Answering the Bible's Question of the Mysterious Root - ARIEL BLUMENTHAL REVIVE ISRAEL

What or who is this mysterious biblical root? (Pixabay)

Answering the Bible's Question of the Mysterious Root

 4/20/2017 ARIEL BLUMENTHAL/REVIVE ISRAEL  CHARISMA NEWS

"Jewish roots" or "Hebrew roots" is a very popular subject today in the body of Christ, with many books, teaching ministries, websites and so on about this topic. After centuries of replacement theology and anti-Semitism from the historic church, we are witnessing a revival of Christian "Philo-Semitism" and positive interest in Israel.

Today, millions of Christians around the world are getting revelation and scriptural understanding about the need to positively connect with Israel and the Jewish people. For many, this includes teaching about the "Jewish roots," which can take many forms: Torah studies, observing biblical/Jewish feasts, understanding the "Hebraic" mindset, Holy Land tours, participating in a Passover Seder, standing with Israel politically and more.

In this article (and the following two or three), we want to take a close look at the "roots" teaching, which is most often based on the Scripture which speaks most clearly of a Jewish root: the olive tree of Romans 11:16-24. What does the term actually mean in the biblical context? How would the Roman Christians, to whom Paul addressed the letter, have understood this teaching? How should it be applied today?

The Olive Tree and Its Root: Romans 11:16-24

The apostle Paul writes of an olive tree of God's people, its branches and its root. The word "root" appears four times in verses 16-18. The overall message of these verses is first a reminder to the Gentile, Roman believers (the "wild" branches) that they have been graciously and surprisingly "grafted into" this olive tree-community of God's people—a tree which for many, many generations had only been "cultivated" among the Jewish nation/people (the "natural," native, domesticated branches). The apostle then sternly warns the Romans not to become arrogant or boastful toward these native, Jewish branches, and to remember that they don't support the root, but the root supports them (v.18). While the apostle clearly identifies three kinds of branches (Jewish believer, Gentile believer, Jewish unbelievers—the "broken-off" branches), he doesn't similarly define the root—nor does the Scripture explicitly label it as a "Jewish" or "Hebrew" root.

Throughout church history, biblical interpreters have offered four possible definitions of the root:

1. Jesus Himself, the "root and offspring" of David (Rev 22:16).
2. The patriarchs and/or the patriarchal (Abrahamic) covenant, based on verses 11:28-29.
3. The Jewish people/nation of Israel.
4. The first-century, Jewish believing community, especially represented by the apostolic Jerusalem church.

What do you think? Please study and meditate on these Scriptures as we continue our study, with Part 2 to come soon. Try, as much as possible, not to "import" any of your theology or ideas to the text; try to imagine that you are a Gentile, Roman Christian (some knew Jews; others did not) who is hearing this letter read publicly during a worship meeting. What would it have sounded like? Who, or what, is this mysterious root? 

This article originally appeared at reviveisrael.org.

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The Shared Hope of Reconciliation and Restoration in the End Times - ARIEL BLUMENTHAL/REVIVE ISRAEL CHARISMA NEWS

The Global Gathering in Munich, Germany, in 2015 (YouTube)

The Shared Hope of Reconciliation and Restoration in the End Times

 9/15/2016 ARIEL BLUMENTHAL/REVIVE ISRAEL  CHARISMA NEWS

The Bible has a lot to say about the resurrection from the dead—both Yeshua's and ours—at the end of the age.

To bring the dead to life in full glory is something the whole creation is yearning for (Rom. 8:18-23). We will be raised in a resurrection body that is as different from this one as the fully mature wheat plant is so much more "glorious" than a simple grain of wheat.

This new, heavenly body is imperishable, glorious, powerful and spiritual. Yeshua Himself is the resurrection. He is God's "firstfruits of the harvest from the dead" (John 11:25; 1 Cor. 15:23-44).

What could possibly be compared to this incredible hope, this awesome power that is at the core of our faith? What would it mean to say that something is actually like the resurrection from the dead?

Actually, there is one place in Scripture where such a comparison is made, as it describes the restoration of gospel faith among the Jewish people.

Life From the Dead

In Romans 11:12 and 11:15, the apostle Paul essentially says the same thing two different ways. The majority rejection of Yeshua by the Jewish people in the first century is described as "transgression," "failure" and "rejection." But in the mystery of God's plan, because of His covenant faithfulness, even this terrible hardening and judgment of Israel results in amazing "riches" and "reconciliation" for the nations (Gentiles).

Then, as Paul looks into a prophetic time tunnel toward the end of the age, foreseeing the time of Israel's restoration and "acceptance," he declares that this can only signal a "how much more" period of riches and reconciliation for the world that is–in its awesome power and drama—akin to "life from the dead," a kind of resurrection!

Beloved, this is exactly what we have been experiencing. As Israel—the Jewish nation—has been gradually restored over the last 130 years, both physically and spiritually through the gospel of Yeshua, we have witnessed the greatest expansion of worldwide Christianity since the first century. Missions, church growth, Bible translations and various prayer movements have been expanding at an exponential rate. All of this is the how much more of verses 12 and 15.

We Live in an Amazing Time of Restoration

Over the last several years in the Gathering movement, we have been experiencing this special grace for "the reconciliation of the world." As Asher Intrater has written over the last two weeks (Part 1, Part 2), this has even come to touch very deep issues in the 4,000-year-old relational dynamics within the Abrahamic family in the Middle East. Last week, he and I and several others from Israel went to London to spend three days in worship, prayer and fellowship with many leaders, especially from Egypt. Our focus was not on reconciliation, but on coming together to worship the King. But as we did so, the Spirit moved powerfully, especially among the youth, to bring us to yet a deeper place of reconciliation, unity and a sense of shared destiny (Eph. 3:6).

Only a few years ago, if you had told me that we would have such meetings with so many Egyptian leaders, and that together the Holy Spirit would lead us into prophetically removing strongholds that have plagued our peoples and region for thousands of years, even from the time of Abraham, Sarah, Hagar, Ishmael and Isaac, I would have said you were crazy! But it is happening!

We are living in this amazing time of the restoration (and reconciliation!) of all things spoken about by the holy prophets (Acts 3:21), like Isaiah's promise for Egypt, Assyria and Israel, as it begins to be fulfilled through a remnant from each nation (Is. 19:23-25).

All of this is a kind of "warm up" for the next Global Gathering that will take place in Jerusalem Nov. 7-11. We expect to see several thousand from the Far East, many hundreds from the Middle East, and many more from around the world as we gather at the Jerusalem Arena.

As in every gathering, our focus will be to joyfully worship Him in song, dance and proclamations. How exactly will the Holy Spirit lead? We don't know, but we are full of expectation, and we invite you to come and join. For more information about this next Gathering, click HERE! 

For the original article, visit reviveisrael.org.

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