simple explanation to a symbolic act!
Genesis 3:6-7 NLT
[6] “The woman was convinced. She saw that the tree was beautiful and its fruit looked delicious, and she wanted the wisdom it would give her. So she took some of the fruit and ate it. Then she gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it, too. [7] At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.”
When Adam and Eve sinned, they became aware of their nakedness and tried to cover themselves with fig leaves, an attempt to cover their sin by their own effort. What a picture of Israel’s religion, a corruption of what God intended for them. They thought that by offering sacrifices, they could go on sinning, because they were protected by animal blood. They missed the point of the sacrifices which were intended to point them to God’s final and perfect sacrifice to take away sin.
God viewed their evil lives, which they they tried to cover up by offering sacrifices, as a fruitless fig tree which needed to be cut down.
Jeremiah 8:12-13 NLT
[12] “Are they ashamed of these disgusting actions? Not at all—they don’t even know how to blush! Therefore, they will lie among the slaughtered. They will be brought down when I punish them, says the Lord. [13] I will surely consume them. There will be no more harvests of figs and grapes. Their fruit trees will all die. Whatever I gave them will soon be gone. I, the Lord, have spoken!’”
Micah 7:1-2, 4 NLT
[1] “How miserable I am! I feel like the fruit picker after the harvest who can find nothing to eat. Not a cluster of grapes or a single early fig can be found to satisfy my hunger. [2] The godly people have all disappeared; not one honest person is left on the earth. They are all murderers, setting traps even for their own brothers.
[4] Even the best of them is like a brier; the most honest is as dangerous as a hedge of thorns. But your judgment day is coming swiftly now. Your time of punishment is here, a time of confusion.”
There was judgment coming upon His people because they refused to repent and to change their ways.
David understood what God intended when He gave them the sacrificial system. When he sinned, he threw himself on God’s mercy.
Psalms 51:16-17, 19 NLT
[16] “You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. [17] The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God….
[19] Then you will be pleased with sacrifices offered in the right spirit— with burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings. Then bulls will again be sacrificed on your altar.”
When Jesus encountered a fruitless fig tree, He used it as an illustration of what was to happen to His people because they rejected Him, God’s remedy for their sin.
Mark 11:12-14 NLT
[12]”The next morning as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. [13] He noticed a fig tree in full leaf a little way off, so he went over to see if he could find any figs. But there were only leaves because it was too early in the season for fruit. [14] Then Jesus said to the tree, “May no one ever eat your fruit again!” And the disciples heard him say it.“
In the Bible, God often used pictures from nature to explain spiritual concepts. He sees His people, Israel, as a fruitless fig tree, awaiting judgment because of their evil deeds.
Jesus’ disciples would probably have made the connection between Adam and Eve’s use of fig leaves, and the fruitless fig tree Jesus cursed because they were Jews who had been raised on the Torah, God’s book of instructions
for life.
Jesus was teaching them about the consequences of living in disobedience to God’s “Torah” and ultimately showing them that He was God’s instruction in person. As surely as the cursed fig tree withered and died, so would Israel and be cursed and cut down if they failed to obey His instructions for life.
Mark 11:20-24 NLT
[20] The next morning as they passed by the fig tree he had cursed, the disciples noticed it had withered from the roots up. [21] Peter remembered what Jesus had said to the tree on the previous day and exclaimed, “Look, Rabbi! The fig tree you cursed has withered and died!” [22] Then Jesus said to the disciples, “Have faith in God.
[23] I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, ‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’ and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. [24] I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours.”
As we read on, what did Jesus mean by “this mountain” in the context, that could be removed by believing prayer? Is it possible that He was referring to the unbelief and disobedience of His people that made them fruitless fig trees? “You can ask for anything”, then, could mean anything that made Israel what they were, and ripe for judgment. God’s grace and mercy would rescue even them and bring them into His kingdom to live under His authority.
Romans 11:28-32 NLT
[28] “Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles. Yet they are still the people he loves because he chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. [29] For God’s gifts and his call can never be withdrawn. [30] Once, you Gentiles were rebels against God, but when the people of Israel rebelled against him, God was merciful to you instead. [31] Now they are the rebels, and God’s mercy has come to you so that they, too, will share in God’s mercy. [32] For God has imprisoned everyone in disobedience so he could have mercy on everyone.”
Jesus would entrust His message of salvation through His death to these men who were to take it to the Jews first. Despite the Jews rejecting the message and persecuting the messengers, the disciples have the assurance that this “mountain”of unbelief would be moved by believing prayer and that the Jews would one day believe and enter the kingdom of God.
Romans 11:25-27 NLT
[25] I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ.
[26] And so all Israel will be saved. As the Scriptures say, “The one who rescues will come from Jerusalem, and he will turn Israel away from ungodliness. [27] And this is my covenant with them, that I will take away their sins.”
Is it possible, then, this Jesus, did not give His disciples a blank prayer cheque? Rather, He gave them a promise that, through believing prayer, God would reverse His judgment on Israel, the fruitless fig tree, and through the gospel of Jesus, bring them to faith and salvation by His mercy.
Jesus gave His disciples (and us by association) a commission to take the Gospel to the Jews and to pray for them because it is His intention to rescue them from their sin and unbelief through the power of the gospel.
Romans 1:16 NLT
[16] “For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile.”