Article by: Kenneth J. Ester
The Sign of the Fig Tree
I pray that you will read this story and through it, God will open your eyes.
When Moses led the Jews out of Egypt, God led them to a land He had picked out for them. A land God promised to His people the Jews. They named this land Israel.
Most everyone knows of Israel, but what a lot of the younger crowd may not know is that it has not always been a nation filled with Jews. Even though they had been there since approximately 1250 BC, in 70 AD the Romans had wiped them out and ran the Jews out of Israel. They passed a law that no Jew could live in Jerusalem again. The Jews spread out to live in every nation and for 1,878 years, Israel did not exist.
Now this is extremely important to understand because according to End Times prophecies, Israel had to be there and the Jews had to own it. If Israel does not exist, it is literally impossible for the End Time prophecies to come true. And here, Israel did not exist for 1,878 years. Then in 1948 the land was given back to the Jews and suddenly Israel had blossomed back to life again.
Babylon was a far more powerful nation in its time and they had once destroyed Israel. Later, the Romans did a better job of destroying Israel and succeeded in erasing it from the maps. Though Israel did not exist, the Jews continued to live in many different nations, so the devil tried again to exterminate them by moving Hitler and his Nazis to try and wipe them out. Today, Babylon and the Romans no longer exist. The Nazi party is only a remnant of itself, held alive by a small group of racist extremists. Yet the Jews still endure and the nation of Israel is once again alive. But why?
Why would God bring back the nation of Israel at that time, after letting it sit barren of His people for almost 2,000 years? There is only one logical reason for it. Because they needed to be an established nation before the End Times could commence.
Now please bear with me as I change course and take you into the Bible where Jesus is with His disciples. The disciples come to Jesus in Jerusalem and point to the great buildings, amazed by them and Jesus tells them that the day is coming when every building will be destroyed. No stone left on top of another. This came true in 70 AD when the Romans destroyed the city. But later after telling them that, the disciples pressed Him and asked Him when these things will happen. Jesus then goes on to describe signs of the End Times, His Second Coming and the antichrist. Then He tells them a parable of the Fig Tree.
Matthew 24:32-35 (NASB)
32 “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: as soon as its branch has become tender and sprouts its leaves, you know that summer is near; 33 so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
"this generation will not pass away until all these things take place". The question is, who did he mean by "This generation"? Most who read this would assume he was talking to the disciples and so they were the generation He was speaking of. This is correct but not completely. You see, often when God gives prophecy for far into the future, He will give it in a way so it will partially be fulfilled in the same generation as it is given as well. The Bible says that a prophet is tested by his words coming true. If God gave prophecy that didn't seem to come true, then those prophets would be called false prophets. So often the prophecies would seem to be fulfilled in the same generation but then it will have a greater fulfillment far into the future.
Jesus gave all this prophecy to His disciples and it seemed to be fulfilled in year 70 AD, but there is a much greater fulfillment coming yet in the future. So "this generation" was referring to the disciples for the short term, but it referred to another generation in the future as well. And the key to who that generation is, is in the parable of the fig tree.
The fig tree is known for its fruit, but there is something else that is special about it that it is known for. In the Spring, when all other trees sprout their leaves, the Fig Tree stays barren. In fact, it will even begin sprouting its fruit before its first leaves appear late in the Spring, right before summer.
In scripture, there are places where the Bible will use the fig tree to symbolize Israel. For instance, in 1 Kings, chapter 4, the Bible describes the prosperous times under King Solomon. In its description is how every man sitting under his fig tree...
1 Kings 4:25 (NASB)
25 So Judah and Israel lived securely, everyone under his vine and his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.
Some versions translate it as his own fig tree...
1 Kings 4:25 (NIV)
25 During Solomon's lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, lived in safety, everyone under their own vine and under their own fig tree.
In Hosea there is a connection of the Fig Tree and Israel...
Hosea 9:10 (NASB)
10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your forefathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree in its first season. But they came to Baal-peor and devoted themselves to shame, And they became as detestable as that which they loved.
These are not the only places where the Fig Tree represents Israel. But one should understand more about the Fig Tree to truly understand its use in the Bible.
So here we have a fruit tree that lays barren and just before summer it sprouts its leaves. Jesus uses this same image to describe how to recognize when the End Times are near. When the Fig Tree sprouts its leaves.
Now if the Fig Tree represents Israel, then doesn't it only seem logical that its leaves would be the Jewish people? So if the fig tree blossoms right before the summer, is a representation of how to know when the End Times are near, then it only seems fitting that the nation of Israel (Fig Tree) would spring to live with its leaves (Jews) right before the summer (End Times).
From this understanding of scripture, we are told that "this generation" that will not pass until all these things happen, would be the generation that is alive when Israel becomes a nation again and is filled with the Jewish people again.
Here is the interesting thing. Many years ago, the life span of a Jew was considered to be 70 years on average. Today however, the average lifespan is longer. I read in one census that it is considered to be 81 years. So from the time that Israel became a nation again (1948) until the time when that generation will come to an end (81 years), would be 2029.
Now here is where I find it gets even more interesting. The End Times will consist of what is commonly known as the 7 Years of Tribulation. Also known as Daniel's 70th Week. And if you ever read my book on the rapture, which you can find a link to in the main page of this site, you would know I have proven out by scripture that the rapture must happen before the 7 years of tribulation begin. So if you take those 7 years away from the end of that generation, you have the year 2022. So by this understanding, the tribulation will begin sometime in 2022. However, if you read my stuff, you also learn that the seven Seals will be broken before the tribulation begins. The first four Seals are the rise of the antichrist, the beginning of WW3 and its consequences. All of this must get underway before the Tribulation starts. Yet I believe it is the rapture that is the event Jesus uses to break the Seals. So the rapture must happen before the Seals are broken.
I understand this is all based on interpretation. I will admit that. There is no guarantee that the rapture will happen this year or next or the next. I am not saying it will happen this year. All I am doing is trying to open your eyes to the fact that one really can connect scripture and see where the rapture could be this year.
What if a generation isn't really 81 years? Maybe it is 82 years? Then that would mean the rapture will happen by 2023. But in the very least, you can put scripture together and find that we are truly on the doorstep. I am not making predictions that should be written in cement. I am just trying to open your eyes to how close we are. Whether it is this year or 5 years from now, do you really want to gamble your soul on the idea it wont be this year? Maybe it really is time to consider getting your life right with God!
I am an eschatologist. I study the prophecies of the End Times. I personally have believed for a while that the rapture will absolutely be in this generation. I have no doubt on that really. I believe it will probably be inside the next three years. It would not surprise me one bit if it is this year. A small part of me has been believing for a year now that it will happen this next Spring. I am not the only one.
Every eschatologist I know seems to feel the same way as I do. There is something about it now that when one really starts studying the End Times, and you see how the world is setting the stage so perfectly, you just cannot deny how close we are. Not just me, but everyone I know who studies the End Times. Those who believe in the Pre-Trib Rapture all believe the rapture is very soon. Those who don't believe in the rapture still believe the End Times are about to begin. When everyone who studies the same subject, says the same thing, don't you think you should give it some credit? Think about that!
When Moses led the Jews out of Egypt, God led them to a land He had picked out for them. A land God promised to His people the Jews. They named this land Israel.
Most everyone knows of Israel, but what a lot of the younger crowd may not know is that it has not always been a nation filled with Jews. Even though they had been there since approximately 1250 BC, in 70 AD the Romans had wiped them out and ran the Jews out of Israel. They passed a law that no Jew could live in Jerusalem again. The Jews spread out to live in every nation and for 1,878 years, Israel did not exist.
Now this is extremely important to understand because according to End Times prophecies, Israel had to be there and the Jews had to own it. If Israel does not exist, it is literally impossible for the End Time prophecies to come true. And here, Israel did not exist for 1,878 years. Then in 1948 the land was given back to the Jews and suddenly Israel had blossomed back to life again.
Babylon was a far more powerful nation in its time and they had once destroyed Israel. Later, the Romans did a better job of destroying Israel and succeeded in erasing it from the maps. Though Israel did not exist, the Jews continued to live in many different nations, so the devil tried again to exterminate them by moving Hitler and his Nazis to try and wipe them out. Today, Babylon and the Romans no longer exist. The Nazi party is only a remnant of itself, held alive by a small group of racist extremists. Yet the Jews still endure and the nation of Israel is once again alive. But why?
Why would God bring back the nation of Israel at that time, after letting it sit barren of His people for almost 2,000 years? There is only one logical reason for it. Because they needed to be an established nation before the End Times could commence.
Now please bear with me as I change course and take you into the Bible where Jesus is with His disciples. The disciples come to Jesus in Jerusalem and point to the great buildings, amazed by them and Jesus tells them that the day is coming when every building will be destroyed. No stone left on top of another. This came true in 70 AD when the Romans destroyed the city. But later after telling them that, the disciples pressed Him and asked Him when these things will happen. Jesus then goes on to describe signs of the End Times, His Second Coming and the antichrist. Then He tells them a parable of the Fig Tree.
Matthew 24:32-35 (NASB)
32 “Now learn the parable from the fig tree: as soon as its branch has become tender and sprouts its leaves, you know that summer is near; 33 so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. 35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.
"this generation will not pass away until all these things take place". The question is, who did he mean by "This generation"? Most who read this would assume he was talking to the disciples and so they were the generation He was speaking of. This is correct but not completely. You see, often when God gives prophecy for far into the future, He will give it in a way so it will partially be fulfilled in the same generation as it is given as well. The Bible says that a prophet is tested by his words coming true. If God gave prophecy that didn't seem to come true, then those prophets would be called false prophets. So often the prophecies would seem to be fulfilled in the same generation but then it will have a greater fulfillment far into the future.
Jesus gave all this prophecy to His disciples and it seemed to be fulfilled in year 70 AD, but there is a much greater fulfillment coming yet in the future. So "this generation" was referring to the disciples for the short term, but it referred to another generation in the future as well. And the key to who that generation is, is in the parable of the fig tree.
The fig tree is known for its fruit, but there is something else that is special about it that it is known for. In the Spring, when all other trees sprout their leaves, the Fig Tree stays barren. In fact, it will even begin sprouting its fruit before its first leaves appear late in the Spring, right before summer.
In scripture, there are places where the Bible will use the fig tree to symbolize Israel. For instance, in 1 Kings, chapter 4, the Bible describes the prosperous times under King Solomon. In its description is how every man sitting under his fig tree...
1 Kings 4:25 (NASB)
25 So Judah and Israel lived securely, everyone under his vine and his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.
Some versions translate it as his own fig tree...
1 Kings 4:25 (NIV)
25 During Solomon's lifetime Judah and Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, lived in safety, everyone under their own vine and under their own fig tree.
In Hosea there is a connection of the Fig Tree and Israel...
Hosea 9:10 (NASB)
10 I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your forefathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree in its first season. But they came to Baal-peor and devoted themselves to shame, And they became as detestable as that which they loved.
These are not the only places where the Fig Tree represents Israel. But one should understand more about the Fig Tree to truly understand its use in the Bible.
So here we have a fruit tree that lays barren and just before summer it sprouts its leaves. Jesus uses this same image to describe how to recognize when the End Times are near. When the Fig Tree sprouts its leaves.
Now if the Fig Tree represents Israel, then doesn't it only seem logical that its leaves would be the Jewish people? So if the fig tree blossoms right before the summer, is a representation of how to know when the End Times are near, then it only seems fitting that the nation of Israel (Fig Tree) would spring to live with its leaves (Jews) right before the summer (End Times).
From this understanding of scripture, we are told that "this generation" that will not pass until all these things happen, would be the generation that is alive when Israel becomes a nation again and is filled with the Jewish people again.
Here is the interesting thing. Many years ago, the life span of a Jew was considered to be 70 years on average. Today however, the average lifespan is longer. I read in one census that it is considered to be 81 years. So from the time that Israel became a nation again (1948) until the time when that generation will come to an end (81 years), would be 2029.
Now here is where I find it gets even more interesting. The End Times will consist of what is commonly known as the 7 Years of Tribulation. Also known as Daniel's 70th Week. And if you ever read my book on the rapture, which you can find a link to in the main page of this site, you would know I have proven out by scripture that the rapture must happen before the 7 years of tribulation begin. So if you take those 7 years away from the end of that generation, you have the year 2022. So by this understanding, the tribulation will begin sometime in 2022. However, if you read my stuff, you also learn that the seven Seals will be broken before the tribulation begins. The first four Seals are the rise of the antichrist, the beginning of WW3 and its consequences. All of this must get underway before the Tribulation starts. Yet I believe it is the rapture that is the event Jesus uses to break the Seals. So the rapture must happen before the Seals are broken.
I understand this is all based on interpretation. I will admit that. There is no guarantee that the rapture will happen this year or next or the next. I am not saying it will happen this year. All I am doing is trying to open your eyes to the fact that one really can connect scripture and see where the rapture could be this year.
What if a generation isn't really 81 years? Maybe it is 82 years? Then that would mean the rapture will happen by 2023. But in the very least, you can put scripture together and find that we are truly on the doorstep. I am not making predictions that should be written in cement. I am just trying to open your eyes to how close we are. Whether it is this year or 5 years from now, do you really want to gamble your soul on the idea it wont be this year? Maybe it really is time to consider getting your life right with God!
I am an eschatologist. I study the prophecies of the End Times. I personally have believed for a while that the rapture will absolutely be in this generation. I have no doubt on that really. I believe it will probably be inside the next three years. It would not surprise me one bit if it is this year. A small part of me has been believing for a year now that it will happen this next Spring. I am not the only one.
Every eschatologist I know seems to feel the same way as I do. There is something about it now that when one really starts studying the End Times, and you see how the world is setting the stage so perfectly, you just cannot deny how close we are. Not just me, but everyone I know who studies the End Times. Those who believe in the Pre-Trib Rapture all believe the rapture is very soon. Those who don't believe in the rapture still believe the End Times are about to begin. When everyone who studies the same subject, says the same thing, don't you think you should give it some credit? Think about that!
