I've just started reading the 5th Chapter of Jacob, "The Allegory of the Olive Tree", which is really a story of reconciliation. I think the allegory can mean different things to different people depending on their perspective. In one sense, it represents a macroscopic picture of the history of the world, and the Lord's dealings with the House of Israel and the Gentiles. But there are also lots of little gems all the way through that show you the loving personality of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the power of his Atonement.
The thing that impresses me today is the great power of the Atonement to change us from wild, unproductive branches, into tame branches that bring forth good fruit. To me, the roots of the tame olive tree represent the new and everlasting covenant that God made with Adam, and that he has renewed in each dispensation, with Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The roots also represent the covenant family, and the ancestors who faithfully endured in the covenant, and have now entered their exaltation. The branches represent their posterity, some of whom wander from the Lord and His gospel. But the Lord is under covenant obligation to Abraham, Issac, Jacob, etc. to reach out to and save their wandering posterity. So he does all that he can to preserve the any of the branches that respond to His ministering service. Ultimately, though some of the branches wander, He brings them back into the family, grafting them back in to the tree, and making them one with their covenant ancestors.
At the same time, the Lord wants the new and everlasting covenant to bless not only the covenant family, but all of his children in all of the world. The wild branches represent the Gentiles: people who have not entered into the covenant with the Lord, and the roots of the wild trees may represent their Gentile ancestors, culture, traditions, etc. The Lord provides opportunity for wild branches and wild trees to be blessed by the covenant---He grafts wild branches into the tame olive tree, making them one with the covenant family, and allowing the strength of the roots---the power of his gospel covenant, and his holy Atonement---to work in the wild branches until they bring forth good fruit, and are one with the covenant family. And when he takes tame branches from the tame olive tree, and grafts them into the roots of the wild trees, similar things happen: the goodness of the covenant in these young and tender branches somehow changes the wild roots so that they too bring forth good fruit.
Mercy, healing and change are available through covenant with Jesus Christ, the Holy One of Israel, the Lord of the vineyard. His Atonement is powerful enough to changes our natures, from being wayward, rebellious, and unproductive to being tender, productive, and fruitful. And the power of his Atonement can bring about a beautiful sense of oneness with our families, living and dead, all blessed by the new and everlasting covenant.
The thing that impresses me today is the great power of the Atonement to change us from wild, unproductive branches, into tame branches that bring forth good fruit. To me, the roots of the tame olive tree represent the new and everlasting covenant that God made with Adam, and that he has renewed in each dispensation, with Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The roots also represent the covenant family, and the ancestors who faithfully endured in the covenant, and have now entered their exaltation. The branches represent their posterity, some of whom wander from the Lord and His gospel. But the Lord is under covenant obligation to Abraham, Issac, Jacob, etc. to reach out to and save their wandering posterity. So he does all that he can to preserve the any of the branches that respond to His ministering service. Ultimately, though some of the branches wander, He brings them back into the family, grafting them back in to the tree, and making them one with their covenant ancestors.
At the same time, the Lord wants the new and everlasting covenant to bless not only the covenant family, but all of his children in all of the world. The wild branches represent the Gentiles: people who have not entered into the covenant with the Lord, and the roots of the wild trees may represent their Gentile ancestors, culture, traditions, etc. The Lord provides opportunity for wild branches and wild trees to be blessed by the covenant---He grafts wild branches into the tame olive tree, making them one with the covenant family, and allowing the strength of the roots---the power of his gospel covenant, and his holy Atonement---to work in the wild branches until they bring forth good fruit, and are one with the covenant family. And when he takes tame branches from the tame olive tree, and grafts them into the roots of the wild trees, similar things happen: the goodness of the covenant in these young and tender branches somehow changes the wild roots so that they too bring forth good fruit.
Mercy, healing and change are available through covenant with Jesus Christ, the Holy One of Israel, the Lord of the vineyard. His Atonement is powerful enough to changes our natures, from being wayward, rebellious, and unproductive to being tender, productive, and fruitful. And the power of his Atonement can bring about a beautiful sense of oneness with our families, living and dead, all blessed by the new and everlasting covenant.
This reminds me of the talk in conference about families and how each of us are say a daughter, grand daughter, great grand daughter and also mother, grand mother, great grandmother. Like the roots and the branches.
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