John 15:1,5  “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. I am the vine, you are the branches.”

Lately, there has been a resurgence in ‘Replacement Theology,’ which teaches the Christian church has replaced Israel in God’s plan, claiming that the Jews are no longer God’s chosen people and God does not have specific future plans for the nation of Israel. It also teaches the multiple biblical promises God made to Israel in the Old Testament are fulfilled in the Christian church, not in Israel.

The claim is that God’s covenant promises to bless Israel (such as Genesis 12:1-2) and restore Israel to the Promised Land (such as Jeremiah 30:3-5) are spiritualized or allegorized as promises of God’s blessing for the church. What is prompting this resurgence?  

Since the October 7, 2023 massacre of over 1,200 innocent Israelis by Hamas, Israel has been on high alert to not only defend itself against further attacks from radical Islamic threats but also to launch its own strikes to eliminate Hamas in Gaza as well as to prevent Iran’s nuclear weapons development program.

With President Trump backing Israel against Iran with an extremely successful air attack which destroyed Iran’s nuclear facilities, there is a group of prominent social influencers who think that America should not be so invested in Israel’s survival as well as that “True Israel” is the Christian church.

This idea that the church is now “True Israel,” inheriting God’s promises made to Israel in the Old Testament, is their interpretation of Romans 9:6-7: “It is not that the word of God has taken no effect. For they are not all Israel who are of Israel. Nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham.”

This leads us to ask 2 Questions:

1. Is the Christian church “True Israel”, and if so, does that mean the church has indeed inherited all of God’s promises to Israel in the Old Testament? 
2. How does JESUS CHRIST fit into God’s plans for the church and the nation of Israel?

In this week’s verses, Jesus calls Himself the “True Vine”, and the branches are those trusting in Him.

In Romans 11:17-19,20,23 we are introduced again to this metaphor of “branches” but this time on an “Olive Tree.” Wild branches are grafted in and natural branches broken off, all supported by the root:

“If some of the branches (Jews) were broken off, and you (Gentiles), being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you… Because of unbelief they (Jews) were broken off, and you stand by faith. And they also (Jews), if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.”

Now, we have Question 3: Is Israel described in the Old Testament as God’s “Vine/Vineyard” and “Olive Tree”? Answering this question will lead us back to Questions 1 and 2.

We begin with bible verses that describe the nation of Israel as God’s Vine / Vineyard:

 Isaiah 5:7 è Israel = God’s Vine “The VINEYARD of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are His pleasant plant…”

‚ Psalm 80:8-11 è Israel = God’s Nurtured Vine “You have brought a VINE out of Egypt; You have cast out the nations, and planted it. You prepared room for it, and caused it to take deep root, and it filled the land. The hills were covered with its shadow, and the mighty cedars with its boughs. She sent out her boughs to the (Mediterranean) Sea, And her branches to the (Euphrates) River.”

ƒ Ezekiel 19:10 è Israel = God’s Fruitful Vine “Your mother was like a VINE in your bloodline, planted by the waters, fruitful and full of branches because of many waters.”

„ Jeremiah 2:21 è Israel = God’s Degenerate Vine “I had planted you a NOBLE VINE, a seed of highest quality. How have you turned before Me into the degenerate plant of an ALIEN VINE?”

… Psalm 80:12-16 è Israel = God’s Punished Vine “Return, we beseech You, O God of hosts; Look down from heaven and see, and visit this VINE and the VINEYARD which Your right hand has planted, and the branch that You made strong for Yourself. It is burned with fire, it is cut down; They perish at the rebuke of Your countenance.”

We now look at bible verses that describe the nation of Israel as God’s Olive Tree:

 Psalm 52:8 è Israel = God’s Olive Tree “I am like a green OLIVE TREE in the house of God; I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever.

‚ Jeremiah 11:16-17 è Israel = God’s Punished Olive Tree “”The Lord called you a thriving OLIVE TREE with fruit beautiful in form. But with the roar of a mighty storm He will set it on fire, and its branches will be broken. The Lord Almighty, who planted you, has decreed disaster for you, because the people of both Israel and Judah have done evil and aroused my anger by burning incense to Baal.”

In Romans 11:17-19,20,23, notice it is not the olive tree but it’s ROOT which is the support, foundation, “chief cornerstone” for the branches, regardless if they are natural (Jews) or wild (Gentiles).

Also notice in Jeremiah chapter 11 we see “branches will be broken” (future state) and Romans chapter 11 says “branches were broken off.” Here we see a fulfilled prophecy spanning over 650 years.

This leads us to 2 additional Questions 4 and 5:

4) Who are these “broken branches”?       5) Who is this “root”, this “chief cornerstone”?

Jeremiah 11:17 specifically identifies the olive tree’s branches as Israel. Romans 11:1-26 specifically identifies the branches that were broken off the olive tree as Israel.

There are several Scriptures pointing to the ROOT of the Olive Tree – the Foundation – as Jesus Christ:

 Isaiah 28:16 (700 BC): “Thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stone for a foundation, A tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation; Whoever believes will not act hastily.”

‚ Psalm 118:22-23 (1,000 BC): “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing. It is marvelous in our eyes.”

ƒ 1Peter 2:6 (65 AD): “It is also contained in the Scripture, ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him (Jesus) will by no means be put to shame.’”

„ 1Corinthians 3:11 (65 AD) “No other foundation can anyone lay than what is laid – Jesus Christ.”

… Matthew 21:40-42 (65 AD) “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those vinedressers?” They said to Him, ‘He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.’

Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the Scriptures: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes’?”

SUMMARIZING: Answering Questions 1 & 2

1. To answer Question 2 (on previous page): How does Jesus Christ fit into God’s Plans? He is God the Father’s “True Vine”, “Root of the Olive Tree”, “Chief Cornerstone”, “Sure Foundation” 
2. To answer Question 1 (on previous page): Is the Christian Church “True Israel”?
   1. Believing Jews = Natural branches of the Olive Tree
   1. Believing Gentiles = Wild branches grafted into the Olive Tree
   1. The Church = God’s new creation at Pentecost when Jesus ascends to His Father and the Holy Spirit indwells all believers (Jews and Gentiles) in Jesus Christ, Mediator of the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-34 compared with Hebrews 8:6-13).
   1. Israel = the nation living in the land God promised them, whom God also gives a second chance to repent and trust in Christ in the End Times (see article #640).

In Romans chapters 9-11, the apostle Paul emphasizes that God’s covenant promises are for “spiritual Israel” – those who trust in Jesus Christ, the “True Vine”, as their Lord and Savior.

A “True Israelite”, Jew or Gentile, is not based on physically descending from Abraham, but faith in Jesus Christ (just like I do not get into heaven because my parents are Christians).

It is about focusing on the “True Vine” – Jesus Christ, not portraying the church as “True Israel”

“The Evidence of Faith’s Substance”_Article #639