veterans day 2010

"The Pharisees therefore said among them
selves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing?
behold, the world is gone after him.
And there were certain Greeks among them
that came up to worship at the feast:
The same came therefore to Philip, which
was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him,
saying, Sir, we would see Jesus.
Philip cometh and telleth Andrew: and again
Andrew and Philip tell Jesus."
John:19-22

The Passover week was busy. The Pharisees
and the Sadducees come to Jesus and asked
Him many questions.

But they always brought shame and confusion
on themselves.

Some of Jesus' most important parables were
spoken around that time. His prophecy of the
fall of Jerusalem and the judgment that was
to come on Israel also.

In Nebuchadnezzar's vision, the tree still had its
roots and eventually it would grow again.

God's people were commanded to watch, and
when they saw the fig tree shooting forth again
they would know that the time of its fulfillment
was near.

"So likewise ye, when ye see these things come
to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is
nigh at hand" Luke 21:31

By Jesus cursing the fig tree, it us tells that the
Jewish nation had been weighed in the balance
and was found wanting.

Israel had been given every chance and it had
borne no fruit. So the axe was at the root of
the tree.

And of course that is what happened to Israel;
it was cut down and it ceased to be a nation.

Then Jesus gave the parable of the barren fig
tree.

He told of the man who had come to his vine-
yard three seasons in a row, each year looking
for fruit on the tree but found nothing each
time.

So he said to the dresser of his vineyard, "Cut
it down; why cumbereth it the ground?"
Luke 13:7 The vineyard dresser asked that
he be given one more chance to dig around
it and fertilize it, "and if it bear fruit, well"
and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it
down."

"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever
ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive
them, and ye shall have them" Mark 11:24

"Believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have
them." There are conditions with the promise.

It is not for those who have vindictive spirits,
like when James and John wanted to call
fire down from heaven on their enemies.

It was for those who return good for evil, who
can give love for mistreatment, and who can
forgive the wrong that has been done against
them.

Many criticisms have been made of Jesus and
His cursing of the fig tree. But those who have,
have shown their ignorance.

The act was a demonstration of the power of
faith. Jesus was speaking of the faith of God.
And even the gift of faith or supernatural faith.

That faith where all things are possible. That
faith where a person can command and what-
soever he saith shall come to pass.

Jesus and

the

disciples

passed the

same fig
tree on

their way

to

Jerusalem

the next day.
Peter noticed it and called Jesus' attention
to what had happened.

The fig tree that Jesus had cursed had
withered away.

"And in the morning, as they passed by,
they saw the fig tree dried up from the
roots.
And Peter calling to remembrance saith
unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree
which thou cursedst is withered away.
And Jesus answering saith unto them,
Have faith in God.
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 whatso-
ever he saith."

Jesus and His disciples spent the day healing
the sick and teaching the people.

Others continued to cry, "Hosanna to the son
of David."

The religious ruler were bitter at the whole
scene and filled with rage. But because of the
people they didn't dare to anything but bided
their time for a better opportunity.

It was the custom in that country to plant fruit
trees along the side of the road. The fruit became
common property.

Although it was early in the year for figs to ripen,
the tree was covered with leaves looking like
there would be fruit on it.

When Jesus went over to the tree He found that
there was nothing on it. So He cursed the tree.
He said, "Let no fruit grow on thee henceforth
forever" Matthew 21:19

Jesus and His disciple went on to the temple and
left the fig tree to wither and dry up from its
roots.

"And on the morrow, when they were come
from Bethany, he was hungry; 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. And
Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat
fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples
heard it" Mark 11:12-14

A strange thing about the fig tree is that it forms
its fruit (figs) before the leaves appear.