HEALTH, HEALING, AND MIRACLES – PART THIRTY-NINE
Sunday – December 9, 2018, Tevet 1, 5779
Greetings dear brother and sister in Christ Jesus and welcome back to this Sunday Bible Study. For several months I have been focused on the ministry of Jesus and the topic of Health, Healing, and Miracles. I also want to remind those of you who are seeing this on Facebook to not forget to like and share these teachings. Also, as we near the end of the year and you may be considering end of year giving or realigning your giving for next year please consider this ministry, a registered 501(c) 3 corporation. Today I will be talking about the fig tree first in the Book of Matthew and then in the Book of Mark next Sunday.
Matthew 21:18-22 (KJV)
18 Now in the morning as he returned into the city, he hungered.
19 And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.
20 And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!
21 Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.
I suspect that many of us are used to hearing about this fig tree coupled with a teaching on faith from the Book of Mark. We will discuss this from the Book of Mark however I will start with Matthew’s account. This episode occurs in the last five days of the earthly ministry of Christ Jesus when He is traveling from Bethany to and from Jerusalem. We have seen the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem which is now referred to as Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday or the Triumphant Entry coincides with the selecting of the unblemished lamb (10th of Nisan) for the Passover sacrifice (14th of Nisan). So, it is the 11th of Nisan and Jesus is returning from Bethany, likely staying at the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha, He is hungry and sees a fig tree some distance off. The account leads us to believe or at least implies that Jesus was expecting figs on this tree but there were none only leaves. However, a quick Google search indicates that figs do not come into season until June and this is March or April the time of Passover. The fig tree had leaves and therefore looked healthy, however, there was no fruit. A fact that Jesus undoubtedly knew was that one could not expect fruit that time of year, fruit was not expected for a few more months. Let’s take a look at the 19th verse in the Passion Translation.
Matthew 21:18 (PassionNTPsa)
18 While walking back into the city the next morning, he got hungry. He noticed a lone fig tree by the side of the path and walked over to see if there was any fruit on it, but there was none—he found only leaves. So he spoke to the fig tree and said, “You will be barren and will never bear fruit again!” Instantly the fig tree shriveled up right in front of their eyes!
In Scripture the fig tree is generally taken to be representative of Israel. Israel at this time had leaves, a form of Godliness but no power, no fruit. We first see the fig tree in the Garden of Eden on the Day of Sin and Death.
Genesis 3:7 (KJV)
7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
With sin man was left spiritually naked and so the fig leaves were the prophetic symbol of the coming Jewish people through which a covering would be restored to all peoples. This people would be a covering, a blessing for all people and bring the One who would return the Blessing to all peoples. A few verses later we learn more about the coming redemption.
Genesis 3:21 (KJV)
21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
We are not told in the Genesis account what animal was sacrificed but I suspect it was an unblemished lamb of the first year. The shedding of that innocent blood foreshadowed the coming of the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world (one Christ Jesus). He would return light, authority, and the Blessing to mankind but even more importantly righteousness and a Covenant that brings full restoration to the Garden in Christ Jesus. In the following Scripture listen to the Apostle Paul.
2 Corinthians 5:1-4 (KJV)
1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.
2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven:
3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked.
4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.
I will pick up here Lord willing with next Sunday’s publication. The parting thought here is that Jesus is talking about Israel, the fig tree, and pivots to talk about faith. This is not unusual for Jesus to start a spiritual conversation when those around Him are still talking natural.
Until our next publication, I speak this Scriptural prayer for your life right now, receive it in the name of Jesus, confess it, and walk it out with thanksgiving.
Exodus 15:26 (KJV)
26 And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
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