Prophecy

ISRAEL IS THE FIG TREE THAT HAS BLOOMED

by Jeff Van Hatten
10/31/23
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Matthew 24:32-33 and Mark 13:28-29 "When the fig tree branches begin to bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near. Likewise, when you see all these things, you can know Yeshua's return is very near, right at the door."
The word know, ginosko [G1097], a prolonged form of a primary verb that means to know absolutely, be aware of, have knowledge of, perceive, be resolved, to be sure, of, or understand.

The Fig Tree Is Israel
Matthew 21:19 "Seeing a fig tree beside the road, Yeshua went to it, but there were no figs on the tree, only leaves. So Yeshua said to the tree, 'You will never again have fruit. The tree immediately dried up'."
But just who or what is this fig tree that Yeshua refers to? In order to understand the time of His imminent return, one must first determine who that fig tree represents. Hosea 9:10 states that the patriarchs are the firstfruits of the fig tree. Joel 1:6-7 tells us that Israel is the ruined fig tree whose bark has been stripped ethnically, nationally, and geographically. Jeremiah 24:2-8 states that the good figs are those Jews who went into captivity, and the bad figs those Jews who rebelled against the Babylonians or who went down to Egypt.

Luke 13:6-9 expounds upon the vineyard spoken of in Isaiah 5:1-7. Luke tells us that the fruit is from the fig tree in the vineyard (see especially verse 7). In Matthew 21:19, Yeshua curses the fig tree. In this passage, the fig tree specifically is a representation of the Jewish leadership from whom He had expected to find some fruit after three years of teaching in the Temple, but also has the wider representation of the nation of Israel and the land of Israel as well, which forty years later began to wither and die. Both the nation and the land remained dead until the Jews began to return in the early 1900s.

Israel is that "fig tree" that has bloomed and is to be watched! Scripture is not the only source that refers to Israel as the fig tree. Even secular writings do so. One such source is "The Apocalypse of Peter", written in Egypt about 135CE. Therefore we can rightly conclude that Israel is absolutely the fig tree Yeshua is referencing.

The Many Trees
Isaiah 55:12 "You will go out with joy and be led out in peace. The mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees in the fields will clap their hands."
Many are very good at seeing scripture through a Greek mindset. However, they often forget that most, if not all, terms in the Newer Covenant have been fully defined by the Older Covenant and that scripture, even the Newer Covenant, is all written from a Hebrew mindset, no matter what language it is written down in. One must first determine how a word or expression is used in the Older Covenant before defining its use in the Newer Covenant.

Throughout scripture, both nations and individuals are symbolized as trees. Judges 9:8-16 uses trees to describe Abimelech and the houses of Jerubbaal and Millo, Jotham, and the people of Shechem. Daniel 4:10-28 uses the image of a tree to represent Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel 10:33 talks of Assyria as the top boughs of a tree. Isaiah 55:12-13 uses tree imagery to depict the many peoples who will clap their hands with joy when the thorns and biers become fir and myrtle trees at His coming. Ezekiel 31:3-15 depicts Assyria as a cedar tree, and the other nations as fir, chestnut, and other trees. Zechariah 11:1-4 repeats this theme, also depicting Assyria (Lebanon) as a cedar trees, and the peoples of Bashan as oaks. Ezekiel 17:1-24 calls Babylon a cedar tree that spreads itself out like a willow tree.

Luke 21:29-31 "Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they begin to bud you know that summer is and the kingdom of God is already near."
Luke speaks of both the fig tree and all the trees. These trees represent both Israel and the other nations that sprouted up at about the same time: Lebanon 1943, Jordan 1946, Syria 1946, Egypt 1952. And are not these the nations that are constantly in daily news reports at this time? Are not these the very same nations listed in Psalm 83 as those nations that come against Israel to wipe her off the map. Clearly, the generation that has seen both the fig tree and all the trees put forth their branches is our generation.

Israel Is The Key To End Times Prophecy
And what does Yeshua say about the time when one sees the fig tree bud? Yeshua lists all these things: deceptions, false-christs, signs in the sun, moon, and stars, days like those of Noah, just to mention a few. But until that time, they (and we) shall receive power to be his witnesses unto the ends of the earth. Until that time, we are to occupy, and continue occupying until he returns and fully establishes his kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

The conflict between the Hebrews and the Arabs began with Isaac and Ishmael, the sons of Abraham, escalated between Jacob and Esau, then continued throughout the ages as Arabs and Hebrews contested each other. It became a Jewish/Christian versus Moslem/Islamic conflict after Mohammed initiated Islam around 633AD. The real battle has always been a spiritual one. Yahweh chose Israel as his land and Jerusalem as his city, and chose the Jews as his people from whom the Messiah would come and to be a "light unto the Gentiles". Satan has been trying to destroy Yahweh's people and usurp the land, and this battle will continue until Satan is defeated and thrown into the lake of fire. The fullness of the church age is almost complete, and Yahweh is turning his eye back onto the land of Israel and the Jews.

Ancient Historical Prophecies
There are four prophecies concerning Israel that began being fulfilled over 2000 years ago.
** The Jews were scattered worldwide (from the four corners of the earth) -- Deuteronomy 28:64
** The Jews have been persecuted wherever they have lived -- Deuteronomy 28:65-67
** The land of Israel (Palestine) was desolate during their dispersion -- Deuteronomy 29:22-28
** The Jewish people still exist -- Jeremiah 30:7 and Jeremiah 31:36-37

More recently, the following prophecies have been fulfilled
** World Wars I and II, and Rumors of Wars -- Scripture refers to world wars as "nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom" -- Matthew 24:1-8, Mark 13:1-8; Luke 21:7-11
** The Re-Birth of Israel – Israel was born in a day on May 14, 1948. The modern miracle of Israel is the fig tree that has sent out its buds -- Ezekiel 20:33-38; 22:17-22; 37:9-12; Isaiah 66:8; Zephaniah 2:1-2; Daniel 12:1
** Jerusalem Is Under Jewish Control – Jerusalem was recaptured by the Jews during the Six Day War of June 5-10, 1967 -- Daniel 9:27; Matthew 24:15; 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4
** The Hebrew language is Recovered – Hebrew was nearly extinct as a spoken language, but in 1982 became an official language for Israel -- Zephaniah 3:9, Jeremiah 31:23
** The Desolate Land Becomes Fertile -- The Israeli food industry has become the breadbasket and currently supplies over 20% of the produce used by Middle Eastern and European markets -- Ezekiel 36:34-35; Isaiah 27:6, 51:3; Isaiah 35:1-2, 7; Joel 2:23-24
** Natural Resources Found Under The Sand -- Vast deposits of both natural gas and oil have been discovered since the late 1990s and continue to be discovered -- Genesis 49:25, Isaiah 45:3, Deut. 32:12-13, 33:19,24
** Israel Establishes A Powerful Military -- The Israel Defense Force is one of the most successful and powerful militaries in the world. Each time a conflict has arisen, with Yahweh's help it has been successful in winning these many conflicts -- Zechariah 12:6, Micah 4:13, Isaiah 60:12, Jeremiah 1:10
** Israel Becomes The Focal Point Of World Politics -- Daily news articles detail Israel, its world standing, and the growing world hatred towards Israel and the Jews, especially just recently after the attack upon Israel by Hamas -- Zechariah 12:2-3

Interesting Coincidences
Nahum 2:4 "The chariots storm through the streets, rushing back and forth through the squares. They look like flaming torches; they dart about like lightning."

Joel 2:5 "With a noise like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle."
The word used for chariots in Joel is merkabah [H4818]. It is interesting to note that the Israelis have developed a tank they call the Merkavah which is designed to leap over the hills and rocks, and shoots a flame when it fires weapons and missiles.

Jeremiah 51:11 "Sharpen the arrows, take up the shields!"
Zechariah 9:14 "Then the LORD will appear over them; his arrow will flash like lightning."
The Hebrew literally translated is: Make bright the arrows, gather the shields. The words bright, and arrow are barar [H1305] and chets [H2671]. The Israelis have developed a missile called the Arrow (Chets) II Interceptor. It looks like a bright arrow or falling meteor when in flight. This could put a new twist on Matthew 24:29, which says: "the stars (shooting stars, meteors) will fall from the sky".

Zechariah 14:12 "This is the plague with which the LORD will strike all the nations that fought against Jerusalem: Their flesh will rot while they are still standing on their feet, their eyes will rot in their sockets, and their tongues will rot in their mouths."
The United States and Israel have developed a bomb known as the Neutron Bomb. The effects of the bomb are exactly as described in Zechariah 14:12. It destroys bodies but leaves infrastructure untouched.

Biblical Coincidences -- or Warnings
120 Years from the First Zionist Congress
Joel 2:1 "Blow the shofar in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the Day of Yahweh comes, for it is close at hand."
Genesis 6:3 "Yahweh said, 'My Spirit will not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; yet will his days be one hundred twenty years'."
The first Zionist Congress was held in the concert hall of the Basel Municipal Casino on August 29, 1897. This date, August 29, 1897, was 120 years from Elul 1, 2017. Just coincidence, I'm sure!

100 Years from the Balfour Declaration
Genesis 7:11 "In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on the same day all the fountains of the great deep were burst open, and the sky’s windows were opened."
Noah's flood began on the 17th of Chesvan. The Balfour Declaration was written by Lord Balfour to Lord Rothschild, and represented the first political recognition of Zionist aims by a Great Power. It was written on November 2, 1917 on Chesvan 17!, 100 years ago. Just another coincidence, I'm sure!

70 Years from the United Nations Resolution 181
Matthew 24:31-34 "He will send out his angels with a great sound of a shofar, and they will gather together his chosen ones from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other. Now from the fig tree learn this parable. When its branch has now become tender, and puts forth its leaves, you know that the summer is near. Even so you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Most certainly I tell you, this generation will not pass away, until all these things are accomplished."
The United Nations General Assembly passed Resolution 181 on September 3, 1947 outlining the partition plans for the land of Israel and called for two independent states to be formed after the end of the British Mandate, one Jewish and one Arab. We are now more than 70 years past that date. Yet another coincidence, I'm sure!

50 Years from the Capture of Jerusalem
Zechariah 12:6 "In that day I will make the governors of Judah like a fire pan in the woodpile, and like a fiery torch in the sheaves; they shall devour all the surrounding peoples on the right hand and on the left, but Jerusalem shall be inhabited again in her own place—Jerusalem."
In 1967 control of Jerusalem was once again taken back into Israeli hands. We are now more than 50 years past that date. Just one more coincidence, I'm sure!

Prophecy Fulfillments Coming In The Near Future
The One-World Government - Daniel 7:23
The Rise of the Antichrist - Daniel 7:24; II Thessalonians 2:1-3
A Period of False Peace and Security - I Thessalonians 5:1-3
The Russian (Gog/Magog) Invasion of Israel - Ezekiel 38:1 - 39:16
The Seven Year Covenant - Daniel 9:27; Isaiah 28:14-22; Acts 15:14
The Ten Kingdoms - Daniel 7:24
The Abomination of Desolation - Daniel 9:27; 2 Thessalonians 2:4; Mathew 24:15-16
The Campaign of Armageddon - Revelation 19
The Second Coming - Revelation 19
The Millennium Kingdom - Revelation 20

Conclusions
Joel 3:14 "Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of Yahweh is near in the valley of decision."
Zephaniah 1:14 "The great day of Yahweh is near, it is near, and hastens greatly."
Matthew 24:33 "So, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door."
Mark 13:29 "Even so, you too, when you see these things happening, recognize that He is near, right at the door."
Earthquakes have been increasing exponentially since 1948. Wars and rumors of wars are a daily item in the news. Famines and pestilences have been endemic during the last decade. Jerusalem is certainly a burdensome stone for all living today who do not love Yahweh / Yeshua. The signs are all converging.

Hosea 3:4-5 "Israel, after having a long period without a king or leader and no temple or sacrifices, will once again be a nation and will seek Yahweh."
Israel is back in the land. They have a government. And once again, they seek to rebuild the temple and worship the Yahweh of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. How amazing is it that current events, weapons, and inventions can and are literally fulfilling prophecies that were made over 2000 years ago.

End time prophecies are being fulfilled on a daily basis. Yahweh is once again setting Jerusalem and His people center stage. Are these many events and fulfillments of ancient prophecies just mere coincidences, or are they perhaps dire warnings that time is up and the final judgments described in scripture are about to unfold?

We do NOT set dates -- Time will tell if these are just coincidences or dire warnings. Stay alert. The season of Yeshua's return is near.