We Are The Wild Branches

Who Are We In Jacob 5?

One of the most intriguing historical and prophetic writings describing the general history of mankind is the account in Jacob 5 in the Book of Mormon where Jacob quotes Zenos relative to the allegory of the tame and wild olive trees. Included in this allegory is the history and prophecy concerning the House of Israel and the Gentiles. Nothing is so clear and yet, at least until you have the keys, so difficult to follow. One of the keys is understanding who the players are.  

There are two main groups--the House of Israel and the Gentiles. And for purposes of our discussion, we must understand, both historically and prophetically, that we are identified with the Gentiles, not the House of Israel. It took me many years to understand this and until I did, the Allegory of the Olive Tree, while interesting and challenging, was just another part of the Book of Mormon. It was not until I understood the players that its meaning to me was revealed.

Let's look at the players.  In the Book of Mormon there are only three groups that make up the House of Israel. These groups are 1) the Jews, 2) the Lost Tribes and 3) Lehi's descendants. In the Allegory of the Olive Tree these are the 'natural branches' spoken of by Zenos (actually Lehi's descendants are part of the tender branches planted in the choice ground), while the House of Israel is the tame (as opposed to the wild) olive tree.

"For behold, thus saith the Lord, I will liken thee, O house of Israel, like unto a tame olive tree, which a man took and nourished in his vineyard; and it grew, and waxed old, and began to decay" (Jacob 5:3).

We, according to Joseph Smith, are identified with the Gentiles (D&C 109:60). Joseph tells us this as he is praying for the House of Israel to be gathered and redeemed (D&C 109:61-67). And of course one of the prophetic aspects of the Allegory is the gathering of the House of Israel.  

Because the tame tree began to decay the Lord of the vineyard said to His servant "take thou the branches of the wild olive tree, and graft them in, in the stead thereof" (Jacob 5:9).

Now some may ask if we are of Ephraim, why are we not identified with the House of Israel? Because Ephraim assimilated among the Gentiles as Jacob indicated when he blessed Ephraim that he would become a 'multitude of nations' (Genesis 48:19), or as the Book of Mormon uses the phrase, the 'fulness of the Gentiles' (3 Nephi 16:4). For purposes of the Allegory of the Olive Tree we members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are identified with the Gentiles, both historically and prophetically. 

Zenos uses other allegorical terms to describe the House of Israel and the Gentiles. Those that make up the House of Israel (Jews, Lost Tribes and Lehi's descendants) are the natural branches, and the Gentiles are the wild branches. So if we simply follow the allegorical terms we can see what happened to, and what will happen to, the natural branches and the wild branches, and why.

Both the natural branches and the wild branches are described by the fruits that they bear, again both historically and prophetically.

The key to the Allegory is the root, which is always described as good. It is the root that sustained the tree into which the wild branches were grafted and later into which the natural branches are grafted. Christ is the root and the source of all good, and it is only when the branches take strength unto themselves and "overrun" the root, that the vineyard becomes corrupted (Jacob 5:37-46). Christ described himself as the vine and us as the branches, and that the branches cannot bring forth good fruit of themselves (John 15:2-8).

The allegory is also about the fruit that the branches bear. Initially the House of Israel or the natural branches are described as growing old and decaying and no longer bringing forth good fruit. But later when they are grafted into the natural tree again they will bring forth good fruit. The Gentiles or wild branches on the other hand, for awhile, after being grafted into the natural tree, bring forth good fruit because of "the much strength of the root" (Jacob 5:18), but then later they bring forth wild fruit, none of it which is good, and eventually we are told the wild branches are cut off and cast into the fire. 

"They came to the tree whose natural branches had been broken off, and the wild branches had been grafted in; and behold all sorts of fruit did cumber the tree.

And it came to pass that the Lord of the vineyard did taste of the fruit, every sort according to its number. And the Lord of the vineyard said: Behold, this long time have we nourished this tree, and I have laid up unto myself against the season much fruit.

But behold, this time it hath brought forth much fruit, and there is none of it which is good. And behold, there are all kinds of bad fruit; and it profiteth me nothing, notwithstanding all our labor; and now it grieveth me that I should lose this tree" (Jacob 5:30-32).

I have posted an article entitled "An Awful State of Blindness--Wild Fruit" which identifies many of the "all kinds of bad (wild) fruit" identified with Israel anciently and the Ephraimite Gentiles today.

We are told that the tender natural branches which were taken from the decaying olive tree, were planted (hidden) for a time and the areas where they were hidden and planted are described as the "nethermost parts of the vineyard" that is either choice ground or very poor ground, but for purposes of this article the where is not important in understanding what is prophesied concerning us as Ephraimite Gentiles. These details do, however, validate the Allegory as being historically accurate concerning the House of Israel.

There was a reversal that took place when Paul was called to take the fulness of the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 13:46). This is the beginning of the wild branches being grafted into the mother tree. But there will again be another reversal when the Gospel is taken from the Gentiles because they reject the fulness of the gospel, and it is given to the House of Israel (3 Nephi 16:10-11; D&C 14:10). Why? Because as the Allegory describes it, the wild branches bring forth wild fruit, NONE of it which is good. 

The charge, to "graft in the branches; begin at the last that they may be first, and that the first may be last" (Jacob 5:63), is a description used to describe the House of Israel as the first and the last to receive the gospel. Only those Ephraimite Gentiles who repent will be numbered among the House of Israel (3 Nephi 16:13). So there is still hope for us, but only on the condition of repentance. 

"But if they will not turn unto me, and hearken unto my voice, I will suffer them, yea, I will suffer my people, O house of Israel, that they shall go through among them, and shall tread them down, and they shall be as salt that hath lost its savor, which is thenceforth good for nothing but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of my people, O house of Israel" (3 Nephi 16:15). "Them" spoken of here are the Ephraimite Gentiles.

So there is no mistaking but that Jesus is talking about us, He further says: "when men are called unto mine everlasting gospel, and covenant with an everlasting covenant, they are accounted as the salt of the earth and the savor of men;

They are called to be the savor of men; therefore, if that salt of the earth lose its savor, behold, it is thenceforth good for nothing only to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men" (D&C 101:39-40).

Which is exactly what Jesus prophesied concerning us, the Ephraimite Gentiles, the salt of the earth that loses its savor, the wild branches. The Allegory describes it as wild fruit or not bringing forth fruit meet for repentance (Alma 12:15). When He says that none of the fruit is good, He is indicting us, but also prophecying concerning us. But do we even 'hear' Him? Are we so caught up in our goodness, our works, our duties that we can't see? We don't see because we don't 'hear' Him even though our Father commanded us: "Hear ye him."

"Wo be unto the Gentiles, saith the Lord God of Hosts! For notwithstanding I shall lengthen out mine arm unto them from day to day, they will deny me; nevertheless, I will be merciful unto them, saith the Lord God, if they will repent and come unto me; for mine arm is lengthened out all the day long, saith the Lord God of Hosts" (2 Nephi 28:32).

But He also gives us this promise:

"For they that are wise and have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived—verily I say unto you, they shall not be hewn down and cast into the fire, but shall abide the day" (D&C 45:57). And how do we receive the truth? Through His words which are truth, light and the Spirit of Jesus Christ (D&C 84:45).

This is a brief but I believe a powerful analysis that when revealed to you personally will not only change your paradigm, but will cause you to focus on the word of God and the need to repent.

Heed this call to action from Jacob to insure your place at His side:

"And the day that he shall set his hand again the second time to recover his people, is the day, yea, even the last time, that the servants of the Lord shall go forth in his power, to nourish and prune his vineyard; and after that the end soon cometh.

And how blessed are they who have labored diligently in his vineyard; and how cursed are they who shall be cast out into their own place! And the world shall be burned with fire. Those who are saying nothing but repentance are laboring diligently in his vineyard.

And how merciful is our God unto us, for he remembereth the house of Israel, both roots and branches; and he stretches forth his hands unto them all the day long; and they are a stiffnecked and a gainsaying people; but as many as will not harden their hearts shall be saved in the kingdom of God.

Wherefore, my beloved brethren, I beseech of you in words of soberness that ye would repent, and come with full purpose of heart, and cleave unto God as he cleaveth unto you. And while his arm of mercy is extended towards you in the light of the day, harden not your hearts.

Yea, today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts; for why will ye die?

For behold, after ye have been nourished by the good word of God all the day long, will ye bring forth evil fruit, that ye must be hewn down and cast into the fire? (Note the formula for not bringing forth evil fruit--being nourished by the word of God.)

Behold, will ye reject these words? Will ye reject the words of the prophets; and will ye reject all the words which have been spoken concerning Christ, after so many have spoken concerning him; and deny the good word of Christ, and the power of God, and the gift of the Holy Ghost, and quench the Holy Spirit, and make a mock of the great plan of redemption, which hath been laid for you?

Know ye not that if ye will do these things, that the power of the redemption and the resurrection, which is in Christ, will bring you to stand with shame and awful guilt before the bar of God?

And according to the power of justice, for justice cannot be denied, ye must go away into that lake of fire and brimstone, whose flames are unquenchable, and whose smoke ascendeth up forever and ever, which lake of fire and brimstone is endless torment.

O then, my beloved brethren, repent ye, and enter in at the strait gate, and continue in the way which is narrow, until ye shall obtain eternal life. (And we continue in the way by feasting upon the words of Christ. 2 Nephi 32:3)

O be wise; what can I say more?" 

(Jacob 6:2-12)