Parable of the Fig Tree

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Does the parable of the fig tree point to the time of the rapture or possibly His Second Coming? In Matthew 24:32-34, we read:

“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. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

This statement from Jesus' has been interpreted in every possible way. Almost every commentator has a different twist in how to understand Jesus words. The fig tree is generally understood to refer to Israel. In the statement, "when you see all these thing", Jesus seems to refer to all the signs prophecied in the earlier verses (4-29).

The difficulty comes in interpreting which generation is being mentioned. Is it the generation that was alive when Jesus spoke this parable? Or is it the generation that began when the nation was reborn in 1948 or when Jerusalem was captured in 1967?

Another difficulty arises about the time length of the generation. A case can be made for 40 years, 60 years, 70 years, 80 years, or the average life span of our present day generation. As you can see, a case can be made for many starting and ending dates based on the various assumptions made. Therefore, I resist using this parable to point to any particular time for the Second Coming.

Nonetheless, I take comfort that God has fulfilled, at least in part, Ezekiel's dry bones prophecy and brought the people of Israel back together again from having been dispersed throughout the nations. Based on all the evidence around us, it would be very hard to think we are not in living in the generation Jesus Christ was speaking about.

I believe the major point of the passage, however, is that we can be assured that when all these signs occur, Jesus will come again, defeat his enemies, judge the nations, and reign on earth for a thousand years.

This parable will be of utmost importance to the tribulation saints and the Jews in the time of tribulation. They will need assurance that the time of their intense persecution will be short. This parable will give them that assurance.

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Living Expectantly

Have you prayed for something sincerely and when God blessed you with what you had asked for, you were actually surprised. Sometimes I'm amazed God answers our prayers when the don't seem to be deeply rooted in faith towards what's being asked.

James 1:6-7 says "But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. 8 Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do."

So what does believing and not doubting look like in our lives? I'm always reminded of the wonderful faith exhibited by Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego. Faced with the option of bowing down to worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadezzar had set up, which clearly violated God's commandment, or be thrown into the fiery furnace that would have surely meant instant death for them, they obeyed God and faced the human consequences.

They told the King in Daniel 3:16-18:

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to him, “King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

Their response to the King showed that they were: 1) confident in God's sovereign power over their circumstances, 2) confident in God's active love and goodwill towards them, and 3) regardless of what God chooses to do, He is completely worthy to be obeyed. They were living expectantly. They knew they were in the presence of God. They knew God reigns supreme even over the greatest King on the earth.

God chose to save them through the fiery furnance trial they experienced. In the end, God's name was revered throughout the kingdom and the three men of God were promoted in the land of Babylon.

Are you expecting to see God act in your life and among the nations? Do you see his invisible but powerful hand at work? That's the life of faith, and the Bible says the righteous shall live by faith.

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Prayer suggestion:

"O Lord, I believe, but forgive my unbelief. Your Word is trustworthy. You cannot lie. What you have willed will come to pass. Help me to be expectant of your sovereign power and gracious love. You have promised good to me. May I trust fully in You! In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen."