NOW LEARN A PARABLE (or lesson) OF THE FIG TREE; WHEN HIS BRANCH IS YET TENDER (or begins to sprout), AND PUTTETH FORTH LEAVES (and leaves appear), YE KNOW THAT SUMMER IS NIGH (or approaching): SO LIKEWISE YE (or in the same way), WHEN YE SHALL SEE ALL THESE THINGS, (you are to) KNOW THAT IT (the time) IS NEAR, EVEN AT THE DOORS. VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU (the truth), THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS (away), TILL ALL THESE THINGS BE FULFILLED (or happen)-Mt 24:32-34.
NOW LEARN A PARABLE (or this lesson) OF THE FIG TREE; WHEN HER BRANCH IS YET TENDER (or begins to sprout), AND PUTTETH FORTH LEAVES (or leaves appear), YE KNOW THAT SUMMER IS NEAR (or approaching): SO YE IN LIKE MANNER (or in the same way), WHEN YE SHALL SEE THESE THINGS COME TO PASS, (you are to) KNOW THAT IT IS NIGH (or near), EVEN (right) AT THE DOORS. VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, THAT THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS (away), TILL ALL THESE THINGS BE DONE (or have happened)-Mk 13:28-30.
Jesus had just given a list of things to look for culminating with His return. Then He continued, AND WHEN THESE THINGS "BEGIN" (or start) TO COME TO PASS (or happen),THEN LOOK (or stand) UP, AND LIFT UP YOUR HEADS (high); FOR YOUR REDEMPTION DRAWETH NIGH (you are about to be liberated-JNT6). AND HE SPAKE TO THEM A PARABLE; BEHOLD (look at) THE FIG TREE, AND ALL THE TREES; WHEN THEY NOW SHOOT FORTH (or as soon as they sprout leaves-JNT7), YE SEE AND KNOW OF YOUR OWN SELVES THAT SUMMER IS NOW NIGH (or near) AT HAND. SO LIKEWISE (or even so) YE WHEN YE SEE THESE THINGS COME TO PASS, KNOW YE (you are to know) THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NIGH (or near) AT HAND. VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, THIS GENERATION (or people) SHALL NOT PASS AWAY, TILL ALL BE FULFILLED (or all these things have happened-NIV)-Lk 21:28-32.
2-IS ISRAEL THE FIG TREE?
The word "fig" is mentioned in the Scriptures sixty-four times. THUS SAITH THE LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL; LIKE THESE GOOD FIGS, SO WILL I ACKNOWLEDGE THEM THAT ARE CARRIED AWAY CAPTIVE OF JUDAH, WHOM I HAVE SENT OUT OF THIS PLACE INTO THE LAND OF THE CHALDEANS FOR THEIR GOOD-Jere 24:5. We see the word "figs," being used to represent the Jews that are carried away.
THE LORD SHOWED ME, AND, BEHOLD, TWO BASKETS OF FIGS...ONE BASKET HAD VERY GOOD FIGS, EVEN LIKE THE FIGS THAT ARE FIRST RIPE: AND THE OTHER BASKET HAD VERY NAUGHTY FIGS, WHICH COULD NOT BE EATEN, THEY WERE SO BAD. THEN SAID THE LORD UNTO ME, WHAT SEEST THOU, JEREMIAH? AND I SAID, FIGS; THE GOOD FIGS, VERY GOOD; AND THE EVIL, VERY EVIL, THAT CANNOT BE EATEN, THEY ARE SO EVIL. AGAIN THE WORD OF THE LORD CAME UNTO ME, SAYING, THUS SAITH THE LORD, THE GOD OF ISRAEL; LIKE THESE GOOD FIGS, SO WILL I ACKNOWLEDGE THEM THAT ARE CARRIED AWAY CAPTIVE OF JUDAH, WHOM I HAVE SENT OUT OF THIS PLACE INTO THE LAND OF THE CHALDEANS FOR THEIR GOOD. FOR I WILL SET MINE EYES UPON THEM FOR GOOD, AND I WILL BRING THEM AGAIN TO THIS LAND: AND I WILL BUILD THEM, AND NOT PULL THEM DOWN; AND I WILL PLANT THEM, AND NOT PLUCK THEM UP. AND I WILL GIVE THEM A HEART TO KNOW ME, THAT I AM THE LORD: AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE, AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD: FOR THEY SHALL RETURN UNTO ME WITH THEIR WHOLE HEART. AND AS THE EVIL FIGS, WHICH CANNOT BE EATEN, THEY ARE SO EVIL-Jere 24:1-8. The word "figs" is used here eight times denoting the Jews.
NOW IN THE MORNING AS HE RETURNED INTO THE CITY, HE HUNGERED. AND WHEN HE SAW A FIG TREE IN THE WAY, HE CAME TO IT, AND FOUND NOTHING THEREON, BUT LEAVES ONLY, AND SAID UNTO IT, LET NO FRUIT GROW ON THEE HENCEFORWARD FOR EVER. AND PRESENTLY THE FIG TREE WITHERED AWAY-Mt 21:18,19; ref Mk 11:12-14,20,21. The fig tree withered away, as it was producing no fruit. It may be noted that the word "fig" here represents Israel, and the word "tree" represents nation.
The nation of Israel did wither and was destroyed. Nevertheless, the nation of Israel was reborn and will fulfill God"™s mission during the Tribulation.
THEREFORE HIS HEIGHT WAS EXALTED ABOVE ALL THE TREES OF THE FIELD (or nations)"¦THE CEDARS IN THE GARDEN OF GOD COULD NOT HIDE HIM: THE FIR TREES WERE NOT LIKE HIS BOUGHS, AND THE CHESTNUT TREES WERE NOT LIKE HIS BRANCHES; NOR ANY TREE IN THE GARDEN OF GOD WAS LIKE UNTO HIM IN HIS BEAUTY. I HAVE MADE HIM FAIR BY THE MULTITUDE OF HIS BRANCHES: SO THAT ALL THE TREES OF EDEN, THAT WERE IN THE GARDEN OF GOD, ENVIED HIM. AND STRANGERS, THE TERRIBLE OF THE NATIONS, HAVE CUT HIM OFF, AND HAVE LEFT HIM"¦TO THE END THAT NONE OF ALL THE TREES (or nations) BY THE WATERS EXALT THEMSELVES FOR THEIR HEIGHT"¦AND I CAUSED LEBANON TO MOURN FOR HIM, AND ALL THE TREES OF THE FIELD FAINTED FOR HIM. I MADE THE NATIONS TO SHAKE AT THE SOUND OF HIS FALL-Ezek 31:5,8,9,12,14-16. It may be noted, the word "tree" is often used as a symbol for a nation.
(Scripture with commentary)
NOW LEARN A PARABLE (or a lesson) OF THE FIG TREE (of the Israeli nation). (Note, the Israeli nation had to be reborn. Without this key event being in place, no other prophecy of the latter days meant anything.) WHEN HIS BRANCH IS YET TENDER, AND PUTTETH FORTH LEAVES (the branch on the tree becomes tender after the long, cold winter. When Israel is yet tender and puts forth leaves"”this indicates the spring time), YE KNOW THAT SUMMER IS NIGH. (When one would see the Israeli nation come forth, and his branches tender, and leaves coming forth, you would know summer is near or you would know that certain things are near.) SO LIKEWISE YE, WHEN YE SHALL SEE ALL THESE THINGS (the list of things that Jesus just gave in the previous verses), KNOW THAT IT IS NEAR, EVEN AT THE DOORS. (Again, we see the command to know that certain events are at the doors and are going to happen almost immediately, as already covered in previous pages.)
VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, THIS GENERATION (the generation of the fig tree, the generation of the Israeli nation) SHALL NOT PASS, TILL ALL THESE THINGS BE FULFILLED. ("All these things" includes the rebirth of Israel, the Tribulation, the Battle of Armageddon, the return of Jesus Christ, and the gathering together of the elect. All these things would happen during the period of this generation.)-Mt 24:32-34; ref Mk 13:28-30.
The verses, in Lk 21:28-32, can be broken down into four parts. First, your redemption drawing near is referring to the Rapture. It is then followed by the second part, which is seeing and knowing certain things such as the times we are in, when the nation of Israel and other nations shoot forth. (It is interesting to note that the Rapture and the nations shooting forth are both referred to.) All of this is prior to the Tribulation. These nations have now come forth.
The third part is when you see certain other things come to pass to know that the kingdom of God is at hand. The fourth part is showing that the generation of the fig tree shall not pass till all the things Jesus told us about are fulfilled.
AND WHEN THESE THINGS BEGIN TO COME TO PASS (we are to see or look for certain things to come to pass), THEN LOOK UP, AND LIFT UP YOUR HEADS; FOR YOUR REDEMPTION (or the Rapture) DRAWETH NIGH.
AND HE SPAKE TO THEM A PARABLE (or a lesson); BEHOLD THE FIG TREE, AND ALL THE TREES; WHEN THEY NOW SHOOT FORTH. (Behold the Israeli nation and all the nations that were to shoot forth.) Thus, the rebirth of the nation of Israel had to take place. In addition, other nations had to also be in place. The primary list of other nations are listed in Ezekiel chapter 38, but there are also others such as Isa chapters 17-19. These nations would include Russia, Iran, Ethiopia, Libya, Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Syria, and Jordan, and other nations. Every tree (or nation) is now in place. YE SEE AND KNOW OF YOUR OWN SELVES THAT SUMMER IS NOW NIGH AT HAND. In other words, when you see the Israeli nation and the other nations come forth, you KNOW summer is at hand. You should know the times we are in. There should be no doubt. Note, first the Rapture is mentioned (your redemption), which is connected with the Israeli nation and the other nations shooting forth. By this, know the times we are in, know the Rapture is at hand, and know the next events will follow, which include the Tribulation. We are also reminded when these things "begin" to come to pass. Thus, we can look for some of the events of the Tribulation to begin to come to pass, even as birth pangs of a women.
Then there is the next category of two parts. This includes the list of events Jesus gave, which consists of the Tribulation and His second coming. The gathering of the elect is omitted. And when these come to pass, you know that the kingdom of God is near at hand. Mt 24 and Mk 13, include the elect being gathered, but the kingdom of God is omitted. In Lk 21, the gathering of the elect is omitted, but the kingdom of God is included. The elect are gathered during the time that is referred to as "the kingdom of God is nigh at hand."
SO LIKEWISE YE, WHEN YE SEE THESE THINGS COME TO PASS (these things are including the long list Jesus had given prior to this parable), KNOW YE THAT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS NIGH AT HAND. (Jesus shall reign on the earth.) VERILY I SAY UNTO YOU, THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS AWAY (the generation of the fig tree, the Israeli nation), TILL ALL BE FULFILLED (which includes the Tribulation and the second coming of Jesus
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"Blessed is He who Comes in The Name of The Lord"
When Jesus saw this fig tree it was Nisan 10 (March 28) of the year 33 C.E. In the case of fig trees in that region the buds for the first fruit crop of the season appear about February, on branches that grow the previous season, whereas leaves do not appear until the final part of April or in May. By the time the tree is in full leaf it should be bearing ripe fruit. Since the tree seen by Jesus was unusually early with its leaves, he could expect it to have unseasonably early fruit suitable for eating. The fact that the tree had no fruit indicated that it was unproductive. Its appearance was deceptive.
Jesus cursed the tree, causing it to wither. Why? Solely because of its deceptive appearance? Evidently Jesus"™ act had a more vital purpose. It was really an object lesson for the benefit of his disciples. This we learn from a latter portion of the account, where Peter said: "Rabbi, see! the fig tree that you cursed has withered up." And Jesus replied: "Have faith in God. . . . All the things you pray and ask for have faith that you have practically received, and you will have them." (Mark 11:20-22, 24) It was Jesus"™ faith in God that made his curse effective.
Additionally, the tree itself could well represent the ancient Jewish nation, which had an appearance of being fruitful in view of its covenant relationship with Jehovah God, and because of the Jewish religious leaders"™ showy display of self-righteousness. (Matt. 6:5; 23:25-28) However, the nation had failed to produce good fruitage to God"™s glory. It rejected Jesus Christ, the very one sent by God and revealed to be God"™s Son by his miracles and teachings. But why did the nation reject Jesus? Because of lack of faith in God"™s Word. (Luke 13:5-9) Consequently the faithless, unrepentant nation was to wither and die much like the unproductive fig tree."”Matt. 21:43.
We today can benefit from the lesson taught by Jesus"™ cursing of the fig tree. Were we to lose faith in God"™s ability to answer the prayers of his servants and to reward those earnestly seeking him, this would lead to our rejection, to our being cursed like unproductive fig trees. (John 15:2-6; Heb. 6:7, 8) God"™s Word tells us: "Without faith it is impossible to please [God] well, for he that approaches God must believe that he is and that he becomes the rewarder of those earnestly seeking him.""”Heb. 11:6.
THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS AWAY (the generation of the fig tree, the Israeli nation), TILL ALL BE FULFILLED (which includes the Tribulation and the second coming of Jesus
NIce post Alex.....Do you have any idea how long a generation is??I've heard different interpretations on this.
With my studies on this subject I am under the understanding that God 's true children won't be taken unaware. 1 Thess. I beleive that. In saying that...I've been sensing a real urgency to be ready at every moment. I used to live like the Romans 7 man like a yo yo. But here lately God has given me more grace and I have been much more consistant. I believe He loves me and is making sure I 'm going to be ready. When I walk in the grocery store down here I can't beleive how the prices of everything has gone up. When I read daily in my paper I'm now getting I can't beleive what is going over in the middle east. I'm really feeling Christ return is very soon. Before I've said that in my mind.But now my nerves and very being is stirred daily to the fact that something big is coming down.
ONE of the more puzzling passages in the Bible is the account of Jesus and the barren fig tree. According to Mark 11:12-14, 20-24, when Jesus saw a certain fig tree with leaves but no fruit, he cursed it and, as a result, the tree withered. Yet, as Mark plainly says, it wasn"™t the season for figs. Why, then, did Jesus curse this fig tree? And why did Mark, under inspiration, record this incident? While some of Christendom"™s commentators have been embarrassed by this account, not only do the facts justify Jesus"™ actions, but they also reveal that Jesus was teaching a twofold lesson on faith!
For example, while figs don"™t usually mature until June, fruit buds usually appear on the branches of fig trees as early as February. In fact, this occurs two months before leaves appear on the branches in late April or early May. So by the time a fig tree has its leaves, it should surely have figs. This helps us to appreciate that when Jesus saw this particular fig tree in late March, while it wasn"™t the season for fig trees to have mature figs, it also wasn"™t the season for fig trees to have leaves.
The fact that this tree did have leaves shows that it was unseasonably mature. Surely it would not have been unreasonable for Jesus to expect that such a tree would also be unseasonably early with its fruit. Yet, this tree was unproductive. Indeed, as Mark states, the tree had "nothing but leaves," that is, no fruit. Certainly the leaves gave that tree a deceptive appearance.
But why did Jesus curse this unproductive fig tree? Jesus"™ words on the occasion, as recorded in Mark 11:22-25, provide a clue to the answer. As Jesus explained, this was a lesson for them to "have faith in God." What did the withering of this fig tree have to do with faith? First of all, it was Jesus"™ faith that made the curse effective. Evidently, Jesus was using this occasion to provide an object lesson on the power of faith. As Jesus stated: "All the things you pray and ask for have faith that you have practically received, and you will have them.""”Mark 11:24.
But there also seems to be another connection between the withering of this fig tree and the quality of faith. Just three months prior to this incident Jesus uttered a parable about an unfruitful fig tree that needed to be cut down. (Luke 13:6-9) And what was pictured by the fig tree of this parable? This unfruitful fig tree was a symbol of the ancient Jewish nation."”Compare Matthew 21:43.
So it is reasonable to believe that the barren fig tree that Jesus cursed was also a symbol of the unfruitful ancient Jewish nation. Although this nation had been in a covenant relationship with God, the appearance was deceptive, for the nation proved barren of good fruitage, even rejecting God"™s own Son. And what was the cause of this unfruitfulness? The lack of faith, the very quality Jesus was using the occasion to highlight. (Romans 9:31, 32) By causing the fig tree to wither, Jesus was graphically demonstrating what the end result would be for that fruitless, faithless nation.
So not only do the horticultural facts justify Jesus"™ actions in cursing the fig tree, but the context reveals that Jesus was thereby teaching a twofold lesson on faith. While the absence of faith can make us fruitless and will only lead to our rejection by God, our possessing an active faith will enable us to "˜move mountains,"™ as Jehovah will surely answer our prayers."”Matthew 17:20.
THIS GENERATION SHALL NOT PASS AWAY (the generation of the fig tree, the Israeli nation), TILL ALL BE FULFILLED (which includes the Tribulation and the second coming of Jesus
NIce post Alex.....Do you have any idea how long a generation is??I've heard different interpretations on this.
With my studies on this subject I am under the understanding that God 's true children won't be taken unaware. 1 Thess. I beleive that. In saying that...I've been sensing a real urgency to be ready at every moment. I used to live like the Romans 7 man like a yo yo. But here lately God has given me more grace and I have been much more consistant. I believe He loves me and is making sure I 'm going to be ready. When I walk in the grocery store down here I can't beleive how the prices of everything has gone up. When I read daily in my paper I'm now getting I can't beleive what is going over in the middle east. I'm really feeling Christ return is very soon. Before I've said that in my mind.But now my nerves and very being is stirred daily to the fact that something big is coming down.
Does anyone have these feelings?
Yes Chuck a Jewish Generation is 40 years and that generation normally begins to passaway at 70 years.
"As it is determined that a man should live 7X10 Years"
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"Blessed is He who Comes in The Name of The Lord"
You know Alex...lately God has been really putting the wind in my sails.I've lost 15 pounds last 10 days and my desire is to put Him first. I feel He is preparing me to leave this old world. I'm diffently ready. I still enjoy hunting though and look forward to chasing these ole boys.Thanks Strut.
Well yeah me too, this old bones hurt a lot, and I have many wounds that have taken a toll on my body.
"To me living is Christ and dying is a gain"
I yearn for a new Glorify body, but we have to make do with this one until he changes us.
I love those pics those are like the deers I saw in our new lease.
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"Blessed is He who Comes in The Name of The Lord"
Yeah..the tines on your deer were longer. ..but I'm just happy to have somewhere to hunt.
Alex...let me know when you come through Lakeland. I'd love to take your family out to eat. No strings attached. I'm already set up for hunting.
God bless brother
C7
Who Is The Fig Tree ?
