This is one of those stories I have wondered about for a long time. It never made sense to me…
The lesson of the Fig Tree
(Mark 13:28-31; Luke 21:29-33)32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Many in the Dispensational, pre-Trib Rapture camp will refer to 1948 Israel as the “budding of the fig tree” of Yeshua’s parable in the Olivet Discourse. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this stated. OK. Well, let’s carefully consider the fig tree analogy.
(Note: Some of this has been copied and pasted from my previous blog)
Yeshua is saying that when you see certain signs in that particular variety of plant life, you know that Summer is on the way. After giving an analogy all of them would have easily understood, He then said that likewise, when people see all of the above mentioned signs, the end would be very near. In fact, those who do see all of these things taking place, would be the generation that would not pass away before the end comes.
Please note: He said ABSOLUTELY NOTHING AT ALL about “Israel becoming a nation” anywhere in the above text! That’s Hal Lindsey (and many others like him) talking here, not Yeshua!! So, everyone trying to apply this text to a count-down clock beginning in 1948 is seriously applying eisegesis (inserting their own ideas) unto the text. 1948 and the re-establishment of the nation calling itself “Israel” has nothing to do with any statement made by Yeshua in the Olivet Discourse. Don’t believe me? No problem. Please go back and re-read verses 1 – 34 and see if you can find any mention of Israel becoming a nation again being described here. You’re not going to find it, but I’ll wait if you want to try anyway.
Welcome back. OK… sorry to disappoint you. I know. I know. Dumping traditional (and profitable) thinking can be painful sometimes. But the text says what it says and we should not add to it what it does not say. At the beginning of Matthew 24. the disciples specifically asked the Son of God what the signs of His coming would be, and therefore, we must take note of two striking omissions:
- No mention of millions of people flying up into the sky before the days of tribulation
- No mention of Israel needing to be re-established as a nation
Oops! Well, let’s just say there’s good reason why countless modern “prophecies” concerning the Rapture and His return have failed time and time again – and will continue to fail so long as they hold to false premises like these.
Something else perhaps worthy of consideration is addressing the claim that Yeshua was talking about Israel as the fig tree in Matt. 24:32. Proponents of this view will cite passages such as Jeremiah 24 as justification for this metaphor. To me this would contradict Paul, who referred to Israel as the “cultivated olive tree” in Romans 11, but let’s go with it anyway. If Israel is allegedly the “fig tree” spoken of in the parable Yeshua gave in Matt. 24:32-34, and He is saying we are to learn the meaning of this parable, then the only precedent we have associating Yeshua with a fig tree was Him cursing it on His RETURN into Jerusalem three chapters prior in…
Matthew 21:
18 Now in the morning as he RETURNED into the city, he hungered.
19 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.
20 And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
In Mark’s account of this story, the cursing of the fig tree happened just after Him riding into town on the donkey, being hailed as King and prior to Him cleansing the Temple of the money changers.
Mark 11:
11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.
12 And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:
13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.
15 And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;
16 And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.
17 And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but ye have made it a den of thieves.
The fig tree in Matthew 21 and Mark 11 was cursed because it pretended to be something it was not. It looked ready for food, but it was all a show. It was “ahead of it’s time.”
At first, this bothered me. How could Yeshua curse something that He made to produce fruit just because it wasn’t at that specific time? The Scriptures said Yeshua was hungry. He saw a fig tree in bloom, but there was no fruit because “the time of figs was not yet.” Isn’t that like getting mad because there is no snow in Summer? So, I looked up the harvest times for figs. This is what I found:
Indeed, many fig varieties have two distinct harvests. The first harvest, which happens in June, is called the breba crop. The fruits of this harvest tend to be less sweet and more acidic than the flavorful main crop, which is larger and lasts longer.
***
The fig harvest is at its peak in September, but some figs may be available as late as November.
Source: http://www.cuesa.org/food/figs
The above cited website says that figs are in season: June, July, September and October (or even as late as November). If this is true, Yeshua was there in roughly the April-ish time-frame, as this was the first month of the Hebrew year, the month of Passover, at the start of Spring. Ah… now this makes more sense. He was hungry. He saw a fig tree showing off signs of fruit several months early (for the first harvest) and several seasons early for the main harvest. In short, it was a counterfeit, that had no ability to satisfy our Savior. Not good. Thus cursed.
So, whether it be that He was NOT referring to Israel being reinstated again as a nation in Matt. 24 (as I believe to be the case) or He was (as many others believe), I can’t see how anyone can look at this analogy as a good thing and something we should be excited about in reference to the Last Days. From my reading of Scripture, I see 2/3rds of that place being killed and 1/3rd “going through the fire” (Zech. 13:8,9) and Yeshua telling those who are in Judea to get out of there in the Last days (Matt. 24:16). For more on this, see the notes and videos I’ve posted here: http://www.quest4truth.net/Archived-Shows/quest4truth-episode-11
It may be time to rethink everything we’ve been taught in the last 70 years concerning the so-called “nation of Israel” and what it means in terms of End Times prophecy. Why? Because so many think and preach that, “Israel was gathered together again as a nation, thus fulfilling Isaiah 66:8.” But did it really fulfill this Scripture?
Isaiah 66:8 Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children.
They will say, “Can a nation be born in a day? Yep! May 14, 1948.” Well there are a number of problems with that. First of all the plan for this to happen was set in motion LONG before May 14, 1948, so it can hardly be considered as happening in one day. In fact, some would say it goes all the way back to the late 1800s and a script written that outlines three World Wars, two of which followed the script perfectly and a third making a fair run at doing the same as we speak.
Whether you believe this document was attributed to Albert Pike or not is really irrelevant. The fact is, the document did exist before the events took place, and the events followed the script nearly to the letter. Problem is, they didn’t follow the SCRIPTures.
Over and over again throughout the prophets (especially the book of Hosea), we see YHWH saying that HE is going to assemble the whole house of Israel (all 12 tribes as Judah and Ephraim) together Himself. Some say, “Yes. But He did so using those (Luciferian) Rothschilds, Zionists and Freemasons in 1948.” Well, the problem is the prophet Amos said…
Amos 3:7 Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.
So, if He meant to tell us that He was going to use the Luciferian Rothschilds, Zionists, Freemasons and the ungodly United Nations to accomplish His will concerning the regathering of Israel as a nation once again, He would have made some mention of this to His prophets, just as He did when He declared what He was going to do through a pagan like Cyrus. He did not. This is just one of many problems. To me, the bigger one is the fact that Isaiah 66 is in the context of the previous chapter, which sets it up in a Millennial Reign context! Furthermore, if you keep reading just 4 more verses after Isaiah 66:8, you see…
Isaiah 66:12 For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream: then shall ye suck, ye shall be borne upon her sides, and be dandled upon her knees.
Peace flowing like a river from the nation born in a day?? What? We’ve had anything but peace since 1948! Sorry, but no matter how you look at Yeshua’s statements in the Olivet Discourse, there is simply no way you can derive any notion of the establishment of “Israel as a nation” from His words concerning the fig tree apart from the possibility of it being a counterfeit, which gathered itself together, destined to being cursed, just as the poser of a fig tree was in Matthew 21.
Zephaniah 2:
1 Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired;
2 Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger come upon you.
Now, I know this is going to be upsetting to some people. Many will likely throw the “antisemitism” card and accuse me of “cursing Israel.” Regarding the latter accusation, we must revisit the context of that Scripture too:
Genesis 12:
1 Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
4 So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran.
The entire context of this passage of Scripture is Abram being called to leave his family behind and to go on a journey that YHWH was going to lead Him on into what would become known as the “Promised Land.” Note how many times I had to bold and color red the subject of this discussion. The entire context is Abram and what YHWH was going to do for, in and through him. YHWH was encouraging Abram and basically telling him (if I may paraphrase), “Don’t worry Abram. I’ve got your back. Just do what I say and I will protect you every step of the journey. I’ll bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you. You have nothing to fear, so get going.” Yet, time and time again Christians and Zionists, will try to use this Scripture out of context as a tool of manipulation to get us to support political agendas – most of which are directly contrary to the Torah and the prophets.
Hear me clearly:
I LOVE THE JEWISH PEOPLE! I LOVE THE PEOPLE OF (true) ISRAEL!
So, don’t even think about twisting my words to say otherwise. My issue is with political Zionism and supporting things that are clearly contrary to the Word of God. YHWH has very specific “house rules” about having the privilege of living on HIS land. Read Leviticus 18 and Leviticus 26 if you want to know what those rules are and what happens when you disobey them. In short, disobedience ALWAYS leads to exile from the land and judgement/punishment in increasing measure depending on how long you choose to remain defiant and disobedient. Question: As a nation, is the 1948 established “Israel” being obedient or disobedient to YHWH’s Torah? Granted, there are certainly individual people there who are moving in that direction. But as a nation, they have all the evils of America and worse within their borders. According to Leviticus 18 and 26, you simply can not do that on YHWH’s Holy Land. Not for long anyway. For more on my view concerning this issue, see:
If we are to “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” as Paul told Timothy in 2 Tim. 2:15, then we need to do exactly that. We need to keep Scripture in context, take it at face value, not adding to nor subtracting from it.
- Rob Skiba
Good article Rob. I’ve read other good posts with different ideas on the fig tree that I also like. Here is one from the Eth Cepher website
http://www.cepher.net/blog.aspx?post=2345&title=On+the+Fig+Tree+–+Part+One
Rob,
I agree with your observations here… But you didn’t answer the question.
Why did he curse the Fig tree?
I must know,
Nate
I believe I did answer it: Because it was a counterfeit, showing signs of something it did not have.
Well these are interesting time Rob. And it’s good to see that few passionate guys like you are shaking things up. Even I am questioning everything and trying to find answers.
It hurts me to see preachers who are so busy in their posh ministry life that they blindly preach their own assumptions without even thinking for a sec what impact it would have on the believers..!!!
Everybody need to go back to scriptures as a whole not just bits and pieces from old and the new..
Thanks for the post Rob.
There’s a great article from Tsvi Misinai from “The Jerusalem Post” that has caused me to rethink who the real Jews really are. His studies show the Gaza Palestinians to have a 90% plus DNA linkage to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and a very watered down mix of DNA in the present inhabitants of Israel. These are Jews that managed to remain in Israel one way or another and had Islam forced on them. Most to this day retain many of the Jewish customs. Could it be that the true remnant of Gods people are still being persecuted by a counterfeit with the full blessing of todays modern Christian Church here in America… just sayin.
Interesting thesis. I’ve not heard that before. Hmm… would have to study further.
It’s because most modern Jews aren’t descendants of Shem but Japhet – the Kazarian Jews out of whom came the Asheknazi Jews. This is also where the kosher (letters on kosher food items=KSR=Kazaria) diet comes from… and well, all the ceasers, tsars, Kaisers and related families in Europe. The real descendants of Judah are both – in Israel or dispersed just like the rest of Israel. But a known fact is that quite a bit of Sephardic Jews (actual descendants from Judah) went back to the land of Israel during the Spanish inquisition. And they lived there peacefully and some of them mixed with the Palestinians of course. (So we were told by a Messianic Sephardic Jew who thinks the Talmud is satanic.) 🙂
More on “Kazarian Jew”-genetic studies:
Shlomo Sand: http://www.rafapal.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Shlomo-Sand-The-Invention-of-the-Jewish-People-2009.pdf
Eran Elhaik:http://gbe.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2012/12/14/gbe.evs119.full.pdf+html
Lol. Yeah, I’ve read several of Schlomo Zand’s or Sand articles and numerous others. What I’ve learned after sticking my head down that rabbit hole is that its probably more cluttered with dead ends and shills and misdirection than the FE controversy. It all left my head spinning. After becoming a FE believer and realizing it’s all part of the great deception Paul wrote about… nothing surprises me and this has all the earmarks of just another deception. Thanks for the links and I’ll check em out after my mind clears from my last excursion down that hole. I think I’ve got stretch marks on my brain after that one. Whew!! Lol.
Lol I feel your pain Geoff!
If the curses in Deuteronomy 28-30, took place, as they must have since Isaiah,Jeremiah,etc. All were instructed to clap there hands and not mourn for Juda for they had incurred the curses. The only people that fit this description seems to be the “African-American”. Everything I find tells me this is true. If you have time I would love to hear what you know or think about this. I enjoy your insights and presentations. I have learned an incredible amount from you brother Rob, and am inspired every day by your energy and quest for truth. Yahuwah bless you.
In light of my previous comment,I also have to rethink Rev.2:9 “those who say they are Jews and are not, but are of a synagogue of Satan.”
You might like this article and her webpage in general:
http://olivetjournal.com/category/writing-projects/why-yeshua-had-to-die/part-6-ch-1-%C2%A7-1-yeshua-our-messiah-is-not-a-jew/
With “Jew” she doesn’t mean “tribe of Judah” – just as a heads up. 😉
http://midseventiethweekrapture.blogspot.com/2015/02/this-generation-shall-not-pass.html
I don’t want to believe everything you say, but darn it, I haven’t been able to punch a hole in any of your arguments. And believe me, it is not for lack of trying.
I too had many questions when growing up that were not answered adequately, but your time charts on the Genesis 6 timeline has been most helpful in understanding the
chronology of events.
And I have been going over and over them in order to better understand them.
A million thanks that God raised you up for such a time as this.
Jeremiah 8:8 in the septuigent, seems to back up your explanation.the fig tree being baren and losing it’s leaves to symbolize the house of Juda rebelling in Jeruselem, and being removed with avorice forthwith. The current inhabitors of the area fit that at least. Keep it up fine sir.
I don’t listen to Andrew Wommack much anymore, so many doctrinal differences now but I clearly remember his teaching on this. He said pretty much what you just did but instead of counterfeit he used the term pervert. lol He said that tree was perverted, functioning in a way the Father never intended it to. “That tree was a pervert!” LOL I’ve never forgotten that lesson.
LOL! Good ol’ Andrew! Yeah, I’ve veered from some of the stuff he teaches (primarily due to my more recent understanding in Torah), but he was a HUGE part of my healing back in the 2002-2004 time frame. Still love the guy and will be forever grateful for his ministry.
That was about the same time frame as us, 2001. Wes and I attended his school in 2004. The doctrinal chasm between us has only widened since then but I will always appreciate him. His ministry was such a positive influence on Wes and I. He helped me understand the true nature of YHWY and the power He has given us. I still have many “andyisms” rolling around in my head. 🙂 I REALLY hope that someday he realizes his need to come out of Babylon.
Agreed.
A question … why do you say Andrew Wommack needs to come out of Babylon?
The following are some of the scriptural reasons why God has established the land of Israel in these last days. 1898, 1948, 1967… nothing to do with His Land and His people is ever outside His Hand, His Sovereignty…
First of all basic principle of truth is that Satan and his work is used by God in accomplishing His work: Isa 54:16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy.
He also uses other nations to bring punishment and correction to His people:
Jer_25:9 Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.
2Ki_15:37 In those days the LORD began to send against Judah Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah.
In the last days God says He will bring His people into the wilderness via His anger, and this will no doubt be at the hands of their enemies.
Eze 20:34 And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.
Eze 20:35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.
Eze 20:36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD.
Eze 20:37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant:
Eze 20:38 And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
So we see that God has a plan to bring his people into the wilderness and the bond of the covenant in order to bring them to the land of Israel.
Similarly in Jeremiah this return to the land of Israel is at the hands of fishermen and hunters and the reckoning of sin by God.
Jer 16:14 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that it shall no more be said, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt;
Jer 16:15 But, The LORD liveth, that brought up the children of Israel from the land of the north, and from all the lands whither he had driven them: and I will bring them again into their land that I gave unto their fathers.
Jer 16:16 Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith the LORD, and they shall fish them; and after will I send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the holes of the rocks.
Jer 16:17 For mine eyes are upon all their ways: they are not hid from my face, neither is their iniquity hid from mine eyes.
Jer 16:18 And first I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double; because they have defiled my land, they have filled mine inheritance with the carcases of their detestable and abominable things.
This is what happened via the Zionist movement and Hitlers persecution of the Jews.
First for Judah but coming soon for us Ephraimites…
Of course we know that prophecy necessitates Judah being in the land as Jesus is coming back to Jerusalem(Zec.14:4) and will deliver Judah from the hands of the enemy(Zec.14:14). God has also been establishing a love for His land in the hearts of the Curch and a desire to understand the roots of their faith and the promises given to Abraham and our forefathers, as it says in Malachi:
Mal 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:
Mal 4:6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.
(yes Elijah will preach this but God gives it now to those who will hear and see)
The establishment of the state of Israel has provided the freedom for His people to grow in these areas.
The restoration of all things has begun in this last generation in preparation for the coming of Jesus and his kingdom:
Act 3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
This restoration includes the reestablishing of Jerusalem and our being gathered there. Yes we will be gathered at the rapture, but in the meantime we will turn our faces in that direction from whence our past and future lies.
Jer 31:9 They shall come with weeping, and with supplications will I lead them: I will cause them to walk by the rivers of waters in a straight way, wherein they shall not stumble: for I am a father to Israel, and Ephraim is my firstborn.
Jer 31:18 I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God.
Jer 31:19 Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth.
Jer 31:21 Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.
Unfortunately we Israelites are a stubborn people and slow to understand, so a little ‘help’ has been in order and God has used the hand of powers that be to turn our faces towards Jerusalem.
Is the state of Israel an evil lie, satanic Zionist movement?
Yes, it is an evil government with a fake flag and demonic agenda persecuting the poor, no different than any other country.
Has the establishment of the nation of Israel in 1948 been God’s doing?
Yes, how else would His people of this end time generation begin to come home?
http://www.quest4truth.net/Archived-Shows/quest4truth-episode-11
Thanks again Rob. Will be sharing this with my study group. Also thanks for all the work you have done on FE. Talk about blow the minds of our study group! They are still reeling! But they can’t deny the truth and have embraced FE. You are in my daily prayers. Love to “friend” you on Facebook but it says you have reached your limit of friends! Lol. Looking forward to you teaching somewhere close as me and my study group will be there! YeHoVaH bless and protect you! Shalom
Rob, just a question here and I may just have missed it. What was the exact point of this article?
The most I got was that Jesus cursed the fig tree for been a false representative? Like Wommack says , the tree lied?
I am just unclear on what you exactly trying to say? Anyone, who accepts Jesus , whether Jew or Gentile can be righteous before God. Its by Christs righteousness?
Please clarify…..
Thanks in advance…