Jesus said, “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and puts forth leaves, ye know that summer is near. So likewise, ye, when ye shall see all these things come to pass, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled / done. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away!” – Matt 24:32-35.

The parable of the fig tree! Jesus was hungry (He was a Man too). He approached a fig tree that had leaves seeking for fruit. (It was not the time of figs!) And Jesus answered and said unto it, “No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever”. And his disciples heard it. – Mark 11:14. And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. – Mark 11:20.

There was also another parable that the Lord spoke regarding the fig tree that was planted in a vineyard. He said that the fig tree failed to produce fruit even after three years of its planting. But the vinedresser pleaded for it and asked for an extension of another year so that the tree would produce fruits failing which the fig tree could be cut down.

The unfruitful fig tree is representative of the unbelieving Israel that failed to produce fruits even though the Lord had given them “a long rope”. He was long suffering and patient to see His people repent and return to Him. But they would not. They did evil in His sight, not seeking after their “Husband” but went astray and pursued spiritual harlotry – they showed infidelity to their own God by pursuing other “gods”. Apart from the pagan gods, Mammon or worldly wealth is also one such god that people are after today! And they are committing the sin of sexual immorality spiritually. Remember the Whore of Babylon mentioned in Revelation!

(God promised Abraham and his descendants the land (a part of which has come under the control of the Jews today) but with a condition – that it will be under their possession as long as they would be faithful to Him. If they reject Him and pursue other gods, the Lord would hand them over to other people (gentiles) who will oppress them and take them as captives to their lands. This happened now-and-again in history until there was a total annihilation of the Jewish people by Him when they comprehensively rejected Him when He came to His own approximately two thousand years ago). Even at the time of Jesus on earth, the Jews did not have a country of their own; they were ruled by the Romans; the country was called Palestine, not Israel.

The fig tree is mentioned again in the passage where Jesus talked about the end-time. Its branches would be tender and would put forth leaves. And it might not be the season of figs! He said that this generation shall not pass away till all these He mentioned about the end-time would be fulfilled. He spoke about the generation that saw the fig tree forcing itself to blossom.

So, was there an attempt by the “fig tree” trying to revive itself against the curse of Jesus? Was this what happened in May 1948? Israel (the only purely democratic country in the Middle east today – not Theocratic!) declared independence and became a country overnight but those Jews who were in the helm of these affairs were not believers of the Son of God. So, why would God gather them again if they had not repented of their unbelief and not turned to Him? While God foresaw this event in history (not in the mainline of events in His-story) nearly nineteen centuries ago, the formation of Israel as a free country might not have been divine providence. The gathering of the Jews at this time is essential so that everything that the Lord spoke about those who pierced Him and especially, about His coming, should happen as per His plan and according to His purpose.

Most of the Jews in Israel today (2020) are ungodly unbelievers, atheists and agnostics. They are not even Jews in the religious sense of the word. Thankfully, a remnant still remains among this population that believes in the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ and has received Him as their Saviour and Lord. These people are obviously the believing generation and the Seed of promise – Christ. They are His Church and are part of the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. – Rev 12:17.