Participants:
Series Code: TPP
Program Code: TPP000012A
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00:11 The subject of our study in this hour
00:15 is The Parable of the Fig Tree. 00:18 We are discussing the role of Israel 00:22 in Bible prophecy. 00:24 And this is a continuation 00:26 of the study that we did previously, 00:29 number 11 in the series. 00:31 But before we study about the fig tree, 00:34 we do want to ask for the Lord's blessing 00:36 as we do for every presentation before we open the Lord's Word. 00:41 So let's bow our heads for a word of prayer. 00:44 Father in heaven, 00:46 we thank You so much for Your presence here. 00:49 It's so comforting to know that You are here 00:51 through the ministry of Your Holy Spirit 00:53 and Your angels. 00:54 We need Your help because our wisdom is limited. 00:59 We know very little, 01:01 just barely enough to get us to heaven. 01:04 But You know it all. 01:06 We ask that Your wisdom and Your knowledge 01:09 will be shared with us now as we study 01:11 this very important subject about the fig tree. 01:14 We ask, Lord, that You will not only help us understand it, 01:18 but also to understand it in a way that we can share it 01:22 with those who are perhaps misguided 01:25 in their concepts of Bible prophecy. 01:28 We place ourselves in Your hands, 01:31 thanking You for Your presence. 01:33 In Jesus' name, amen. 01:37 I invite you to turn in your Bibles 01:38 with me to Matthew 24. 01:41 And we are going to read verses 32 to 35. 01:46 Matthew 24:32-35. 01:51 This is towards the end 01:54 of what is known as the Olivet Discourse, 01:58 which is the sermon that Jesus presented 02:01 to His disciples about the signs 02:05 that would precede His Second Coming. 02:09 And towards the end of His presentation 02:12 of the different signs before the Second Coming, 02:15 Jesus used this analogy to let us know 02:20 when we could be sure that the coming of Jesus 02:24 is imminent, is soon to take place. 02:28 I read now from Matthew 24:32-35. 02:35 Jesus stated, "Now learn this parable from the fig tree: 02:40 When its branch has already become tender 02:44 and puts forth leaves, 02:47 you know that the summer is near." 02:50 This is speaking about the fig tree in Israel. 02:53 So Jesus is saying, you know, 02:54 when you look at the fig tree 02:57 and the fig tree becomes tender, 02:59 the branches become tender 03:01 and it starts to put forth leaves, 03:03 you know that the summer is near. 03:05 Now that gives you the sign that the summer is near. 03:09 And now he draws the comparison in verse 33. 03:12 "So you also, 03:16 when you see all these things, 03:19 know that it is near at the doors!" 03:24 So the fig tree is a parable or an analogy 03:29 for those who live near the time of the Second Coming. 03:33 And then in verse 34, Jesus continued, 03:36 "Assuredly, I say to you, 03:38 this generation will by no means pass away 03:42 till all these things take place. 03:46 Heaven and earth will pass away, 03:48 but My words will by no means pass away." 03:55 Now I want to share with you 03:58 the view that is held by futurists 04:02 concerning the fig tree in these verses. 04:07 Basically, their idea is that the fig tree 04:11 is a symbol of Israel. 04:14 And by the way, 04:15 they are right in saying that the fig tree 04:18 is a symbol of Israel. 04:19 But the question is, 04:21 is the fig tree here a symbol of Israel? 04:24 You see, folks, in prophecy, 04:28 in symbolic portions of scripture 04:30 symbols do not always mean the same thing 04:34 in every context. 04:36 For example, if I asked you what leaven represents? 04:40 What would you say? 04:42 Everybody says leaven represents sin. 04:46 But in the Parable of the Leaven that Jesus gave, 04:50 the leaven represents the Holy Spirit 04:53 that is placed in the church 04:54 and as a result the church grows. 04:57 So leaven can represent sin in one context. 05:01 And leaven can represent 05:03 the Holy Spirit in another context. 05:05 You have to take into account the context, 05:08 likewise with a sword. 05:10 In Ephesians 6:17, 05:12 the sword is a symbol of the Word of God, 05:14 the sword of the Spirit is the Word of God. 05:17 But in Romans 13:4, 05:21 the sword is what the civil power has 05:24 to keep the civil order. 05:27 And so when you find the word sword, 05:29 don't assume that the word sword 05:31 symbolically means the same thing in every context. 05:34 The same could be said, for example of a lion. 05:38 In the Bible, a lion can represent Jesus, 05:41 the lion of the tribe of Judah. 05:43 The lion can represent Satan who goes forth 05:46 as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour. 05:49 The lion can represent 05:51 the kingdom of Babylon in Daniel 7, 05:53 and it can represent Judah, the son of Jacob in Genesis 49. 05:58 So just because the fig tree is mentioned here 06:01 in Matthew 24, 06:02 does not necessarily mean 06:04 that the fig tree here represents Israel, 06:07 even though in other passages 06:09 it does clearly represent Israel. 06:13 So basically, the concept that futurists have 06:16 is that this fig tree represents literal Israel, 06:20 the nation of Israel. 06:23 And that the fig tree, so to speak, 06:27 began to sprout in the year 1948 06:33 when the nation of Israel 06:36 resurrected or was reestablished, 06:38 when the Jewish nation was established in 1948. 06:44 Futurists also say, 06:47 in the war of 1967 06:50 where Israel won over the Arabs, 06:53 that's a further sign that Israel is now about 06:58 to fulfill the plan that God has for her. 07:03 Soon they say it's an indication 07:06 that the rapture will take place 07:09 and then God's plan for literal Israel 07:12 will begin again, 07:14 the plan that was suspended 07:15 at the end of week number 69 of the 70 weeks. 07:20 So basically, they understand the sprouting of the fig tree 07:25 as a sign that Israel would resurrect in 1948. 07:30 And that would indicate 07:32 that the rapture of the church is near. 07:36 We need to take a close look at this concept. 07:41 Incidentally, by the way, 07:43 they say that this is the greatest sign 07:46 that the rapture is soon to take place, 07:49 the reestablishment of the nation 07:51 of Israel in 1948. 07:52 They say of all signs, 07:54 this is the greatest sign 07:56 that the final events of the rapture 07:59 and the tribulation for the Jews, etcetera, 08:02 is soon to take place. 08:04 Now the first thing that I want us to notice 08:07 in responding to this concept 08:10 is that the vine and the fig tree 08:13 do represent literal Israel. 08:19 Go with me to the Book of Hosea 9:10. 08:25 Hosea 9:10. 08:28 We're gonna see 08:29 that they are right in one sense, 08:32 and that is that the fig tree can represent Israel 08:36 and the vine or the vineyard can also represent Israel. 08:41 We're not gonna deny that. 08:42 The question is, 08:44 does the fig tree in this passage 08:47 represent literal Israel? 08:49 So let's read Hosea 9:10. 08:53 God is speaking here and He says, 08:54 "I found Israel like grapes..." 08:58 See there you have the vineyard. 09:00 "I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness, 09:04 I saw your fathers as the first-fruits 09:07 on the fig tree in its first season." 09:12 So you see here, 09:14 the grapes or the vineyard represents Israel, 09:17 and the fig tree also represents Israel. 09:22 And then it continues saying, "But they went to Baal Peor, 09:26 and separated themselves to that shame, 09:30 they became an abomination 09:32 like the thing that they loved." 09:35 So the fig tree and the vineyard 09:39 both represent Israel, no doubt about it. 09:43 But once again, the question is, 09:46 does the fig tree represent Israel 09:50 in Matthew Chapter 24? 09:53 Now, we are gonna study in the next few minutes, 09:56 three passages 09:58 that describe Israel as a tree. 10:04 And we're gonna find some very important lessons 10:07 in these three passages that describe Israel as a tree. 10:11 The first passage that we're gonna study 10:14 does not mention the tree has being a fig tree. 10:18 However, by looking at the other two passages, 10:20 we're gonna see that that tree was really a fig tree, 10:24 even though it doesn't mention the fig tree. 10:27 Let's go to the first passage that mentions 10:30 Israel like a tree. 10:33 Matthew 3:8-10. 10:37 Matthew 3:8-10. 10:42 This is describing the preaching 10:44 of John the Baptist. 10:46 And John the Baptist began his preaching 10:49 six months before Jesus began His ministry. 10:54 That's a very important detail. 10:56 John the Baptist began his preaching 10:59 six months before Jesus began His public ministry. 11:03 And let's notice what John the Baptist said 11:07 to the Pharisees and the Scribes 11:10 that were present there listening to his sermon. 11:14 And I want you to remember the details of this portion 11:19 of John the Baptist sermon. 11:21 It says there in verse 8, he's speaking to literal Jews, 11:25 to the leadership of the literal Jews. 11:27 "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance." 11:33 That means bear fruit that flows from repentance. 11:38 So what is John the Baptist telling them to do? 11:41 He's telling them to, what? 11:43 To bear fruit that comes from repentance. 11:47 And then he continues, 11:49 "And do not think to say to yourselves, 11:53 'We have Abraham as our father.'" 11:58 So he's saying you must repent. 12:00 Bear fruits. 12:02 Don't say or don't brag. 12:05 "'We have Abraham as our father.' 12:08 For I say to you, 12:10 that God is able to raise up children 12:12 to Abraham from these stones.'" 12:16 Now if you read Desire of Ages, page 63, 12:19 Ellen White explains that John the Baptist 12:23 was not pointing at literal stones. 12:27 You see, the parallel passage in Luke tells us 12:31 that there were Gentile soldiers present there 12:34 listening to John the Baptist as well. 12:36 Besides the Jews who claim to be 12:39 the children or the sons of Abraham. 12:41 And when John the Baptist said, 12:43 God is able to raise up 12:44 children of Abraham from the stones, 12:47 he was pointing at the Gentiles because the Jews considered 12:51 the Gentiles to be stones because they had a stony heart. 12:55 The Jews referred to the Gentiles 12:58 as dogs and as pigs or swine. 13:02 Very politically incorrect and very unkind, I might say. 13:07 So what John the Baptist is saying, 13:08 don't you brag because you claim 13:10 to be children of Abraham? 13:12 No, no, no, God can raise up children of Abraham 13:14 from these Gentiles. 13:16 So is it possible for Gentiles to be children of Abraham, 13:19 even though they don't have the blood of Abraham? 13:21 Yes or no? 13:23 Absolutely. 13:24 He continues, 13:26 "And even now the ax 13:28 is laid at the root of the trees. 13:32 Therefore every tree which does not," what? 13:37 "Bear good fruit is cut down 13:42 and thrown into the fire." 13:46 So what is John the Baptist telling the literal Jews 13:49 that he's speaking to? 13:51 He's saying, "Listen, repent, and bear fruit." 13:56 Don't brag because you're literal Jews, 13:59 children of Abraham. 14:00 God can raise up children of Abraham 14:02 from these Gentiles. 14:04 And if you don't bear fruit, the tree will be what? 14:09 Cut down and thrown into the fire. 14:15 At this point we don't know 14:18 if the Jewish tree produce fruit or not? 14:22 But two and a half years later, 14:25 Jesus told a parable of a fig tree. 14:30 By this time, mind you, 14:32 three years have passed since John the Baptist 14:35 began to preach. 14:38 Six months John the Baptist preached 14:40 and Jesus now tells this parable 14:42 two and a half years into His ministry. 14:45 So three years have passed 14:48 since when John the Baptist began to preach, 14:50 and when Jesus told this parable. 14:52 The parable is found in Luke 13:1-9. 14:58 Luke 13:1-9. 15:04 Three years after John the Baptist 15:06 began his preaching. 15:08 By the way, 15:09 how many years did the ministry of Jesus last? 15:13 Three and a half years. 15:16 So this is one year before He finishes His ministry. 15:20 Very important chronological details. 15:23 Here is the parable. 15:25 "There were present at that season 15:28 some who told him about the Galileans 15:32 whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices." 15:37 And, of course, they believe that when calamity came, 15:40 God was doing it because the people were bad. 15:44 God was punishing them. 15:46 But Jesus says in verse 2, 15:49 "And Jesus answered and said to them, 15:51 'Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners 15:56 than all other Galileans, 15:57 because they suffered such things? 16:00 I tell you, no, but unless you repent..." 16:04 Is that a common theme 16:06 with what John the Baptist said? 16:07 Yes. 16:08 "But unless you repent you will all likewise," what? 16:12 "Perish." 16:13 Which is the same ax cutting down the tree. 16:17 Verse 4, 16:18 "Or those eighteen on whom the tower of Siloam fell 16:22 and killed them, 16:24 do you think that they were worse sinners 16:27 than all other men who dwelt in Jerusalem? 16:30 I tell you, no, but unless you repent, 16:34 you will all likewise perish." 16:36 Once again, you have to repent. 16:40 And if you don't repent, you will perish. 16:42 And then Jesus is going to illustrate 16:45 what He has just said with the parable. 16:49 In verse 6, we find the beginning of the parable. 16:53 "He also spoke this parable, 16:57 'A certain man," and I'm gonna interpret 16:58 the parable as we go along because parables have symbols, 17:02 the actors represent something besides themselves. 17:06 So it says a certain man that's God the Father, 17:08 by the way, "had a fig tree," 17:11 Israel, "planted his vineyard," 17:16 the world, "and he came seeking fruit," 17:20 the fruit of the Spirit. 17:25 And what happened when it came seeking fruit 17:27 on the fig tree? 17:29 "And on it, 17:33 he found none." 17:37 So three years have passed for the tree 17:39 that John the Baptist spoke about. 17:42 And Jesus come seeking fruit on the fig tree 17:47 and there is no fruit. 17:49 So now notice what's gonna happen. 17:52 "Then he said," by the way, once again, 17:55 it's the certain man God the Father, 17:58 who is speaking here. 17:59 "Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard," that's Jesus. 18:04 "'Look for three years..." 18:08 Oh, interesting chronology. 18:11 John the Baptist preached six months, 18:12 Jesus was two and a half years into His ministry, 18:14 that's three years. 18:17 "Then he said to the keeper of the vineyard, 18:19 'Look, for these three years I have come seeking fruit 18:22 on this fig tree and find none." 18:27 And then he says, "Cut it down." 18:31 Is that what John the Baptist said 18:33 if the tree didn't produce fruit? 18:35 Yes. 18:37 "Cut it down, 18:40 why does it use up the ground?'" 18:44 Oh, but the vine dresser Jesus, 18:47 He loves that fig tree. 18:51 So he says in verse 8, 18:53 "But he answered and said to him, 18:55 'Sir, 18:57 let it alone this year also.'" 19:02 In other words, 19:03 let the fig tree remain for how long? 19:06 One more year. 19:07 How many years still remained in the ministry of Jesus? 19:11 One year. 19:13 It's important to have these chronological details. 19:16 So, "'Sir, 19:19 let it alone this year also, 19:23 until I dig around it and fertilize it." 19:26 In other words, I'm gonna dedicate special attention 19:29 to this fig tree the last year. 19:33 And then in verse 9, he says, 19:36 "And if it bears fruit, well. 19:40 But if not, 19:42 after that you can cut it down.'" 19:49 You catching the picture? 19:51 So we need to learn to connect passages in the Bible. 19:54 Not only read individual passages, 19:57 but see how different passages are linked. 19:59 You know, these three passages are all interconnected, 20:04 very clearly interconnected. 20:07 By the way, when the parable ends, 20:09 the parable ends in suspense. 20:12 We don't know whether the tree produce fruit 20:15 or not at this point in the parable, 20:17 it's left open 20:19 because there's still another year. 20:22 And nobody yet knows what the fig tree is gonna do 20:25 if it's gonna produce fruit or not. 20:28 Are you following me? 20:30 It's similar to the story of the oldest son 20:34 in the story of the prodigal son. 20:38 You know, that that story also ends in suspense 20:42 because the real prodigal was not the younger son, 20:45 the prodigal was the older one. 20:49 He was lost at home. 20:52 The other son was lost away from home 20:53 but he came back home, 20:55 but the older brother, he was lost at home. 20:59 And when his brother comes back smelling like swine, 21:03 you know, 21:05 probably his breath smell like swine's food 21:07 because he was competing for with the pigs for the food. 21:13 And his father receives him with open arms, 21:16 covers him with his choice robe 21:18 and puts his that signet ring on him, 21:20 the sign of his authority. 21:23 And now the father calls a party. 21:26 He says to all, let's celebrate. 21:28 My son that was lost has come back home. 21:32 A reason to celebrate. 21:34 And the older son, you know, he sees, he hears music, 21:37 and he sees heads moving in the house. 21:40 And he says, "What's going on there?" 21:41 He calls the sir, "What's going on there?" 21:43 Oh, you haven't heard? 21:44 Your brother came home. 21:45 Oh, you should have smelled him. 21:47 I'm embellishing the story. 21:50 Ooh, 21:53 you wouldn't believe the dirty clothes 21:55 that he had on. 21:56 And you know what your dad did? 21:58 He gave him a great big hug, gave him the best robe, 22:02 gave him the signet ring and called the party. 22:07 The older son who represents the Scribes and the Pharisees, 22:11 self-sufficient. 22:16 The older son says, 22:18 "If anybody deserved a party, it is me. 22:22 I stayed home. 22:24 I served my father." 22:26 He was a son with a servant's mentality. 22:31 He served as a slave, not as a son. 22:37 And so he doesn't even go into the house. 22:42 His dad has to come out 22:45 and he doesn't refer to his father as father. 22:49 It's you. 22:52 And he doesn't refer to his brother as my brother. 22:54 He said, "This your son." 22:58 Wow! 23:01 Jesus says to him, you know, 23:05 "You, I always have with me." 23:09 There was reason to celebrate the return of your brother. 23:13 The story ends and you don't know 23:15 if the father was able to talk any sense into his older son. 23:20 You don't know how the reaction 23:23 of the Scribes and Pharisees was until 23:26 the end of Jesus' life. 23:29 Now we need to go to the third fig tree episode. 23:35 It's in Matthew 21:17-19. 23:38 And we're gonna read two other parallel passages as well. 23:42 This episode is taking place 23:46 at the very end of Christ's ministry. 23:49 This is taking place the last week before his death, 23:54 just two or three days before his death. 23:59 Let's read Matthew 21:17-19. 24:04 "Then He left them 24:06 and went out of the city to Bethany, 24:09 and He lodged there. 24:12 Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, 24:14 He was hungry." 24:17 And when you're hungry you look for something to eat. 24:19 So Jesus is hungry. 24:22 "And seeing a fig tree by the road, 24:26 He came to it 24:28 and found nothing on it but leaves." 24:33 Now the fig tree in Israel is very interesting 24:35 because in Israel, 24:38 first the fig tree 24:40 bears the fruit and then the leaves come out 24:42 announcing that the fig tree has fruit. 24:47 An unusual order. 24:49 So if the fig tree had leaves, 24:53 it would be expected that the fig tree have fruit. 24:58 And Ellen White has a whole chapter 24:59 in Christ's Object Lessons where she describes this tree 25:01 had a beautiful leaves, a beautiful tree, 25:05 just like the Jewish nation had 25:06 lots of external beautiful things. 25:09 But the problem is the fig tree had no fruit 25:11 just like the Jewish nation had no fruit, 25:15 not the fruit of the Spirit. 25:19 And so He's hungry, He says to His disciples, 25:21 "Let's go over there 25:22 and see if we can find fruit on the tree." 25:26 No fruit, only leaves. 25:30 And now Jesus says something drastic 25:32 to this fig tree. 25:34 "Let no fruit 25:36 grow on you ever again." 25:42 What does ever again mean? 25:47 It means you have 2000 years past 25:49 and then it bears fruit. 25:53 Of course, not. 25:55 Ever again means 25:57 that it's not gonna bear fruit ever. 26:01 It's finished. 26:04 So it says, "'Let no fruit grow in you ever again.' 26:08 And immediately the fig tree withered away.'" 26:13 It didn't wither away overnight, 26:15 it immediately had withered. 26:19 Now let's read the parallel passage 26:22 in Mark 11:12-14. 26:26 The parallel passage in Mark 11:12-14. 26:32 "Now the next day, 26:34 when they had come out from Bethany, He was hungry. 26:40 And seeing from afar a tree having leaves, 26:45 He went to it 26:48 to see if perhaps He would find something on it. 26:52 And when He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, 26:57 for it was not the season for figs." 27:00 Now you say how do we explain that? 27:03 The Spirit of Prophecy explains what that means. 27:06 In that orchard were many fig trees. 27:12 But only one fig tree had an abundance of leaves. 27:16 It was a fig tree 27:19 out of season. 27:24 Let me ask you. 27:25 Did God benefit the Jewish nation 27:27 before He benefited any other nation on earth? 27:32 He most certainly did. 27:33 Did God expect fruit from Israel 27:35 before He expected fruit from everyone else? 27:39 Absolutely. 27:41 So in other words, there are many fig trees there. 27:44 The fig trees that have no leaves. 27:46 They don't raise any expectations 27:49 because they represent the Gentiles. 27:52 But this tree that receive special privileges, 27:55 this tree that had leaves should have had fruit. 27:59 Israel received great blessings and advantages. 28:02 They should have borne fruit. 28:05 And so we find here continuing our reading 28:11 in verse 14, 28:14 "In response Jesus said to it, 28:16 'Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.' 28:22 And His disciples heard it.'" 28:26 Now the next day, according to Mark 11:20-21, 28:31 the following verses, they came by that tree again. 28:36 Where Jesus had said, 28:38 "Let this tree not produce fruit ever again." 28:42 And notice what condition the tree was in. 28:45 Beginning with verse 20. 28:47 "Now in the morning, as they passed by, 28:52 they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots." 28:57 Not only did it wither the leaves wither, 29:01 but it dried up from the roots. 29:05 "And Peter, remembering, said to Him, 29:07 'Rabbi, look! 29:08 The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.'" 29:13 What happens when a tree dries up by the roots? 29:18 That is it. 29:22 You don't revive it in 1948. 29:28 Never again will this fig tree produce fruit. 29:31 It represents the Jewish nation here. 29:35 And it dried up by its roots. 29:41 Are you understanding now the connection between this 29:44 and the previous two references to the tree? 29:46 Now we know whether the tree that Jesus spoke about 29:51 in Luke Chapter 13 bore fruit or not? 29:56 A year past 29:59 and a fig tree had no fruit. 30:04 Now listen up, 30:07 what happened? 30:08 It says, that John the Baptist had said 30:09 the tree will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 30:13 When was Jerusalem, 30:14 when was the Jewish theocracy destroyed with fire? 30:20 In the year 70 AD, the temple, 30:24 the city were burnt to the ground 30:27 in fulfillment 30:30 of this declaration by Jesus Christ. 30:35 Are you understanding me? 30:37 So does God still have a special plan 30:40 for literal Israel, 30:42 for the literal nation of Israel, 30:44 for the Jewish theocracy? 30:45 No, and we need to understand, folks, 30:47 that God's plan hasn't changed. 30:51 Did God give Israel the gospel to preach to the world? 30:54 Yes, but the plan in the Old Testament for Israel 30:58 was that Israel will be so prosperous and so blessed 31:01 that all of the nations would say, 31:03 "Wow, this nation, they're healthier, 31:06 their crops grow bigger, 31:08 and they have more crops than anyone else. 31:11 The weather is good." 31:12 You know, they have so many blessings 31:13 like the Queen of Sheba when she came to visit Solomon, 31:16 that people would say, "Surely this is a wise nation. 31:20 What's the secret?" 31:23 And then they would say, "We serve the Lord." 31:27 And they would explain to them the sacrificial system. 31:30 The Messiah was gonna come 31:32 and prepare the world for the coming of Messiah. 31:35 That's why God chose Israel. 31:38 He didn't choose them because they were special, 31:41 according to Deuteronomy 7 because they were more 31:43 than any other nation because they were the least. 31:47 He chose them to be a center of light 31:50 that people would come to their light, 31:52 according to Isaiah 61, but instead of shedding light, 31:57 they hid their light under a bushel. 32:02 So when the Jewish theocracy is rejected, 32:06 God says now instead of people coming to the center of light, 32:10 go and teach all nations. 32:13 Go into all the world and preach the gospel. 32:18 So in other words, instead of people coming, 32:21 now the message goes. 32:24 Is that the same message? 32:28 Is God's faithful Israel to proclaim the same message? 32:32 Is the purpose for the church the same purpose for Israel? 32:37 So what is Israel? 32:39 Those who are faithful in discerning the Messiah 32:42 and proclaiming the Messiah to the world? 32:45 That's Israel. 32:47 That's true Israel. 32:50 It is not a literal Israel separated from Jesus, 32:53 who supposedly were re-gathered to their land 32:56 in disobedience in 1948. 32:59 Why would God disperse them 33:01 in the year 70 among all nations for disobedience 33:04 and then re-gather them in disobedience. 33:08 Are you following me? 33:11 Israel is also described as a vineyard. 33:15 See, we're studying here 33:16 the false prophetic scenario, folks. 33:20 We have to deal with huge groups 33:22 of evangelicals, and Pentecostals, 33:24 and Charismatics, and conservative Christians 33:27 that believe this false prophetic scenario 33:30 that we've been talking about. 33:32 And we need to be informed. 33:33 We need to know how to present 33:36 what the Bible says about prophecy. 33:40 So Israel is compared to a vineyard. 33:44 Matthew 21:33-46. 33:47 We took a look at this in our last presentation, 33:50 next to last presentation, 33:52 but we need to look at it again because we began by saying 33:55 that Israel is compared with a fig tree 33:58 and is compared with a vineyard. 34:00 So we've already looked at the fig tree. 34:02 Now let's look at the vineyard. 34:04 Do you remember how many stages of Israel there were? 34:10 Four. 34:11 Four, you're sharp, 34:13 either I'm a good teacher or you're good students, 34:15 or maybe a combination of both. 34:18 What was the first stage? 34:20 Eight hundred years. 34:23 From the time that God chose them on Sinai 34:25 to the Babylonian captivity. 34:27 The second stage was from the times 34:31 after the captivity to John the Baptist, 34:34 the end of week number 69. 34:37 The third stage and last of all, 34:39 he sends his son, they will respect my son. 34:45 They take him and throw him out of the vineyard. 34:48 But even after they do that, 34:51 there are still three and a half years 34:55 to the prophecy of the 70 weeks which we'll study next. 34:58 It's our next subject. 35:00 They still have three and a half years 35:03 to think about this 35:05 and to still receive the Messiah. 35:07 Probation is not closed for the Jewish theocracy 35:10 until the year 34. 35:12 Four stages. 35:15 Now let's notice this parable. 35:18 "Hear another parable:" verse 33, 35:21 "There was a certain landowner," 35:23 that's God the Father, by the way, 35:24 I'm gonna interpret the parable, 35:27 "who planted a vineyard," that's Israel, 35:30 "and set a hedge around it," 35:33 the hedge or the wall is the law of God, 35:37 "dug a winepress in it and build a tower," 35:40 the tower represents the temple. 35:44 "And he leased it to vinedressers," 35:47 that's the Jewish leaders, "and went into a far country." 35:52 Heaven. 35:55 "Now when vintage-time came drew near." 36:00 Is fruit to be expected at vintage time? 36:04 Could the owner of the vineyard expect fruit? 36:07 See, it's all about fruit, isn't it? 36:10 Had Israel produce the fruit of the Spirit. 36:13 No. 36:15 So it says, 36:16 "Now when vintage-time drew near, 36:18 he sent his servants to the vinedressers," 36:21 that is to the Jewish leaders. 36:24 This has been before the Babylonian captivity, 36:27 the first messengers that are sent, 36:29 "that they might receive its fruit. 36:33 And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, 36:37 killed another, and stoned another." 36:42 That's what Israel did with the prophets 36:43 during those 800 years. 36:47 "Again he sent other servants," stage number two, 36:52 "more than the first," this is after the captivity, 36:57 "and they did likewise to them. 37:00 Then last of all 37:05 he sent his son," 37:08 who is that? 37:10 Jesus. 37:11 This is the last of the 70 weeks. 37:15 Is that when Jesus was here the last of the 70 weeks? 37:18 He was baptized at the beginning 37:19 of that week number 70. 37:23 In the middle of the week, 37:24 he was sacrificed and Stephen is stoned. 37:28 At the end of the last week, 37:30 so "last of all, he sent his son 37:33 to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' 37:37 But when the vinedresser saw the son, 37:40 they said among themselves, 'This is the heir. 37:43 Come, let us kill him 37:47 and seize his inheritance.'" 37:51 That's the death of Christ, isn't it? 37:55 Verse 39, 37:56 "So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard." 37:58 Did Jesus die outside Jerusalem? 38:01 Yes, He did. 38:03 "And killed him." 38:06 Now Jesus asked them a question... 38:07 They still don't know that he's talking about them. 38:11 So Jesus now says in verse 40, 38:13 "Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, 38:16 what will he do to those vinedressers? 38:20 Oh, they said to Him, 38:22 'He will destroy those wicked men miserably, 38:25 and lease his vineyard to other vinedressers 38:28 who will render to him the fruits in their seasons.'" 38:32 Who are those other vinedressers? 38:37 The Gentiles. 38:41 Are you following me? 38:44 Verse 42, 38:46 "Jesus said to them, 38:47 'Have you never read in the Scriptures, 38:51 'The stone, which is speaking about Himself, 38:53 "which the builders rejected 38:55 has become the chief cornerstone. 38:57 This was the Lord's doing 38:58 and it is marvelous in our eyes?'" 39:02 In other words, don't you know 39:04 that the son that is spoken up in this parable is Me? 39:09 The stone that the builders rejected, 39:11 just like you are rejecting Me. 39:13 And then Jesus explains who the other vinedressers are. 39:18 In verse 43, Jesus says, 39:21 "Therefore I say to you, 39:23 the kingdom of God will be taken from you." 39:30 Will the kingdom anymore belong 39:32 to the literal nation of Israel? 39:34 No. 39:36 "The kingdom will be taken from you 39:38 and given to a nation," by the way, 39:40 the word nation is the word ethne 39:44 which in the New Testament is consistently used 39:47 for the Gentiles. 39:48 God's people are Laos, 39:53 ethne is a word that refers to Gentiles to non Jews. 39:59 And so when Jesus says, "Therefore I say to you, 40:01 the kingdom of God will be taken from you 40:04 and given to a nation." 40:05 He saying, I will give it to the ethne, 40:08 "who bear the fruits of it." 40:12 And then it says, "Whoever falls on this stone, 40:14 speaking about himself, will be broken." 40:16 In other words, you'll be converted 40:17 if you fall into stone. 40:19 "But on whomever it falls, 40:22 it will grind him to powder." 40:26 So you better fall on the stone, 40:28 lest the stone fall on you 40:31 is what Jesus is saying. 40:33 And then in verse 45, it says, 40:35 "Now when the chief priests and Pharisees 40:38 heard His parables, 40:40 they perceive that He was speaking of them." 40:47 And instead of saying, man, 40:48 this guy makes all the sense in the world 40:50 we need to shape up. 40:52 They were filled with greater rage. 40:55 And they eventually did 40:56 what Jesus predicted in His parable, 40:58 they killed the son. 41:01 Oh, blindness. 41:04 Now we need to go back to the fig tree. 41:09 Let's go back to Matthew 24. 41:12 Is the budding of the fig tree in Matthew 24 41:18 assigned it when the nation of Israel 41:20 is re-gathered to the line 41:22 and disobedience in 1948 41:24 that that is the greatest sign 41:27 that the rapture is soon to take place? 41:31 Is that the greatest sign, the only sign? 41:35 Well, we need to read carefully. 41:38 Notice Matthew 24:32-33. 41:44 Jesus stated, "As you see the fig tree bud 41:48 it is a sign that summer is near. 41:52 In the same way," now listen carefully, 41:56 "when you see all these things," 42:02 is Jesus referring only to the budding of the fig tree 42:07 as the one sign? 42:09 No. 42:10 He says, "When you see all of the signs 42:12 that are spoken up in Matthew 24, 42:16 know that it is near even at the doors." 42:20 So the budding of the fig tree is not really a great sign. 42:25 It is an accumulation of signs 42:29 that the end is near. 42:32 Now it's important for us 42:35 to also read Luke 21:29-31, 42:38 where you have the parallel. 42:40 We always need to look 42:41 for the parallel passage in the gospels 42:43 because the parallel can add details. 42:47 In Luke 21:29-31. 42:52 It says, "Then He spoke to them a parable. 42:56 'Look at the fig tree, and all the trees.'" 43:02 Does He single out only the fig tree? 43:05 No. 43:06 "Look at the fig tree, and all the trees. 43:10 When they are already budding," 43:11 because in springtime they all bud 43:14 basically at the same time, 43:16 "when they are budding, 43:18 you see and know for yourselves that summer is now near. 43:21 So you also, when you see these things happening, 43:26 know that the kingdom of God is near." 43:31 Are you following me? 43:34 So Matthew Chapter 24, 43:36 the fig tree has nothing to do with Israel. 43:38 Jesus is just using an analogy, He's saying, you know, 43:41 when you see the trees that are budding, 43:43 you know that the summer is near. 43:45 Well, in the same way when you see all these signs, 43:48 not the Israel sign, but all the signs 43:51 you can know that My coming is near. 43:56 So it's the fig tree like in other passages, 43:58 but in this case it's only used as an analogy 44:02 that indicates by the signs 44:05 that Jesus is soon to come. 44:09 Now there's one more passage 44:10 that we especially need to look at. 44:13 John 1:43-48. 44:17 John 1:43-48. 44:22 This is the encounter of Jesus with Nathanael, 44:27 one of the lesser known disciples, 44:29 but this passage puts him on the map, so to speak. 44:35 Let's read beginning in verse 43. 44:39 "The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, 44:43 and He found Philip and said to him, 'Follow me.' 44:47 Now Philip was from Bethsaida, 44:50 the city of Andrew and Peter. 44:53 Philip found Nathanael and said to him, 44:57 'We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, 45:02 and also the prophets, wrote, 45:04 Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.'" 45:08 They're saying, "We have found the Messiah." 45:14 And now Nathanael 45:17 said something that, 45:19 that we've all read before. 45:21 "And Nathanael said to him, 45:23 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?'" 45:29 You're saying the Messiah is from Nazareth, be real. 45:33 It's kind of like saying Caracas, Venezuela. 45:38 These days, 45:40 the most dangerous city in the world 45:43 that would be like say 45:46 that the Messiah is from Nazareth. 45:50 Continues, "Philip said to him, 'Come and see.' 45:56 Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward Him, 46:00 and said of him," 46:02 now listen carefully, 46:04 "said of him, 46:06 'Behold, an Israelite indeed." 46:11 What does Jesus say about Nathanael? 46:14 An Israelite indeed, by the way, 46:16 if there are Israelites indeed 46:18 there are also Israelites not indeed. 46:24 In fact, in the Greek 46:29 the word Israelite indeed 46:33 means a genuine Israelite 46:37 not a counterfeit one, a genuine one. 46:41 So it says, "Behold, an Israelite indeed, 46:44 in whom is no deceit!" 46:52 And now notice, "Nathanael said to Him, 46:55 'How do you know me?' 46:59 Jesus answered and said to him, 47:01 'Before Philip called you, 47:03 when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.'" 47:10 So the Israelite indeed is sitting under the fig tree. 47:16 In other words, you have the symbol 47:18 and what the symbol represents. 47:22 Now the question is, 47:24 why did Jesus say to Nathanael, 47:28 that he was an Israelite indeed, 47:33 or a genuine Israelite, a real Israelite. 47:40 He said that because in verse 49, 47:46 Nathanael said, 47:48 "You are the Messiah, 47:51 the Son of God." 47:55 Whom did Nathanael confess? 47:58 The Messiah. 48:00 And therefore he was an Israelite, 48:03 what kind of Israelite? 48:05 An Israelite indeed is one 48:08 who confesses Jesus as Savior and Lord. 48:13 Are you catching the picture? 48:16 So let me ask you, 48:18 the literal Israelites today 48:20 that reject the Messiah, are they Israel? 48:25 No. 48:27 Now they're physically Israel, okay? 48:29 They're physically Jews. 48:32 But the Apostle Paul said, "That not every Jew is a Jew." 48:37 And the amazing thing is that, 48:39 for example, in Galatians Chapter 4, 48:41 the Apostle Paul gives an allegory. 48:43 It's the allegory of Sarah and Hagar 48:48 and their respective sons. 48:50 Isaac is Sarah's son, 48:53 and Ishmael is the son of Hagar. 48:57 And if you read Galatians 4:21-31. 49:01 I mean, Paul makes a revolutionary statement. 49:04 He says that the Jews of his day 49:08 are sons of Hagar 49:11 and the Gentiles are sons of Sarah. 49:17 What he's saying is, spiritually speaking, 49:22 the Jews are Arabs and the Arabs are Jews. 49:31 And the reason why 49:33 is because Sarah and Isaac are the free ones. 49:38 Jesus said, "If you accept the son, 49:41 the son will make you free indeed." 49:46 And they say we've never been in bondage to anyone. 49:48 Let's read that passage in closing, John 8:37-45. 49:53 John 8:37-45, we looked at in our last presentation, 49:57 but let's take a look at it again 49:58 in the light of what we're studying now. 50:03 Jesus is speaking to literal Jews 50:05 who claim to be children of Abraham. 50:08 By the way, I hope that you will understand 50:11 that I have nothing against individual Jews, 50:14 we can never be anti-Semitic. 50:18 We love people from every nation in the world. 50:22 God has no favorites, okay? 50:25 We need to love individual Jews. 50:27 What we're talking about is that 50:29 God no longer uses the Jewish theocracy 50:32 to fulfill His purpose. 50:34 It's the Christian church 50:36 that continues the legacy of Israel 50:39 of preaching the same gospel 50:40 that they preached and promised that are Israel. 50:46 Jesus says, "'I know that you are Abraham's descendants," 50:48 literally speaking, "but you seek to kill Me, 50:53 because My word has no place in you. 50:56 I speak what I have seen with My Father, 50:59 and you do what you have seen with your father.' 51:04 They answered and said to Him, 'Abraham is our father.'" 51:09 Was Abraham their father? 51:13 Yes and no. 51:16 Physically, yes. 51:18 Spiritually, no. 51:21 They were not spiritual Israel. 51:25 They were literal Israel. 51:28 Verse 39, "They answered and said to Him, 51:32 'Abraham is our father.' 51:34 Jesus said to them, 51:35 if, basically the implication is that they're not. 51:41 "'If you were Abraham's children, 51:45 you would do the works of Abraham." 51:49 Do you know Jesus said in John 8:56, 51:51 Abraham saw my day, and rejoiced, 51:57 and he was referring to the sacrifice of Isaac, 52:01 who was not actually sacrifice? 52:03 That experience in Genesis 22. 52:06 Beautiful figure of the father 52:08 being willing to give up his only begotten Son. 52:11 Abraham understood that that represented the fact 52:14 that God the Father was gonna give His Son 52:19 to deliver the human race. 52:21 So Jesus said, 'Abraham saw my day and rejoiced." 52:26 But the literal Jews of Christ, 52:28 they didn't rejoice, they want to kill Him. 52:31 So then their works show 52:33 that they were not children of Abraham. 52:36 Yes, because they did not have the Spirit of Abraham. 52:40 So Jesus said to them, 52:41 "If you were Abraham's children, 52:42 you would do the works of Abraham. 52:46 But now you seek to kill Me, 52:48 a Man who has told you the truth 52:50 which I heard from God. 52:51 Abraham did not do this." 52:55 Abraham didn't want to kill me. 52:58 He recognized I was the coming seed 53:00 that was gonna bless every nation on earth. 53:04 And then in verse 41, Jesus says, 53:05 "You do the deeds of your father.' 53:08 They said to Him, 'We were not born of fornication. 53:11 We have one Father God.'" 53:13 In other words, they're saying, 53:15 you know, you were born of fornication, 53:16 we don't know who your father is. 53:21 Our father's God, they say. 53:26 "Jesus said to them, 'If," once again, 53:29 the implication is that they're not. 53:31 "If God were your Father, you would love Me, 53:35 for I proceeded forth and came from God, 53:38 nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. 53:41 Why do you not understand My speech? 53:44 Because you are not able to listen to My word." 53:48 And then he says these terrible words. 53:51 "You are of your father the devil, 53:55 and the desires of your father you want to do." 53:58 Who wanted 54:02 to slay Christ? 54:05 Satan. 54:08 Right? 54:11 The murderous spirit that they had 54:13 was the murderous spirit of their father. 54:18 So he says, "You are of your father the devil, 54:20 and the desires of your father you want to do. 54:25 He was a murderer from the beginning, 54:28 and does not stand in the truth, 54:30 because there is no truth in him. 54:34 When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, 54:38 for he is a liar and the father of it." 54:43 Interesting Nathanael, 54:46 it says that in his mouth, there was no deceit. 54:51 And here it says 54:53 that true Israelites tell the truth. 54:59 Incidentally, this has huge implications 55:01 for the interpretation of the Book of Revelation. 55:04 Because in the Book of Revelation we have 144,000. 55:09 By the way, I believe the numbers is symbolic 55:11 because numbers in prophecy are symbolic. 55:14 And we're not dealing with literal Israelites. 55:17 We are dealing with spiritual Israelites, 55:20 they have a seal of God on their forehead, 55:22 they can't be just physical Israelites without Christ. 55:27 And the interesting thing is 55:29 that one of the characteristics of 144,000 55:32 it says that in their mouth was found no deceit. 55:39 They are faithful Israel 55:42 that will remain and be alive when Jesus comes. 55:47 Those are the ones that are alive and remain 55:49 will be caught up in the clouds 55:50 with those who resurrect from the grave. 55:54 They then travel to heaven 55:56 and be eternally there with Jesus Christ. 56:04 And I repeat this, in 1948 the Jewish nation 56:09 was still rejecting the Messiah. 56:13 And therefore 1948 could not be a fulfillment of prophecy 56:18 because God's scattered Israel 56:21 because they rejected the Messiah. 56:23 We're gonna see that when we study the 70 weeks. 56:27 Jesus said, "Because you did not know 56:29 the time of your visitation, 56:32 the city is gonna be destroyed." 56:36 So the question is, 56:37 would God scatter literal Israel 56:41 for rejecting the Messiah, 56:43 and then re-gather them in 1948 56:47 when they are still rejecting the Messiah? 56:52 All of the promises of God 56:55 are conditional. 56:59 God never makes an absolute promise 57:02 without there being a condition. 57:06 A response from us, 57:09 when He makes promises to human beings, 57:13 is conditioned on us, meeting the conditions. 57:18 That's the reason why when God 57:20 established the covenant with Israel on Mount Sinai, 57:22 He said, "If you will obey My voice, 57:26 and keep My covenant, 57:28 then you will be My special people 57:32 above all nations of the world." 57:36 So in short, 1948 is meaningless 57:42 in the fulfillment of Bible prophecy. 57:44 And I'll tell you, I think that Satan, 57:47 in fact, I know Satan 57:48 was the one behind the holocaust. 57:51 And because of the holocaust, 57:53 the nations of the world were so disgusted, 57:55 that that led them to lobby 57:58 for the establishment of the nation of Israel. 58:02 In our next study we'll pick up on this particular point. |
Revised 2019-10-24