The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree

Jesus also spoke this parable:
“A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard,
and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.
Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard,
‘Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none.
Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?’
But he answered and said to him,
‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.
And if it bears fruit, well.
But if not, after that you can cut it down.’ ”
(Luke 13:6-9)

The Tree in the above parable is Israel. The curse by Jesus on the barren fig tree during his final entry into Jerusalem is fascinating. It was not the season for ripe figs (April 33 AD) when Jesus traveled on a borrowed donkey from the Mt. of Olives to the Temple as the promised, legitimate Messiah of Israel.

The Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree

The fig withered on the spot after Jesus told the tree (representing Israel) that it had been set aside for a season (now 2000 years) ---until the full number of the gentiles has been brought in.

“Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Trust in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.“ (Mark 11:20-24)

“For I do not desire, brethren, that you should be ignorant of this mystery, lest you should be wise in your own opinion, that blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:

“The Deliverer will come out of Zion, And He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob; For this is My covenant with them, When I take away their sins.”
Concerning the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved for the sake of the fathers. For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. For as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now obtained mercy through their disobedience, even so these also have now been disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also may obtain mercy. For God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?” “Or who has first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?”
For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:25-36)

To win a single Jew to Yeshua, even today, is often a life-time labor of love! Don’t give up on anyone, (you who follow Jesus), until the friends and family in your life breathe their last--whether they are Gentle or Jew. The long story of the Wandering Jew is required reading--a vast topic worthy of much study!

Please come on in to the family of Jesus and the healing waters of Shiloh.

You out there in radio land: Please someone write up a study of fig trees for us, as they are amazing trees wonderfully designed and with a great history.

The fig tree (Israel) is starting to blossom even now!

Man as a Tree

Each man is a TREE designed to be connected to Jesus--and through Jesus, to the Tree of Life.
Not everyone you know has a connection with Jesus yet, whether secret or obvious.
Most of us hope our relatives and friends will be all in heaven but for some stubborn old cranks, clods and weirdos we've met, God only knows. 
Woe to the man, or woman or child who ignores the Root. Jesus is  a PERSON not a Lite-force.

 

The Tree and its Fruits

The Parable of the Tree and its Fruit (also called the Trees and their Fruit) is a parable of Jesus about testing a prophet. Similar passages appear in the New Testament in Matthew and Luke.

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruit. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." (Matthew 7:15–20) 

"For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh." (Luke 6:43-45)

In contrast to the works of the flesh, the Fruit of the Spirit is holy and will be evident in the life of a true follower of Jesus.

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For  the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another,  so that you do not do the things that you wish.  But  if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Now the works (plural) of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that  those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But  the fruit (singular) of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness,  goodness,  faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.  Against such there is no law. And those who  are Christ’s  have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. (Galatians 5:16-26)

Dig Around the Roots

The Gardner in Luke 13 asks permission to dig around the roots of the tree (and to fertilize it with dung) for a second chance at fruit bearing. A reprieve is given for a season but if it bears no fruit, the Gardner, may cut it down. Do we not as Christians need God to break us loose from our comfort zone? We can not on our own bear any fruit of lasting value! Real life is Christ Jesus living His endless life through us. He can't do this without our permission. Second Peter shows us eight steps to knowing God and bearing fruit throughout a life time.

Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours in the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:

May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, that through these you may escape from the corruption that is in the world because of passion, and become partakers of the divine nature.

For this very reason make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these things are yours and abound, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

For whoever lacks these things is blind and shortsighted and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.

Therefore, brethren, be the more zealous to confirm your call and election, for if you do this you will never fall; so there will be richly provided for you an entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:1-11)

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