"Now learn a parable of the fig
tree: When its branch is yet tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that
summer is near. So likewise, when you see all these things, know that it is
near, even at the doors. Truly I say to you, this generation shall not pass,
till all these things be fulfilled." (Mat 24:34)
This parable gives an overriding clue to
understanding the final generation... All of the early items on the list
(except perhaps the world wars) give no clear way to distinguish them with
certainty. Without the parable, it would be necessary to see more things
fulfilled before being sure that we are in the final generation.
Here then, is the explanation of the
parable....
In the Bible, the fig tree refers to Israel,
so when Jesus gives parables about a fig tree, look for at least one meaning
that relates the fig tree to Israel.
If the fig tree represents Israel, then it
follows that the description of it being "young and tender" and
"putting forth its leaves", is also a description of Israel...
Since the time of Jesus, there has only been
one time in history that Israel could be described as "young and
tender". It began with the re-birth of Israel in May 1948, when the
UN acknowledged Israel as a nation and handed it over to the Jewish people �
less than 3 years after their persecution during the second world war.
This is commonly seen as fulfillment of the Scripture in Isaiah....
"Who has heard such a thing? who has
seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a
nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her
children." (Isa
66:8)
Comment
This verse will have a further fulfillment when the church (Zion) gives birth and
receives its new body at the resurrection and rapture.
This means 1948 is a possible
contender for the beginning of the "final generation". However,
we must first look at how long Israel can be considered "young and
tender", and what is meant by the "putting forth of leaves"
before coming to any conclusions.
Jewish children reach the age of
responsibility for their own actions at 13 years. However, God's
instructions in the Bible did not allow men to go to war or to begin in the
priesthood until the age of 20. It was also only the adults from age 20
and above that perished during the 40 years of wandering in the desert.
So it�s up to age 19 that a person is considered "too young and
tender" for manly duties such as war.
If we apply the same rule to Israel � it
would have been "young and tender" for its first 19 years � ie. from
1948 to 1967.
Now since the parable talks about nearness to
summer (representing manhood), when the tender branches put forth its leaves,
it must be referring to the period very close to the end of the 19 years (about
1967).
Quite simply, it means it�s growing, or
getting bigger � so for Israel, it means gaining new territory.
Now there�s only been one time in which
Israel gained new territory... It was during the 6 day war in June 1967
when Israel expanded its borders and won control over Jerusalem and other
areas.
It was this very action � the expansion of
it's territory in 1967, that fulfilled Jesus' words about the young and tender
branch of the fig tree putting forth its leaves.
Thus, in 1967, Israel fulfilled the parable � showing (if nothing else)
that we are definitely within the final generation!
....courtesy of http://christian-resurrection.org/
