S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries

Jesus told the Parable of the Fig Tree-Luke 13:6-9-immediately after reminding His listeners of a tower over the pool of Siloam (John 9:7) which unexpectedly fell and killed eighteen people. The mo...

Login or Sign Up to view the rest of this answer.

July 01 2013 • 1 response • Vote Up • Share • Report

Aurel Gheorghe

Throughout the Bible, fig leaves are a symbol for man-made religion and false righteousness (Genesis 3:7). The fig tree is a symbol of God’s people. 

In Luke 13:6-9 we read that year after year, the owner of the vineyard was disappointed because all he found on his fig tree was leaves and no fruit. It looked like a healthy tree, but he did not plant it for ornamental beauty, he wanted fruit.

Some Bible scholars believe there also may be a time prophecy hidden in this parable. The vineyard mentioned in verse 6 is the land of Israel (Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 12:10; Psalm 80:8-16), in which the vine and fig tree, both symbols of Israel and Judah, were planted. The parable of the fig tree gives a total of four years from the time of planting to the final chance for the tree to bear fruit. A year in the Bible is 360 days. Four years would be a total of 1,440 days. A day in prophecy equals a year (Numbers 14:34; Ezekiel 4:6).

According to chronologists, Joshua entered the Promised Land approximately 1407 BC. If we extend 1,440 years from that point in time (there is no zero year), we come to the year AD 34. This date in history is the same ending point for the 490-year prophecy given in Daniel 9:24. Here the word “determined” is better translated as “cut off.” The parable of the fig tree said, “Then after that thou shalt cut it down” (Luke 13:9). It was in AD 34 that the Jews forfeited their place as God’s covenant people. Then in AD 70, both Jerusalem and the temple were completely destroyed.

One week before His death, Jesus cursed a fruitless fig tree to illustrate what was going to happen to the Jewish nation and the apostate church (Matthew 21:18-20). The story is unique because it is the only place in the Gospels where Jesus is directly responsible for killing something.

The tree Jesus cursed had all the outward signs of bearing fruit, yet the tree was fruitless. It was a symbol of the Jewish nation. With its temple, priesthood, and sacrifices, Israel had all the trappings of true religion, but the genuine fruits, justice, mercy, and faith (Matthew 23:23), were missing. 

The same day Jesus cursed the fruitless fig tree (Matthew 21), He later had a showdown with the Pharisees and exposed their hypocrisy (Matthew 23:5). Seven times Jesus called them hypocrites, and then He pronounced a curse on them, just as He had the fig tree earlier that day (Matthew 23:34-36). Jesus said the curse would “come upon this generation.” 

In the next chapter, when Jesus describes the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world, He gives fig leaves as a sign (Matthew 24:32–34). A generation in the Bible is 40 years. Jesus made this prophecy in AD 31, and by AD 70 it was fulfilled!

Christ’s illustration of the fruitless fig is also a prophetic sign for the last days. Just as Israel before the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 had all the outward forms of true religion, so the spiritual Israel (the Church) in the last days will have no fruit (2 Timothy 3:5).

June 02 2016 • 5 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report

Neal Pyle

It has laid waste my vines
and ruined my fig trees.
It has stripped off their bark
and thrown it away,
leaving their branches white./ since Jesus said it was the " parable" of a fig tree, we know it's not a literal fig tree, in the verse above GOD is symbolically calling Isreal his fig tree, " ruined my fig trees" this is what the Lord said after Isreal was laid waste by a invading army, so, Isreal is the fig tree, since they was "ruined" there will be a day they will put forth fruit. I believe this happened in 1948 at their rebirth as a nation.

July 02 2016 • 0 responses • Vote Up • Share • Report