The Parable of the Fig Tree
In Luke 13:6-9, we read the following where Jesus made reference to the “Fig Tree”, “¶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. 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? And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, [well:] and if not, [then] after that thou shalt cut it down.“
If we think about it, from an eternal Godly perspective, the “fig tree” is representative of the nation of Israel, which serves as a “Sign” in at least two ways.
The Fig Tree Represents National Israel
God refers to the nation of Israel as His “land” and then compares its coming under attack as a fig tree being “barked” (effectively being destroyed by being stripped of its bark), and we can see this when we read the following according to the prophet Joel in Joel 1:6&7, “For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth [are] the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion. He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast [it] away; the branches thereof are made white.” While it is unclear to which nation that the prophet Joel is referring as either having already come upon Israel, or will come upon Israel, to destroy it, we can say that God associates the fig tree with National Israel.
We can also look back over time and say that there are at least three times that Israel was attacked and essentially wiped out, first 1) by Egypt and Edom, then 2) by Assyria, then 3) by Babylon, but each time the nation of Israel survived to some degree with the last time (like the third year) being restored under the order of the Persian kings, which paved the way for Jesus to come nearly 400 years later. Then after a period of roughly 40 years following Jesus’s coming (when the Gospel was being preached in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria), Israel as a nation was completely destroyed by the Romans in ~70AD. Each time previously Israel continued to show signs of life, but there was still no “fruit” (souls were not being saved, because there was no effective repentant faith in Jesus). Finally, Jesus, Himself, came to Israel to personally proclaim the Gospel of Salvation, bringing the ultimate fertilizer of the fulfilled Word, but as a nation they still rejected that Word (Embodied by Jesus), and therefore Israel could never produce “fruit”. So God finally cut it down in 70 AD.
But what about now? Israel is once again a nation among nations in our world. Israel can be compared to a flourishing fig tree having leaves, but which cannot bear any fruit, because as a nation, Israel still rejects Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of God. Therefore, one must consider that God has re-established the nation of Israel as a “Sign” for our times. Remember what Jesus said to His disciples when they asked him for a sign of the end of time? Jesus replied with the parable that the fig tree would have leaves, but Jesus said nothing about “fruit”. Israel can never be able to bear any fruit because it will only continue to reject Jesus. There is no Biblical basis to expect that there will ever be a great revival in Israel as a nation. To the contrary, a careful reading of the Bible makes clear that National Israel’s special relationship with God ended at the cross, and was underscored with the destruction of the Holy Temple in ~70AD. That is the meaning of the Parable of the Fig Tree. Any and all claims to the contrary are simply false.
Please also see The Holy Temple of God, Will It Ever Be Rebuilt?
A Second Parable of the Fig Tree
When Jesus’ disciples asked Him in Matthew 24:3, “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what [shall be] the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” Jesus answered, among other evidences, in Matthew 24:32-35 (& Mark 13:28–31; Luke 21:29–33 ) — “¶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. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.“
The Barren Fig Tree Provides Insight
Matthew 21:18-22, “¶Now in the morning as he (Jesus) returned into the city, he hungered. And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.¶ And when the disciples saw [it], they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away! ¶Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this [which is done] to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done. And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.“
Consistent with this, is what we also see in Mark 11:12-14, “¶And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: 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]. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard [it].” A bit later we read Mark 11:20, “¶And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.“
The fact of the matter is that God had effectively cursed National Israel because it rejected His Son, and as a result it can never bear fruit. How can it?… if, as a nation, Israel rejects the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus made clear in Luke 24:44 that all that the nation of Israel holds dear pointed to Him as The Promised Messiah, “And he said unto them (the disciples), These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and [in] the prophets, and [in] the psalms, concerning me.“
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Conclusion
Joel 1:6&7 makes clear to us that God refers to Israel as His fig tree, which had been attacked and barked(stripped).
- Modern National Israel has leaves (life) but cannot produce fruit (because it rejects Jesus).
- Israel, typified by the fig tree, as a nation again is a “sign” heralding the End Times, and is NOT a portent of revival.
- National Israel’s special role ended at the cross and was sealed in 70 AD.
- Please see: “Is Time Almost Up?“
Physical descent from Abraham does not guarantee salvation, and neither does “physical” circumcision (by blood) or “physical” baptism (by water)…which only serve as “sign” of the two Covenants. Remember that “Not All Israel Is Israel” means that there is a larger “corporate” body (those who identified with either the Old Testament Nation of Israel, or who identify as “Christians” today) within which is found the smaller “eternal” body of God’s chosen people (the eternal Israel/eternal Church). Corporate fellowship with believers, just like Jewish lineage and practice, is no guarantee of Salvation. Only the “spiritual” circumcision of the heart and the “spiritual” baptism by washing and anointing of The Holy Spirit as applied to the elect believer by God, by His Grace alone, in Jesus Christ Alone (and only Jesus Is the true “Seed of Promise”).
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