To find this answer we will look to Paul, since he is our witness. "Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I." (2 Corinthians 11:22) "circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee." (Philippians 3:5)
"The Lord called your name, a green olive tree, beautiful in fruit and form; with the noise of a great tumult He has kindled fire on it, and the branches are worthless. The Lord of hosts, who planted you, has pronounced evil against you because of the evil of the house of Israel and of the house of Judah, which they have done to provoke Me by offering up sacrifices to Baal." (Jeremiah 11:16-17) David said, "he was like a green olive tree in the house of God" (Psalm 52:8). Even though Paul's writings were hard to understand at times as Peter said in (2 Peter 3:16). Paul was very knowledgeable on the Torah and the covenants given to Israel. This why I believe Paul knew this olive tree was Israel, he also understood the wild olive shoot within this olive tree.
"I say then, God has not rejected His people, has He? May it never be! For I too am an Israelite, a decendent of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew, Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God agaist Israel? Lord they alone have killed Your prophets, they have torn down Your alters, and I alone am left, and they are seeking my life. But what is the divine response to him? I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal. In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice." (Romans 11:1-5)
Paul was quoteing from 1 Kings 19:9-18. I believe Paul has answered our question. Again I want to ask you a question. Did Yeshua, the 12 apostles, and Paul the apostle to the Gentiles form a new religion and become Christians? If your answer is No, you are right. Every Jewish person who excepts Yeshua, is part of this remnant of these Jewish believers. Even if he comes into a Church setting, he is to stay Jewish, not handed a ham sandwiche and turned into a Gentile. So sad, we find just that in some of our Churches today.
"I say then, they did not stumble as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous. Now if their trangession is riches for the world and their failer is riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be! But I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle of Gentiles, I magnify my ministry, if somehow I might move to jealousy my fellow country men and save some of them. For if their rejection is the reconciliation of the whole world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?" (Romans 11:11-15)
Such a shame that the Church, as a whole! They do not stand with Paul, on the love he had for his people Israel! I ask this question. How many out of all groups of Church people, would make Israel jealous? I would say, from what I have seen, very few. How sad! "But I say, surely Israel did not know, did they? First Moses says, I will make you jealous by that which is not a nation, By a nation without understanding will I anger you." (Romans 10:19; Deuteronomy 32:21)
We know Paul is referring here to the olive tree, so think in your mind, for a moment of an olive tree. Now place Israel in the branches on the right side of the olive tree, next place Gentiles, into the wild olive shoot that has been grafted into this rich olive tree, on the left side. What do we have within this olive tree? You now have Jew and Gentile, grafted in together as one within this olive tree. Not separated as two units, but One unit, within the Messiah. When Paul was speaking to the Romans, he knew they would understand his Metaphor on the olive tree. This chapter is to teach, and also a warning, to the Gentile believer! Remember this is also the olive tree in Jeremiah. We know God broke off some of the branches of Israel and Judah. Remember our seven thousand men, they are part of the olive tree on the right side. We have Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, we also have Moses and David. With all the righteous who walked daily with God, Then we have all the prophets who listened and followed God. All of these Old Testament saints waited for the promise of the coming Messiah. Next on are list would be all of the apostles and Jewish believers who excepted their Jewish Messiah Yeshua.This would be your natural branches.
Verses 17-18;"But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them and become partaker with them of the rich root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches; but if you are arrogant, remember that it is not you who supports the root, but the root supports you." Within the branches of the olive tree, Paul was teaching unity to be one as in Galations 3:28-29. We are to be one, Jew and Gentile together. The olive Branch always symbolized peace. Paul is teaching unity and peace within these branches, yet the Church through history has proven they believe otherwise. When we within the Church become arrogant, and try to become number one. When we take this attitude within the Churches, as we have done since the second century. We have done away with Israel, and brough anti-semitism against the nation of Israel. Satan must be happy with what the Church has done. One thing I know God will win in the end.
Verses 19-21;"You will say then, Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in. Quite right, they were broken off for their unbelief, but you stand in faith. Do not be conceited, but fear; for if God did not spare the natural branches, He will not spare you, either." So what has Paul told us here? Here is your warning, are you arrogant toward the nation of Israel. Have you made your self number one? Have you become conceited? Then you have something to fear as Paul said! Most Bible commentators make you believe the olive tree is the Church. Not so, again this is no more than replacement theology. The Church has believed a lie for so long; they just accept what they are told, never taking time to find the truth. So sad, but so true.
Verses 22-24;"Behold then the kindness and severity of God; to those who fell, severity, but to you, God's kindness, if you continue in His kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off. And they also, if they do not continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree?" Again we need to understand the wild olive branch is the Gentiles grafted into the cultivated olive tree. The natural branches are no other than the nation of Israel. If you do not have kindness, or love, Paul says, you also will be cut off. No matter how you want to look at the olive tree. You cannot change what Paul has said here. This olive tree is made up with both Jew and Gentile believers. Not separated as two but as one group of people in Messiah Yeshua.
Verses 25-27:"For I do not want you brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery - so that you will not be wise in your own estimation - that a partial hardening that happened to Israel untill the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will remove ungodliness from Jacob. This is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins." "I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they will hear My voice; and they will become one flock with one shepherd." (John 10:16) "The Lord God who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares, yet others I will gather to them, to those already gathered." (Isaiah 56:8)
Do not misunderstand what I am saying here. We cannot separate ourselves from the nation of Israel. I see the Church as a congregation of believers made up of Jew and Gentile. Coming together as one people in Messiah. Today we are seperated into denominations that can never come together as one. Why not? When we do not stand on the full word of God, then we create our own doctrines. Today in our modern beliefs we are slowly moving away from God's word. Jesus came to restore us back to God, so we as believers can stand with the sword of truth.
It is time for us as Gentile believers to stand on God's word not man made doctrine. If you have been told that Israel has been replaced by the Church, and you no longer need the Old Testament. again I would say never let anyone tell you how to believe, instead read God'd word for yourself. If you have never read the Old Testament, How WILL YOU KNOW TRUTH if you are never told. Start today with prayer and the Holy Spirit to teach you truth of God's Word. How can you say you love the Lord, yet never take the time to study so you can find truth. Do you not realize God speaks to you through His written word. That would be the whole word of God from Genesis to Revelation.
Before we leave this article on grafted in, I want to discuss the two house movement which has become so popular today among the Gentiles. They are a group of Gentiles who believe they come from one of the the ten tribes of Israel. They teach that Ephriaim is the Church of today, and the Gentiles are from one of ten lost tribes of Israel. Gentiles do not need to convert and become Jewish. Even if you were to convert 100 times a day you will still be a Gentile. God will not change your DNA and make you Jewish so therefore you will still be a Gentile. It is the same for the Jewish people they cannot convert and become a Gentile. This is why we have the olive tree. Jews are grafted back into their natural branches and joined to their Jewish Messiah. Gentiles are grafted into the wild olive shoot that has been joined to the natural olive tree. Gentiles are now complete and joined to their Messiah who is Jewish. If you convert to the Jewish religion and Jesus is not there you have lost the Messiah.
Our Hebraic Roots should not be about trying to be Jewish or converting to the Jewish Religion. We should be studying our Hebraic Roots for a better Understanding of our Jewish Messiah. Also, to help us better understand our first century teachings of Yeshua and the apostles. The two house theory is nothing more than another form of Replacement Theology. If all these false doctrines were true then we would not need to be grafted into the olive tree, and Paul was just talking foolish. When we do not stand on truth in God's word, this is what we get: false doctrine. It does not matter if you are Jewish or Gentile, false doctrine is still false doctrine!
The Gentiles have their place in God's redemption plan, so as Gentiles lets take our rightful place. Let us as Gentiles get rid of all these false doctrines and stand on God's truth only. Replacement Theology of any kind has no place in God's redemption plan for mankind. You have one group of Christians who want to do away with anything that refers to the Jewish people. Next we have a group of Christians who want to be Jewish, so much that they even go so far as to make themselves Jewish. How can we make the Jewish people jealous and lead them to their Jewish Messiah? If we are trying to be something we are not. Only through love and standing with Israel can we make them jealous. Remember the Jewish people need to be saved through the blood of their Jewish Messiah Yeshua. No one today can be saved anyother way, no works of any kind will give you salvation. Is your foundation built on Yeshua or man made doctrine?