Hosea 9.
10 “When I found Israel,
it was like finding grapes in the desert;
when I saw your ancestors,
it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree.
But when they came to Baal Peor,
they consecrated themselves to that shameful idol
and became as vile as the thing they loved.
11 Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird—
no birth, no pregnancy, no conception.
12 Even if they rear children,
I will bereave them of every one.
Woe to them
when I turn away from them!
For years Dispensationalism, which has ruled as an eschatology in America, told me that Israel was the "fig tree" that was predicted in the Olivet Discourse to be reborn as a State in modern times. It was, they said, a predicted sign of the soon Rapture of the Church, before the 2nd Coming of Christ.
I do believe that the "fig tree" can represent Israel, if the context warrants it. But does the context warrant it in the case of the Olivet Discourse?
We know that around this time Jesus had depicted Israel as a failing fig tree. But in the Olivet Discourse, the "fig tree" appears to be bearing leaves and about to bear fruit. Does this indicate that Israel will not fail, but will be reborn as a state before the coming of Christ?
I don't think so--at least not with respect to the nation of Israel. Let's look at it more carefully...
Matt 24.1 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”....
32 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
Please note that Jesus had said that the temple was to be obliterated, and when asked when this would take place he indicated it would be in their generation. So this is not a positive development--this is a negative development--the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. How then can the "fig tree" be said to be producing leaves?"
In context Jesus explains that "all these things," namely the things he had just indicated were precursors of this event, would happen in the generation of his Disciples. What were these things? They were "birth pain" signs, which is a very negative thing for a pregnant woman about to give birth.
It consisted of the signs of imminent warfare, which would come through the Roman Army. It was the sign of God's displeasure with that time and place, with famines and earthquakes occurring. It was the sign of Israel's degeneracy, apostasy, and behavior leading to their judgment, including the persecution of Jewish believers.
These signs were negative, but what about the "fig tree" bearing leaves and about to bear fruit? Didn't this mean that the pregnant woman, ie Israel, was about to bear children?
No, it was a still birth or an aborted birth. Israel was indeed at the very cusp of achieving this with Messiah being in their midst. But instead of accepting him, they crucified him, bringing upon themselves judgment in that very generation. It was delayed out of God's patience and mercy, allowing the Gospel to be preached for an entire generation. But judgment certainly came in spades.
The "fig tree" bore leaves indicating that Israel could be saved. But the fruit never came, except by the disciples of Jesus. The Church was in fact born. But Israel went into an age-long dispersion called the Jewish Diaspora.
So the "fig tree" in the Olivet Discourse did *not* refer to Israel's modern rebirth as a political state. All of this took place in Christ's generation, leading to Israel's "great tribulation," aka the Jewish Diaspora.
But wasn't this sign of Israel's judgment supposed to be related to Christ's 2nd Coming? It was Jesus' answer to those who thought Israel was ready for Jesus' Kingdom. They weren't even close to ready. Instead they would be judged, making time for the Gentiles to obtain the Kingdom for themselves. Israel's Salvation would be delayed for a couple thousand years!
I've worked on this for a lifetime, because there have been so many conflicting interpretations. I hope my interpretation helps in clearing up some of the confusion.
10 “When I found Israel,
it was like finding grapes in the desert;
when I saw your ancestors,
it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree.
But when they came to Baal Peor,
they consecrated themselves to that shameful idol
and became as vile as the thing they loved.
11 Ephraim’s glory will fly away like a bird—
no birth, no pregnancy, no conception.
12 Even if they rear children,
I will bereave them of every one.
Woe to them
when I turn away from them!
For years Dispensationalism, which has ruled as an eschatology in America, told me that Israel was the "fig tree" that was predicted in the Olivet Discourse to be reborn as a State in modern times. It was, they said, a predicted sign of the soon Rapture of the Church, before the 2nd Coming of Christ.
I do believe that the "fig tree" can represent Israel, if the context warrants it. But does the context warrant it in the case of the Olivet Discourse?
We know that around this time Jesus had depicted Israel as a failing fig tree. But in the Olivet Discourse, the "fig tree" appears to be bearing leaves and about to bear fruit. Does this indicate that Israel will not fail, but will be reborn as a state before the coming of Christ?
I don't think so--at least not with respect to the nation of Israel. Let's look at it more carefully...
Matt 24.1 Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. 2 “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.”
3 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?”....
32 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
Please note that Jesus had said that the temple was to be obliterated, and when asked when this would take place he indicated it would be in their generation. So this is not a positive development--this is a negative development--the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple. How then can the "fig tree" be said to be producing leaves?"
In context Jesus explains that "all these things," namely the things he had just indicated were precursors of this event, would happen in the generation of his Disciples. What were these things? They were "birth pain" signs, which is a very negative thing for a pregnant woman about to give birth.
It consisted of the signs of imminent warfare, which would come through the Roman Army. It was the sign of God's displeasure with that time and place, with famines and earthquakes occurring. It was the sign of Israel's degeneracy, apostasy, and behavior leading to their judgment, including the persecution of Jewish believers.
These signs were negative, but what about the "fig tree" bearing leaves and about to bear fruit? Didn't this mean that the pregnant woman, ie Israel, was about to bear children?
No, it was a still birth or an aborted birth. Israel was indeed at the very cusp of achieving this with Messiah being in their midst. But instead of accepting him, they crucified him, bringing upon themselves judgment in that very generation. It was delayed out of God's patience and mercy, allowing the Gospel to be preached for an entire generation. But judgment certainly came in spades.
The "fig tree" bore leaves indicating that Israel could be saved. But the fruit never came, except by the disciples of Jesus. The Church was in fact born. But Israel went into an age-long dispersion called the Jewish Diaspora.
So the "fig tree" in the Olivet Discourse did *not* refer to Israel's modern rebirth as a political state. All of this took place in Christ's generation, leading to Israel's "great tribulation," aka the Jewish Diaspora.
But wasn't this sign of Israel's judgment supposed to be related to Christ's 2nd Coming? It was Jesus' answer to those who thought Israel was ready for Jesus' Kingdom. They weren't even close to ready. Instead they would be judged, making time for the Gentiles to obtain the Kingdom for themselves. Israel's Salvation would be delayed for a couple thousand years!
I've worked on this for a lifetime, because there have been so many conflicting interpretations. I hope my interpretation helps in clearing up some of the confusion.
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