Making a Differencewith Pastor Phil Erickson

Jul 31st, 2010 Guest Post by Gary Geiger

Today’s Reading – Isaiah 13 – 17

Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof,” saith the LORD God of Israel. (Isaiah 17:6)

Those two or three berries which cling to the uppermost bough could be compared to the Christian who lives his life through the eyes of the Lord always looking on things above.  Despite fierce shaking by the world his fruit has withstood the harvest of the world, yet he still is not convinced of the truth.

Those four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof could be compared to the Christian who has spent his entire life amongst the fruitful branches thereof.  He has clung onto the promises of God.  His bough has become a fruitful branch. He has remained because of his connections to the gods of this world.

Soon God will shake the olive tree one last time and even then gleaning grapes shall be left in it. He knows the hearts of his children, those that are not yet convinced and those that have a form of godliness.    Some say that this verse refers to the end of the ten battles by the Assyrians.  I have studied to the best of my ability the olive tree and I’m not convinced.  I love the unconditional love of God in this verse; God doesn’t wish that any should perish but that all shall come to repentance. I think God loves us so much that even after the rapture he has a plan for the gleaning grapes to offer one last opportunity to those young berries in the bough and to those in the fruitful branches.

I also did an exhaustive study of the Olive tree.  Read the verses, study and enjoy God’s word:
The Olive-tree

• Often grew wild. Romans 11:17

CULTIVATED

• In olive yards. 1 Samuel 8:14, Nehemiah 5:11

Among rocks. Deuteronomy 32:13

On the sides of mountains. Matthew 21:1

Canaan abounded in. Deuteronomy 6:1, Deuteronomy 8:8

• Assyria abounded in. 2 Kings 18:32

Kings of Israel largely cultivated. 1 Chronicles 27:28

DESCRIBED AS

• Green. Jeremiah 11:16

Fair and beautiful. Jeremiah 11:16, Hosea 14:6

Fat and unctuous. Judges 9:9, Romans 11:17

Bearing goodly fruit. Jeremiah 11:16, James 3:12

Grafting of, alluded to. Romans 11:24

Pruning of, alluded to. Romans 11:18-19

Often cast its flowers. Job 15:33

Often cast its fruit. Deuteronomy 28:40

Often suffered from caterpillars. Amos 4:9

Good for the service of God and man. Judges 9:9

Oil procured from. Exodus 27:20, Deuteronomy 8:8

USED FOR MAKING

• The cherubim in the temple. 1 Kings 6:23

The doors and posts of the temple. 1 Kings 6:31-33

Booths at feast of tabernacles. Nehemiah 8:15

Beaten to remove the fruit. Deuteronomy 24:20

Shaken when fully ripe. Isaiah 17:6

Gleaning of, left for the poor. Deuteronomy 24:20

Fruit of, during sabbatical year left for the poor, Exodus 23:11

• The fruit of, trodden in presses. Micah 6:15, Haggai 2:16

Failure of, a great calamity. Habakkuk 3:17-18

ILLUSTRATIVE

• Of Christ. Romans 11:17, Romans 11:24

Of the Jewish church. Jeremiah 11:16

Of the righteous. Psalms 52:8, Hosea 14:6

Of children of pious parents. Psalms 128:3

Of the two witnesses. Revelation 11:3-4

(When wild,) of the Gentiles. Romans 11:17, Romans 11:24

(Gleaning of,) of the remnant of grace.

Isaiah 17:6 Yet gleaning grapes shall be left in it, as the shaking of an olive tree, two or three berries in the top of the uppermost bough, four or five in the outmost fruitful branches thereof, saith the LORD God of Israel.

The emblem of peace. Genesis 8:11