Does The Parable Of The Fig Tree Has Anything To Do With Our End Times?
By Abraham Israel
Hear The Parables :
The Parable of the Fig Tree
"28 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near—at the doors! 30 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." (Mark 13:28-31).
No One Knows the Day or Hour
"32 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34 It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— 36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”" (Mark 13:32-37).
We all know that a Parable is an earthly story that reflects the truth of heavenly reality. “Parable” is a transliteration of the Greek ‘parabole’. It means “the placing of one thing beside another with a view to comparison”. It puts the known next to the unknown so that we may learn.
From the Bible we see that God often spoke of the Fig tree as representing the nation of Israel. In Jeremiah 24:5, we see the word "figs," being used to represent the Jews that are carried away. In the same Chapter of Jeremiah 24:1-8, the word "figs" is used here eight times denoting the Jews. In Matthew 21:18,19; Mark 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.
When the Temple was destroyed in A.D. 70 the period of the second exile began. The Jewish people were soon to be scattered throughout the earth. For the next 1900 years the Jews would have no authority in the land God gave to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
So Jesus spoke saying, "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near." When Jesus Himself is saying learn the meaning of the heavenly truth behind the earthly story which is placed along side the real truth with a view to compare and know the deep spiritual meaning, clearly He was emphasizing that Israel as a nation that He had previously spoken as that which will not be in existence (Mark 13:1-2), will start to branch out as a separate nation once again as the Spirit of God will hover over it and make its branch tender to put forth leaves to gain political and financial independence, the summer time of World Tribulation that has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time which He spoke is very near to come to pass (Mark 13:18-19). Nevertheless, the nation of Israel was reborn on May 14, 1948 and is starting to send out strong signals of the ready to be fulfilled God’s mission during the Tribulation which was to turn, correct and purify Israel from being a independent democracy to God dependent theocracy under Him and be a light to the whole world (Isa 60:3; Matt 23:15), which was the purpose for its existence in the middle of the entire globe (Isa 66:8-9; Jer 30:4-7, 11; Zec 13:8-9).
Is The Great Tribulation, That Near To The Generation Of People Who See The nation Of Israel Being Reborn?
Jesus again continued saying, "So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near—at the doors!" (Mark 13:29). Yes in our generation we have seen the nation of Israel being reborn politically and becoming financially independent. For example when a man says I want to leave my house today at such and such time, when that time comes, the man realizes his time to leave the house has come and goes near the door and begins to put his hand on the knob of the door to open it. Is there not a difference between the time he told he will leave and the time he puts his hand on the door of the knob? Once he pulls the knob and opens the door, he will be out of the house as he had said. So Jesus was saying that the nation of Israel first will be reborn, then it will fight for its survival and existence, and then finally it will put forth its leaves out by becoming financially independent, then Jesus continues saying that when you see these things happening successively one by one leading to the final stage of Israel's independent existence, then it is like the man first saying, then waiting and then finally getting Himself ready to place his hands on the knob of his door to then just open and leave his house as he has said previously.
Israel as a nation has not only been reborn, but has fought for its survival, now it is almost becoming financially and politically independent in the entire world instead of the opposition of the secular world and its media from all nations that still writes and speaks against the nation of Israel continually as the prophecies of the Bible foretells (Zech 12:3). Almost we can hear the foot steps of the Messiah Jesus Christ coming out of his house of heaven, as we see that the Tribulation is near—at the doors of heaven than to any other generations who ever lived, as Jesus Christ opens the doors of heaven by unlocking the door knob one by one for the whole thing to happen in a matter of time.
If you ask me, are you so sure about what you are telling, don't believe me but mark the words of Jesus who said, "30 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." (Mark 13:30-31). That means we who are present as a terminal generation at the time when the Fig tree of the nation of Israel has its branches become tender and puts forth leaves to become a financially and politically an independent nation, that generation of people will also be present to see through the Great Tribulation of those times and even if God willing may even be present even up to the Millennium time of the kingdom of Jesus if they miss the rapture of the Church and survive through the Great Tribulation. The Word of God is eternal in nature and Jesus has staked this prophecy of the end time as the very Word of God which cannot change and will happen exactly according to the eternal time table that God has revealed through him.
So the question is, are we the terminal generation? Almost we have come to the very close of this age and I believe we are the terminal generation that Jesus has spoken about. How long can a generation continue, a generation to the max Biblically can continue only from 60 to 100 years (Lev 27:3; Psa 90:10; Gen 15:13, 16). So safely from the day Israel has been born (May 14, 1948), the countdown of the terminal generation has begun and when Israel regained all of the city of Jerusalem (June 1967) another last days confirmation that Jerusalem shall be a bone of contention for the whole world to come against Israel one day, this mighty prophecy of the last and final hour has already started to roll on towards the finish line (Zech 12:2-3). I believe as time keeps moving from the day Israel has been reborn, be it 60 years or 80 years or 100 years at the maximum, we are all in a locked down countdown and there is no way to stop the prophecy of Jesus from being fulfilled in this generation. To our calculation, 1948+100 = 2048. What does this show us? Time will not continue like it has been in the past, mockers and scoffers have already come and are increasing in a alarming rate challenging the Church saying, 'Where is the promise of Jesus Christ's coming? Since the beginning of the creation, all things continue as they were.' (2 Peter 3:3-4). These people willfully forget the warning that the Church has been giving that this terminal generation is becoming evil in their imagination and character like the terminal generation of Noah's and Lot's days (Luke 17:26-30), and the very mocking and scoffing of the godless proves that the very prophecy of the apostle Peter is being proved in fulfillment right before our eyes in our generation.
Many prediction of Jesus' coming has been set by countless people in the past 60 years and it has consistently failed to come to pass. Many who believed their predictions have died and have been saddened living a miserable life instead of a joyful one. So what does Jesus have to say about this issue, here it is, "32 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is."" (Mark 13:32-33). Jesus is answering and saying that the exact day and hour will not be know by anybody which includes all the prognosticators who had been trying to predict against the teachings of Jesus and have failed (Isa 47:13). Even all the powerful angels in heaven out of curiosity like you and me desire and love to know when these end times event will take place (1 Peter 1:12), but they abide by the words of Jesus rather than speculating in heaven like on earth (Psa 103:20). Even the Son Jesus the Christ did not know the exact time of these end time events as long as he was limited in Glory on earth (Php 2:6-11), but once he gained the Glory as the first and the last God Almighty the Creator of the whole universe which is the glory which He had even before the world was made which includes the cosmos universe and even the angels who were made for it (John 17:5; Rev 1:8), only then after his resurrection He was able to gain the knowledge of the Divine Glory by existence. As long as he was on earth, Jesus humbly confessed that he does not know the exact time of the Rapture of the Church body to heaven after which the Great Tribulation will start. But he simply believed that it will happen according to Father God's time table on time, not one second before or after but at that exact time He has fore-ordained for His Glory. How do we know that Jesus is speaking about the Rapture of the Church? Because He immediately exhorted everyone saying to our terminal generation to, 'Take heed, Watch and Pray!' and for you do not know when the exact time is (Mark 13:33). If Jesus is not speaking about Rapture here, he would not have told the hearers of the terminal generation to hear what He is saying and therefore watch and pray.
Instead of looking for the exact time of Rapture and then Tribulation, Jesus gave a beautiful Parable to make this terminal generation understand how they should walk in the times He has already told them. Jesus describes the Rapture of the Church to be like, "34 ...a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— 36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”" (Mark 13:34-36, 37). The man going to a far country is none other than our Lord Jesus (Acts 1:9-11), who left his house the Church and gave authority to his servants to spread the gospel in all the world with signs and wonders not to sell it but freely give it as it was freely given to them (Acts 1:8; Matt 16:16-17, 18-19; Matt 28:18-20; 10:8). To each person in the Church He gave a particular job to perform for him (Eph 4:8, 11; 1 Peter 4:10). Finally he commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Who is the doorkeeper? Jesus is the chief doorkeeper of the Church (John 10:3), under him the shepherd doorkeepers who watch over the God's flock are the over-seers and elders of the Church who do it willingly and sacrificially (1 Peter 5:1, 2, 4; Acts 20:28). These under-shepherd doorkeepers were commanded by Jesus to watch. Watch means, do the work of feeding the sheep's not for dishonest gain or being lords over those entrusted to them, but being an example to the flock so that they can follow them as they follow Jesus their Chief Shepherd (1 Cor 11:1). If the leaders watch for the Rapture, the flocks will follow them (1 Thess 1:10; 2 Thess 1:6-7). When Jesus will come to Rapture the Church, at dawn or dusk, morning or evening, or at midnight no one knows for sure which hour and day He is coming, and no one need to understand the exact time, because Jesus wants his doorkeepers and sheep's to watch for His coming so that whether they die expecting His coming or are alive at the time of His coming, they will all be rewarded by Him for obeying His command (1 Thess 4:14-18; James 1:; 1 Peter 5:4; 2 Tim 4:8).
When Christ's servants are not found watchful but rather sleeping when he appears, then according to the warnings He had already given, He will take the saved virgins with Him and will leave the unsaved virgins to go through the Great Tribulation (Matt 25:6-9, 10-11, 12-13). Believe me, because the gifts and callings of God are without repentance, more and more servants of God will keep serving God because of the benefit of serving rather than for serving Him out of the experience of salvation with gratitude for salvation (Rom 11:29; Titus 3:5-8). I believe that in the end of times, there will be a great mixture within the Church that will diminish the difference between the truly saved ones and the unsaved ones. That is why Jesus specifically told altogether to all of them to 'Watch' and know that they are walking in real faith and not in a bogus one of the end time last hour deception (1 Cor 16:13; 2 Cor 13:5-6; James 2:17).
The Parable of the Fig Tree
"28 “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. 29 So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near—at the doors! 30 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." (Mark 13:28-31).
No One Knows the Day or Hour
"32 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. 33 Take heed, watch and pray; for you do not know when the time is. 34 It is like a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— 36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”" (Mark 13:32-37).
What Does The Fig Tree Represent?
We all know that a Parable is an earthly story that reflects the truth of heavenly reality. “Parable” is a transliteration of the Greek ‘parabole’. It means “the placing of one thing beside another with a view to comparison”. It puts the known next to the unknown so that we may learn.
From the Bible we see that God often spoke of the Fig tree as representing the nation of Israel. In Jeremiah 24:5, we see the word "figs," being used to represent the Jews that are carried away. In the same Chapter of Jeremiah 24:1-8, the word "figs" is used here eight times denoting the Jews. In Matthew 21:18,19; Mark 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.
When the Temple was destroyed in A.D. 70 the period of the second exile began. The Jewish people were soon to be scattered throughout the earth. For the next 1900 years the Jews would have no authority in the land God gave to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
So Jesus spoke saying, "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender, and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near." When Jesus Himself is saying learn the meaning of the heavenly truth behind the earthly story which is placed along side the real truth with a view to compare and know the deep spiritual meaning, clearly He was emphasizing that Israel as a nation that He had previously spoken as that which will not be in existence (Mark 13:1-2), will start to branch out as a separate nation once again as the Spirit of God will hover over it and make its branch tender to put forth leaves to gain political and financial independence, the summer time of World Tribulation that has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time which He spoke is very near to come to pass (Mark 13:18-19). Nevertheless, the nation of Israel was reborn on May 14, 1948 and is starting to send out strong signals of the ready to be fulfilled God’s mission during the Tribulation which was to turn, correct and purify Israel from being a independent democracy to God dependent theocracy under Him and be a light to the whole world (Isa 60:3; Matt 23:15), which was the purpose for its existence in the middle of the entire globe (Isa 66:8-9; Jer 30:4-7, 11; Zec 13:8-9).
Is The Great Tribulation, That Near To The Generation Of People Who See The nation Of Israel Being Reborn?
Jesus again continued saying, "So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near—at the doors!" (Mark 13:29). Yes in our generation we have seen the nation of Israel being reborn politically and becoming financially independent. For example when a man says I want to leave my house today at such and such time, when that time comes, the man realizes his time to leave the house has come and goes near the door and begins to put his hand on the knob of the door to open it. Is there not a difference between the time he told he will leave and the time he puts his hand on the door of the knob? Once he pulls the knob and opens the door, he will be out of the house as he had said. So Jesus was saying that the nation of Israel first will be reborn, then it will fight for its survival and existence, and then finally it will put forth its leaves out by becoming financially independent, then Jesus continues saying that when you see these things happening successively one by one leading to the final stage of Israel's independent existence, then it is like the man first saying, then waiting and then finally getting Himself ready to place his hands on the knob of his door to then just open and leave his house as he has said previously.
Israel as a nation has not only been reborn, but has fought for its survival, now it is almost becoming financially and politically independent in the entire world instead of the opposition of the secular world and its media from all nations that still writes and speaks against the nation of Israel continually as the prophecies of the Bible foretells (Zech 12:3). Almost we can hear the foot steps of the Messiah Jesus Christ coming out of his house of heaven, as we see that the Tribulation is near—at the doors of heaven than to any other generations who ever lived, as Jesus Christ opens the doors of heaven by unlocking the door knob one by one for the whole thing to happen in a matter of time.
If you ask me, are you so sure about what you are telling, don't believe me but mark the words of Jesus who said, "30 Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place. 31 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away." (Mark 13:30-31). That means we who are present as a terminal generation at the time when the Fig tree of the nation of Israel has its branches become tender and puts forth leaves to become a financially and politically an independent nation, that generation of people will also be present to see through the Great Tribulation of those times and even if God willing may even be present even up to the Millennium time of the kingdom of Jesus if they miss the rapture of the Church and survive through the Great Tribulation. The Word of God is eternal in nature and Jesus has staked this prophecy of the end time as the very Word of God which cannot change and will happen exactly according to the eternal time table that God has revealed through him.
So the question is, are we the terminal generation? Almost we have come to the very close of this age and I believe we are the terminal generation that Jesus has spoken about. How long can a generation continue, a generation to the max Biblically can continue only from 60 to 100 years (Lev 27:3; Psa 90:10; Gen 15:13, 16). So safely from the day Israel has been born (May 14, 1948), the countdown of the terminal generation has begun and when Israel regained all of the city of Jerusalem (June 1967) another last days confirmation that Jerusalem shall be a bone of contention for the whole world to come against Israel one day, this mighty prophecy of the last and final hour has already started to roll on towards the finish line (Zech 12:2-3). I believe as time keeps moving from the day Israel has been reborn, be it 60 years or 80 years or 100 years at the maximum, we are all in a locked down countdown and there is no way to stop the prophecy of Jesus from being fulfilled in this generation. To our calculation, 1948+100 = 2048. What does this show us? Time will not continue like it has been in the past, mockers and scoffers have already come and are increasing in a alarming rate challenging the Church saying, 'Where is the promise of Jesus Christ's coming? Since the beginning of the creation, all things continue as they were.' (2 Peter 3:3-4). These people willfully forget the warning that the Church has been giving that this terminal generation is becoming evil in their imagination and character like the terminal generation of Noah's and Lot's days (Luke 17:26-30), and the very mocking and scoffing of the godless proves that the very prophecy of the apostle Peter is being proved in fulfillment right before our eyes in our generation.
So Can You Pin-Point The Date Please?
Instead of looking for the exact time of Rapture and then Tribulation, Jesus gave a beautiful Parable to make this terminal generation understand how they should walk in the times He has already told them. Jesus describes the Rapture of the Church to be like, "34 ...a man going to a far country, who left his house and gave authority to his servants, and to each his work, and commanded the doorkeeper to watch. 35 Watch therefore, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming—in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning— 36 lest, coming suddenly, he find you sleeping. 37 And what I say to you, I say to all: Watch!”" (Mark 13:34-36, 37). The man going to a far country is none other than our Lord Jesus (Acts 1:9-11), who left his house the Church and gave authority to his servants to spread the gospel in all the world with signs and wonders not to sell it but freely give it as it was freely given to them (Acts 1:8; Matt 16:16-17, 18-19; Matt 28:18-20; 10:8). To each person in the Church He gave a particular job to perform for him (Eph 4:8, 11; 1 Peter 4:10). Finally he commanded the doorkeeper to watch. Who is the doorkeeper? Jesus is the chief doorkeeper of the Church (John 10:3), under him the shepherd doorkeepers who watch over the God's flock are the over-seers and elders of the Church who do it willingly and sacrificially (1 Peter 5:1, 2, 4; Acts 20:28). These under-shepherd doorkeepers were commanded by Jesus to watch. Watch means, do the work of feeding the sheep's not for dishonest gain or being lords over those entrusted to them, but being an example to the flock so that they can follow them as they follow Jesus their Chief Shepherd (1 Cor 11:1). If the leaders watch for the Rapture, the flocks will follow them (1 Thess 1:10; 2 Thess 1:6-7). When Jesus will come to Rapture the Church, at dawn or dusk, morning or evening, or at midnight no one knows for sure which hour and day He is coming, and no one need to understand the exact time, because Jesus wants his doorkeepers and sheep's to watch for His coming so that whether they die expecting His coming or are alive at the time of His coming, they will all be rewarded by Him for obeying His command (1 Thess 4:14-18; James 1:; 1 Peter 5:4; 2 Tim 4:8).
When Christ's servants are not found watchful but rather sleeping when he appears, then according to the warnings He had already given, He will take the saved virgins with Him and will leave the unsaved virgins to go through the Great Tribulation (Matt 25:6-9, 10-11, 12-13). Believe me, because the gifts and callings of God are without repentance, more and more servants of God will keep serving God because of the benefit of serving rather than for serving Him out of the experience of salvation with gratitude for salvation (Rom 11:29; Titus 3:5-8). I believe that in the end of times, there will be a great mixture within the Church that will diminish the difference between the truly saved ones and the unsaved ones. That is why Jesus specifically told altogether to all of them to 'Watch' and know that they are walking in real faith and not in a bogus one of the end time last hour deception (1 Cor 16:13; 2 Cor 13:5-6; James 2:17).
All We Need To Know Is, Jesus Christ Our Lord Is Coming Again!
So I believe that we need not know the exact time or the date of the secret rapture of the Church, or any other end time events after that, because God wants to come suddenly to give us a surprise and reward each of those believers who kept His command to be rewarded specially for obeying His commands. When a person who is saved fails to keep watch over his garments to be kept pure, when suddenly Jesus comes he will walk naked before Him and others will see his nakedness to his own shame (Rev 16:15). So a believer should be red hot for Jesus in these end times by having intimacy with Jesus and communion through prayer, so that he may be able to buy pure gold from Jesus to be spiritually rich and also be clothed with white garments of the righteousness of Jesus so that the shame of our spiritual nakedness may not be revealed to others around us because of our honesty with God to confess our faults and weaknesses. Only when we apply eye ointment for our spiritual eye disease, then we could actually come to find our own inadequacies to prevent ourselves from being a shame to ourselves and others (Rev 3:15, 16-18).
John the apostle says, "28 And now, little children, abide in Him, that when He appears, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before Him at His coming. 29 If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him." (1 John 2:28-29). When a born again believer has squandered all his God given time on earth, then when Jesus comes, he/she will have no confidence and will be ashamed at His coming because of wasting their opportunity to gain eternal standing before God and glory which could have been inherited have they used their earthly time properly to gain riches in heaven (Rev 3:11; Matt 6:20-21). The very sign that we are born again is that we will be using our small God given life in the fear of God, doing righteousness that will please God for saving us from sin (1 Peter 1:17). When God chastens you, repent of your shortcomings and be clothed again in God's righteousness again and again! Sooo WATCH! You can almost hear the footsteps of the Messiah opening the doors of heaven one by one!
Much Blessings....
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