Fatness

Jeremiah 11:15–20 uses the image of a green olive tree to give a prophetic picture of our Lord. The green olive tree is destroyed for the sins of the houses of Judah and Israel (Jeremiah 11:17), and the men of Israel and Judah set out to destroy him, as a lamb led to the slaughter (Jeremiah 11:19). 

This isn't the only place where the image of a green olive tree is used to describe the Lord Jesus. We've talked before about Deuteronomy 24:19–21, Hosea 14:6–7, and Psalm 52:8–9. It's not the most common image, but it shows up a few times.

If we want to understand how the people of the Old Testament understood the image of an olive tree, we can turn back to Jotham's parable in Judges 9:7–20. In his parable, the trees offer the kingdom first to the olive tree, and it replies,  "Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to wave over the trees?" (Judges 9:9). So we understand that – at least to the people in Old Testament times – the olive tree represents fatness. And we understand that fatness to be a blessing to both God and man.

J. N. Darby points out that Melchisidec doesn't offer for sin ("The Melchisidec Priesthood of Christ", Collected Writings, Volume 2, pp. 64–73). Instead, his priesthood is characterized by standing between God and man and blessing both. I don't mean to say, of course, that our Lord did not offer for sins. But the fact remains that the greatest priest in the Old Testament – indeed the first priest Scripture mentions – is not offering for sin, but blessing both God and man.

It's reasonable to say that the Levitical priesthood prefigures Christ offering for sin, and is thus characteristic of His first coming. But Melchisidec's priesthood prefigures Christ in a more permanent ministry: sin having been put away, He continues to bless both God and man.

The image of the olive tree is like that of Melchisidec, but it reveals a different facet. It's not only the Priest who can bless both God and man – by the olive tree's "fatness," others ("they") can too.  There is a ministry for us here.

I heard one brother say something to the effect that our first and highest calling is to bless God (Ephesians 1:3ff). I have no doubt he's correct. And I have no doubt that we have a ministry in proclaiming the Gospel to lost sinners. But I think there is another ministry too: there is a ministry of blessing lost men and women, regardless whether they repent.

I recognize there's a danger here of a "social gospel" that leaves the Cross behind. But that danger shouldn't be an excuse for us not to be a blessing to those around us, even if only in this life.

And to be clear: I don't believe we can claim to be blessing man by the olive tree's fatness if we leave the olive tree behind. The "social gospel" and its ilk are characterized by a Christ-less, Cross-less, God-less "christianity." Sadly, people seem to fall for that. But it's not a gospel at all, it's an anti-gospel. "You don't need Christ" isn't a meaningful message, but it's exactly the message that progressive Christianity seems to preach.

God is kind, and is kind to His creation. He blesses in big ways (forgiveness of sins, eternal life), but in small ways too (see Acts 14:15–17). He gives rain both to the just and to the unjust (Matthew 5:45). We, too, should be a blessing to those around us. But we don't pretend we have anything to offer the fallen world that isn't from and through and because of Christ.