What is the real fig or olive tree prophacy?

[crooner]

This is something I found on the internet under prophacy of the fig tree.Can we debete this with scripture. Both sides make since to meCroonerRalph Woodrow 5. THE FIG TREEMatthew: “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; when his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled” (24:32-34).Mark: “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; when her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done” (13:28-30).Luke: “And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand, verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled” (21:29-32).The futurist interpretation concerning this passage is that the fig tree symbolizes the nation of Israel. Scofield says that the fig tree passage is “a prophecy that Israel shall again bud.”1 In the year 1948, the present nation called Israel came into existence. Some believe this has been the budding of the fig tree of which Jesus spoke. But was this what Jesus meant? It has been supposed by some that throughout the Bible we might find references to Israel being symbolized by the fig tree. Looking into the Old Testament, there is little — if any — proof that the fig tree is a symbol of the nation of Israel. In the New Testament, there are two references in which the fig tree is sometimes regarded as symbolizing the nation of Israel. Whether this is corrector not, neither passage pictures the tree as budding or fruitful, but just the opposite!In the one passage, a parable, the owner of the fig tree came for “three years” seeking fruit on the tree and found none. He then ordered that the tree be cut down. The vinedresser suggested that they let it remain another year, and — if it remained unfruitful — to then cut it down (Lk. 13:6-9). The parable gives no indication that the tree ever became fruitful. If the reference is to the nation of Israel to whom Christ’s personal ministry was directed for three years and over, we know that Israel, as a nation, did not bear fruits of repentance — instead they rejected Christ and his message. Failing to see in him the sacrifice for sins, they were cut off spiritually and a few years later, even their city, temple, and nation were destroyed (as we have seen).The other New Testament reference to a fig tree that is sometimes applied to the nation of Israel is Matthew 21:19. But here, again, the reference is not to a fruitful tree, but to an unfruitful tree, a tree that Jesus cursed, a tree to which he said, “Let no fruit grow on thee hence forward for ever.”Looking on through the New Testament, there are no other verses that would indicate that the fig tree is a symbol of Israel. On the other hand, we do find verses that refer to Israel as an OLIVE tree (Rom. 11:17,24).But returning now to our Lord’s words about the “fig tree”, we need look no further than the text itself to find full proof that Jesus was NOT talking about the nation of Israel! Matthew’s account says: “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; when his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh . . .” But Luke’s account shows that Jesus did not single out only one tree in giving this illustration. “Behold the fig tree, AND ALL THE TREES: when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.”If the “fig tree” here represents the nation of Israel, then “all the trees” would have to represent all the nations. With this, the passage would have no point at all! In view of this, Dake (though himself a strong dispensationalist) has well said: “The fig tree . . . is universally interpreted to mean the Jewish nation, BUT THIS COULD NOT POSSIBLY BE THE MEANING.”2Jesus was merely drawing an illustration from nature. He said that when they saw the fig tree and all the trees put forth leaves, they knew of themselves by common knowledge that summer is near. SO LIKEWISE, when they would see all these things they could also know that certain things were near. In the same sense, we might use a human comparison from nature. We might say that when the sun is in the west, we know that night is at hand; when snow is on the ground, we know it is winter time; when the leaves turn color, we know it is autumn; when we see dark clouds gathering we know it is going to rain. And so Jesus used a simple parable or illustration — something they could know of themselves. It was human knowledge that when trees put forth leaves, men know that summer is at hand; so likewise, when they would see “all these things” come to pass, such would be a sign to them.Now then, what did Jesus mean when he spoke of “all these things”? He had just spoken of the Second Coming. Was this a continuation of what he had just spoken, or was he here returning to the original line of thought? If we take it to refer to everything that Jesus had just previously mentioned, the passage would have to read something like this: ‘When ye see the sun darkened, the moon not giving her light, the stars falling, the powers of heaven shaken, the sign of the Son of man in heaven, all tribes mourning, the Son of man coming in the clouds, the trumpet sounding, the angels gathering the elect from around the world: when ye see these things you will know that it is near, even at the doors.” What possible sense would there be in saying that when the Lord is seen coming in the clouds, and all these other things, that they would then know that the Second Coming was nigh? This would be an inconsistent statement.Therefore, when Jesus spoke of seeing “these things”, we believe he was returning to the original line of thought and the reference is to the things they would see leading up to the destruction of Jerusalem: there would be deceivers; famines, pestilences, earthquakes; the gospel would go to the nations; finally the specific sign — Jerusalem compassed about with Gentile armies; and when they would see all these things — then they would know that the destruction of Jerusalem was nigh.Further proof that it was to “these things” that Jesus had reference is seen in the fact that all these things were to be fulfilled before the generation then living would pass away! All three accounts record our Lord’s words: “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled” (Mt. 24:34; Mk. 13:30; Lk. 21:32).Jesus had said that one stone would not be left upon another that would not be thrown down — Jerusalem and its temple were marked for destruction. And the disciples asked: “WHEN shall these things be?” (Mt. 24:2, 3). Here then is the answer! These things would happen before the generation then living would pass away. Living on this side of the fulfillment, we know that these things did happen within the time specified. It is an amazing fulfillment of prophecy!Just before Matthew 24, in chapter 23, Jesus had warned that generation of Jews: “Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers . . . Behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men . . . some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. Verily I say unto you, ALL THESE THINGS shall come upon THIS GENERATION. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem . . . Behold, your house is left unto you desolate” (Mt. 23:32-38). In commenting on this passage, Scofield very correctly says: “It is the way also of history: judgment falls upon one generation for the sins of centuries. The prediction was fulfilled in the destruction of Jerusalem, A.D. 70.”3BUT, a few verses later, in Matthew 24 when Jesus said: “This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled” — a statement which would clearly place the great tribulation back then, instead of in the future! — Scofield tries to make “generation” have a completely different meaning — even though it is exactly the same word in both the English and the Greek! Scofield attempts to make the word “generation” in Matthew 24 mean “race, kind, family, stock, breed” and so “the promise is, therefore, that the generation — nation, or family of Israel — will be preserved unto ‘these things’.”4But this reasoning will not stand up under investigation. Let us look through the book of Matthew and see how the word generation was used throughout his writings. First of all, there is Matthew 1:17: “So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations . . .” Obviously the reference is not to 14 different races, but to fourteen different generations of that race — each generation following the other in logical sequence. Jesus asked: “Whereunto shall I liken this generation?” — a reference to that generation then living. It was “an evil and adulterous generation”, Jesus said, and that the people who lived in the days of Ninevah “shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it” as will the queen of the South who traveled from far to hear the wisdom of Solomon. Jesus then spoke of a man who became demon possessed in such a way that his last state was worse than the first, and added: “Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation” (Mt. 12:38-45). Jesus called that generation “a wicked and adulterous generation” (Mt. 16:3,4) and a “faithless and perverse generation” (Mt. 17:17). Then coming to Matthew 23, Jesus reproved the hypocrisy of that generation and said they were no better than their fathers that had killed the prophets; judgment upon Jerusalem was certain; and their house would be left desolate —“all these things shall come upon this generation” (Mt. 23:36). And finally, Matthew 24:34: “This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.”We feel it is completely arbitrary to take this word in all the other places in Matthew to refer to the generation living at one time, and then in Matthew 24 attempt to make the very same word apply to the whole race of Jews over a period of 2,000 years or more! Surely no one would do this except to uphold a theory.Strangely enough, those who hold that the word “generation” in Matthew 24 means the Jewish people as a race also hold the belief that the Jewish race will never pass away. But if Jesus meant that the Jewish race will not pass away until these things are fulfilled, and if the Jewish race will never pass away, his words were meaningless and he did NOT answer the question: “WHEN shall these things be?”But taking the word “generation” in its normal meaning — the generation of people living at one time — then all is clear and the question is answered! ‘When?” According to Jesus, these things were to happen before that generation would pass away! He was expressing a time element — not merely that these things could happen anytime as long as there is a Jewish race somewhere! The question was not about how long the Jewish race would continue, but about the destruction that was to come upon Jerusalem.Through the centuries, the Christian people have been strengthened in their faith by seeing how the words of Christ were so marvelously fulfilled — not only in their details, but even within the time he specified, before that generation then living passed away! In more recent times (especially with the rise of Dispensationalism), however, this has been set at naught by those who would place all of Matthew 24 in the future — thus greatly minimizing the fulfillment and having to place a meaning on the word “generation” in Matthew 24 that is contrary to its use throughout the rest of the book.THE END OF THE AGEMatthew: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (24:35, 36).Mark: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray, for ye know not when the time is” (Mk. 13:31, 32).Luke: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. And take heed to yourselves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkeness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come” (21:33-35).Up to this point, Jesus spoke about the overthrow of Jerusalem in answer to the questions he was asked, leaving this original line of speech briefly two times to speak of the Second Coming by way of contrast (Mt. 24:27, 30-31), and then returning to the original questions. After telling of the things that would happen in that generation, the whole discourse now shifts from here on out to the question about the Second Coming and the end of the world. Jesus now states that heaven and earth shall pass away — an expression referring to the end of the age — and that the time of “that day” is not revealed. Notice now what will happen when that time comes: “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come” (Mt. 24:40-42). The word here translated “taken” is the same word that is used in John 14 in which Jesus said, “I will come again, and receive you unto myself.” Paul explains that believers will be caught up to meet the Lord in the air. Those who are ready will be taken — he will receive them; while sudden destruction shall fall upon those that are left.Dispensationalists apply these verses to a pre-tribulation, secret rapture. But notice! We are clear down at verse 40. The topic is the end of the age, when heaven and earth shall pass away. And this is when Jesus said one shall be taken and the other left! According to the dispensational outline, to be consistent, these verses should have been way back in the early part of Matthew 24 — before the tribulation, before the abomination of desolation, before the flight into the hills, before all of this. But no hint of any secret rapture is found anywhere in those early verses, not until the end of the age do we read that one will be taken and the other left.All three of the parallel accounts close by giving illustrations which stress watchfulness.In summary, we see that Jesus made the statement that one stone would not be left upon another that would not be thrown down. The disciples asked WHEN these things would be and WHAT SIGN would precede this destruction. And Jesus answered. They would see the abomination of desolation — Gentile armies surrounding Jerusalem — then they would know that the destruction of the city was nigh. This answered the disciples’ question about WHAT SIGN would be given. Upon seeing this, they were to flee, for then would be great tribulation upon that land and people. In answer to the question about WHEN these things would come to pass, Jesus said it would be before that generation passed away.The disciples also asked about the Second Coming — the end of the age. This too was answered. All of these other things would happen first, and then Christ would return. But as to the exact time, no man knows the day or hour when this will be. The Second Coming will be as in the days of Noah — the world will not be expecting judgment. Suddenly Christ will appear — bringing an end to this age. One will be taken and the other left.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Copyrighted material used by permission of the Ralph Woodrow Evangelistic Association.PO Box 21, Palm Springs, CA 92263Website: www.ralphwoodrow.org--------------------------------------------------------------------------------NotesScofield Reference Bible, p. 1028. Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible, p.27. Scofield Reference Bible, p. 1032 (marginal note). Ibid, p. 1034 (note 1). ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to the Home Page Next Go to Calvinism and the Reformed Faith Back to the Table of Contents :-)

 

[crooner]

this must be a touchy subject!!!!??????

 

[Christina]

Not really its no differnt than any scripture there is always a counter view you have to take the source into account Calvanists remember the ones that think no one can be saved that God already choose Elect and the rest are doomed to fail and die anyway And Dake is worse Notice they can't disprove it just spout words because it would deny their views. Not one reference to the Hebrew word explanations. And their conclusion that all trees would have to be nations in some of cases this is true, though if you let the Bible interpt itself it will tell you when this is the case. I might suggest you look at how many times it says trees are speaking or talking. This is called symbolisim and the Bible interpts its own symbolism.So it comes down to believing the Word or men trying to deny the Word to make it fit their theology

 

[Christina]

about Calvinism FEW THINGS HAVE HINDERED BIBLICAL EVANGELISM MORE THAN CALVINISM. It almost killed the evangelistic zeal of the Baptist churches of England in the 18th century and well into the 19th. Among Calvinists, evangelism is done IN SPITE OF Calvinism, not because of it. Baptist historian Thomas Armitage wrote: “William Carey’s ‘Inquiry into the Obligations of Christians to use means for the Conversion of the Heathen’ was published in 1792, but found few readers and produced little effect. To most of the Baptists his views were visionary and even wild, in open conflict with God’s sovereignty. At a meeting of ministers, where the senior Ryland presided, Carey proposed that at the next meeting they discuss the duty of attempting to spread the Gospel amongst the heathen. … Ryland, shocked, sprang to his feet and ordered Carey to sit down, saying: ‘When God pleases to convert the heathen, he will do it without your aid or mine!’”Things were not much better when Spurgeon took his first pastorate in 1854. This situation is described in Spurgeon vs. the Hyper Calvinists by Iain Murray. Many Calvinists opposed Spurgeon and denounced his broad, indiscriminate invitations for sinners to come to Christ. For example, one Calvinist publication warned in Spurgeon’s day, “...to preach that it is man’s duty to believe savingly in Christ is ABSURD” (Earthen Vessel, 1857).4. IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT CALVINISM IS AN UNSETTLED THEOLOGY. Calvinists are seriously divided among themselves and always have been. There is Supralapsarianism vs. Sublapsarianism vs. Infralapsarianism. “The Supralapsarians hold that God decreed the fall of Adam; the Sublapsarians, that he permitted it” (McClintock & Strong). The Calvinists at the Synod of Dort were divided on many issues, including lapsarianism. The Swiss Calvinists who wrote the Helvetic Consensus Formula in 1675 were in conflict with the French Calvinists of the School of Saumur. There are Strict Calvinists and Moderate Calvinists, Hyper and non-Hyper (differing especially on reprobation and the extent of the atonement and whether God loves all men), 5 pointers, 4 pointers, 3 pointers, 2 pointers. In America Calvinists were divided into Old School and the New School. As we have seen, the Calvinists of England were divided in the 19th century.Whenever, therefore, one tries to state TULIP theology and then refute it, there are Calvinists who will argue with you that you are misrepresenting Calvinism. It is not so much that you are misrepresenting Calvinism, though. You might be quoting directly from various Calvinists or even from Calvin himself. The problem is that you are misrepresenting THEIR Calvinism! There are Calvin Calvinists and Andrew Fuller Calvinists and Arthur W. Pink Calvinists and Presbyterian Calvinists and Baptist Calvinists and many other sorts of Calvinists. Many Calvinists have never read Calvin’s Institutes of Christian Religion for themselves. They are merely following someone who follows someone who allegedly follows Calvin (who, by his own admission, followed Augustine).Calvinists believe that they have the right to reject or modify some parts of or conclusions of Calvin. I agree with them 100%, and I say, further, that we also have the right to reject the entire thing if we are convinced that it is not supported by Scripture!5. IT IS NOT WISE TO FOLLOW JOHN CALVIN; HE WAS UNSOUND AT THE VERY FOUNDATION OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH. Calvin never gave a testimony of the new birth; rather he identified with his Catholic infant baptism. Note the following quotes from his Institutes:“At whatever time we are baptized, we are washed and purified once for the whole of life” (Institutes, IV).“By baptism we are ingrafted into the body of Christ ... infants are to be baptized ... children of Christians, as they are immediately on their birth received by God as heirs of the covenant, are also to be admitted to baptism” (Institutes, IV).Calvin was vicious toward his enemies, acting more like a devouring wolf than a harmless sheep. Historian William Jones observed that “that most hateful feature of popery adhered to Calvin through life, the spirit of persecution.” Note how he described his theological opponents: “...all that filth and villainy...mad dogs who vomit their filth against the majesty of God and want to pervert all religion. Must they be spared?” (Oct. 16, 1555). Calvin hated the Anabaptists, though they were miles closer to the Scriptural pattern for the New Testament church than he was. He called them “henchmen of Satan.” Four men who disagreed with Calvin on who should be admitted to the Lord’s Supper were beheaded, quartered, and their body parts hung in strategic locations in Geneva as a warning to others. He burned Michael Servetus (for rejecting infant baptism and for denying Christ’s deity). Calvin wrote about Servetus, “One should not be content with simply killing such people, but should burn them cruelly.”6. GOD DOES NOT REQUIRE HIS PEOPLE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN CALVINISM AND ARMINIANISM! I am convinced that John Calvin has caused great and unnecessary divisions among God’s people because of dogmatizing his philosophizing about God’s sovereignty and election. If men were left simply to believe the Bible’s own statements on these matters and if men were not forced to decide between the man-made theologies called “Calvinism” and “Arminianism,” the Christian world would be much better of and many artificial and unnecessary divisions would not have resulted.The Bible says “prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thess. 5:21). The Bible itself is the test of truth, not some man’s systematic theology. I have the right and responsibility to test every theology by the Bible, and I am free before the Lord to reject any part of it or all of it. I do not have to make a choice between human theologies. I can stand strictly and exclusively upon the Bible itself, the SOLE authority for faith and practice. Many Calvinists won’t allow that, though. James White, author of “The Truth about the King James Bible Controversy” and “The Potter’s Freedom” and several other books, wrote to me in about the year 1999 and challenged me to a public debate. He urged me to “defend Arminianism.” That is a strange notion, because I don’t follow Arminianism and I don’t care anything about Arminianism. I have studied the theology of James Arminius some and I find errors in it just as I have found errors in John Calvin’s theology. Though I do believe that Arminius was closer to the truth than Calvin, this does not mean that I have any intention to “defend Arminianism.” White has the idea that is so typical among Calvinists that if a man is not a Calvinist, he is surely an Arminian.This idea actually began with Calvin. He treated those who disagreed with his position on election as enemies of God and the gospel and would not admit that men can reject Calvinism and still believe God’s Word! From the time that I was saved by God’s marvelous and free grace 32 years ago until this very day, I have wanted to understand the will of and to be a faithful servant of Jesus Christ through God’s preserved Word, the Scriptures. As best as I know how, I have made that my sole authority. I enjoy systematic theology; I have taught a course in Bible doctrine in a new Bible college that helped establish in South Asia and have published a book on Bible Doctrine or Theology, but I test all of the various theologies with the Scriptures alone, and I have never agreed completely with any man’s systematic theology.

 

[crooner]

thanks KrissWhat scripture can I use to verify The fig tree represents Isreal?I really want to understand this correctly.Thanks

 

[Christina]

Mark: “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; when her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is near: So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done” (13:28-30).Luke: “And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; when they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand, verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled” (21:29-32).These are Parables meaning they have hidden meanings God always uses Nature asa teaching tool are there not Good figs and bad figs,Christ is our vine, fruit of the Wordtares and wheat, this is not a new theme in Gods Word but following with Gods set theme it was not us that decidecd the Fig tree was Israel it is used in the new testament only a few times All relating to Israel The parable is speaking of a certain Generation trees are people and nations what is Gods choosen nation?? Israel didnt exsit for some 2500 years as a nation (Fig tree)until 1948.The parable also mentions about seasons we are supposed to know What seasons ?the season of his return what does he say to this generationthat this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done” what will be done? his second coming.God times everything through Israel how was Israel supposed to become a trembling stone to the Worldif it had not become a New Nation (tree)Do you not think Israel coming again as a nation for the firt time sense the crusifiction a sign from God?And what is the subject of all the chapters this is related to? the End times

 

[Christina]

God tells us that no one knows the hour or day of the return of Christ.However he tells us we should watch and know the season,just as we know when the leaves turn colors and begin to fall,that the seasons are going to change,God tells us to watch for the season of the "End Times"Matthew 24, Mark 13 ,Luke 21, all tell us of the signs of this season,there will be false prophets,wars,rumors of wars,and earthquakesbut these things have always been so how do we know when we are supposed to start watching for this particular season? When being asked of these things Jesus gave a parableLuke 21:29 And he spake to them a parable;Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;Luke29:30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selvesthat summer is now nigh at hand.Luke29:31: So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass,know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.Luke29:32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away,till all be fulfilledA parable is simular to a riddle meaning there is a mystery or hidden meaning in the words. It is saying more than the surface words.So what does this riddle say? It has long been understood by biblical scholars that trees represent"Nations" and the "Fig Tree" represents IsraelSo taking this into account the parable would now read:Behold Israel, and all the NationsWhen they come forth,yea shall know the season is at handSo likewise when you see these things come to pass,know that the kingdom of God is close at handI say unto you,This generation shall not pass away till all things be fufilledNow that we know what the parable says lets inspect it futher. Behold Israel.Israel became a nation,for the first time since Christ's time on May 14,1948 (U.N ratified 1947)NationsThese are the nations that the bible says exsist in the end timesGenerationWhat Generation is it speaking of? the generation that see's Israel become a Nation So we can now see that the Parable of the Fig Tree tells us that the generation that saw the 1948 formation of the state of Israel is the generation that will see the "End Time events and the return of Christ.A generation in the bible is 40 years,70 years,or 120 years.Although we can not completely rule out 120 year generation people in our day do not normally live to 120 years old so it would seem that 40 years or 70 years would be more likely however 40 years has already passed, so by process of elimination we are left with 70 year Generation. God does not say he will wait the full 70 years, only that the generation will not all pass away before the end comes.We are fast aproaching the 70th year May14, 2008 will complete 60 years of the 70 year generation.And the 70 years ends May 14,2018There is another important date that we are approaching that may shed more light on where we stand in the time line.East Jerusalem was part of the so called occupied territories untill the Six Day War of June 5,1967. When Israel finally took position of all of Jerusalam.Which completed the current day state of Israel.In June 2007 Israel will celebrate the 40 year aniversery of the possession of Jerusalam.Forty(40) is an important number in Gods word and often signifies completeness or fullness of time.kriss

 

[Christina]

crooner here some verses I have found but again they are symbolic Hos 9:10 - Israel as an image of the fig tree. Fruit in the first season?Nah 3:12 - Israel as symbol of figs.Zech 3:10 - Symbol of the blessing of the Kingdom when Israel will invite others to find shade under her fig treeWe are also called branches and sticks the study of symoblogy in scripture is teaching on a deeper level and is sometimes difficult for the average christian to understand fully The biblle is taught layer upon layer or as God says precept upon precept So without the precept upon precept knowlege some things are more difficult to explain. So bare with me its like putting a puzzel together.

 

[Christina]

During the first dispersion of Israel, God sent a vision to the old prophet Jeremiah, of two baskets full of figs. One of the baskets had good figs while the other basket contained bad figs. Jeremiah 24:5-7: 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 an 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. Here, in these verses, God likens the captive exiles of Israel to the those good figs in the basket. The Jewish remnant which was still left in Jerusalem, God likens to the bad, or evil figs retained in the second basket. I should point out that Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon rose up against Israel and took captive all the children of Israel except those princes who were left as mere puppet rulers in the holy city. The year of Israel's defeat by Babylon was 606 B.C. Then nineteen years later in 587 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar returned back to Jerusalem and destroyed the city and executed King Zedekiah. Anyway, God promised through Jeremiah that he would return Israel once again into the land, and afterwards that Israel shall no more be uprooted from the promised land; and that He would write his law in their hearts. This promised of course dream has never been fulfilled during the long history of Israel. It is still a future eventuality. But the fact has been historically established that Israel has forever become prophetically typecast, in a figurative sense, as a fig tree. When Jesus came strolling down Bethany Road to the city of Jerusalem on that day, he wasn't simply looking for something to eat off the fig tree to satisfy his bodily appetite; but rather, He was looking for "Good Figs". It is national Israel that God has planted in the midst of the garden of nations to portray himself to all the rest of the nations of this world. God has historically longed for Israel to bear fruit (figs), but unfortunately, Israel has never acknowledged the true "Branch"; for which she has been a vehicle to bring fruit from the world. In Jeremiah 23:5; God says: "Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that I will raise to David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and also prosper, and shall execute judgement and justice in the earth. This scripture continues on to say that in the days of the rule of the righteous Branch, that Judah itself shall be saved, and Israel will dwell safely in their land. Of course Jesus was the righteous Branch that was born from out of the stem of Jesse; as Isaiah 11:1 foretold. In the strictest definition, God is in reality the fig tree; with the righteous branch being Jesus; while the figs are the fruit of the tree. Israel is symbolically represented as the early blooms on the fig tree, while the church is typified by the leaves that are on the branch. Later in Romans chapter 11 we find that the Gentiles have been grafted into the branch. So, when Jesus found no figs upon the fig tree, on that afternoon, and cursed the tree; He was displaying to the openly disciples in a figurative way, that national Israel still as yet had not bore any fruit from the branch; by the mere fact that their immediate generation still simply did not recognize the epic "time of visitation" by their Messiah. In Luke 18:31-33; Jesus had already instructed the disciples that he was going down into Jerusalem, and while there all the things prophesied concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. He informed them that he would be mocked, scourged, and put to death; and yet rise up again on the third day. The symbolic paradigm acted out at the roadside fig tree was simply a public display of the rejection of Israel's king, and that "ISRAEL", would suffer the a historical curse in like manner as the fig tree that the disciples saw. I recall in Luke 12:56, that Jesus took to task the Scribes and Pharisees for not being able to discern the signs of the times. Israel should have anticipated that the season for the Messiahs appearance was at hand.More of this study here[url="http://focusonjerusalem.com/israelandthefigtree.html]http://focusonjerusalem.com/israelandthefigtree.html[/url]

 

[rjunior]

A new and simple interpretation of Jesus' parables is available in the site "The Scope of the Master's Parables"

 

[crooner]

what site?

 

[dawngordon]

Remember though what the Lord said to Abraham in Genesis 12:3, ISRAEL is ALL PEOPLES.they are ALL BLESSED through Abraham..ISRAEL is more SPIRITUAL then FLESH.

 

[Christina]

True statement but one must learn to know when Gods word is using a literal and/or a spirtual context one can not just assume it is one or the other Israel is as real as the U.S.A. but in the Bible prophecys when refering to the modern day Land of Israel we are to look to Israel itself it is our time clock the events that happen there are God's way of telling us where we are in prophecyHowever when speaking of prochey of the Jews the Bible use the term Judah because it is the tribe of Judah that is in Israel todayWhen prochey refers to Ephriam Mannash it is talking all the Christain nations When the whole of Israel (or somtimes Jacob) it is All twevle tribes that is all Christains and Jews

 

[crooner]

Good reminder KrissThat helps take my focus off the US as being part of Isreal(literal)