The Seven Signs and the Fig Tree Parable Mark 13 Uncategorized by admin - January 12, 20140 The last Message letter talked about the signs given us by Jesus in Mark 13, and we covered the analogy of committing ‘spiritual adultery’ with Satan, when he arrives portraying Messiah. We also covered the ‘abomination of desolation’, i.e., Satan setting himself up as God in the Temple of God (see 2 Thess.2). I wish to stress the importance of understanding that the teaching about the ‘abomination of desolation’ is not metaphor. This will happen as written. Satan will sit in the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem, proclaiming himself as God. As of this writing, many Orthodox Jews in Israel are preparing for the rebuilding of the Temple. A ‘red heifer’ required for purification of the Jews before they can enter the Temple mount, has also appeared in Israel. It was born around May of 1997, declared without blemish, (‘tamyin’ in Hebrew), and fits the requirement in Numbers 19.1 It must be three years old to be used, bringing us to the date of May 2000. These Orthodox Jews have also been preparing sacrificial altars and have already held some animal sacrifices, but not on the Temple Mount itself. There is also an organization setup here in the United States called ‘Jesus, Inc.’ composed of a minister from a certain Christian denomination who is sending the orthodox Jews red heifers for sacrifice. These Orthodox Jews do not recognize Jesus Christ as LORD, that He died on the cross and are still waiting for the Messiah, and for this reason, they still hold to the blood ordinances in God’s Law which Christ fulfilled on the cross. Some Jews have accepted the loss of the Temple destroyed in 70 A.D., and do not wish to rebuild it. The heart of the matter is that God’s Word is True. If 2 Thess. 2 is true, then the ‘Temple of God’ will be rebuilt so that the ‘abomination of desolation’ can take place as written. Don’t mistake the events going on at the Temple Mount today, by non-Jews who are desecrating the Temple area’s ancient artifacts, as the ‘abomination of desolation‘ of Daniel. Satan is that particular ‘abomination of desolation‘ sitting in God’s Temple. It is these things in the world that we as Christians, should be ‘watchers’ for, because they parallel the signs that Jesus warned us about. Let’s continue with the signs, and with the Sixth Seal of Revelation, picking it up in Mark 13:18. See Part 1 of this Message to get up to date on this subject. Mark 13:18 And pray that your flight be not in the winter. The previous verses of Mark 13:14-17 talked about fleeing Judea when they see the ‘abomination of desolation’, or Satan sitting in the Temple of God, claiming to be God, as written in 2 Thess.2. This ‘flight’ is from Jerusalem when the false messiah appears there. He will be claiming that it is ‘harvest’ time, for all of his children to ‘gather’ unto him in the way of Messiah. If you remember the parable of the ‘tares’ and ‘sower’ taught by Jesus, then harvest time is an important message. As there is only One True Messiah Jesus Christ, but Satan playing the role of messiah first, there are two ‘harvest’ times, and one of those times is also false. The main difference spiritually is, the ‘time’ of harvest. Those who are deceived, and follow the false Messiah, are harvested ‘out of season’, in the ‘winter’, spiritually speaking. The true harvest can only be in summer, when Jesus returns. You don’t reap wheat in the winter. Therefore, this verse means that if your ‘flight’ be ‘in the winter’, then it means you’re harvested, or ‘taken‘ out of season by the false Messiah, i.e., Satan who comes first. Why is this short verse of Mark 13:18 so important? Because it links the whole theme of worshipping the wrong Christ, and not staying a ‘chaste virgin’. Consider the following verses with Jesus’s warning about the summer harvest time: Luke 21:29 And He spake to them a parable; ‘Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; 30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. 31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.’ The Sixth Seal Rev 6:12-13 12 And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; 13 And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. These ‘stars of heaven’ represent the events in Rev.12 & 13 of Satan and his host of fallen angels being cast to earth after the war in heaven. Satan is cast out by Michael the Archangel. These ‘untimely figs‘ symbolize the wrong fruit and the wrong season of the fig tree parable, which is covered more in depth later in this same study. The phrase ‘untimely figs’ is ‘olunthos’ in the Greek meaning ‘an unripe (because out of season) fig’ (Strong’s no.3653). Thayer’s gives an even better definition: ‘an unripe fig which grows during the winter, yet does not come to maturity but falls off during the spring’. These ‘untimely figs’ then, are excellent symbols for the ‘spurious messiah’ deception Satan and his host attempt to accomplish when they get here on earth in our near future. But because they are false or ‘figs’ out of season, grown in the winter, they won’t make it through God’s ‘consuming fire‘, for The True Messiah Jesus Christ will destroy this ‘spurious messiah’ with the ‘brightness of His coming’ (see 2 Thess.2:8). The time of the good edible ‘fig’ will be a proper growing season, meaning the good figs, being God’s elect will wait for The True Christ Jesus, ‘in due season’, and will be righteous fruit. What a great analogy our Lord has given us which expresses His season of return in the ‘parable of the fig tree’! What is the ‘great tribulation’, how many are there, and who will experience them? The next verses cover the subject of tribulation. However, we are still linking the seven ‘seals’ of Revelation with these signs as Jesus gives them in Mark 13. Hence, we are still on the Sixth Seal of Revelation. Lets continue: Mark 13:19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. Jesus quoted the words in bold from Daniel 12:1. The word ‘affliction’ is ‘thlipsis’ in the Greek, meaning ‘tribulation’ (Strong’s no.2347). It is the same word in verse 24 coming up which is translated ‘tribulation’. It means to be ‘pressed’, or ‘persecuted’. This verse tells us of a ‘persecution’ of Christians that is so great, that has never existed since creation. Don’t forget, Jesus is teaching in these verses the signs of the end of this earth age; it is not about when the Temple was destroyed by Titus in 70 A.D, and we are still on the ‘sixth seal’ here when this first tribulation takes place. Who brings this particular tribulation into effect? It is the false Messiah, the Antichrist, as there are two tribulations, just as there are two Messiahs coming, one (Satan) being ‘a spurious Messiah’ as given by the Greek word ‘pseudochristos‘ in verse 22 of this same Chapter, and The True Messiah Jesus Christ, for Whom the ‘Bride of Christ’, the ‘five wise virgins’, will wait for, is the real Messiah. (Lucifer is not even a little ‘god’, but a ‘cherub’, as written in Ezekiel 28, and God calls him “a man”.) I can’t stress the deception of wrongly worshipping ‘a spurious Messiah’ enough, for all of the analogies dealing with the ‘ten virgins’, being ‘with child’, and ‘spiritual harlotry’ against our True Husband point out this Truth from The Word. Mark 13:20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom He hath chosen, He hath shortened the days. Remember that when Jesus returns, all are changed into that spiritual body on the ‘last’ or seventh ‘trump’? There is no more flesh when that happens (see I Cor.15; Nahum 1; Amos 9; Joel; 2 Peter 3; Psalms 46; Isaiah 66). Does this verse show this change? No. Instead, it tells of an ‘affliction’ so great that it will be shortened for the ‘elect’s sake’. You will find what the time of that seven year period was shortened to in Revelation 9. (this is the 7 years or ‘last week’ of Daniel, shortened to forty-two months, or 3 ½ years in Rev. 11:2, and finally to five months in Rev.9.5). Mark 13:21 And then if any man shall say to you, ‘Lo, here is Christ; or, ‘ lo, He is there;’ believe him not: ‘And then’ ties this event with the last verse speaking of the first tribulation. Christ is telling us in this verse that when you see these things of the ‘sixth seal’ happening , ‘and then’ some proclaim ‘lo, Christ has come, He is over there, in Jerusalem’, etc., don’t believe it! This is Jesus talking to the elect, privately, remember? Why should we as true Christians not ‘believe it’, that is to say, not believe that first messiah appearing in Jerusalem is Christ Jesus? Because if the last trump (the seventh of Revelation when Jesus comes) hasn’t sounded, and we are not changed from flesh into the spirit, and gathered back to Jesus Christ, we shall know that this is ‘a spurious Messiah’ they proclaim has come. What are those people who believe the “secret rapture” doctrine going to think, for their Church leaders are teaching them that their not going to be here for this tribulation, that instead they are going to be raptured out to the clouds before Satan comes. Which Messiah will they believe has come at this verse? Regretfully, they will believe the false one is the True Christ, because they have not studied our Father’s Word, but instead believed the traditions of man’s religious systems. What events will aid in the deception? Let’s continue to find out. Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. These are the events. Satan and his little workers will be performing miracles in the sight of men (See Rev.13:13) to ‘seduce’ the elect, if it were possible. This word ‘seduce’ refers to that same spiritual deception technique of Satan, starting even back to the garden of Eden, when he seduced Eve. Paul would say to the elect in 2 Cor.11 that the elect must present themselves to Jesus as ‘chaste virgins’, for fear that Satan would ‘seduce’ them as he did Eve. Be ready friend, for these false prophets will be given great spiritual powers by the false messiah in order to deceive. How do we stay in God’s Grace during that time? By staying awake in His Word, for He instructs us if we will only read and study It asking guidance from Him through His Son Jesus Christ. The sad part is that many who love the Lord will fall into the trap, and will also carry out orders by the false messiah and his leaders. It’s these deceptions of many of God’s own children, which make this first ‘tribulation’ against God’s elect. This is also why many will wish to die when the True Messiah Christ comes after all this, for they will ‘be ashamed’ of their deception and their works against the elect. This phrase ‘false Christs’ is ‘pseudochristos‘ in the Greek manuscripts, meaning singular, a ‘pseudo Christ’, or ‘a spurious Messiah‘. The word ‘Christos‘ in the Greek means ‘Christ, Messiah‘ and is derived from ‘chrio‘ which means ‘to anoint or rub with oil’ (Strong’s nos.5580; 5571, 5547; 5548). Mark 13:23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all things. Be on guard! Take heed! Don’t be deceived! That’s what Jesus is saying here to the elect. Mark 13:24 But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, 25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. Verse 24 refers to the coming of the True Messiah, Jesus Christ. The words ‘after that tribulation’, refer to after the tribulation of Satan is when Christ’s return takes place. This is more proof that Satan is coming before Jesus. Let’s go to Luke 21 for a better ordered parallel: Luke 21:26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken. 27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Verse 26 tells us about Satan and his host being cast out of heaven, down to earth, after a war in heaven, for as Paul stated in Eph.6:12, that “…we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” When these ‘powers’ in heaven are ‘shaken’, Satan and his host of fallen angels will be cast to earth. Rev. 12:7 gives an even better description of the casting out. Turn there: Rev.12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, 8 And prevailed not, neither was their place found any more in heaven. 9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Satan has a spiritual body as we do, and he will be here on earth along with his fallen ones that rebelled with him in the first earth age. This happens during the sixth trumpet of Revelation. Since this 12th Chapter of Revelation agrees with the subject that Jesus taught in Mark 13, Matthew 24, and Luke 21, about the latter days, let’s continue with some important verses from this 12th Chapter: Rev 12:10 And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. This is still talking about Satan, ‘the accuser’ in this verse, being cast down to earth in our near future. Since the phrase “Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God…” is still yet future to us today, then this ‘casting out’ of Satan is future also. This will be the result of the ‘war in heaven’ written back in Rev.12:7. The seventh and ‘last trump’ of I Cor.15 will not have sounded yet at this stage, for this event signals the beginning of Satan’s ‘five months’ tribulation on earth, the ‘season’ or time of the ‘locusts’ as written in Rev.9. Rev.12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. 12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! For the devil is come down upon you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.” This is talking about the elect who are delivered up to the ‘synagogue of Satan’, giving a testimony for God against the false Messiah, Satan, here on earth; notice they ‘overcame’ Satan by the ‘blood of the Lamb’, Jesus; this verse is also a warning to those who would be deceived, for Satan will come to the earth, in person. Rev.12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child. The ‘woman which brought forth the man child’ is Israel, or God’s children, which most also do not realize, includes deceived believers on Christ who are not sealed with God’s Word in their mind (Rev.9). This is the first tribulation, of Satan, here on earth, and no one is going anywhere, until all of these ‘things’ are fulfilled, as written in God’s Word. I really don’t want to sound ‘far out’ with the following, but I feel led at this time to talk about a very controversial subject dealing with Satan and his host being cast to earth. God’s Word says ‘cast unto the earth’, which is ‘ballo‘ in the Greek, meaning ‘to throw (in various applications, more or less violent or intense)’ (Strong’s no.906). This means Satan and his host are going to be literally thrown out of heaven and not born in the flesh (the place of separation in heaven called ‘Hell’, ‘the pit’, ‘abyss’, etc. See Luke 16 about Lazarus and the rich man). So by what method will they come? Zip, and they just appear standing in front of you? Here’s the controversial part, so please bear with me. In Ezekiel’s vision as written in Ezek.1:4, the prophet saw ‘winged’ creatures, heavenly beings, chariots of God’s Throne. The phrase ‘color of amber’ was translated by the KJV translators for the Hebrew ‘ayin chasmal‘, meaning the ‘resemblance of bronze or polished spectrum metal’ (Strong’s no.2830). Ezekiel’s descriptions of these vehicles he saw had no earthly comparison, as he used the circular shapes of an ox cart wheel to try and relate the objects. As Ezekiel wrote that he saw God’s Throne on one of these type vehicles in Ezek.1, he again saw this Glory of God come into the Millennium Temple in Ezekiel 43. There’s a deception coming, and it’s all part of the same type of deception which took place during the time of Noah in Genesis 6. Christ would teach in Matt.24 that the latter days would be just like the days of Noe (Greek for Noah; Matt.24:37). What took place during the times of Noah? The mating of the fallen angels (sons of God) with the daughters of Adam. This is why Paul would also teach for the woman to have ‘power on her head’ in I Cor.11:10, that ‘power’ being the strength of The Word, Christ Jesus. Returning to the sixth seal: Rev.12:15 And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood. This ‘flood’ is a flood of lies, not a literal flood of water, since the key word is ‘mouth’, which is where the flood originates from Satan (‘the serpent’). Rev.12:16 And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth. God promised His elect in Luke 21, and Rev.7:3, that they would be protected during this tribulation, as He counters the ‘flood’ in order to save His remnant. This analogy also relates to the 150 days (five month period, the same length of the tribulation) of Noah and the ark being upon the waters of the flood which happened. Rev.12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Because God will protect His elect (remnant), even when Satan is here on earth, that old dragon will be so enraged, that he will determine to wipe out Christ’s faithful of Israel, and all of God’s people, i.e. Christians, once and for all. The Books of Revelation, Ezekiel, and Daniel give the alignment of the ‘nations’ that will comprise Satan’s army. This is the final war of this earth dispensation, when Satan gathers all the ‘New World Order’ hosts to invade Israel at a place called ‘Armageddon’, or ‘the hill of Megiddo’. Where is this ‘Megiddo’? It is not in Europe. The word Armageddon means ‘mount of Megiddo’ which is in Palestine. Isaiah 10:28 of the Greek Septuagint Old Testament, reads “Maggedo” for Migron. This ‘Armageddon’ is also an analogy and symbol for battle against both the ‘house of Judah’, and the ‘house of Israel’. Both houses are separate at this time, so this event applies to western nations also. (The ‘house of Israel’ today includes the USA. See the Lost Tribes studies in the Archive section.) The Seventh Seal, Trumpet, and Vial – The Second Tribulation The dragon and his army will not succeed. At this point, the True Jesus will return to do battle, in the spiritual sense, meaning the casting off of this old flesh body for those who live on the earth at that time. The ‘consuming fire’, hail, and ‘brimstone’, that God will bring on Satan’s army, all refer to casting off the flesh, on the last trump, and the pouring out of God’s wrath upon the wicked ones. God’s people are not to worry, for it will not harm them (Also see Rev.16; 19; Ezek.38; Joel 3; Zech.14; I Cor.15; Dan. 3). Rev.8:1 And when He had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour. Rev.11:15 And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, “The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our LORD, and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever.” Rev 16:17 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. This ‘vial’ is the cup of wrath of God, which is the second ‘tribulation’, a tribulation upon the wicked. The word ‘Armageddon’ in the Greek is from the root ‘epicheo’ meaning ‘to pour’, and also from the root of ‘periecho’, meaning ‘to surround, seize, encompass’. God’s wrath is ‘poured’ out upon the wicked, halting this battle of Armageddon, probably before it is ever begun. Consider the following verses from Zephaniah: Zeph 3:8-10 8 Therefore wait ye upon Me, saith the LORD, until the day that I rise up to the prey: for My determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them Mine indignation, even all My fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy. 9 For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve Him with one consent. 10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants, even the daughter of My dispersed, shall bring Mine offering. This phrase ‘from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia’ should point out to those who have studied about the migrations of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel to the ‘isles’ and Europe, a message concerning Gen.49:10 and the ‘gathering’ back to Christ. Now let’s go back to Mark 13, continuing the signs Jesus taught: Mark 13:26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. 27 And then shall He send His angels, and shall gather together His elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to the uttermost part of heaven. We have here in Mark 13:26-27, the seventh, or last trump of 1 Corinthians 15:52, when Jesus returns to take over the kingdoms of the earth, ushering in the thousand year Millennium reign of Christ and His elect, on earth (Rev.20). So what is this ‘four winds’ ? It represents the change of casting off the flesh and revealing our spiritual body, all the while fleeing towards Christ. It is the ‘breath of Life’ spiritual body. If the reader has stayed with me so far, you should have more than enough information documented from God’s Word, that the “secret rapture” doctrine is a false doctrine. The evidence in God’s Word is overwhelming, that His children will be on earth during that tribulation of the false Messiah, and will not be gathered to Christ until all of these signs in Matthew 24, Mark 13, and Luke 21 have been fulfilled. These signs, or events, are the seven seals, trumpets, and vials of Revelation. Merely because Jesus covered these seven signs in the Gospel should tell the informed reader that Revelation is meant to be understood also. Anyone telling you different, is a false prophet. The Book of Revelation was penned by John the apostle, as It was given to him by Jesus Christ, making Revelation a direct message to God’s people. Don’t let any man or system take that away from you. The Parable of The Fig Tree Continuing in Mark 13, here’s the next verse: Mark 13:28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know summer is near: When the fig tree puts forth leaves in the spring, you know that summer is around the corner. Simple horticulture, and common sense verse, but Christ is starting a very important analogy. Mark 13:29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors. Just like the fig tree, when you see the events given here in Mark 13 by Jesus covering the end of this earth age, know that the ‘summer’ of His returning, which is harvest time, is just around the corner also. Mark 13:30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done. What’s the subject Jesus is teaching here in Mark 13? The signs of the end of this world age (‘aion’), as asked by His disciples privately, at the Mount. Is He talking about the generation of the disciples time? No, for that generation is already passed, and Jesus has not returned yet. Jesus is teaching Christians to ‘learn’ the ‘parable of the fig tree’. Understanding this parable is of extreme importance. Why? Because once understood, it gives the season; not the day or hour of the end of this earth age, but the generation that will experience ‘these things’, the endtime events. It will put you in the ballpark to view these events in order to prepare. This parable also gives knowledge of who the ‘bad figs’ are, making it possible to discern those who work the ‘mystery of iniquity’, the Kenites. (2 Thess.2) Mark 13:31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but My words shall not pass away. Jesus Christ is The Living Word. All of It, not just the New Testament, but every Word given by God through His prophets. You’ll find in John 1 that The Word existed in the beginning, before the creation of heaven and earth, for by the Word, everything was created. Mark 13:32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. It is true that no man knows the ‘day’ or ‘hour’ of His coming, but God did teach in The Word to know the ‘season’, or generation that these events would happen to. Let’s begin an understanding of the ‘parable of the fig tree’ in Matthew 7: Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. The subject here in Matt.7 is false prophets, or false teachers, who teach contrary to The Gospel of Jesus Christ, using man’s philosophical and religious systems, i.e., anything opposite to The Word. But these false prophets, in this verse, purposefully deceive, because they teach ‘sweetness’ outwardly (sheep’s clothing), but inwardly they tear at the soul like a wolf, preparing the deceived to accept ‘a spurious Messiah’. Matt.7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? You don’t get grapes off a thorn bush, nor figs from thistles, friend. In other words, grapes come from a ‘vine’, and in this sense, the True Vine of Christ, which is His Word. If some men claim to teach the Word, and they teach man’s traditions instead, that’s the ‘thorn bush’, or ‘thistle’. It can’t produce fruit, ‘grapes’, or the ‘good fig’, because it’s not coming from the True Vine, or right fig tree. Stay in the ‘Vine’ of Christ to produce good ‘grapes’ and edible figs. Matt.7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. Do you remember back in the garden of Eden, and the trees that were there? The ‘Tree of Life’ is Jesus, and the ‘tree of knowledge of good and evil’, is Satan. Eve ‘looked’ on this Satan, and partook of his fruit. Can you understand why Paul would teach the elect to remain as ‘chaste virgins’, presenting themselves to Christ when He returns, instead of committing ‘spiritual adultery’, acting the ‘harlot’ with the first messiah who comes, being Satan? Matt.7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. God made His creation so that all goodness comes from one source, His Word. It’s as simple as that. This is why the ‘corrupt tree’ can attempt to ‘bring forth good fruit’, but stick around, its’ real fruit shall be revealed. Even if we think that our inward sense of morality, without studying the Word can supplant for ‘good fruit’, we are allowing ourselves to be deceived; there is only one source of Truth, the ‘Good Fruit’, and that Tree of Life will be the final source of Life in the eternity. (See Rev.22) Matt.7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. The tree that produces ‘bad fruit’ represent the same people as in the ‘parable of the tares’, for the tares are also cast into the ‘lake of fire’ (see Matt.13). Again, how do we know the fruit. Stay in God’s Word, not traditions of men. Check The Word out for yourself, with the help of a Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, and a King James Version. Verify that the Truth is being taught to you. Matt.7:21 Not every one that saith unto Me, ‘ Lord, Lord,’ shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father Which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? And in Thy name have cast out devils? And in Thy name done many wonderful works?’ 23 And then will I profess unto them, ‘I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity.’ These ‘false prophets’ that put on a bunch of side-shows, and never get around to teaching God’s Word, will be dejected by Jesus. They built their congregations up like a business, sporting with other Churches in competition for business. They were told by the system (Satan’s system of lies) not to teach the Word chapter by chapter and verse by verse. They carried on their traditions from generation to generation, even though it didn’t align with the Word. Each new student was not allowed to understand the Word because of their mentoring false theological traditions, controlled by the ‘higher critics’ of God’s Word. A true teacher of God’s Word should show their congregation how to study for themselves, instead of making sure they adhere to an organization’s lesson guide that they probably don’t have a clue who wrote. Can you imagine a Church where the members can go out and teach others in the community, documenting from God‘s Word what they teach, with knowledge of how to take The Word back to Hebrew and Greek? That would be a Church Christ would truly be proud of, and there are some, but too few. (I’m not against the True Church, but it’s time for people to wake up, and quit ‘play acting with the Truth’.) There were two Churches in Revelation that Jesus was pleased with, in that He had ‘somewhat’ against five of the seven He sent messages to. These two ‘good Churches’ were Smyrna and Philadelphia. What did they both have in common that made them different from the other five Churches? They both knew, and evidently taught who the ‘bad figs’ were. Rev.2:8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; ‘ These things saith the First and the Last, Which was dead, and is alive; 9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty (but thou art rich), and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Rev.3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; ‘These things saith He That is Holy, He That is True, He That hath the key of David, He That openeth, and no man shutteth, and shutteth, and no man openeth; 8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name. 9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Both of these Churches knew how to trace the tradition of the ‘bad figs’, the Kenites, sons of Cain, all the way from the garden of Eden, to their day. Hence they understood the ‘key’ to the ‘mystery of iniquity’, and therefore no one could ‘shut’, or ‘open’ the ‘door’ of Truth from them. In essence, they understood God’s overall Plan, starting with the first rebellion of Satan in the first earth age, through this earth age of flesh, to the last age, the eternity. God used the ‘fig’ to relate this information to His people because it is an excellent symbol if you understand the horticulture of the fig. The fig tree is not grown from a seed, but is set out by a shoot or sprig. There are two original types; the Smyrna fig , which is the kind we can eat and is female, and the Caprice, the male or ‘goat’ fig , which is not edible, or very bitter. (I hope you noticed the parallel of the Church at Smyrna and the Smyrna fig.) This male, or ‘goat’ fig, has a flowering plant inside it. The ‘fig wasp’ (not a joke), goes inside the male fig, to get the pollen, and then takes it to the female, or Smyrna fig, and pollinates it, for continued life. The Smyrna fig represents the tribe of Judah in prophecy, and the Caprice, or ‘goat’ fig represent the Kenites, the sons of Cain. The ‘fig wasp’ are those who would support both fig trees, instead of the good fig through ignorance of not following God’s Truth. The ‘fig wasp’ transferring pollen from the Caprice to the Smyrna also signifies that the ‘negative side’, or Satan and the Kenites are necessary, and part of God’s Plan, under His control. Let’s go to Jeremiah 24 to read what God said about these figs: Jer.24:1 The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the LORD, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon. This is in Jerusalem, Mount Zion. That is where this prophecy takes place, and it involves Judah, and the Kenites (sons of Cain). Jer.24:2 One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad. The reason Adam and Eve wore ‘fig’ leaves over their private parts, is because that was the type of sin involved. If it had simply been eating of an apple, the leaves would have been over their mouths. Eve partook of the ‘tree of knowledge of good and evil’, who is Satan as also represented by the ‘bad figs’, or the offspring of Satan, through Cain’s lineage (see my Genesis study). Jer.24:3 Then said the LORD unto me, “What seest thou, Jeremiah?” And I said, ” Figs; the good figs, very good; and the evil, very evil, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.” Figs are not evil in the physical sense, so this has spiritual or symbolic meaning. Jer.24:4 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 5 “Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; ‘Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good. These ‘good figs’ are the captives from the tribe Judah, taken into Babylonian captivity. They were removed from Jerusalem by Nebuchadrezzar (or Nebuchadnezzar). The captivity lasted 70 years, and then a ‘remnant’ of Judah (not all of Israel) returned along with other Nethinims of the nations to Jerusalem. The number returning truly from the tribe of Judah were less than half. (See Ezra and Nehemiah) The Nethinims were given to Temple service, and were not of the true Israelite bloodline, but took the name Jew because they lived in Judea (see also Esther 8:17). These ‘crept in unawares’ (Jude 1:4) into the Levitical priesthood, and are partly these ‘bad figs’. This is how that priesthood system was ‘tainted’ and would kill Christ and the prophets, in order to help fulfill God’s Mission of Salvation. Jer.24:6 For I will set Mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up. This has happened only one time since that captivity, and that is when many of the ‘house of Judah’ (those dispersed abroad, i.e. Diaspora), the ‘good figs’ returned to create the modern nation of Israel, by U.N. Charter vote, in May of 1948. Jer.24:7 And I will give them an heart to know Me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be My People, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto Me with their whole heart. God is speaking to the ‘remnant’ of Judah that returned to form the nation of Israel in 1948. There are other peoples that returned also from the Babylon captivity with the ‘house of Judah’, who claim to be Jews, but do lie, and are the synagogue of Satan. These Kenites are not of Israel lineage, and they cause the real tribe Judah much trouble (see Jer.35 about the ‘house of Rechabites’). They claim to be Jews in order to mask their operation, so be careful when you blame the Jewish People for world affairs. Jer.24:8 And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus saith the LORD, So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt: This residue of Jerusalem are the remnant from the true tribe of Judah who returned from the Babylon captivity. The ‘evil figs’ are given as Temple servants to Judah, under the authority of king Zedekiah and his princes. These Nethinims or Temple servants, call themselves Jews, but are not…, are the ‘evil figs’ that God brings back with the ‘good figs’ to Jerusalem, not Rome, Paris, etc. Both ‘baskets of figs’ make up the nation of modern Israel today. These peoples, one representing the ‘good fig’, or Judah, and the other representing the ‘bad fig’, or the Kenites, is that ‘generation’ that fulfilled prophecy when both returned into the land of Israel, forming a nation in 1948. This is what Jesus was talking about when He said that ‘this generation’, the generation of the fig tree, shall not pass, or die out, until all the endtime events are completed, and He returns. So this gives us the ‘season’ of Jesus Christ’s return, not the day or hour, for no man knows that. In short, it means that the fulfilling of all Biblical prophecy concerning this ‘flesh age’ will be completed, and the return of the One True Messiah, Jesus Christ, can happen any time starting after 1948, but before that generation of 1948 dies out. One of the most important deeper Messages concerning these ‘evil figs’ who returned with the tribe of Judah from the Babylon captivity, is how they later crept into the duties of the Levitical priesthood, and also in Moses’ seat of The Law. God’s Law gave direct commandments against any other lineage besides the sons of Aaron and the Levites holding these Temple duties. This intrusion is revealed in the Old Testament Books of Ezra and Nehemiah, and Christ would declare in His Gospel that the “…the scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat:” (Matt.23:2). This is how our Lord and Savior would be condemned to death upon the cross (Matt.20:18). The true Jews (good figs) were not directly responsible for our Lord’s crucifixion, but the Kenites who call themselves ‘Jews’, but are the ‘synagogue of Satan’, i.e. the ‘evil figs’, were the guilty ones. They are the ‘workers of iniquity‘ who stirred God’s People up against our Lord and Savior, Jesus of Nazareth. And it’s still going on, even to today’s time. If you’ll remember what our Lord Christ said in Matthew 7:21, not all who say to Him “Lord, Lord…” shall enter into Heaven, but those who do the Will of God. Then know that Christ said those false believers who did cast out demons in His Name, who also ‘prophesied’ in His Name, and did many wonderful works in His Name, our Lord said this to: “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” That means they didn’t stay in His Word, but were deceived by the ‘workers of iniquity’. In the ‘parable of the tares’ given by our Lord in Matthew 13, He said to not bother the ‘tares‘ (evil figs, i.e. sons of Cain or Kenites) who are mixed within the good wheat (God’s People), unless while trying to separate and destroy those bad ‘tares‘, you destroy some of the good wheat also. Instead, God’s angels will do the separating when Christ returns at ‘harvest’ time (Matt.13). This Truth of not being able to tell them apart from true Judah, is evidenced by the Apostle Paul, a Benjamite from the tribe of Benjamin, since Paul was once a member of the Pharisee sect before Christ converted him (Acts 9). Jer.24:9 And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them. God spread these Kenites over the whole earth, to be a reproach and a curse. They are also spread among the ‘house of Israel’, and work iniquity over the whole world. This has helped in creating the ‘New World Order’ ‘beast’ system that is now upon us, and in the final stages. Our protection for these times is The Gospel Armour of Ephesians 6, which is The Word of God. Stay with It and let God be your ‘dread’ and ‘reverence’. Don’t fear this world system, for Immanu-El Christ Jesus is with us. Peace be to you in Christ Jesus, Dave Ramey. Footnotes: 1 Hatikva Ministries, @www.hatikva.org. and Red cow at center of Israeli holy row, KFAR HASIDIM, Israel (CNN), May 23, 1997.