judah to come around to have faith in God. Then servant says to God, if and if it bears fruit, well, but if not after that then you can cut in down.

This is clearly a warning to the house of Judah, the Jews, to repent of their sins to God and have faith in His Christ.

The next scripture illustrates Christ’s attitude toward the house of Judah and the city of Jerusalem.

Luke 13:22-30
And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23 ¶ Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, 24 Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: 26 Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. 27 But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. 28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. 29 And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God. 30 And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.

Again, similar to the scripture of the centurion’s faith, Jesus states that the others “shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.”

In the next scripture Jesus laments over Jerusalem. Notice what he has to say about Jerusalem, the political headquarters and place of worship of the house of Judah, the Jews.

Luke 13:34-35
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not! 35 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

This was again recorded in the gospel of Matthew.

Matthew 23:37-39
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! 38 Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. 39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

O Jerusalem! Your house is left desolate!

This is clearly a message to the house of Judah!

What is Jesus saying here in all these scriptures repeatedly? He says that the remnant house of Israel, the house Judah, the Jews by and large, will be left by God desolate, their fate is to be cutoff or cut down as a withered fig tree.

Clearly God is not happy with the remnant unbelieving and rebellious house of Judah, the Jews.

If Jesus, our Lord, is so upset with Judah and negative toward Judah in the New Testament gospel scriptures, why is the Church so seeming positive or so Israel-centered in supporting the Jews or Jewish people to the point that they, or their sinful actions of the Jewish state of Israel, can do no wrong it seems?

Why this Israeli, Jew-worship of the modern-day Church?

It has largely to do with the interpretation of Christ’s apostle Paul the apostle to the Gentiles and his letter to the Romans.

Before we get there, we must first examine Paul and his background.

Paul was a Benjamite of the house of Judah once named Saul who once was a bad fig who persecuted the believers of Jesus and himself had been raised a loyal pharisee and without faith in Christ. But then Paul becomes a good fig by the revelation of the blinding light of the Lord himself who appeared to Saul. Saul becomes a believer and his name changed to Paul, and Paul became the apostle of Jesus to the Gentiles.

Paul receives from Christ Jesus his mission to spread the gospel among Israel, and the remnant house of Judah, and the Gentiles, non-Israelites and non-Jews.

Paul first took his gospel to Jews of the house of Judah and later after Judah rejects largely Paul’s gospel message, Jesus sends Paul to the Gentiles; exclusively thereafter Paul’s mission is largely to the Gentiles.

Now we can look at Paul’s letter to the Romans which I believe because the modern-day Church has failed to know who Israel as 12 tribes is, and are, and where they went to, and what happened to Israel, has caused a great deal of confusion and misunderstanding in the present-day modern Israel-centered theology of the Church today.

Let’s start with the last part of Romans 11 and then begin to look more in-depth at Paul’s letter to the Romans 9-11.

Romans 11:25-32
For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. 26 And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27 For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. 28 As concerning the gospel, they are enemies for your sakes: but as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes. 29 For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. 30 For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: 31 Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. 32 For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

This scripture is the conclusion of what next, we will look at in Romans chapters 9-11.

The first part of the book of Romans is a book largely about how we are justified by faith in Christ, not the works of the law and it is essentially a rebuke of the then present corrupt religious current of Judaism and its influence and negative effect on the early Church in Paul’s day.

The house of Judah, the Jews, did not like to hear Paul’s gospel of justification by faith, for they were still clinging to the law of Moses.

By and large Israel, being the remnant house of Judah, had rejected Jesus the Christ and his gospel and his apostle’s gospel of grace through faith.

In Romans chapter 9 we begin to look at Israel’s rejection.

Paul begins with sort of a prayer for his people.

Romans 9:1-5
¶ I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost, 2 That I have great heaviness and continual sorrow in my heart. 3 For I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh: 4 Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; 5 Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

God clearly gave Israel, the 12 tribes of Israel, the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises.

Paul then changes the topic to faith to distinguish the faithful seed of Israel, the children of the promise of God.

Romans 9:6-13
¶ Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel: 7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. 8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed. 9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son. 10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; 11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth;) 12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. 13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.

Paul continues by asking a question.

Romans 9:14-29
¶ What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. 15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. 16 So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. 17 For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. 18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. 19 Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? 20 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? 21 Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? 22 What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: 23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, 24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? 25 ¶ As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. 26 And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. 27 Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: 28 For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. 29 And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha.

Paul is speaking about God’s righteous judgment and how Israel though it is a mass of peoples, yet a remnant, only a portion of Israel shall be saved.

Paul then asks, why do the Gentiles, or foreigners to God’s law, receive the promises of God through faith and Israel largely failed?

Romans 9:30-10:13
¶ What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. 31 But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. 32 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; 33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 1 ¶ Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. 2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. 5 For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) 7 Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) 8 But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; 9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. 12 ¶ For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. 13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Paul shows that though Israel has zeal for God and the law, it fails to see that justification comes not from the following the statutes of the law of Moses, but only by faith in Jesus Christ. He states that there is no difference between Gentiles and Jews for the same Lord is Lord over all, and whosoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

Paul then writes about Israel’s rejection of the gospel.

Romans 10:14-21
How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? 17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. 18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world. 19 But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you. 20 But Esaias is very bold, and saith, I was found of them that sought me not; I was made manifest unto them that asked not after me. 21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

Paul shows that Israel was without excuse having received not only law of Moses and the prophets, but the gospel of Christ Jesus.

Paul then shows that not all of Israel has been rejected by God.

Romans 11:1-10
¶ I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? how he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, 3 Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. 4 But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal. 5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6 And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. 7 What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded 8 (According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day. 9 And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompence unto them: 10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway.

Clearly an elected remnant by the good grace of God have been kept for the future and will wait upon God and have faith in Jesus the Christ and be justified before God.

Paul then asks, is Israel stumbled so that Israel falls from God’s grace?

Clearly Paul is saying that God has saved by his grace a remnant of Israel whom will one day come to have faith in Jesus the Christ.

Paul continues that by the fall of Israel, salvation has come to the Gentiles.

Romans 11:11-24
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. 12 Now if the fall of them be the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fulness? 13 For I speak to you Gentiles, 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, and might save some of them. 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, 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. 22 Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off. 23 And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. 24 For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree?

Paul uses the Old Testament symbolic imagery of the olive tree, which is a symbol of Israel and the inheritance of Israel. He refers to the whole tree as holy and if its native branches are broken off by God due to lack of faith and sin, and wild branches, not native to Israel, were grafted in the tree because of faith in Christ and God, then do not boast against the native branches fallen from grace, for God can graft them back into their own rightful place, if they have faith in Jesus and God.

This a warning not for us to become callous or conceited and to think that God has cast off all of Israel, for God has the final say and all of Israel is not cast away.

Blindness has happened to Isarel that the Gentiles would be receive the salvation of God and an inheritance with Israel as the (New Testament) ‘Israel of God.”

Paul says something amazing, that “blindness in part is happened to Israel,” “until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.” And so “all Israel shall be saved:”

What is Paul saying here?

When the Gentiles receive the gospel of Christ with faith, in the fullness of time completely, then all Israel, or the rest of the remnant of Israel which includes not only Judah, the Jews, but the ten tribes of Israel (Israelite non-Jews) lost into the Gentiles (non-Jews) will have faith in Christ and thus be saved.

Thus, a remnant of all 12 tribes of Israel will be saved by God through faith in Jesus the Christ.

Therefore, Israel today, that is the visible Israel, the Jewish people and non-visible lost Israel,the house of Isael, found largely today in the Gentiles, are only justified before God by their faith in Jesus the Christ, the Son of God.

Therefore, unbelieving Israel (Judaism), must be brought to the truth of the gospel of Jesus the Christ, or else they may face as the Lord Jesus said being cast away into outer darkness.

As Paul wrote how shall Israel not know the truth except that there be men and woman sent to preach the gospel to Israel?

There is a belief among some false pseudo-Christians (mainly so named Christian-Zionists) that the Jewish people are saved by God’s grace simply because they are Israel, and sadly the Jewish people believe it too, but that is not what Jesus taught and nor did his apostles teach such a distorted doctrine, Israel will only be justified by their faith in the Son of God, in Jesus the Christ.

Paul stated that true Israel is circumcised not in the flesh, but in the heart by God.

Romans 2:25-29
For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. 26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? 27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? 28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

The important circumcision is that from God, received only in our hearts made only by our faith in Jesus, the Christ.

As Paul wrote the Just shall live by faith.

Romans 1:16-17
¶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

There is no grace by race alone, rather we are only justified before God if we have faith in Jesus alone and are covered by the atoning blood of his Son Jesus the Christ.

As Paul wrote in an earlier chapter of Romans that there is no respect of persons with God and that if a Jewish person does evil and sins or a Gentile does evil and sins, both without Christ Jesus are liable to be cast away in the wrath of a righteous holy God.

Romans 2:1-11
¶ Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

Lastly, some things to think about.

The book of Revelation, chapter 7, reveals that when the Lord Jesus comes to gather his saints away with him from this evil world in the last days, only a remnant of 12,000 Jews or Judahites of the tribe of Judah and 12,000 Jews of the Israelite tribe of Benjamin, which make for a total of only 24,000 of the house of Judah are said to be sealed and saved of God.

Revelation 7:1-10
¶ And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree. 2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, 3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads. 4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel. 5 Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand. 6 Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Nepthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand. 7 Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand. 8 Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand. 9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.

Note the other ten tribes mentioned in Revelation 7 are not, nor have they ever been, Jews, they are Israelites who will be largely found in the nations of the Gentiles today (found in the Church).

Also, all the those mentioned in Revelation 7 are sealed by God because they will have been believers in Jesus Christ, not sealed by God because they are simply Israelites.

According to Wikipedia:

“As of 31 December 2022, Israel's population was an estimated 9,656,000. In 2022, the government recorded 73.6% of the population as Jews, 21.1% as Arabs, and 5.3% as "Others" (non-Arab Christians and people who have no religion listed).”

What does this say for the remnant house of Judah today?

Where are the preachers of the gospel of Jesus in the land of Israel?

How shall they not know the gospel except they be sent preachers?

Does Israel not know the truth regarding Jesus?

Has the Church today largely failed to bring Israel the truth?

Is Judah destined to be desolate as Jesus forewarned them in his day?

Luke 23:26-31
¶ And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. 28 But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. 29 For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. 30 Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. 31 For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?

That dry tree Jesus spoke about was the fig tree of Judah Israel.

Mark 13:28-32
¶ Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: 29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. 30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. 31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. 32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

Luke 21:29
¶ And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. 31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. 32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled. 33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.

Jesus is returning one day, when the time comes, that remnant of Judah will finally come to truly know faith in Christ Jesus who died on the cross for their atonement and the sins of the world.

O YHWH, heavenly holy God, we thank you for sending your Son Jesus the Christ to die for the sins of Israel and all mankind when he bled his precious blood on the cross in 33 AD. You have redeemed your people Israel by your atoning blood!

I pray that the Church will open its blinded eyes and send forth laborers into the harvest of the fields of not only the world, but specifically to the land of Israel that the broken olive branches of Judah and Israel shall be grafted again into their own olive tree to glorify your Son, the King of kings and YHWH of lords. It’s in the glorious name of Jesus I pray.

If you don’t know Jesus, I invite you to learn of him now.

Do you know Jesus?

Do you know he died for your sins?