The Fig Tree Revival and Jesus’ Second Coming

Leading up to the present day, numerous theories about the world’s end have been posited. From Halley’s comet in 1910 to the Mayan calendar’s prediction of December 21, 2012. Upon hearing such ideas, Christians anxiously wonder when Jesus will appear again and long to know the sign of His second coming.  In fact, the disciples of Christ were also curious to know the same thing (Matt. 24:3).

The Lesson from the Fig Tree

As the Bible testified about Jesus’ first coming (John 5:39), the Bible also contains prophecies about
Jesus’ second coming. Among the many prophecies of the 2nd coming of Christ, there is the lesson
from the fig tree, which is the parable that testifies about the undeniable sign of Jesus’ second coming to the earth. Jesus taught this parable in response to His disciples’ inquiry about the sign of His second coming.

Matthew 24:32-33 As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. “Tell us,” they said, “when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?” Jesus responded, explaining about his second coming. “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.

When asked Him about His second coming, Jesus told his disciples to learn the lesson of the fig tree. In order to properly learn the lesson of the fig tree, we must first know the Biblical significance of the fig tree.

The Fig Tree Stands for Israel

According to Jeremiah 24:3 – 8, God likened the Jewish people to figs. As figs come from a fig tree, the Jews hail from the land of Israel. Since the Old Testament times, the fig tree symbolizes Israel. During His ministry, Jesus also likened Israel to the fig tree.

Mark 11:12-14, 20-21 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard him say it… In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!”

While walking along the road, Jesus saw a fig tree and went to find if it had any fruit, but it did
not have any. This was quite natural because it was not the season for figs. So then why did Jesus curse the fig tree? Did Jesus not know the season for figs? Fig trees were the most common tree in Israel and Jesus had been living in Israel for more than 30 years. Also, as God the creator, how could He not know the season for figs? Jesus cursed the fig tree in order to teach us something. In those days, the Jewish people all knew that the fig tree represented the nation of Israel. So the fig tree that had not borne any fruit represented the nation of Israel who failed to repent at the coming of Christ (Matt. 3:8, John 3:8). Jesus cursed the fig tree and caused it to wither to demonstrate the nation of Israel too would come to collapse due to rejecting the gospel.

The Fig Tree Cut Down

Jesus foretold the fall of Israel in His parable where He again mentioned the fig tree.

Luke 13:6-9 Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. ⁷ So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, ‘For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?’ “‘Sir,’ the man replied, ‘leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. ⁹ If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.’”

In this parable, we can see a man went looking for fruit on the fig tree for three years. This man represents Jesus who preached the gospel in the nation of Israel for 3 years, after being baptized at the age of 30. While preaching the gospel, Jesus told the people to repent, for the kingdom of heaven was near (Matt.4:17). Similarly, the man in the parable looked for fruit, but he could not find any. This is why he said to cut it down. As the fig tree was destined to be cut down because it failed to produce fruit, Israel would be judged by God because they rejected the gospel of Christ.

In regards to the fig tree in the parable, Jesus said, “leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it.” These words mean that Israel would not be judged and destroyed immediately, but God would give the Israelites more time to repent, even after Jesus’ 3-year ministry ended. According to this prophecy, God waited 40 years from the crucifixion of Jesus until the Roman army devastated Jerusalem in 70 AD, for the people to accept the gospel and repent.

Direct Prophecy About the Fall of Israel

Not only through parables, but Jesus also prophesied about the downfall of Israel directly.

Luke 21:20-24 “When you see Jerusalem being surrounded by armies, you will know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains, let those in the city get out, and let those in the country not enter the city. For this is the time of punishment in fulfillment of all that has been written. How dreadful it will be in those days for pregnant women and nursing mothers! There will be great distress in the land and wrath against this people. They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.

According to this direct prophecy spoken by Jesus, Israel was destroyed by Titus’ army in 70AD. Historians estimate that 1.1 million people died and 97,000 were taken as slaves during the dreadful siege. As the fig tree that came to wither and die after being cursed, the nation of Israel came to
be destroyed after rejecting Jesus. From that time on, the Jews experienced a miserable time, wandering as a stateless people for nearly 1,900 years, even suffering the Holocaust during World War II.

The Revival of the Fig Tree and the Restoration of Israel

Carefully examining verse 24, Jesus also mentioned the eventual restoration of Israel. “Until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled,” implies the time will come when the Jewish people reinhabit Jerusalem and Israel. In other words, Israel will not remain desolate forever. The time will come when the nation of Israel reappears.

On May 14, 1948, the nation of Israel gained independence after almost 2 millennia of being a nationless people. Since no other nation has ever regained its sovereignty after such a long period of time, historians call the restoration of Israel a modern-day miracle.

This incredible occurrence brings us back to our original question, “what will be the sign of Jesus’ 2nd coming?” Now that we understand the Biblical significance of the fig tree and its revival, let us revisit the words of Christ given to His disciples concerning His second coming.

Matthew 24:32-33 … As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door.

The revival of the fig tree is the undeniable sign of Jesus’ 2nd coming. As the fig tree represents Israel, the revival of the fig tree means the restoration of Israel, which occurred in 1948. Therefore, 1948 must be the year when Jesus was standing right at the door.

Receive Second Coming Christ Knocking on the Door of Your Heart

What does it mean that He was standing at the door in 1948? Let us see the explanation in Revelation.

Revelation 3:20 Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

Jesus says that He is here already when He is standing at the door. Since He is standing at the door when Israel was restored, it clearly means that Jesus surely came again in 1948. Instead of rejecting this idea like the Jews who rejected Jesus at His first coming, we should learn the lesson from their past mistake and open the doors of our hearts and minds as Jesus requested.

Christ Ahnsahnghong was baptized in 1948 and began to preach the gospel for our salvation from the year 1948, the same year Israel was restored. He fulfilled the prophecy of standing at the door and knocking when the fig tree revived. Therefore, Christ Ahnsahnghong is the Second Coming Christ according to the prophecies of the Bible. He is the Christ whom the Bible testifies about. Realizing that Christ came again to preach the gospel, let us repent to enter the eternal kingdom of heaven.