409 Romans 11 in light of Torah | nazareneisrael2house

Romans 11 viewed in the light of Torah.

There are two Torah portions that mention the ‘chukim’, meaning laws with no logical explanation prohibiting the mixing of seeds, wearing garments made from two different types of thread, or plowing with animals of two different species at the same time. These two laws are found in:

Leviticus 19: 19,‘You are to keep My statutes. You shall not breed together two kinds of your cattle; you shall not sow your field with two kinds of seed, nor wear a garment upon you of two kinds of material mixed together’; and
Deuteronomy 22: 9 - 11, ‘You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed, lest all the produce of the seed which you have sown, and the increase of the vineyard become defiled. (10) You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. (11) You shall not wear a material mixed of wool and linen together.’

Most Nazarene/Messianic Torah teachers rightly usually explain these two ‘chukim’by mentioning 2 Corinthians 6: 14 – 18, in this way: ‘Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?(15) Or what harmony has Messiah with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? (16) Or what agreement has the temple of Elohim with idols? For we are the temple of the living Elohim; just as Elohim said, “I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR ELOHIM, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. (17) Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE,” says YHVH. “AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; and I will welcome you. (18) And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me.” Says YHVH Almighty.’ A previous teacher who had much to do with my calling out of darkness into Elohim’s marvelous light, once said at one of the few meetings during which we had the privilege to hear him speak in person, “Half of you (those present at the service) are not getting it; if you want to be the Israel of Elohim, you will have to start living like Israelites(Keeping the Sabbath and Feast Days of Elohim, eating only kosher food, and live like those Israelites who remained close to YHVH in their customs and beliefs).” Few at the time realized that he meant we should become Jews, keeping all of the Torah applicable to each one of us. That is in fact also what Rav Shaul was saying in 2 Corinthians 6.

These ‘chukim’ or seemingly meaningless laws in Torah teach us to serve YHVH the way He prescribes in the Torah, and not to worship Him the way the pagans around us serve their gods. This is exactly how our forebears worshiped YHVH after they were taken into captivity by the Assyrians during 721 and 718 BCE, as we read in 2 Kings 17: 33, ‘They feared YHVH and served their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been carried away into exile.’ There are many so-called believers who compromise in the way they want to follow YHVH. They hold that we are all following truth, whether we keep the Feast Days of Elohim according to the Hebrew calendar, or any other calendar, as long as we follow a shadow of what is to come. However, there is only one way to serve YHVH our Elohim and it is a very difficult and lonely roadof no compromise. In the end if we are not in worship services when our Jewish Brothers keep Rosh Hashanah and Yahshua returns to them on that day as witnessed in Zechariah 12: 7 – 14, we could be too late to enter the marriage chambers as depicted in Matthew 25: 11 & 12. We read one of Messiah’s parable from Matthew 13: 45 & 46, as follows; “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, (46) and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” The lesson that this parable is teaching, is that once we have found the truth, we should never give up or turn away from it. Once we started on the way of Elohim, we should never look back, as also witnessed from Luke 9: 62,in this way: ‘ButYahshua said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of Elohim.”’

However, these Torah commands about mixtures also have a deeper meaning for those Israelites of the lost ten tribes currently being called out of the churches of the world. The first time we read about seeds in the Scriptures in in Genesis 1: 11, where Elohim said: ‘“Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit after their kind, with seed in them, on the earth”; and it was so.’ It is clear therefore, that when YHVH brought forth fruit trees, they were to produce fruit and also seed after their own kind or species. Yes,YHVH our Elohim created the world with certain distinct species, and he wanted them to remain so, without any change. YHVH in His Torah forbids mankind from altering the species or order of His creation. It is often necessary for us to look at the natural to understand the Spiritual. It is for this reason that we read from Romans 1: 19 & 20, ‘Because that which is known about Elohim is evident within them (mankind); for Elohim made it evident to them. (20) For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes (according to first Timothy 1: 17 YHVH is invisible), His eternal power (according to first Corinthians 1: 24 Yahshua is the power of Elohim, through which He also made the heavens and the earth as per Jeremiah 32: 17) and divine nature (the Set-apart Spirit is Elohim’s divine nature of which we may become partakers of as per 2 Peter 1: 4), have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.’ For example, we are told that we, meaning mankind were created in the image and likeness of Elohim. As mankind each one of us consists of a body, a soul and a spirit. Our bodies are made of flesh and blood and are visible to other humans and animals with the ability to see with their eyes. The word soul simply means our lives, which we all know comes to an end when we die, since as we are told in first Timothy 6: 16, only YHVH Elohim possesses immortality. We are also aware that only human beings are endowed with spirits in us (as per Zechariah 12: 1) which give us understanding as per Job 32: 8.

Once those of us called out of the world are suitably immersed in Yahshua’s saving name (as per Acts 2: 38) and had the hands of ateaching elder laid upon us, we are promised the Set-apart Spirit of Elohim to indwell us. After this process the Set-apart Spirit of Elohim merges with the spirit in us and we are begotten children of Elohim, to be born-again as Spiritual children of Elohim if we remain faithful to the end, at Messiah’s return as promised according to Romans 8: 11, in this way: ‘But if the Spirit of Him who raised Yahshua from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Messiah Yahshua from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.’ When we die, the spirit given us goes back to the Father, whilst our bodies return to dust (as per Ecclesiastes 12: 7).However, we read the fantastic promise in Hebrews 12: 23, as follows: ‘To the general assembly and congregation of the first-born, who are enrolled in heaven (in the book of life), and to Elohim, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of righteous men made perfect.’ We read a further promise when Messiah returns from first Thessalonians 5: 23, in this way:‘ Now may the Elohim of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and bodies be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Master Yahshua Messiah.’ It is because we have now through studying the word of Elohim, discovered our own makeup; we should also know the Oneness of Elohim, as Rav Shaul explained in Romans 1: 19 & 20 – we have no excuse.

But let’s return to Elohim’s Torah regarding plants. When we look at a cultivated fruit tree, we see a single plant, but in reality we are in most cases looking at two trees that have been combined into one. In the case of a cultivated tree, the root system comes from one part of one tree, known as the rootstock and the branches come from another tree. However, there are also instances where a third tree is used for the short section of the trunk, called the stem. The reason for combining different varieties of trees is to produce top-quality fruit with a superior root system. In a successful graft, new xylem (woody tissue) cells from one part of the tree joins with those from the other parts, forming an unbroken water and nutrient conducting system. However, what must be remembered when crafting a cultivated tree, is that the individual plants of the clonal rootstock, must be genetically identical, and as a result the grower is able to predict the characteristics of the new tree with a fair amount of accuracy. So it is clear from the natural order to have a successful grafting, a good root system, a scion consisting of a branch of a different tree, and if necessary a third inter-stem, from the same species are used to form a new tree. The cultivated tree or root system of Romans 11is genetically the same (from Judah) as the wild branches (from Ephraim) in that they are both Israelites. The inter-stem or Gentiles who accept (YHVH)’s Torah covenant and Sabbaths (as per Isaiah 56: 6 – 8), who have accepted Messiah as their personal Passover have clothed themselves with Messiah, becomes Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise(as per Galatians 3: 26 – 29 & Romans 9: 6 & 7). However, to have a successful grafting they must all have constant contact with one another for water and nutrients (life) to flow to all the crafted parts. This will essentially take quite a lot of work and effort, but the end result will be a cultivated tree that will bear fruit to Elohim, similar to when the natural olive tree (the united nation of Israel) used to be one under the rulership of King David.

Let’s now consider the olive tree of Romans 11 in the light of the law of prohibiting the mixing of species. An olive tree has a potential lifespan of more than a thousand years of bearing olives;and has as a result become a symbol of immortality. The olive tree propagates by putting forth branches that ensure its survival even after the main trunk becomes hollow. The olive tree left such an impression on the Psalmist that he wrote in Psalm 128: 3, ‘Your wife shall be like a fruitful vine, within your house, your children like olive plants around your table.’The olive is one of the most common trees in the Land of Israel and the uses of the tree are many; it is also for this reason that the olive tree is used as a figure for Israel. The olive tree (Israel) is a wonderful symbol of the promise Elohim made with father Abraham of a continuous offspring that are a product of a marriage between YHVH and Israel. According to first Kings 6: 23 & 31, the wood of the olive tree was used to make the two cherubim in the inner sanctuary, as well as the doors, lintel and five sided doorposts of the entrance of the inner sanctuary, in the time of King Solomon. In Jeremiah 11: 16 & 17 YHVH calls the united nation of Israel a green olive tree, in this way: ‘YHVH 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 its branches are worthless. (17) And YHVH of hosts, who planted you, has pronounced evil against you because of the evil of the house of Israel and the house of Judah, which they have done to provoke Me by offering up sacrifices to Baal.’YHVH planted one Israel (olive tree) and because the nation split in two after King Solomon’s sins, and subsequent sins of King Jeroboam of Israel and King Manasseh of Judah, that both nations were laid bare before the nations, as branches both cultivated and uncultivated were cut off.

Because (YHVH)’s olive tree in Jeremiah 11 contained both houses of Israel and Judah, so does the olive tree in Romans 11. According to verse 17 of Jeremiah 11 and verses 19 & 20 of Romans 11 branches were broken off because of unbelief or disobedience. We read further from Jeremiah 2: 21, “Yet I planted you a choice vine, a completely faithful seed. How then have you turned yourself before Me into the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine?” Even so, it does not matter where the house of Israel lives or what he or she believes, he or she is still an Israelite. However, Jeremiah teaches that because Israel travelled on the Assyrian road (as per Jeremiah 2: 18) he or she degenerated into a foreign vine. They became like Gentiles among the Gentiles. The olive tree of Ephraim became so degenerate that it took on the cultures, behaviors and features of the non-Israelite nations amongst whom they live. These scriptural witnesses make it clear that the olive tree is both the house of Judah and the house of Israel. When Judah and Israel split they became the two olive trees described in Zechariah 4, which Zechariah could not identify at the time of writing this prophecy. The rootstock out of the house of Judah is Yahshua, and the scion which became scattered into all the nations and became a degenerate vine or wild olive shoot is Ephraim. The house of Judah preserved the covenants, the Torah and the timing of the temple services and promises (as per Romans 9: 4). Ephraim became a wild olive tree, forgot Torah and adopted pagan gentile ways, however, because YHVH will never forget the promises He made with our forefathers in the faith, He send Yahshua to bring the lost ten tribes back to the covenant that He made with our fathers in the faith. (YHVH)’s plan as prophesied by the prophets was to bring the two trees back together in Messiah, or the greater King David, as we read from both Ezekiel 37, but also from Ephesians 2.

There are many misconceptions about the olive tree in Romans 11 and the root. Most people believe the olive tree and the root to be the Jews. It is for this reason that many in Churchianity as well as in the Messianic Jewish movement spend so much time and effort to evangelize Jews. They claim that the wild olive branches are Gentiles, and that Messianic Jews who came to believe in Y’shua as well as the adopted Christians are now crafted into the Jewish Olive Tree and have become the Israel of G-d. Many new believers to the Messianic faith spend hours to prove somewhere down the line they have Jewish ancestors, to gain acceptance by the Messianic Community. They are either blinded to, or do not want to recognize the two house doctrine, which is evident throughout the Scriptures. But the Torah concerning mixtures proves that the wild olive branches of Romans 11 are not Gentiles as many teach, but are Israelites from the house of Israel who were scattered into the world because of disobedience. Yahshua said that He came specifically to bring back lost sheep of the house of Israel (in Matthew 24: 15) to YHVH, but also to the commonwealth of Israel. They are through the process of grafting, being placed back into the olive tree of united Israel containing all twelve tribes. Because they were former Israelites who became wild olive branches since they have forgotten their roots and started adopting the cultures and pagan religious practices of the nations amongst whom they were scattered. As a result of the law that forbids the grafting of two different species together into one tree, there is no problem crafting them back into the original olive tree. The natural olive branches are Jews from the house of Judah, the rootstock. Yahshua Himself from the rootstock being the root of the olive tree. The transliterated Hebrew words ‘sheresh’ from the root ‘sharash’ means ‘the root’, origin, source, offspring or shoot. Yahshua is called the ‘root of Jesse’ in Isaiah 11: 1; Revelation 5: 5; and 22: 16 and in the last part of Romans 11: 16 we read about Him, in this way: ‘And if the root be holy (set-apart), the branches are too.’ The natural cultivated branches are indeed the Jews, but the wild uncultivated branches are Israelites from the lost ten tribes, whom YHVH is calling to return to their original culture and faith through Yahshua our Messiah. The branches were broken off because of unbelief, as per Jeremiah 11, but the uncultivated branches are now being grafted back into the original olive tree.

Even so, we read from Romans 11: 24 – 29: ‘For if you were cut off from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and were crafted contrary to nature into a cultivated olive tree, how much more shall these who are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree? (25)For I do not want you, brethren, to be uninformed of this mystery, lest you be wise in your own estimation, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in; (26)and thus all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, “THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION, HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB. (27) AND THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM, WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.”(28)From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of Elohim’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; (29) for the gifts and the calling of Elohim are irrevocable.’ Rav Shaul was revealing the mystery of the olive tree to the congregation in Rome. He was fully aware that all Israel from both houses will eventually be saved. The Ephraimites are being called back into the fold by Yahshua, as He told our Jewish Brothers in John 10: 14 – 16, saying: “I am the good shepherd; and I know My own, and My own know Me. (15) even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and lay down My life for the sheep. (16) And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock with one shepherd.”

YHVH being the Eternal cannot lie and remain true to His word forever, as He said in Malachi 3: 6, “For I, YHVH, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.” We read His promise in Deuteronomy 4: 24 – 31, in this way: “For YHVH your Elohim is a consuming fire, a jealous Elohim. (25) When you become the father of children and children’s children and have remained long in the land, and act corruptly, and make an idol in the form of anything, and do that which is evil in the sight of YHVH your Elohim so as to provoke Him to anger, (26) I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that you shall surely perish quickly from the land where you are going over the Jordan to possess it. You shall not live long on it, but shall be utterly destroyed. (27)And YHVH will scatter you among the peoples, and you shall be left few in number among the nations, where YHVH shall drive you. (28)And there you will serve gods, the work of man’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear nor eat nor smell. (29)But from there you will seek YHVH your Elohim, and you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart and all your soul. (30)When you are in distress and all these things have come upon you, in the latter days, you will return to YHVH your Elohim and listen to His voice. (31)For YHVH your Elohim is a compassionate Elohim; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.” The Torah helps us understand that the fruit of an olive tree bears seed after its kind and the commands about not mixing seeds help us understand that the wild branches of Romans 11 have to be blood descendants of the original tree. But the Question is: How do genuine Gentiles come into the olive tree? How are they grafted into the olive tree of Israel?

We read from Galatians 3: 26 – 29; Galatians 6: 16 and Romans 9: 6 & 7 how this becomes possible, as follows: ‘For you are all sons of Elohim through faith in Messiah Yahshua. (27) For all of you who were immersed into Messiah have clothed yourselves with Messiah. (28) There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Messiah Yahshua. (29) And if you belong to Messiah, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise[1]. (Gal.6: 16) ‘And those who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of Elohim.’ (Rom 9: 6& 7) ‘But it is not as though the word of Elohim has failed. For they are not all Israel who are descended from Israel; (7)neither are they all children because they are Abraham’s descendants, but: “THROUGH ISAAC YOUR DESCENDANTS WILL BE NAMED.” So Gentiles become citizens of Israel through Yahshua our Messiah. Once they have put on Messiah, they have become part of the root Yahshua and have become of the same specie as Israel and can be crafted in with the wild olive branches contrary to nature. The Gentiles or non-Israelites are not olive branches at all. But they are used as inter-stems to serve as a bridge between the cultivated root and uncultivated branches. If the Gentile joins himself to YHVH through Messiah Isaiah tells us in Isaiah 56: 6 – 8, saying: ‘Also the foreigners who join themselves to YHVH, to minister to Him, and to love the name of YHVH, to be His servants, everyone who keeps from profaning the Sabbath, and holds fast My covenant; (7) even those I will bring to My holy mountain (government), and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; for My house will be called a house of prayer for all peoples.” (8)YHVH Elohim, who gathers the dispersed of Israel, declares, “Yet others I will gather to them, to those already gathered.”’

We see that Gentiles who give up all their former ways including forefather worship as the custom of many are in especially Africa, and join themselves to YHVH through Yahshua Messiah are acceptable to the rootstock olive tree and can be crafted in as inter-stems into the olive tree as the third tree. This happens especially if those who YHVH calls in from the lost ten tribes refuse to answer the call as explained in the parable of the wedding feast in Matthew 22. We see from verse 3 that some of those whom the king invited to the wedding, refused to answer the call and as a result later in verse 9 he told the slaves that those who were invited were not worthy, and that they should go out into the highway, and as many as they find there they should invite to the wedding. So the slaves went out and invited both evil and good from the highway, to come and attend the wedding feast. However, when the king came to look over the guests he found there a man not dressed in wedding garments (meaning a person who came in to serve Elohim, without giving up all his traditions from the past), and the king told his slaves to bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness.

We also read the parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13: 24 – 30. Yahshua explained the principle of sowing two kinds of seeds in one field. This is a two-house parable with deeper truths hidden in it. The wheat in this parable represents the true believing remnant of called out believers, sown into the world, by Yahshua. But who are the tares? As explained in this parable they are sown by Satan, while the watchmen slept. Tares area poisonous grass specie that looks a lot like wheat, whilst growing, until its fruit appears. It is only then that the difference becomes obvious. Yahshua tells us in verse 41 of Matthew 13 that the tares are stumbling blocks and those who commit lawless deeds in our midst, sown by Satan. In verses 42 & 43 Yahshua concludes the parable, saying that He: “(and) will cast them into the furnace of fire; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (43) “Then The RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.” Those in our community who are given the same knowledge of truth about Elohim’s plan of salvation for all mankind during this age, but go on sinning because of unbelief, will like Satan and those who refuse to bow the knee before Yahshua after the millennium in the great white throne judgment, be thrown into the lake of fire to become ashes under the feet of the righteous (as per Malachi 4: 1).With this better understanding of the Torah commands forbidding the mixing of different species, we can prove that the wild olive branches of Romans 11 are Israelites and not Gentiles as the Christian church and Messianic Judaism teaches. Yahshua used this law to explain the parable of the wheat and the tares, proving only those who are or become Israel through Yahshua and who leave all their previous customs and beliefs behind will be gathered into Elohim’s granary. Think about it!

[1]Genesis 17: 7 – 12, “And I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout your generations for an everlasting covenant, to be Elohim to you and to your descendants after you.And I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their Elohim.” Elohim said further to Abraham, “Now as for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations. This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised. And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be the sign of the covenant between Me and you. And every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations, a servant who is born in the house or who is bought with money from any foreigner, who is not your descendants.”