The Fig Tree

“Now the next day, when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” And His disciples heard it.”  Mark 11:12-14. NKJV

It would be accurate to say that this account from the book Mark is, and can be, confusing to many that read it.  I know it certainly was to me when I first read it many years ago, but as I studied it I came to realize just why it is important, and why it may prove to be even more so in the future.  You see, as always when studying scripture, context is everything and this account of the only destructive miracle Jesus performed is the key to our understanding.

If we back up just a little we find that this cursing of the fig tree occurred on Monday, the day after Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem.  Riding on a colt, He was welcomed by the people crying out “Hosanna”,  yet three days later He would be rejected by these same people and crucified on a cross.  Considering this, we always need to remember how often the fig tree was used as an idiom for the nation of Israel in the Word. If we do that, and then apply it to this passage about cursing the fig tree, we begin to see the light.  

Now some might argue that the fig tree was punished for not having fruit even though it was early in the season and no fruit should have been expected, yet with a little digging one can see that is not necessarily the case.  In Israel, where fig trees are abundant, there is something that occurs early in spring when the leaves first grow on the trees and that is the appearance of Breba figs.  

Brebas are figs that grow on last years unpruned branches and are usually always picked off by growers to encourage the growth of the main crop which is to come later in the season.  If no Breba figs appear in the spring on a fig tree, it is usually taken as a sign that it is a sterile tree which will not produce a normal crop in the coming months.  When Jesus saw that the fig tree had leaves, He was expecting to find Breba figs on it.  Finding none, He knew it was a sterile tree which would not produce fruit in its season.

Putting it all together, Jesus came to His people, the nation of Israel, expecting to find fruit and instead found none.  Rather than accept His Kingship, they rejected Him so in turn He set them aside and founded His Church, made up of all who choose to believe He is the Son of God.  The cursing of the fig tree is simply an illustration of this, and at the current time we the Church, made up of all who choose to believe, enjoy the favor of His promise of a future Kingdom.

“Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it.”     Matthew 21:43 NKJV

Now I said earlier that there may be a future component to this story which I personally find exciting so let me also share my thoughts on that. 

“For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land. The fig tree puts forth her green figs, And the vines with the tender grapes Give a good smell. Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away!"    Song of Solomon 2:11-13  NKJV

It’s not often that you hear a sermon taught on the Songs of Solomon.  Truthfully that seems to be a shame for if you believe that all scripture is inspired by God, and all scripture is profitable for instruction, you need to ask why this book was included in the scripture and what is its message?  Solomon wrote this song to a Shulamite woman who he had fallen in love with, and it is his love song to her while he is courting her with the intent of making her his bride.  We don't need to read very far at all to understand the depth of his love for her, and the anticipation he has for the day she will become his own.

Seen in this light, it appears logical that this song can easily describe what Jesus is feeling as He looks forward to His own wedding to His bride, the Church.  Although the Jews have always looked at this book as signifying God's love for the nation of Israel, and it easily could be, I can also certainly see Jesus' love for the Church and His anticipation for the coming wedding in it as well.  One of the many interesting things I found while reading this book was this description of his intended which Solomon gives us in chapter 4.

"You are all fair, my love, And there is no spot in you."  Song of Solomon 4:7  NKJV

The fact that he sees no spot in her immediately brought to mind the description of the Church Paul gives us in the book of Ephesians.

"Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish."   Ephesians 5:25-27  NKJV

I can easily read this book and picture Jesus writing these words in anticipation of His future wedding with the Church. As long as we are going to talk about a future wedding, however, it would also seem appropriate to consider the possible timing of it to see if Solomon gives us a clue as to when that might take place.  Notice his description in the passage from the second chapter, and everything that he says there.  It seems rather obvious that Solomon is talking about the season of Spring, and all of the things that occur in Israel during that particular time of the year.

"For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone."

Solomon tells us that the winter is past, as well as the early rains.  It is these early rains which help start the growing season in Israel.

"The flowers appear on the earth;"

 

One of the things I, and many others appreciate most about spring, is watching all of the flowers reappear after hiding under the snow for the winter.

"the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land"

 

Did you know that the turtledove is a migratory bird?  It normally leaves in the fall and returns to Israel in the spring.  

"And the vines with the tender grapes Give a good smell"

 

Grapes have begun to appear on the vines, ripening in preparation for the coming harvest. 

"The fig tree puts forth her green figs”. 

 

“Here’s your sign”?. When I read this you could accurately say this was my “sign” moment.  Based on our new understanding of the fig tree, what figs are appearing in the spring?  As we now know, the answer to that is breba figs, those which Jesus was looking for but could not find.  Could this possibly be a clue as to the season of the rapture?  Is there a deeper reason Solomon chooses to call his bride in the spring at the time of breba figs, to “come away”.  

Why do I think this might be important?  Most understand that in the book of Daniel the nation of Israel was given a timeline for its future, which totaled 70 weeks.  The clock stopped at 69 weeks in the spring when Jesus cursed the fig tree and was crucified.  Does it not make sense that Israel’s clock will start up again in a future spring season exactly as it did when it stopped in the spring of 33AD?  

“After two days He will revive us; On the third day He will raise us up, That we may live in His sight.”  Hosea 6:2. NKJV

Many are of the opinion it is no coincidence that if we accept the premise based on the one day equals one thousand years revealed in the Bible, we see that two days, or two thousand years are about to pass since Israels’ clock was stopped in 33AD.  Accordingly, if you subtract 7 years of tribulation from 2033 you arrive at the spring of 2026.  Most important of all, let’s not forget that the Church must be taken away in the rapture before Israel’s clock restarts.

“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.“So you also, when you see these things happening, know that it is near—at the doors!“  Mark 13:28-29. NKJV 

All things considered, I think it is safe to say that Solomon was anticipating a wedding just like many others have.  I have to wonder if Solomon, the wisest man to ever live, had a reason to choose spring as the season for a wedding. Many believe the Church is rapidly approaching its own wedding in Heaven, and a close look at the state of this world certainly seems to support that belief.  One day, very soon in many believers opinion, the Church will hear the Jesus the bridegroom call out for her to "come away" just as Solomon wrote in this passage.

It is my prayer that you have made the decision to accept the gift of eternal life offered by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ for your sin, and that you are part of the body, the bride of Christ which will live with Him forever in the place He is preparing for us.

If you are reading this today and have never made the decision to accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I urge you to do it right now. Simply admit to God that you need His forgiveness because you are a sinner,  be willing to turn away from your sins, believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, and invite Him to come in and control  your life through the Holy Spirit by praying a simple prayer like this;

Father, I know I am a sinner in need of salvation. I believe you sent your Son Jesus to die on the cross for my sin, and I ask you now to forgive me of my sins. I want to receive your gift of salvation so please come into my heart and help me to live and follow you as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus' name, Amen.

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:"   John 1:12 NKJV

If you have prayed this prayer you are part of the body of Christ, a member of His Church, and just like the rest of us are now waiting for the call to join Him in the air for the wedding soon to come. 

Keep watching.

PS.  As I write this, the next Middle East war has broken out and missiles are flying once again.  As our forces, along with those of Israel begin to fight please join me in praying for their safety along with the innocent, as well as obeying the biblical call to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Finish Strong

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”                    2 Timothy 4:7-8  NKJV

Although I recall mentioning a time or two that the sport I participated in when younger was track and field I’m not sure I ever said that I began competing when I was just 12 years old.  Running for me has always been a source of enjoyment and the competitions I was able to be a part of produced fond memories I will never forget.  While I had good days and bad days, one of the lessons I never forgot was my very first coach telling me to never, ever, quit a race.  Always finish was his message to me.

When I read this passage from Paul, I immediately was impressed with two phrases he used to illustrate his point.  The first was his reference to a “fight”, which couldn’t help but catch my attention so I decided to look closer at the language to better understand what Paul might be trying to say.  I was surprised to find that the Greek word for fight used here is “agon” which when translated not only means a fight, but any struggle or contest.   Interestingly, it was also used to refer to an assembly or gathering, especially one gathered to witness the competition.  We know from history that the Greek culture was the origin of our Olympic Games, and this word would have been used at that time to refer to not only those national games, but the place of assembly to watch them.

Obviously from the context, we understand that Paul is talking about his life as a believer, and the struggles he has endured as he tried to share the gospel on his many journeys.  He chooses to describe his life in terms that anyone at that time would understand, but also makes the point that the believer also receives a crown as a reward just as the participants of the Greek games did.  Life as a believer is a fight against the powers of Satan, and all the clever ways he knows to deceive, manipulate, and lead us away from the path we have chosen.  

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”                           Ephesians 6:12  NKJV

The race Paul is referring to is of course the Christian life, which is lived much like a race in that just as while running we take steps towards a goal, life itself is a series of steps which eventually lead to the finish.  The question is, along with the fight that we have, is do we take those steps in the power of the Spirit, our new life, or do we stumble along in the flesh, trying to live according to our old ways of thinking?  One thing that I believe Paul is also telling us here, which may often be overlooked, is that by his choice to use the word “agon” he is also letting us know our struggle is very public and we are being watched just as runners in a race are watched.

Secondly, Paul wants to make the point that he has finished the race and arrived at the finish line.  Although I began my running career in the sprints, towards the end of my college days when others became faster and I did not, I began to transition into longer distance races.  One thing I noticed right away that surprised me was how many participants began the race, but for one reason or another would slowly drop out and fail to finish.  I came to understand that although everyone begins the race full of energy and strength, as the race progresses some find that their strength begins to fail them.  I have never seen anyone drop out at the start of a race, but it’s as the race gets long and difficult that people begin to fail. Since Paul makes the point that it is important to finish the race, where do we as believers get the strength to carry on when we begin to tire?

“Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,”      Luke 18:1 NKJV

The word uses here for the phrase “lose heart” is “ekkakeo” which means “to be wearied out, exhausted, or spiritless”.  What Jesus is telling His listeners is that by praying we can avoid being weary, exhausted, and lose our spirit for serving Him as we run the race.  The older I get, the more I find myself using the rest stops along the way whenever I travel a long distance over a long period of time.  Unfortunately, I can also remember a time when I was young and those stops were not necessary.  As I see it, Jesus is telling us here that by continual prayer we can always be refreshed with what we need to continue our race without becoming tired and discouraged.

“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.                         Revelation 3:10-11  NKJV

These words from Jesus to the church at Philadelphia contain the promise we all are looking for, especially at this particular time in world history and that is the promise of the rapture of the Church.  As the events leading up to this event, and especially the time after begin to unfold before our eyes, how easy is it to get weary and discouraged just before the end of our race.  This is the very time that all of us as believers should be taking Paul’s advice and be praying continually for the strength we need to finish the race and obtain the prize He has set before us.  When Paul talks about the crown he will receive, I believe He is talking about the crown of righteousness that Jesus will award to all those who have longed for His appearing.

I would certainly be lying if I said the thought of quitting a race never crossed my mind but fortunately I never did.  Something I ended up teaching myself along the way was that when I started to become fatigued I would immediately turn my attention and focus on the finish line rather than my current condition.  My way of doing that was to look up and ahead rather than down at the road in front of me. I quickly found that this seemingly small adjustment worked wonders, even to the point of giving me energy to pick up the pace.  Truth be told, there were a few times I believe I was able to win races in the last few meters simply because of my focus on the finish line.

“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”  Hebrews 12:1-2. NKJV

I think most every believer would agree that when we see Jesus face to face we have crossed the finish line and finished our race.  To me, personally, that is exactly what I believe and am focusing my eyes on in order to finish my race strong.  I don’t believe it is an accident that God chooses to make so references to running a race when describing the life of a believer.  Distance races are long, difficult, tiring, and full of ups and downs but there is always a finish line that we can cross if we endure to the end.

There is no doubt in my mind that what we are seeing today can best be described as signs that our finish line is very close.  As we struggle to arrive there, the attacks we must suffer through will grow stronger and probably more frequent.  The possibility of discouragement will also never be greater, so the question is, are you going to look down at current circumstances, or will you look up at the finish line and pray continually for the strength you need to obtain the crown?  Jesus is coming quickly, don’t give up.

The rapture of the Church, made up by all who have chosen to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and sacrificed Himself for our sins, is the finish line we are looking for.  As I so often say, because so many believe they are seeing this finish line quickly approaching, it is becoming all too hard to ignore.  If you are one who has never made the decision to believe in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I pray you would consider doing that today.  Simply pray a prayer like this one and receive the free gift God has offered to all who choose to believe.

Dear Father in heaven, I believe in your son Jesus. I believe that He died on the cross for my sins, that He rose up from the grave, and that my sins are forgiven.  Forgive me of my sin, help me to walk with you, and thank you for saving me. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Keep watching.

Coincidence or Signs?

“Now in the twelfth month, that is, the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day, the time came for the king’s command and his decree to be executed. On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred, in that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them. The Jews gathered together in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm. And no one could withstand them, because fear of them fell upon all people. And all the officials of the provinces, the satraps, the governors, and all those doing the king’s work, helped the Jews, because the fear of Mordecai fell upon them. For Mordecai was great in the king’s palace, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces; for this man Mordecai became increasingly prominent. Thus the Jews defeated all their enemies with the stroke of the sword, with slaughter and destruction, and did what they pleased with those who hated them.”                Esther 9:1-5  NKJV

 

My regular readers might recall the subject of this post as being one I have shared before, yet I believe the circumstances we see in the Middle East with the potential for another attack on Iran suggests it be revisited.  This is one of my favorite stories in the Bible and is found in the book of Esther, which recounts the story of how God arranged for the Jewish people to be saved from annihilation.  I say arranged, because in His infinite wisdom He arranges for Esther, a Jewish girl taken captive in the time of Nebuchadnezzar, to somehow become the Queen of Persia.  It is a wonderful story of palace intrigue, corruption, attempted murder, and ultimate justice which is worthy of a Hollywood movie.  It has always been a staple in my years of teaching and was easily one of the most favorite in the Sunday School classes I taught.

 

The plot, in a nutshell, revolves around the attempt by Haman, an official in the king’s court, to completely destroy all of the Jews because of a personal dislike of Mordecai, a Jew who had adopted Esther when her parents were killed.  Of course, Haman had no idea Queen Esther was a Jew, nor her relationship with Mordecai, which placed Esther in a perfect position to foil the plot.  After Haman had tricked the King into signing a decree which called for all of the Jews to be killed, Esther revealed to the King the fact that she herself was a Jew, and exposed the entire evil plot of Haman for what it really was.

 

The King was incensed, and ordered Haman to be hung on the very gallows he had built to hang Mordecai on, and because he could not rescind his own decree, he wrote another which allowed the Jews to defend themselves from their enemies and anyone else who intended harm to come their way.  The annual festival of Purim is a celebration of this deliverance of the Jews from the plot by Haman to completely annihilate them. 

 

“And Mordecai wrote these things and sent letters to all the Jews, near and far, who [were] in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, to establish among them that they should celebrate yearly the fourteenth and fifteenth days of the month of Adar, as the days on which the Jews had rest from their enemies, as the month which was turned from sorrow to joy for them, and from mourning to a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and joy, of sending presents to one another and gifts to the poor. So the Jews accepted the custom which they had begun, as Mordecai had written to them, because Haman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to annihilate them, and had cast Pur (that [is], the lot), to consume them and destroy them; but when [Esther] came before the king, he commanded by letter that this wicked plot which [Haman] had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows. So they called these days Purim, after the name Pur. Therefore, because of all the words of this letter, what they had seen concerning this matter, and what had happened to them,”   Esther 9:20-26 NKJV

 

If you have followed my blog for any length of time, you probably understand that I find it increasingly hard to believe in coincidence in a world created by an omnipotent God.  I especially don’t believe it coincidence when major events relating to the nation of Israel occur on the anniversaries of their Holy Days, festivals, or holidays, which, if you have studied at all, you know have happened with great regularity throughout Israel’s history.  This brings us to the subject of Purim, when Israel celebrates their deliverance in the story of Esther, which is only a couple of weeks or so away.  It will arrive on the evening of Monday, the 2nd of March, and that is one of my reasons for discussing it today.
 

This celebration in Israel is one of the most joyous, lasting three days which include the giving of gifts, wearing costumes, and singing, eating, drinking, and of course reading the Book of Esther in the synagogue. The fourteenth of Adar usually occurs in our month of February or March, and although the events surrounding this festival happened thousands of years ago, it appears that it might be a good idea to consider God’s sense of timing.   If we fully understand His love and protection of the nation of Israel, it could well result in this being a day to watch considering Israel is currently talking with the US about a joint attack on Iran.  If you haven’t guessed by now, the reason I am sharing all of this with you today is that the ancient country of Persia mentioned in the story of Esther, is in fact, modern day Iran.

In late 2002, the United States began a building up of forces in the Middle East with the apparent intent of deposing the ruler of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, who was pursuing the capability of weapons of mass destruction with the stated intent of using them on the nation of Israel. I had been invited to lecture on the situation in the Middle East in early 2003 and was in the process of preparing when I noticed the Festival of Purim on my calendar was just a couple of weeks away. 

Reminded of the story of Esther, the first thought that went through my mind was what if history was about to repeat itself with God's sense of timing thrown in for good measure? As the world was watching and waiting, I contacted a few friends in the ministry and shared my thoughts about the possibility that an attack on Iraq could occur on the very anniversary of the deliverance of Israel some 2500 years earlier. No surprise, the festival of Purim, the 14th of Adar, occurred on Wednesday March 19, 2003, the very day the first bombs dropped on Baghdad.

It goes without saying that I find it very hard to believe the attack on Iraq during the festival of Purim was simply a coincidence. Today, Iran along with its stated desire to wipe Israel off the map makes the future of Israel seem very clear.  Is history about to repeat itself again with a major action, possibly against Iran itself, by Israel occurring this coming Purim? I have no idea, but I am a firm believer that where there is smoke, there is fire, and with the rhetoric we are seeing right now and the ultimatum being given to Iran to stop its nuclear program, it would be no surprise if Israel and the US choose to take action.  Then again, Israel has no shortage of enemies in the world so an attack by or on any of the countries hostile to Jewish people would come as no surprise either.

“Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;”  Genesis 1:14. NKJV

Now If this were not enough, there is another item of interest that might add some fuel to this fire.  A subject many have written about in the past is the mention in the Bible of eclipses, recognized as signs in the heavens to be aware and taken note of.  While reading up on this subject I found it curious that in the Talmud, which is basically a commentary on the Old Testament written by Rabbis and Talmudic scholars over a period of several centuries, there are references to eclipses and I found the following to be especially interesting.

“It is taught in a baraita that Rabbi Meir says: When the heavenly lights, i.e., the sun and the moon, are eclipsed, it is a bad omen for the enemies of the Jewish people,”  https://www.talmudology.com/jeremybrownmdgmailcom/2021/7/30/sukkah-29-the-causes-of-a-solar-eclipse

I think it is fair to say that an examination of Israel’s history has proven this to be true.  I also believe that it may prove to be prophetic going forward. The reason for that is a result of discovering there will be a full moon eclipse during this coming Purim as well.  Is the world about to witness something in the next week or so that will potentially reshape the Middle East?  Truthfully I have no idea if anything at all will occur during Purim but I have to say it appears there are way too many coincidences lining up not to set off my personal alarm bells.  As the Bible says, we all need to watch, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

Signs of the times or time of the signs?  Personally I am all in on the latter. It certainly seems to myself and many others in the body of Christ that virtually every week we are being treated to more and more signs that the rapture of the Church is close at hand.  It is also certainly a possibility that the rapture could even occur on Purim as we know that the scriptures teach it is an imminent event which could happen at any time.  If you have never made the decision to accept the gift of eternal life offered by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ I urge you to do it today.  Simply tell God you accept His Son Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and turn your life over to His control.

 Father, I know I am a sinner in need of salvation. I believe you sent your Son Jesus to die on the cross for my sin, and I ask you now to forgive me of my sins. I want to receive your gift of salvation so please come into my heart and help me to live and follow you as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus' name, Amen.

 

Keep watching.

P.S.  If you are interested in the subject of the eclipse you can read an excellent article by T.W. Tramm by clicking on this link.

https://storage.googleapis.com/wzukusers/user-35306783/documents/2ac7907567f94003866bf4e7ba3ceb81/BLOOD%20MOON%20ON%20PURIM.pdf