Notes of Faith May 28, 2024
Look around. You are the generation that is watching the fig tree come back to life. You are watching God's handling with Israel within your lifetime in a way the apostles and disciples never saw. Jesus said, “Learn this parable from the fig tree,” when He spoke about the end time signs. He said, "When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that the end is near at the doors." The point He was making was this: When the Jewish people return to their land, signaling that the cursed fig tree is coming back to life, you know it's the end.
He said, "Assuredly I say to you, this generation…”. I want you to lift up your hand right now. Hello. You are the generation! "This generation will by no means pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but My word will by no means pass away." And the Psalmist wrote, "Bring us back to the land.” He said, "Like the streams in the south." Have you been to Israel? Good. Because there are no streams in the south. The southern part of Israel is a desert. There's only one case where that part of the land has streams. Do you know when? Flash floods. When it rains heavily all around in the mountains, the water arrives in the form of flash floods. Have you ever seen a flash flood? It takes everything in its path.
And that’s exactly what happened in 1948. I started this message with my grandparents surviving Auschwitz, making it all the way to the land. For every person that lived in Israel in 1948, three new immigrants came. Amazing, flash flood. And it's Aliyah. It’s immigration from the four winds. And we didn't even know how to communicate. Yemenite Jews, Moroccan Jews, German Jews, Spanish Jews, Polish Jews, Russian Jews. How will they even communicate? God says, "It's time to restore their language. Hebrew." Wow. You see, He restored first the land, then restored them from their graveyard in Europe, brought them back to their land, restored the language, and now, thus, the fig tree is coming back to life.
Learn This from the Fig Tree
While the subject is debated by some, the fact that national Israel is represented by the fig tree multiple times in scripture is clear - Joel 1:7, Hosea 9:10, Jeremiah 24, to name a few.
Matthew 24:32
“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.”
Arbor-culturally, the fig tree putting forth leaves was also an indication of a change of seasons. When the branch was tender - symbolizing new growth - and the leaves sprouted, it meant that summer was near and the late harvest season (fall) was in the not-too-distant future. The fig tree was also the last of the spring fruit trees to bud. So, when it put forth leaves, a seasonal change into summer was very near.
When Jesus came the first time, the four spring feasts of Israel were fulfilled; Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Firstfuits, and Pentecost. Summer would then arrive and there would be no fulfillment of the fall feasts until the fig tree became tender and put forth leaves; until Israel became a nation again.
Matthew 24:34
“Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.”
That means that the fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets, Yom Kippur (The Day of Atonement), and Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles) will happen within a single generation of the rebirth of the nation of Israel.
Between 1882 and 1903, approximately 35,000 Jews immigrated to Ottoman Palestine, joining the pre-existing Jewish population, which in 1880 numbered 26,000. Since then, 3,340,000 Jews have made Aliyah (ascent) to Israel with millions now having been born in Israel. Over 7,000 have made Aliyah so far this year, even in the midst of war.
Why is this continuing in the midst of war and growing antisemitism? Because God is bringing them back into the land for His name’s sake (Ezekiel 36:22) to prepare them for what’s coming.
Zechariah 12:10
“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.”
The House of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem are the same group. And no, they are not Muslims, Arabs, or Palestinians. They are Jews. The promise spoken of by Zechariah will happen at the fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets - the Second Coming - when the 1/3 of the Jews who survive the great and terrible Day of the Lord will look upon the returning Christ Jesus as the Holy One of Israel, their Savior.
May 14th, 1948, was over 76 years ago. While we do not know what the length of a “generation” is, we know that 76 years is a lot closer to the end of a generation than the beginning.
Matthew 24:36-42
“But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”
The unknown day and hour can only be referring to the Rapture of the church and not the Second Coming. The Second Coming is 42 30-day months, or, 1260 days after the Abomination of Desolation, which occurs at the midpoint of the Tribulation. The Rapture can occur at any moment.
The Jews are back in the land and the nation is now 76 years old. Moreover, the world is gathering against Israel just as the Bible foretold. So, let’s keep our eyes lifted and be watching for His glorious appearing and listening for the sound of the trumpet.
Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
Look up, for your redemption draws near. It could be very close. Perhaps today. It may be in our lifetime. But certainly God keeps His promises and Jesus will return to fulfill all that the Bible says will happen. If we die before the rapture of the church, we will still be with God. There is no down side for true believers.
Love God! Love others!
Pastor Dale