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About-Him.Com Devotional 07-16-2005
Http://About-Him.Com/ My Thoughts on the Life of Christ, from His Baptism to His Ascension. Cursing the Fig Tree Mt. 21:18-22; Mk. 11:12-14, 20-26 Mark 11:12 ¶ And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: 13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet. 14 And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. After His triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Jesus and His disciples retired for the night outside of Jerusalem. As He was returning to the city the next morning, He grew hungry. Spotting a fig tree in a common area, He naturally approached it, hoping to eat. What a disappointment! The tree was full of foliage and attractive to the sight, but it had no fruit. Jesus became indignant and cursed the tree, proclaiming that no fruit would ever again grow on it. Jesus proceeded to the temple where He cleansed it a second time of the money changers (par 185), and then ministered to the people in healing (par 186). Upon going to the temple the next day, Peter noticed that the fig tree was withered away. Jesus told him that if he had faith in God, he could do similar miracles, even to the point of causing a mountain to be removed and cast into the sea. However, it all hinged on faith and not having unforgiveness in his heart when he prayed. Mark 11:19 And when even was come, he went out of the city. 20 And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. 21 And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. 22 And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God. {Have…: or, Have the faith of God} 23 For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith. 24 Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. 25 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. 26 But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses. Conclusion and Application: The barren fig tree was a perfect example of dead religion, full of pomp and ritual. It may be pretty to look at on the outside, but it bares no fruit. In other words, profession without possession. Just as Jesus looked to this tree for food when He was hungry, the sinner looks to the church. Just as judgment was pronounced for a dead fig tree, judgment awaits the dead professing church (Revelation 3:16). Jesus said that we could command a mountain to be cast into the sea, if we had the proper faith. I believe we all accept that He was talking figuratively, but when was the last time we took authority over a mountain in our lives, figurative or natural? How many times are our prayers unanswered become we hold unforgiveness in our hearts? I’m afraid it is more than we care to admit. In the Old Testament, the fig tree was understood to be a symbol of the Jewish nation (Judges 9:6-15)(See par 101 The Parable of the Barren Fig Tree http://about-him.com/life/life_05.html#101). In just a few days they would seal their doom by rejecting Jesus as their Messiah. Throughout the Old Testament, God’s mercy had been continually extended to a backsliding Israel. By the time of Jesus they had become an inflexible religious institution. They had missed the time of their visitation (Luke 19:44). Many who just a day earlier had proclaimed Him as Lord would soon cry out, "Crucify Him, We have no king but Caesar!” In about 40 years, the nation of Israel would cease to exist. The temple and the city was utterly destroyed with about one million people being slain in one day by the Roman army. We know that the nation was restored in 1948. I don’t know exactly how they figure into God’s end time plan, but I personally feel that they do. Jesus, speaking of His second coming, told us in Matthew 24:32 that when one saw the fig tree begin to bud, they knew that summer was nigh, Likewise when we see the signs of the times, which include the budding fig tree of Israel, we know that His coming is near. Paul said that Israel had been cast off that the gentiles might be grafted in. He stated that they would be saved when the times of the gentiles was over (Romans 11:25). Speaking of the times of the gentiles: Just as judgment came swiftly to the Jewish nation when they rejected the Savior, we the gentiles could find judgment descending quickly on us also. Scripture tells us of a day that Israel will look upon Jesus and ask where He got those scars in His hands (Zechariah 13:6) and that they would ultimately exclaim, “Lo, this is our God, we have waited for Him (Isaiah 25:9).” In About-Him
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Baseball in the Bible:
Eve stole first Adam stole second Gideon rattled the pitchers Goliath was put out by David Somebody Has Said
"Anxiety is the natural result when our hopes are centered in anything
short of God and His will for us." - Billy Graham
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