Israel & the Fig Leaf

It’s important to challenge false teachings that have crept into the Church. One of them is that we are living in the Fig-leaf generation of Israel’s birth, and thus we’re in the last generation.

FIG-LEAF GENERATION IS WRONG INTERPRETATION

Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors (Mt 24:32-33).

And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees (Lk 21:29).

This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled (Mt 24:34).

He’s talking about that fig leaf generation. All these end-time events will be fulfilled in that generation!

But how long is a generation? I’m old enough to remember that a generation was always about 20 years, since that’s generally the length of time needed for one generation to spawn the next. But ever since 1968 — when Christ didn’t come after that generation — we’ve been fudging around with the length of a generation. We’ve so tried to fit the scripture into our beliefs that we’ve been extending the length of a biblical generation in every following generation – from 20 years in 1968, to 40 years in 1988, to 70 years plus to our present day (and we’ll likely go beyond that, should the Lord tarry)!

Surely, if the establishment of the state of Israel was the sign Jesus was emphasizing, that ship came and went.

Jesus was not wrong. Our interpretation was wrong. At what point will we confront our error? Jesus said, “Behold the fig tree and all the trees!” He was not referring to Israel.

So we’ve been misled on this and a number of important prophecies.

SO WHAT WAS JESUS TALKING ABOUT?

The Lord has given us precise instructions that will define the generation that will see all these things come to pass! It’ll not be 70 years duration, it’ll not be 40, and it’ll not be 20. It’ll be swift and catch many unawares.

The scriptures speak of a seven year timeline (Daniel’s Last Seven Years). This is where ALL the end-time events will be fulfilled. It’s correct, it’s unchangeable — and, unfortunately, we’ve not been taught this. Remember when the disciples approached Christ in Matthew 24 and asked Him for the signs of His coming?

In verse 15, Jesus referred the disciples to Daniel! It’s important to understand Daniel’s 70 week prophecy (Dan 9:25-27) in order to understand the timing Jesus would lay out for the end times.

Therefore, when Jesus says this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled, He was referring to the generation that sees the beginning of Daniel’s last seven years. Jesus tells us that the last seven years begins as soon as the Antichrist does a particular thing (“affirms a covenant that reestablishes temple worship in Jerusalem, Dan 9:27) and the Great Tribulation begins when the Antichrist declares himself to be god in that temple (Mat 24:15).