THE PARABLE OF THE FIG TREE

[Doug]

"From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
[Mark 1:15 KJV]
"And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." [Matthew 4:17 KJV]............The prophetic Davidic kingdom was at hand, in which Christ will reign with believing Israel for a thousand years. The Lord Jesus was calling Israel to repentance, to believe the gospel of the kingdom.

"And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire." [Luke 3:9 KJV]..............Unbelieving Israel is the tree that did not bear good fruit and was in danger of being cut down.

"He spake also this parable; A certain [man] had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none." [Luke 13:6 KJV]"Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?" [Luke 13:7 KJV]"And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung [it]:" [Luke 13:8 KJV]"And if it bear fruit, [well]: and if not, [then] after that thou shalt cut it down."[Luke 13:9 KJV]..............Only the believing remnant repented and brought forth fruit. The nation of Israel failed to repent. This parable was directed to unrepentant Israel.
Jesus would give unfruitful Israel a reprieve of one year to repent and bear fruit; If not they would be cut down. We see the reality reflected by parables here. We see that Israel was indeed granted further time to repent in the book of Acts.

 

[Jay Ross]

The Parable of the fig tree in Luke 13

The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree​

6 He also spoke this parable: “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. 7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, ‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’ 8 But he answered and said to him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it. 9 And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.’ ”​

It is interesting as it retells a passage from the OT, from memory, which speaks of God building a garden and placing a "Tower"/"Temple" in its centre.

The starting point for this parable in time is the birth of Isaac. The timespan for this parable is for four generations/ages where a "year" in the parable represents a period of just over 1,000 years.

God visits the garden at the end of the first age, then at the end of the second age, and also at the end of the third age when he tells the carer of the garden to cut the fig tree down, but the carer of the garden asks that God waits for another age before this decision to destroy the fig tree is made with the carer of the garden undertaking to dig around the fig tree and that he will also fertilize it and if at the end of the fourth age when God returns, if the fig tree is not bearing fruit, then the carer tells God that he can have the fig tree cut down.

This fourth inspection of the Fig Tree will occur in around 20 years from now.

We also know from Paul that when the fulness of the Gentiles is complete that all of Israel will be saved. The fulness of the Gentiles will occur in around 20 years from now.

There are many events and prophecies that will be fulfilled at the end of the sixth age of mankind.

Shalom

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