“The Fig Tree Mystery”
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
“The Fig Tree Mystery” When Jesus teaches a parable, He draws a picture that all the people of Israel could easily understand……Then He relates strong spiritual truths that they could apply to their everyday lives! The same for Us! Figs and Fig Trees are Common in Jerusalem and All Israel We Know Very Little About Figs – Yet the Bible uses Figs Over and Over To learn the Mysteries of the End Times We need to go back to the Beginning! Where do we first find Fig Trees and Leaves? Genesis 3:7 – In the Garden of Eden There was only One Rule Adam and Eve Could Disobey… “Adam, of every tree of the Garden, you may freely eat, but of the Tree of the knowledge of Good and Evil, you shall NOT eat of it: for in the day that you eat of it, you shall surely die.” Genesis 2 :16-17 “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took fo the fruit and did eat, and gave also to her husband with her; and he did eat. ( Genesis 3:6) “And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked, and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.” (Genesis 3:7) When God formed Man out of the dust of the ground, He clothed Adam in the supernatural light of His Presence. After yielding to sin, God’s Presence was removed. Adam and Eve s were naked and ashamed. When Jesus is ruling on the Earth, All believers will have glorified bodies and once again, we will be clothed in His Presence! What if the leaves and the fruit came off the same fig tree? Figs, Olives, and Grapes N OT Apples are the fruit of the Bible Lands If tne Fruit of the Tree of Life offers Eternal Life in Christ! What does the Fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil offer? All the Ways of the World - The Good and the Bad As we Learn about Figs, we will soon see 2 natures, both Good & Bad! Amazing Facts About FIGS Fig trees have 2 Natures and 2 Crops The Good & The Bad “Sitting under Your Fig Tree” is a Symbol of Prosperity and Blessing! “In that Day, everyone of you will invite his neighbor to sit under his vine and under his fig tree” Zechariah 3:10 Israel as God’s Fig Tree Both Good and Bad The Nation of Israel in Rebellion - Jeremiah 24:1-8 Jesus’ Judgment of Israel at 1st Coming - Matthew 21:18-22 Israel as Prophetic Sign of 2nd Coming - Matthew 24:32-34 Jeremiah Chapter 24 1-8 1.The Lord showed me, and behold, 2 baskets of figs were set before the Temple of the LORD, after Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah, son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, & the princes of Judah, with carpenters and smiths, from Jerusalem and had brought them to Babylon” 2.One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe; and the other basket had very bad figs, which could not be eaten they were so bad. 3. Then said the LORD to me, "What see you, Jeremiah?” I said, "Figs: the good figs, very good & the evil, very evil, that cannot be eaten they are so evil.” 4. Again the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, 5. "Thus says 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. 6. 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. 7. And I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God; Obedient Israel = Good Figs for they shall return unto Me Rebellious Israel = Bad Figs with their whole heart. Israel as The Fig Tree God’s Judgment of His People Jeremiah 29:16-17 Hosea 9:10 Micah 7:1 Nahum 3:12 Isaiah 28:3 Luke 13:6-8 Mark 11:12-14 Hosea 9:10 “I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the first ripe in the fig tree at her first time: but they went to Baal Peor, and separated themselves unto their shame; and their abominations were according as they loved.” Numbers 25 – Moabite Women Seduce Israelites at Baal Peor - Balaam Jeremiah 29:16-17 “Know that thus says the Lord – of the King that sits on the throne of David and of all the people that dwell in this city & of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity. Thus says the Lord of Hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, famine, pestilence and will make them like vile figs, that can not be eaten they are so evil.” Nahum 3:12 “All your fortresses are like fig trees with their first ripe fruit: when they are shaken, the figs fall into the mouth of the eater. God’s Judgment of Ephraim “ The House of Israel” The 10 northern Tribes led by Ephraim Taken Captive by The Assyrians - 722BC “The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden underfoot. And the glorious beauty, which is on the head of the fat valley, shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which when he that looks upon it sees, he eats it up while it is yet in his hand.” Isaiah 28:3 Luke 6 – The Barren Fig Tree 6. “A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard: he came & looked for fruit and found none. 7.Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, Behold these 3 years I came seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down why encumber the ground? 8. And he answered, saying Lord, let it alone this year also till I shall dig about it and fertilize it: 9. And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that you shall cut it down.” Bethphage is the back side of the Mt. Of Olives where Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey. And the people came to greet Him, waving palm branches and singing, “Hosanna, Blessed is the King of Israel that comes in the name of the Lord.” John 12 Zechariah 9:9 Psalm 118:25-26 “And when they were near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mt. of Olives, then Jesus sent 2 disciples, saying to them, ‘Go to the village against you and right away you shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them and bring them to me.” Matt.21:1-2 Mark 11: 12-14 “And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, He was hungry. Seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, He came, if haply He might find anything thereon: when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves. For the time of the figs was not yet. Jesus said to it, ‘No man can eat fruit of you hereafter forever.” Jesus Cursed the Fig Tree! “ In the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree, dried up from the roots. And Peter said, ‘Master, Behold, the fig tree, which you cursed is withered away’ Did God Curse Israel Forever? Never! Romans 11 15.For if the casting away of Israel be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of Israel be, but life from the dead. 16. For if the 1st fruit is holy, the lump is also holy: if the root be holy, so are the branches 17. And if some of the branches be broken off, And you as a wild olive tree were grafted in among them, and with them partake of the root (Messiah) and the fatness of the olive tree. 18. Boast not against the branches. But if you boast, you do NOT bear the root but the root bears you. 19. Will you then say, ‘The branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in. 20. Well, because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by FAITH.. Be not high-minded, but FEAR! 21.For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest He also spare you not. 22. Behold the goodness & severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness: otherwise you also shall be cut off. 23. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be grafted in: for God is able to graft them in again. 24. For if you were cut out of the wild olive tree & were grafted in contrary to nature to a good olive tree, how much more shall these which are the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree? Romans 11:25 “For I would not, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.