From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. (Matthew 24:32, ESV)
Israel is God’s fig tree
Wars and the murmurs of impending wars herald the tumultuous events marking the end times (Matt. 24:6). Yet, Israel’s wars occupy a distinct position in these prophecies.
In Matthew 24, Jesus, while predicting the destruction of Jerusalem’s Temple in AD 70, also alluded to His second coming. He encouraged His listeners to discern the signs, much like observing the budding of a fig tree indicates the approach of summer.
Today, Israel stands as a prophetic beacon. Its national events resonate globally, revealing the unfolding of God’s divine plan. Remarkably, after nearly 2000 years of non-existence post AD 70, Israel re-emerged as a nation in 1948. This resurgence underscores the precision of biblical prophecy and serves as a vivid reminder of God’s intricate plan. Israel is God’s prophetic fig tree for the unfolding of the end times events.
Israel’s wars are the physical expression of the spiritual wars the Church is involved in. They are an earthly expression of a wider cosmic conflict between God and Satan, between God and evil. This war is more than a geopolitical conflict: it is an intense spiritual conflict involving angelic beings and clashes of spiritual powers. Satan has his eye on Israel and seeks to destroy that nation at all costs. He is the dragon in Revelations 12 that is persecuting the woman(Israel) who gave birth to the man Child( Christ) that will rule the world.
So, Israel is paying a hefty price for being the woman who gave birth to King Jesus. Satan is fiercely persecuting that nation because, through them, the whole world has been blessed(the blessing of Abraham, Gen. 12: 3). Israel is paying a price for salvation to come to the Gentiles (Romans 11:31). Secondly, it is also Satan’s earthly battleground of the conflicts between spiritual light and darkness. Israel was caught in the middle of the four major world empires foreshadowed in Daniels’s visions( Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome).
Our responsibility? Pray fervently for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalms 122:6). Intercede for Israel, seeking God’s mercy on the Jewish community, as He extended it to the Gentiles (Romans 11:30-32). Moreover, let’s also pray for the Palestinians that they might come to know Jesus, as He wants them saved as much as any of us.
Meditate
Consider this: How does Israel function as God’s prophetic fig tree?
Apply the Word
The message is timeless and bears repeating: Jesus’s return is imminent. Prepare to meet your God(Amos 4:12), living each day anticipating His arrival. Strive to remain pure, untainted by sin, and actively engage in God’s work to build His House(His people) and get it ready for His glory to fill it.
Pray
Today, fervently pray for the enduring peace of Jerusalem.
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