The Bible prophesies that Jesus will appear a second time (Heb 9:28). Then, when is Jesus prophesied to come a second time?
Through the parable of the fig tree, Jesus revealed when He would come a second time. Now let us study the lesson of the fig tree, so that we may know when Second Coming Christ will come so that we may receive Him, who is eternal life.
- Signs of the End of the Age
When the disciples asked about the signs of Jesus’ second coming and of the end of the age, Jesus said:
Matthew 24:3-33 『“…At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. 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.”』
Since it is written, “As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that it is near,” we must come to know the timing of the blossoming of the fig tree in order to receive Jesus at His second coming.
- The Fig Tree Represents Israel
First, we must understand what the fig tree represents. As it is written,
Luke 13:6-7 『Then he told this parable: “A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. 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?’”』
What does a man looking for fruit on a fig tree planted in a vineyard, for three years, mean? The man in the above parable represents Jesus. In other words, Jesus preached the gospel to the Israelites for three years, searching for the fruit of the gospel. Therefore, the fig tree stands for Israel.
Through many other Bible verses, let’s confirm that the fig tree in the vineyard represents Israel.
Isaiah 5:7, KJV 『For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant.』
Also in the above verse, we can understand that the vineyard symbolizes the country of Israel, and the plant [the tree] stands for the people of Israel. Let’s look at another verse concerning this.
Jeremiah 24:5 『“This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent away from this place to the land of the Babylonians.’”』
Since it is written that God regards the exiles from Judah as the good figs, it is clear that the fig tree represents Israel (as Judah is one of the twelve tribes of Israel).
In Luke 13:7, Jesus told His disciples to cut down a fig tree that had not borne any fruit. Just as He had told them, Israel, which rejected the gospel that Jesus had preached for three years, was completely destroyed by Roman soldiers in A.D. 70. Following its collapse, the people of Israel were scattered all over the world as a stateless people, for about 1,900 years. Thus the fig tree was left dead and barren.
- The Revival of the Fig Tree: Israel
After much time had passed, the fig tree that had been cut and dried up began to come back to life. Its twigs got tender and its leaves came out. When did all of this happen? The revival of the fig tree occurred in 1948. On May 14, 1948, Israel proclaimed her independence and recovered her sovereignty. The fig tree, which seemed to have completely died, sprouted leaves again. At that time, Jesus came for a second time, as was prophesied. He came as Christ Ahnsahnghong, for whom every Christian has been waiting. The World Mission Society Church of God recognizes Ahnsahnghong, the Second Coming Jesus, as the Savior in the Holy Spirit age.
Romans 11:26 『And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.”』
Ahnsahnghong, the Second Coming Jesus, came from Zion in 1948, as had been prophesied in the parable of the fig tree. Now, He is calling you. Will you let Him stand outside your door, or will you open the door and receive Him?
We earnestly hope that you will open your door and receive Ahnsahnghong, the Second Coming Jesus, and receive the promise of salvation.