Daily Archives: August 23, 2015

The Lesson Of The Fig Tree

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THE LESSON OF THE FIG TREE

Now learn this lesson from the fig tree. As soon as the twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see these things happening, you know that it is near, right at the door. Truly I tell you, this generation certainly will not pass away until all these things happen. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away (Mark 13: 28-31).

What is the fig tree and what is the lesson of the fig tree? When did the fig tree first feature in Scripture? Last question first.

When Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, they lost their God-awareness and became self-aware. They became conscious of their nakedness and tried to hide it with fig leaves. It was an attempt to put right what they had done wrong by their own unsuccessful efforts. God had to kill an animal to provide skins to cover their shame.

God often used the fig tree as a symbol of Israel, especially in the Minor Prophets. It was both a symbol of fruitfulness as well as the devastation their enemies would bring on them because of their disobedience to God’s teaching.  Was the symbolism also for the same reason as Adam and Eve’s – Israel’s attempts to cover their unrighteousness and gain favour with God by their self-effort?

The disciples would have quickly grasped Jesus’ allusion to their own nation. What He had just told them, would happen to Israel. Just as they recognised the imminent return of summer by the changes in the fig tree, so these “beginning of sorrows” would herald the destruction of Israel.

Jesus was dealing with two catastrophic events on earth – the overthrow of Israel as a nation, resulting in the scattering of His people for thousands of years – and the destruction of the old earth and the renewal of all things, heralded by His return. Once again, there is no timeline to place the events into a convenient progression of events, but signs that everything He predicted was about to happen. Not “when” but “that” these things would happen.

When were they to flee Jerusalem? When the Romans entered the city and desecrated the temple. That was the signal that they would unleash a terrible slaughter on the city. That was the time to get out – and fast. No time to go home and gather up their belongings. The history books tell us that, because of Jesus’ warning, believers were alerted and were able to escape the city with their lives.

Why did Jesus give them signs and not a date? It was always His intention for them to live ready every day – to be watchful and alert so that their lives would give off the fragrance of Jesus all the time. Had He given them a date, the temptation would have been to live irresponsibly until the date arrived. That is the nature of the human being – to sail as close to the wind as possible.

If they understood that He was coming but did not know when, they would have made sure that they were ready to face Him without guilt no matter when He came. His allusion to “this generation must have referred to the destruction of Jerusalem. No need to create fanciful interpretations. It was almost as if He superimposed one even on top of the other – the devastation of Jerusalem and the devastation of the earth. One event would mirror the other.

 

When the Romans attacked Jerusalem and devastated Israel, it was the unbelieving Jews who were destroyed. When Jesus returns to destroy the old order of things and set up His kingdom on a renewed earth, it will be the unbelievers who will be destroyed. Prophecy teachers have led us to believe that God’s people will be taken to heaven and the ungodly left behind. But that contradicts Jesus’ reference to Noah and the flood. Noah and his family were “left behind” while the unrighteous perished in the deluge. God refashioned the earth for those who were protected in the ark.

It will be the same when Jesus returns. He will destroy the old order and all those who belong to it. His people will be safe “in Him” and will reign with Him on a restored and renewed earth forever. There is no such thing in Scripture as a “secret rapture” and a second chance. Jesus’ return will be noisy and visible to everyone – heralded by the blowing of the last trumpet – and accompanied by a myriad angels and all those who have gone before us.

I’m sure you would hate to miss out on this greatest event in history. Jesus’ message to us all is, “Be alert, be on guard, be ready.” The desecration of the temple signalled the coming of the Romans, and His people were ready. When will He return as He promised? “No man knows the day or the hour” but it does not matter, if we are ready.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my new book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (copyright 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or kindle version or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

Check out my Blog site – www.learningtobeason.wordpress.com

 

 

After Suffering – Glory

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AFTER SUFFERING – GLORY

But in those days, following that distress, ‘the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.’ At that time people will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And He will send His angels and gather His elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens (Mark 13: 24-27).

What extravagant language Jesus used to describe the events surrounding His coming! Massive disturbances in the sky, as though the heavenly bodies themselves have to make way for the Son of God, as He comes in great power and glory to sweep up His chosen people from the outer reaches of the universe to accompany Him on His return to earth. What a gathering that will be!

He is the victorious one, but He chooses to share His victory with His beloved people. After all, it was for us that He came to earth, and suffered and died so that He could reconcile us to the Father and call us back into His forever family to share the bounty of His generosity. In an instant, His people will be gathered from everywhere to join Him in His triumphant return.

The terrible events, both in the natural world and in the suffering the enemies of God are inflicting on His people are but the labour pains which will give birth to a new heaven and a new earth. God will deal with those who oppose Him by taking it out on His people.

God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with His powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His might on the day He comes to be glorified in His holy people and to be marvelled at among all those who have believed. This includes you because you believed our testimony to you (2 Thess. 1:6-10).

Did you get what Paul wrote? He echoed the very words of Jesus – power and great glory; accompanied by the angels and the vast retinue of His people who will be the evidence of His victory – a massive, innumerable gathering of God’s family to celebrate Jesus’ triumph over His enemies.

And what about His enemies? He’ll have His feet on their necks alright! All those who have slaughtered His people in the name of their gods – under His feet. All those who have ignored, maligned and ridiculed His to escape their accountability to Him – under His feet. All those who have propagated lies about Him and done everything to distort and disfigure His Word – under His feet. All those who have lived as though He does not exist – under His feet. And the devil himself who spawned all the rebellion – under His feet. And then the last enemy, death – under His feet!

Then the end will come, when He hands over the kingdom to His Father after He has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For He ‘has put everything under His feet’ (1 Cor. 15: 25-27).

Beware, enemies of Jesus, for the Day of Judgment is coming. The door of opportunity is still open. Jesus has paved the way for everyone who believes in Him, who confesses Him as Lord and believes that God raised Him from the dead, to return to the Father. Death will close that door forever. Who, in his right mind, would refuse an offer of eternal life in the presence of the most loving and generous Person ever? Only those who are blinded by the devil and deafened to the voice of God by their own sinful, and stubborn hearts.

To His disciples He said, “Be alert! Be on your guard! Be ready!” To the world He calls,

Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake their ways and the unrighteous their thoughts. Let them turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on them, and to our God, for He will freely pardon (Isa. 55: 6-7).

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my new book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (copyright 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or kindle version or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

Check out my Blog site – www.learningtobeason.wordpress.com