Parables #41 Signs From A Fig Tree
Parable #41 — Matthew 24:32-35
Signs From a Fig Tree
Three Illustrative ParablesIt is evident that the Lord now finished, for the most part, the predictive part of his conversation. Except for a few details concerning the final scene of the nations, there are no new events described in the rest of his message. But it is extremely important that we understand these parables, for if we do not understand them we will not watch in the way he expects. And if we do not watch we will be deceived and miss much, if not all, of the exciting possibilities of the present hour.
32 “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. 34 I tell you the truth, this generation(Or this age, or this nation) will not pass from the scene until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will disappear, but my words will never disappear.36 “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself.(Some manuscripts do not include or the Son himself. ) Only the Father knows.37 “When the Son of Man returns, it will be like it was in Noah’s day. 38 In those days before the flood, the people were enjoying banquets and parties and weddings right up to the time Noah entered his boat. 39 People didn’t realize what was going to happen until the flood came and swept them all away. That is the way it will be when the Son of Man comes.40 “Two men will be working together in the field; one will be taken, the other left. 41 Two women will be grinding flour at the mill; one will be taken, the other left.42 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. 43 Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. 44 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.
In a small country store lady came to do her shopping. Two or three young men were standing around passing the time of day, and knowing that she was a Christian, they began to taunt her. “We hear you’re expecting Jesus to come back,” they said. “I sure am,” she replied brightly. “Do you really believe he’s coming?” they asked.“Sure as you’re born,” she answered. They said, “Well you’d better hurry home and get ready, he might be on the way!” She turned and gave them an abrupt answer. “I don’t have to get ready,” she said, “I keep ready!”
That is exactly the attitude the Lord meant to bring about when he said to his disciples, “Watch!” He does not mean, “Keep staring at the sky.” He means “Keep ready at all times.” Now to make it perfectly clear what that would involve he goes on to give them three parables, each of which is an exposition of that one word, “Watch!”
1. “Signs From a Fig Tree” is one of only six parables repeated in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. What does this tell us?
2. In Verse 24:33 and 34, what does “all these things” refer to?
33 In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door. 34 I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place.
“All these things” refers to everything Christ just talked about: wars, famines, earthquakes Matthew24:4-8
4 Jesus told them, “Don’t let anyone mislead you, 5 for many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Messiah.’ They will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and threats of wars, but don’t panic. Yes, these things must take place, but the end won’t follow immediately. 7 Nation will go to war against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in many parts of the world. 8 But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.
Persecution of ChristiansMatthew24:9-10
9 “Then you will be arrested, persecuted, and killed. You will be hated all over the world because you are my followers.(Greek on account of my name) 10 And many will turn away from me and betray and hate each other.,False prophets Matthew24:11
11 And many false prophets will appear and will deceive many people. 12 Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And the Good News about the Kingdom will be preached throughout the whole world, so that all nations(Or all peoples )will hear it; and then the end will come.
The abomination that causes desolation Matthew24:15
15 “The day is coming when you will see what Daniel the prophet spoke about—the sacrilegious object that causes desecration(Greek the abomination of desolationDan 9:27; 11:31; 12:11) standing in the Holy Place.” (Reader, pay attention!)
False ChristsMatthew24:23-24
23 “Then if anyone tells you, ‘Look, here is the Messiah,’ or ‘There he is,’ don’t believe it. 24 For false messiahs and false prophets will rise up and perform great signs and wonders so as to deceive, if possible, even God’s chosen ones.
The need to flee because of the Great Tribulation Matthew24:16-28
16 “Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. 17 A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. 18 A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. 19 How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. 20 And pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For there will be greater anguish than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again. 22 In fact, unless that time of calamity is shortened, not a single person will survive. But it will be shortened for the sake of God’s chosen ones…..26 “So if someone tells you, ‘Look, the Messiah is out in the desert,’ don’t bother to go and look. Or, ‘Look, he is hiding here,’ don’t believe it! 27 For as the lightning flashes in the east and shines to the west, so it will be when the Son of Man(“Son of Man” is a title Jesus used for himself ) comes. 28 Just as the gathering of vultures shows there is a carcass nearby, so these signs indicate that the end is near.( Greek Wherever the carcass is, the vultures gather ), and the stellar events (sun darkened, no light from the moon) of verses Matthew24:29-31
29 “Immediately after the anguish of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will give no light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.(See Isa 13:10; 34:4; Joel 2:10 )30 And then at last, the sign that the Son of Man is coming will appear in the heavens, and there will be deep mourning among all the peoples of the earth. And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.(See Dan 7:13 ) 31 And he will send out his angels with the mighty blast of a trumpet, and they will gather his chosen ones from all over the world(Greek from the four winds.)—from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven.
All those things will signal the nearness of Christ’s return, just as a tree with new shoots signifies that summer is coming.3. What are some current examples of false prophets deceiving people?
4. In Verse 24:33, what does “it” in the phrase “it is near” refer to? Luke 21:31
31 In the same way, when you see all these things taking place, you can know that the Kingdom of God is near.
Jesus was referring specifically to God’s kingdom when He said, “You know that it is near…” When Luke relates the parable, he specifically says, “you know that the kingdom of God is near.”
5. In Verse 24:34, what does “this generation” refer to?
34 I tell you the truth, this generation(Or this age, or this nation) will not pass from the scene until all these things take place.
Do you feel as though you are in the generation that Jesus speaks about?
“This generation” does not refer to the disciples, not to the Jewish race, not to the nation of Israel, and not to those who reject Christ. The new leaves on the fig tree are analogous to the signs preceding the second coming. The phrase “this generation” clearly refers to the generation that is alive at the time those signs are fulfilled. Jesus was saying, “The generation that sees the signs of the second coming will not pass away until I return.” That was Jesus’ answer to the disciples’ question of how much time would pass between the sign of His coming and His actual return.
So once the birth pains begin Matthew 24:8
8 But all this is only the first of the birth pains, with more to come.
everything else will happen in rapid succession. Elsewhere Scripture specifies that the tribulation will last for seven years Dan. 9:27
27 The ruler will make a treaty with the people for a period of one set of seven,(Hebrew for one seven. ) but after half this time, he will put an end to the sacrifices and offerings. And as a climax to all his terrible deeds,(Hebrew And on the wing; the meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain ) he will set up a sacrilegious object that causes desecration,(Hebrew an abomination of desolation) until the fate decreed for this defiler is finally poured out on him.”
Each week in Daniel’s seventy-week prophecy is seven years long
It’s a time period known as Jacob’s trouble Jeremiah30:7
7 In all history there has never been such a time of terror. It will be a time of trouble for my people Israel. (Hebrew Jacob; also in 30:10b, 18. See note on 5:20)Yet in the end they will be saved!
In the book of Revelation we learn that the worst part of the tribulation will be during the last three and a half years Revelation 12:1414 But she was given two wings like those of a great eagle so she could fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness. There she would be cared for and protected from the dragon(Greek the serpent; also in 12:15. See 12:9) for a time, times, and half a time.
Which is 1,260 days Revelation11:3
3 And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will be clothed in burlap and will prophesy during those 1,260 days.”
Or forty-two months Revelation13:5
5 Then the beast was allowed to speak great blasphemies against God. And he was given authority to do whatever he wanted for forty-two months.
Jesus referred to that period as the Great Tribulation Matt. 24:21 It’s beginning21 For there will be greater anguish(great tribulation KJV ) than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again..
6. Who knows when the end times will come? Matthew24:3636 “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself.[a] Only the Father knows.
7. What does it mean for you to “keep watch”Matthew24:42 or “be ready” Matthew24:44? 42 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. ….44 You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.
8. What would you do if you knew that a thief would try to rob your home tonight?
You would definitely be prepared for him
You would take the necessary precautions
9. If a non-Christian looked at your life today, would he have any reason to accuse you of not believing of the imminent return of Christ?
How can you have a sense of expectation about the imminent return of Christ?
10. What would you do if you hired a house sitter/caretaker to watch your home and children, left for a week-long vacation, and then returned a day early to find that your caretaker had neglected your kids, trashed your house, and ignored your other instructions?
11. But do we really have to worry about being ready for the end today? Only a few signs of the end times have appeared. The second coming of Christ is probably a good way off. You’ve put the past behind you and you’re making progress with your life. You’re not doing anything really bad today. You’re entitled to a little fun today, aren’t you? Tomorrow is another day.
12. In what ways are you not ready to face the Lord today? will be marked by the abomination of desolation Matthew. 24:15-21
16 “Then those in Judea must flee to the hills. 17 A person out on the deck of a roof must not go down into the house to pack. 18 A person out in the field must not return even to get a coat. 19 How terrible it will be for pregnant women and for nursing mothers in those days. 20 And pray that your flight will not be in winter or on the Sabbath. 21 For there will be greater anguish(abomination of desolation) than at any time since the world began. And it will never be so great again.
The Fig Tree Parable
Was Jesus’ purpose behind this lesson, as it is sometimes called “The Lesson of the Fig Tree,” that we should be aware that the time of the end of this age and Christ’s appearing will be when the fig tree starts putting out leaves? What does this mean? This parable comes during what is called the Olivet Prophecy which is about the time just prior to Jesus coming so it must be about the end of the present age…and just prior to His appearing a second time to judge the living and the dead. Some theologians believe and teach that He is speaking about the time leading up to the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Is it possible that there is a dual application to this teaching and that He is speaking both about the coming fall of Jerusalem and the end of the age?
Is the Summer the Time of Judgment?
When Jesus returns to judge the souls of men and women, is He giving us a clue as to when this great harvest is going to happen? In reality, everyone is just one heartbeat away from eternity and the judgment of God because we all have an appointment with death (Heb 9:27) and no one can know when that time is so we must always be ready for His appearing as He says “Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (Matt 24:44). Jesus has already said that “when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates” (Matt 24:33) so it appears to fit the context of the end of the age. All one has to do to see that the world is becoming increasingly dangerous to live to simply watch the news. These are perilous times in which we live in and they appear to be growing more evil every day. Paul warned Timothy “that in the last days perilous times will come” (2 Tim 3:1) and so, are they here already? It seems so.
The Symbolism of the Branch
When Jesus mentions the branch in the Parable of the Fig Tree it reminded me of John 15 which appears to point to the Father as the Vinedresser and Jesus as the branch. In John 15:-3 He says“I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more.3 You have already been pruned and purified by the message I have given you.When you take a close look at the vine, it closely resembles a tree branch and is not much different in size from one either. Is Jesus saying that when the branch puts forth its leaves then the time of His second coming is near? That’s what the conclusion of this parable is when He said
Matt 24:32b-33
32 “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. 33 In the same way, when you see all these things, you can know his return is very near, right at the door If He will be right at the door then this means that He’s ready to come back again at any moment but this time He comes not as the mild and meek Lamb of God but as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, ready to judge the world in righteousness.
Jesus’ prophesied coming has been foretold by many of the prophets but the symbolism of His being a righteous Branch is found throughout the Old Testament like in Jeremiah 23:5 who wrote 5 “For the time is coming,” says the Lord, “when I will raise up a righteous descendant (Hebrew a righteous branch. ) from King David’s line.He will be a King who rules with wisdom. He will do what is just and right throughout the land.
Isaiah also writes something very similarIsaiah 4:22 But in that day, the branch of the Lord will be beautiful and glorious;the fruit of the land will be the pride and glory of all who survive in Israel.but what is the day he writes about? The day of His visitation or coming judgment as He will come asIsaiah 11:1 Out of the stump of David’s family[a] will grow a shoot— yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root.. Since we know that Jesse’s son was David, this “stump” must be David and Jesus was of the line of David so there can be no doubt that this Branch is Jesus.
Conclusion
The specific purpose of Jesus’ giving the Parable of the Fig Tree and the other parables in Luke 21 is actually given in Luke 13:3 where He says “but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish” and
John 15:6
6 Anyone who does not remain in me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers. Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned.If you don’t abide in the vine or the Branch, then you’ll be cut off and thrown into the fire which pictures hell fire…the fire that cannot be quenched Mark9:4848 ‘where the maggots never die and the fire never goes out.’[a Jesus quoted Isaiah, His favorite Old Testament author, who wrote in Isaiah 66:2 about those who would reject Him that 24 And as they go out, they will see the dead bodies of those who have rebelled against me. For the worms that devour them will never die, and the fire that burns them will never go out.All who pass by will view them with utter horror.”Not a future that one would envy for anyone
By J.R. Hall.. Probably a little differently than others you may ask this same question. Many prophecy commentators would relate this set of passages directly to the rebirth of Israel. The justification for this lies in Hosea 9:10 where we read, “I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstfruits on the fig tree in its first season”. The inference is that the fig tree in Matthew 24:32-35 represents Israel. As such we can then read the passage as saying, ‘When you see Israel putting forth leaves (being reborn) then you know then that all these things are near. Assuredly this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place’. This is what leads many to say that we are the final generation. For it was this generation that saw the rebirth of Israel in 1948.
For myself I am continually drawn to the synoptic passages of Luke.“Then He spoke to them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. When they are already budding, you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near. Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place.” – Luke 21:29-32
Note in the Luke passage (vs. 29) that the words ‘and all the trees’ are present. As nothing is in the Bible by accident, I have to conclude that Luke’s words are valid, and also Matthews; it is just that Matthew left some detail. If both passages are inerrant then both passages must render the same meaning. As the passages are inerrant, then the presence of ‘and all the trees’ in Luke leads me to conclude that we cannot read too much into the mentioning of the fig tree in Matthew 24. The fig tree is perhaps only mentioned because it was a popular tree at the time as can be seen elsewhere by it being mentioned many other times in Scripture and for various other reasons.
“When I see that the days are getting longer, the trees bud, and the grass begins to green, I know it’spring and it’s getting closer to summers. Likewise, all these signs we are witnessing (right now and in this generation) are simply the signs that summer is coming.”
The generation that sees all the signs as described in previous verses of Mathew 24 will be the generation that sees them all completed.
Regardless of our inclusion of Israel as the fig tree or not, both interpretations still beg the question – How Long is a generation? Perhaps it is 70 years as Psalm 90:10 alludes toPerhaps 120 years as Genesis 6:3 suggests. Even if we come up with a firm resolution for a generation, we might get caught up as to when our countdown begins? With the rebirth of Israel as a nation in 1948?Or maybe with the retaking of Jerusalem in 1967?We should be very cautious not to put a finger on a date or even a specific time for I don’t think it is for us to know.
We do know, however, that we are commanded to ‘watch’.
Matthew 24:4242 “So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.
If it was just these passages in Matthew and Luke to consider when deciding if these are the end times, we might be left with a lot of speculation. However, and lucky for us, God gives us all the other signs to serve as signs of the final generation. God wants us to know and recognize the season of the end.