At My Olive Tree we base our entire organization on leaving a legacy for our children’s children, specifically in the nation of Israel. Why is that you might ask?
Why Israel?
It is our belief that the nation of Israel is the apple of God’s eye. We read this throughout the scriptures. For example, here in Deuteronomy it is recorded…
“He found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye.”—Deuteronomy 32:10
It is evident that God has always had a special place in His heart for this tiny nation…
“For thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye.’”—Zechariah 2:8
A Covenant Agreement Between God and Abraham…
In befriending Abraham, the ancient patriarch of the Hebrew people, God made covenant promises with him that He would do mighty things through Abraham’s descendants…
“And I will make your descendants multiply as the stars of Heaven; I will give to your descendants all these lands; and in your seed, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed; because Abraham obeyed My voice and kept My charge, My commandments, My statutes, and My laws.”—Genesis 26:4-5
“Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. I will make you a great nation; I will bless you and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”—Genesis 12:1-3
A covenant agreement is a legal and binding promise between two parties that states that the two entities become as one unit, rather than operating as two. This is a serious commitment, and the punishment for breaking that commitment in biblical times was most consequential. The offending party could be put to death, and the bond would be broken forever.
What is so interesting about God’s covenant with Abraham is that He understood the fragility of man. In other words, He knew that Abraham would fail at his end of the agreement. So, God, to ensure that the promises He made would be fulfilled with both Abraham and the coming generations to come, not only took His own place in the agreement, but He chose to stand in for Abraham, as well.
Here in Genesis 15:17 we see as God walks through the ceremonial process alone that typically would have been split between the two parties…
“And it came to pass, when the sun went down and it was dark, that behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a burning torch that passed between those pieces.”
He then went on to say this…
“On the same day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying: ‘To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the River Euphrates—the Kenites, the Kenezzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.’”—Genesis 15:18-20
Yes, But How Does that Apply to Modern-Day Israel?
This is an age-old question. Many church doctrines subscribe to ideologies that replace Israel with the arrival of the Church. And while we do not have time to go into that here, at My Olive Tree we do not subscribe to these beliefs. We understand that God’s Word is living and that it is true. That when God makes a promise to us, or to a given people group, He is NOT a man that He can lie. It’s physically impossible for Him to do so.
That said, the nation of Israel, following the death of Abraham, experienced many hardships. Much of this had to do with the fact that they chose to walk away from the covenant promises of their Father Abraham, away from his God, in exchange for idol worship. There were consequences for those decisions. God never stopped loving the Hebrew children, but He refused to violate their free will.
It All Comes Full Circle…
As we study the ancient Hebrew prophets we see a consistent theme. Although God knew that choices would be made that would separate His people from their promise, He never gave up on them. In fact, God created a plan within a plan to not only bring salvation to the Jews, but to the Gentiles, as well…
“I ask then: Did God reject His people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin… Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious. But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring! I am talking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch as I am the apostle to the Gentiles, I take pride in my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them. For if their rejection brought reconciliation to the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? If the part of the dough offered as firstfruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, ‘Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.’ Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble.”—Romans 11:1, 11-20
So Now What?
We at My Olive Tree believe that the prophets of old, empowered through God’s Spirit, spoke out the very future of the nation of Israel…
“And in that day it shall be that living waters shall flow from Jerusalem, half of them toward the eastern sea and half of them toward the western sea; in both summer and winter it shall occur.”—Zechariah 14:8
“‘Therefore behold, the days are coming’ says the Lord, ‘that it shall no more be said, “The Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,” but, “The Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north and from the lands where He had driven them.” For I will bring them back into their land which I gave to their fathers.’”—Jeremiah 16:14-15
Pay Attention to the ‘Untils’…
“Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites.”—Micah 5:3
“They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.”—Luke 21:24
“Therefore Israel will be abandoned until the time when she who is in labor bears a son, and the rest of his brothers return to join the Israelites.”—Micah 5:3
“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’ He said, ‘Go and tell this people: “Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.” Make the heart of this people calloused; make their ears dull and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.’ Then I said, ‘For how long, Lord?’ And He answered: ‘Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and the fields ruined and ravaged, until the Lord has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken. And though a tenth remains in the land, it will again be laid waste. But as the terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down, so the holy seed will be the stump in the land.’”—Isaiah 6:8-13
“I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in.”—Romans 11:25
“Heaven must receive Him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as He promised long ago through His holy prophets.”—Acts 3:21
“But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge.”—Daniel 12:4
“For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.’”—Matthew 23:39
“Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’ It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.”—Daniel 9:25
Biblical prophecy specifically points to a coming day where the Hebrew children will return to their homeland as a thriving nation. God intended to leave a legacy to Abraham and all His future generations. At My Olive Tree we plant trees in the desert with the expectation that through our efforts to partner with God in this plan, that we, too, are leaving a legacy to our own children and for generations to come.
We plant trees that provide jobs. We desire to bless the nation of Israel and use the proceeds from the harvests of our trees to sow humanitarian aid into the lives of the widow and the orphans living in Israel.
Through this unique partnership with the nation of Israel we can take care of children living in foster care. Through these proceeds these children are ensured a safe home with resources that will allow them a future and a hope. Over 400 Holocaust Survivors are given greater quality of life because of our olive groves. Lone soldiers, who are the sole breadwinners of their families, are offered much needed groceries to help support their families often dire needs.
If you would like to learn more about this unique opportunity to play a part in biblical prophecy, leaving a legacy for your family and those living in Israel, please contact us at My Olive Tree today!