im not sure how it can happen spiritually but not literally. The fact is that since the 1st century many nations have been gathered to Christ literally speaking. There are christians in every nation on earth today so to say that the gathering has not happened literally cannot be quite right.
The gathering has been spiritually ongoing but the Scripture reads.....
Genesis 49:10 The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come; and unto Him shall the gathering of the people be.
The gathering is ongoing and is to Him but "
the sceptre" doesn't depart from Judah until He comes. I understand that to mean when
He comes again but, if I am wrong and it refers to His first Advent you must still account for the years between Zedekiah's overthrow and the first Advent. The sceptre was never to depart Judah....but it would have departed during that period unless you understand that the kingly line carried on through his daughters. The inheritance passed to them as it did to these daughters.....
Numbers 27:7 The daughters of Zelophehad speak right: thou shalt surely give them a possession of an inheritance among their father's brethren; and thou shalt cause the inheritance of their father to pass unto them.
Numbers 36:2 And they said, The LORD commanded my lord to give the land for an inheritance by lot to the children of Israel: and my lord was commanded by the LORD to give the inheritance of Zelophehad our brother unto his daughters.
i partly agree here...Zedekiah was on high but was brought low, yes. But this idea of his two daughters is just not found in the bible. Jeremiah is not said anywhere of taking anyone to scotland...its a very strange speculation to make and as I said before, only sons could inherit the throne.
I would again suggest the two books I referred you to before. They're very interesting.
What was 'low' was fulfilled in two parts. First it was the gentile nations beginning with Nebudchadnezza as shown in Daniels vision of the huge Tree representing Gods rulership at Daniel 4:13-28 Other nations were considered to be the lowest of mankind. So "him that is low' was put on high when the gentile rulers sat in a position of rulership over Gods people.
And afterward it was fulfilled in Jesus christ according to Paul at Phillipians 2:9 "For this very reason also God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every [other] name". Because the Jews viewed him of little worth, he was low but God exaulted him to the highest position after his resurrection. This is in harmony with the Angels words to Mary at Luke 1:32-33 "...he will be given the throne of David his father and there will be no end to his kingdom"
The same story, given in types and shadows, runs through the Bible. The same story told over and over with a different cast of characters.
Are you taking into consideration that all the Messianic prophecies refer to him as 'the twig'?
Isaiah 11:1 "And there must go forth a twig out of the stump of Jes′se; and out of his roots a sprout will be fruitful"
Isaiah 53:2 "And he will come up like a twig before one, and like a root out of waterless land. No stately form does he have, nor any splendor; and when we shall see him, there is not the appearance so that we should desire him"
He
isn't a twig or a sprout....
King James....
Isaiah 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots:
53:2 For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.
In speaking about Christ, Paul applies the prophecy of Isaiah to Jesusat Romans 15:12 "And again Isaiah says: “There will be the root of Jes′se, and there will be one arising to rule nations; on him nations will rest their hope."
I agree. The root of Jesse is Christ. Christ was not a twig.
And in Johns vision he is told specifically about Jesus that he is the 'lion' spoken by Jacob in prophecy at Genesis 49:9 "a lion cub is Judah"
Revelation 5:5 "But one of the elders says to me: “Stop weeping. Look! The Lion that is of the tribe of Judah, the root of David, has conquered so as to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
Yes but....He is NOT a twig.
Now Jesus confirmed this in his own words that he is the root of Jesse at Revelation 22:16 “‘I, Jesus, sent my angel to bear witness to YOU people of these things for the congregations. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright morning star.’
Yes but...He is NOT a twig.
So the only conclusion is that Jesus is the tender twig spoken of in Eze 17:22. There is only one twig and that one is Jesus christ.
He is the branch...He is not a twig. Please read the passage again.
Ezekiel 17:22-24 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon an high mountain and eminent: In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it: and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar: and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell. And all the trees of the field shall know that I the LORD have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish: I the LORD have spoken and have done it.
"
From the top of his young twigs a tender one." Do you see Christ being cropped from young
twigs? This passage isn't about Him. It is about the daughters of Zedekiah.