Bible Study Seattle

“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; so you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door.  Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.” Matthew 24:32-34

“I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your forefathers as the earliest fruit on the fig tree in its first season.” Hosea 9:10

““This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the captives of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans.  For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; and I will build them up and not overthrow them, and I will plant them and not uproot them.  I will also give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me wholeheartedly.” Jeremiah 24:5-7

Israel is compared to a fig tree. Some see modern Israel and ask why Christ’s kingdom is not in full bloom. But has the fig tree sprouted its leaves? If we take Jesus’ millennial reign as a year, what season are we in? Biblically, the year most likely starts Fall, then Winter, Spring, and Summer. We are still in Fall! It’s likely that the fig tree’s (Israel’s) leaves are the resurrected Israelites of old. That clearly hasn’t happened yet. Remember:

“Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.” Malachi 4:5

Also, when it says ‘this generation will not pass’ it probably doesn’t refer to time or ancestry. It should read: ‘this race will not pass until…’.

We know this from the analogy with Noah:

“For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah.” Matthew 24:37

The problem in Noah’s day was the mixing of human and angelic flesh which resulted in giants who “every intent of the thoughts of their hearts was only evil continually.” Genesis 6:5

Is it a coincidence that we see in our day so much genetic tinkering?