Sign of His Coming: The Fig Tree (Israel) putting forth leaves
Our Lord has created in nature pictures of spiritual truth . We are familiar with some and they have found their way into our language as “storms of life’ and “winds of adversity”. The fig tree is, in Bibles usage, given as a picture of the nation Israel. When asked about His coming and the end of the age Jesus said, “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:” (Matt.24:32). At that time Israel was occupied by Rome. It had no national status for hundreds of years and continuing until 1948 when President Harry Truman recognized it. At that time the U.S. was at the height of influence and other nations followed although they had opposed Truman’s action as had many of his cabinet. When asked why he took this action, we are told Truman replied, “because it was the right thing to do”.
In an unusual event Christ cursed a fig tree because it had leaves but no fruit and it was not harvest time (Mk.11:14). This tree has an unusual characteristic. In spring when leaves come on it also has a little fruit from last years late growth. The main fruit bearing comes at harvest time on the current years growth. The cursed tree proclaimed a little fruit but had none. Picture the way Christ was treated.
Another characteristic of this little tree is its resilience. On the side of our house in Sandy Springs Georgia I planted a fig tree. It was very fruitful but it took space I wanted for other purpose. I cut it down. Years passed, sod covered it over with grass and the lawn grew on its spot . I thought it was totally gone. Then one spring time I was absent for some weeks and the lawn grew unattended and there to my surprise sprouting up from the very spot was a healthy shoot of a fig tree. A French King when asked why he thought the Bible true is reported to have replied , referring to the burning bush Moses saw in the desert, “the Jewish nation , a bush burning but not consumed”.
When will Christ return with His people to Judge the Nations? We don”t know the day or hour, but the leaves on the fig tree say “soon”.
