Grafted-In

Not long ago, Archaeology Magazine carried an article about the recent discovery of this “grafted-in” symbol.  

An old religious hermit in Jerusalem shared with the editor a cache of artifacts he had found.  During the six day war this man had secretly done excavation on Mount Zion.

Many of the pottery shards, oil lamps, and stone pieces were engraved with a symbol that had not been seen before.

This unknown symbol was made up with a menorah on top, a Star of David in the middle and a fish on the bottom. 

These pottery shards are connected with the first followers of Christ. From the 2nd century AD, early Jewish believers in YESHWA that tied their traditions and faith into a growing Messianic Community used this symbol.

This symbol illustrates the great truth of Romans 11:17-19, which speaks of being GRAFTED-IN.

Acts 9:20 declares that Paul preached that Christ is the Son of God. Some Jews didn’t want to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, some did; they became the first Christians while the others were rejected or were cut-off. 

Some branches (some Jews) were broken off, while we Gentiles were “grafted-in”.  Together we make up the followers of Jesus.  The first century Christians used this symbol to show their heritage of faith.

The menorah on the top of the symbol represents the Torah, the covenant promises of God to Abraham and the Jewish people. 

The “Magen David” (Star of David) is a symbol of the kingdom and a reminder that the son of David, Jesus, Yeshua the King will sit on the throne of David.

The fish is a symbol of a Christian in the early church and is used until this day.  The Greek word for fish, ICHTHYS, was used as an acronym for “Yeshua, Son of God, and Savior”. 

You can see that these elements of the symbol are made as one unit.  The middle wall of partition in the Temple is broken down!  Both the Jew and the Gentile can now come to the Lord.  The debt of sin has been paid by Jesus, Yeshua, the Messiah.

All believers have been grafted-in to the side of our Savior.  He gave himself that we could be free!  He died that we could live!

We know from the Word of God, the Spirit of God and even modern Archaeology that Jesus is the Son of God, the Messiah! 

You are loved, 

Pastor Ralph