Image from the video “Jacob Teaches the Allegory of the Olive Tree“
At the beginning of Zenos’s Allegory of the Olive Tree, the Lord of the Vineyard says to his servant, “Come, let us go down into the vineyard, that we may labor in the vineyard” (Jacob 5:15). He doesn’t say, “Go down, and labor.” He says, “Let us go down.”
By the end of the allegory, their work load had increased so much that the servant recruited additional laborers to help. The Lord of the vineyard instructed them, “Go to, and labor in the vineyard, with your might,” which they did. But Zenos adds, “The Lord of the vineyard labored also with them” (Jacob 5:71-72).
Jacob wanted us to understand that God takes a personal interest in each of us. “How merciful is our God unto us,” he wrote, “for he remembereth the house of Israel, both roots and branches; and he stretches forth his hands unto them all the day long” (Jacob 6:4). And when a charismatic teacher named Sherem tried to destroy people’s faith in Christ, Jacob explained that his own faith was unshakeable, because he had seen angels and had even “heard the voice of the Lord speaking unto [him] in very word” (Jacob 7:5).
Here are some highlights from these chapters, with links to relevant blog posts:
Outline
- Jacob 5 – Zenos’s Allegory of the Olive Tree – Jacob quotes Zenos’s allegory to illustrate that God will patiently work with us to help us produce good fruit.
- Jacob 6 – “O Be Wise” – Summarizing the message of the allegory, Jacob reiterates God’s enduring love for us and pleads with us to repent and bring forth good fruit.
- Jacob 7 – Sherem – A man named Sherem tries to convince Jacob’s people not to believe in Christ. He requests a sign, and is smitten. Before his death, he confesses that the things he taught were not true.
Key Themes
- God loves us and will continue to be patient with us for a long, long time as we learn to produce good fruit.
- God is aware of our circumstances. We can thrive and bring forth fruit even in unfavorable conditions.
- When we strengthen the foundations of our testimony we can avoid being shaken.
- We can receive revelation regularly.
- A key to experiencing peace and the love of God is to search the scriptures consistently and earnestly.
Connections
- God created the earth in stages. After each stage, he reviewed the results to make sure they were good before moving on to the next stage. (See Genesis 1-2.) This is similar to the Allegory of the Olive Tree, in which the Lord of the Vineyard cares for his trees in multiple stages. (See Jacob 5.)
- Psalm 136:12 assures us that God reaches out to us “With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm: for his mercy endureth for ever.” Jacob likewise assures us that God’s “arm of mercy is extended toward [us]” (Jacob 6:5).
Applications
- For leaders: Be patient, counsel with your team, be willing to adapt, and work alongside those you lead.
- Sequence matters when creating something new. Do things in the right order, and give each phase of work enough time.
- Be wise: Keep your responsibilities in proper balance and avoid overcomplicating your service.
- Don’t prioritize rhetoric over reality.
Recommended Posts
- The Allegory of the Olive Tree – Jacob 5
- Innovation Lessons from the Allegory of the Olive Tree – Jacob 5
- Who Were Zenos and Zenock?
Blog Posts: April 9-14
Relentless
God’s love for us is unwavering. Eight times in Zenos’s Allegory of the Olive Tree, the Lord of the Vineyard says, “It grieveth me that I should lose this tree.” Elder Patrick Kearon testified, “God is in relentless pursuit of you.”
Olive Trees and Forward-Looking, Blame-Resistant Leadership
In the Allegory of the Olive Tree, when the servant’s advice results in a negative outcome, the Lord of the vineyard could easily have blamed him, but he does not. Blaming is backward-looking. Effective leaders learn from mistakes but focus on the future.
“The Roots are Good”
In the Allegory of the Olive Tree, when a tree was producing bad fruit, the servant reminded the leader that the roots were still good. When you’re working on a worthy goal and encounter setbacks, don’t give up. Remember the goodness of the roots.
“Taking Strength Unto Themselves”
When the olive trees all produced bad fruit, the servant explained that the branches had overpowered the roots, “taking strength unto themselves.” In our daily lives, we need to make sure that our activities support our goals instead of overpowering them.
Becoming Unshakeable
God will shake the heavens and the earth so that only unshakeable things remain. His work is unshakeable, and we can become unshakeable with His help. Jacob explained that his faith became unshakeable through scripture study and personal revelation.
Being Wise
We often think of wisdom as something we gain over time, but Jacob urges us to “be wise,” implying that we can make better use of the wisdom we have already gained. We do this by slowing down and by thinking about the potential consequences of our actions
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