PARABLES OF CHRIST
THE FIG TREE
DR. JIM DIXON
LUKE 21:25-33
SEPTEMBER 6, 1998
Ornithology is, of course, the study of birds. One of my favorite jokes concerns a student in an ornithology class. He had prepared for his final examination, and he knew everything about birds. He had studied the history, the classification, the distributions of birds. He had studied everything relating to the mating habits and the nesting habits, the feeding habits of birds. He had studied the subjects of flight, navigation, and migration as they relate to birds. He was able to distinguish between the various colorations of birds and able to distinguish between the various vocalization of birds. He was ready. He went into the classroom for the final exam. He was confident.
When he got in the classroom, he saw twenty bird cages up front, each bird cage with a blanket over it. He sat down at his desk. There was an examination paper that had twenty blank spaces. The bell rang and the professor pulled a string. The blankets rose just a little bit on the twenty bird cages. The professor said, “Your final examination is to identify these 20 birds by simply looking at their feet.” This student was enraged. I mean he was clueless. All of his studying was in vain. All of his knowledge was mute. It was worthless. He was frustrated, so frustrated that he decided he was not even going to try this. He took his examination paper, went up to the front of the class and just slammed it down on the professor’s desk. Then he began to stomp out of the class. The professor looked down and saw that the student had not even signed his name on the examination. He said, “Youngman, what’s your name?” The student turned around, pulled up his pant legs and said, “You tell me!”
Now, it is only a joke and, of course, it is not true, but it is true that with regard to some subjects, we feel like we are just guessing. We feel like we do not have enough information. This is how many Christians feel with regard to the subject of eschatology. Eschatology is that branch of theology which studies the eschaton, the last things, the end of the world, the consummation of the age, the final judgement, the second coming of Jesus Christ. Most of us feel like we just do not have enough information. With regard to the return of Christ and the timing of the return of Christ, Christians feel like everyone is just guessing. But, you see, Jesus Christ wants us to know certain things about the timing of the second coming and that is why he preached the Olivet Discourse, a sermon from the Mount of Olives. This sermon is recorded in Matthew 24 and in Mark 13 and then in Luke 21 in our passage of scripture for today.
Part of the Olivet Discourse is this parable of the fig tree. This parable of the fig tree where Jesus said, “Look at the fig tree and all the trees. When you see them bringing forth leaf, you know that summer is drawing near, even so when you see certain things happening, certain signs happening, you’ll know that the kingdom of God is near, that My coming is near.”
So, Jesus wants us as Christians to recognize the season of His coming and to recognize the signs. Now, in the Olivet Discourse, there are three primary signs of the return of Christ revealed by Christ. I want us to examine them briefly this morning. The first sign of the return of Christ and the dawning of the kingdom of God in fullness.is apostasy. Now, the Greek word is “apostasia.” This is the word from which we get the word apostasy. This Greek word apostasia means literally “to fall away.” It is often translated “rebellion.” In 2 Thessalonians, chapter 2, the Apostle Paul writes, “Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our assembling to meet Him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, not to be excited or shaken in mind thinking that that day has already come for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first.” The Greek word is apostasia, the apostasy.
Usually, this word describes moral and theological rebellion with a hint of deception. That is why in the Olivet Discourse, Jesus tells us that in the last days “there will arise many in My name who are false.” Jesus says, “Give no heed to them. Do not follow them. Do not be led astray,” He says, in Luke 21:8. Apostasy. Those who would lead many astray, moral, and theological rebellion.
Moral rebellion is certainly symptomatic of these times in which we live. Moral apostasy. You know in the book of Daniel, in the seventh chapter, the Bible gives us some information with regard to the Antichrist who, in that chapter, is called the little horn. He is described as a king who will arise different from all other kings. We are told that he will seek to change the laws. The Hebrew word there means moral laws. He will seek to change the moral laws. The Apostle Paul tells us the spirit of Antichrist is already at work in this world. That is why, throughout the ages in every generation there is a corruption of moral law. But in the last days there is to be a particular, peculiar corruption of moral law, a greater corruption of moral law. Certainly, in our day we are seeing the erosion of Judeo¬ Christian values in this culture, in this nation, the erosion of Judeo-Christian values, moral apostasy.
We are also told that there will be theological apostasy in the last days. Theological apostasy. The Apostle Paul, in 1 Timothy, chapter 4, writes that “the spirit expressly states that in the last days, some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons through the pretensions of liars whose consciences are seared.” In 2 Timothy, chapter 4, verse 3, the Apostle Paul writes, “Understand this, that in the last days, people will no longer endure sound doctrine or sound teaching but having itching ears, they will accumulate teachers to suit their own liking—they will accumulate teachers to suit their own liking—and they will tum away from listening to the truth and they will wander in the myth.”
This is prophesied. Theological apostasy in the last days. I believe that there is a peculiar theological apostasy that is occurring in our day. Of course, theological apostasy has always been a problem throughout the Christian era. That is why the early Christian church convened councils. That is why they wrote confessions. That is why they recited creeds was to avoid theological apostasy. But, you see, theological apostasy has taken a new form in these days and that form is called syncretism. It is very important that you be aware of this. You are going to encounter it increasingly in the days ahead. People who have adopted a new religion called syncretism. They may call themselves Christians, but their true religion is syncretism, sometimes called pluralism.
To understand this, I want to read you a little article out of the Rocky Mountain News. This is written by a regular columnist in the Rocky Mountain News dated August 11 of this year. This columnist had written a prior column that offended some Christians and then wrote this column. “Perhaps you misunderstood me. You really should not criticize me because I, too, am a Christian sort of. So, listen to this. (This really describes syncretism that you might understand it.)
“I come from a family of devout Christians. My father has been a Southern Baptist pastor for 20 years, my mother an ardent student of the Bible, my four siblings religious in their own ways and I am a Christian too. But at 13, my faith forever changed. Back then, the Bible verse, John 3:16, stuck in my head. ‘For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.’ I understand that the only way to get into heaven was to accept Jesus into your heart. I had known that fact on a personal level. I had accepted Christ and been baptized when I was 10 or 11, but at 13, I understood it on a deeper level and that understanding brought confusion. I went to my mother for an answer. I said, ‘Mom, what about people who aren’t Christians?’ I said, ‘What if someone is a Buddhist or a Muslim and they have no idea who Jesus is. How are they going to get into heaven? I could not stand the idea that every non-Christian in the world was going to hell. It seemed unfair. I was lucky to be born into a Christian family, but what about kids who are born in other countries and into other religions, kids who know nothing about Christianity. My mother tried to reassure me. ‘Jesus will introduce Himself to them. At some point in their lives, everyone will have a chance to know Him and be saved.’
“Well, that answer did not satisfy me. It would be years before I finally reconciled the entrance requirements of heaven against the vast number of religions. I now believe that every religion worships the same God. They have different rules, different ideas, different names for the spiritual entity who guides them but ultimately all religions are aimed in the same direction. So, a Buddhist kid growing up in Japan has just as much chance of getting into heaven as a Christian kid in the United States. Upon accepting that reality, my relationship with God became more spiritual and less religious. I concluded that people could change doctrines to fit their needs, but they cannot change God. That’s why I feel so strongly that we must have tolerance for all beliefs.”
Now, first of all, this columnist has misunderstood the word “tolerance.” The word tolerance comes from a Latin word which means “to bear or forebear that with which you disagree.” If you do not disagree with something, then you cannot be tolerant towards it. You do not need tolerance towards it. To be tolerant means you are forbearing something you disagree with. This individual does not need religious tolerance because there is not a religion in the world he disagrees with, you see. There is not a religion in the world he disagrees with, so he does not need religious tolerance.
Now, I happen to believe in tolerance, and I believe in religious tolerance, but this individual does not need it because he is syncretic. You see, his religion is syncretism, what philosophers and theologians today are calling syncretism. It comes from a Latin word meaning “to combine.” Actually, it comes from a Greek word meaning “to combine.” What is taking place in syncretism is the combining of religions and the belief that all religions are ultimately one and there is ultimately no difference between Buddhism, Taoism and Shintoism, Islam, and Christianity, that they’re all ultimately one. If ever there was a religion spawned in hell, it is the religion of syncretism. If ever there was a religious system pleasing to the evil one, it is syncretism.
You know, modernism taught us that all religions are wrong. Syncretism, post-modernism through syncretism tells us all religions are okay but there is no absolute truth. That is the key. No absolute truth. That is how you are able to say, “all religions are okay.” No absolute truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me.” The Bible says, “There’s no other name under heaven given amongst men whereby we may be saved.” That is why we take the gospel of Jesus to the nations. You see, syncretism is theological apostasy.
I do not know what Jesus is going to do with those who have never heard of Him. I know that He will be loving, and I know that He will be just, but I also know this. “He is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father buy by Him.” No one gets into heaven unless He says so. That is the absolute truth of holy scripture, but we live in a day and age of apostasy.
Now, the second symptom in the Olivet Discourse, the second symptom of the last days is calamity. Jesus tells us in the last days there will come calamity.
In 1852, a woman was born in Princeton, Missouri. She was one of the most incredible women ever to arise out of the American west. She would ultimately live in the state of Missouri. She would live in Montana and Wyoming, South Dakota, Utah, Texas. She would live right here in Denver, Colorado. She became a scout for Lieutenant Colonel George Custer. She became a scout because she was violent, she was hard-drinking, she was good with a gun. She died in 1903 and she is buried in Deadwood, South Dakota, right next to Wild Bill Hickok. Her name is Martha Canary, but you do not know her by that name because her full name was Martha Jane Canary. She was called Calamity Jane.
Historians of the Old West have tried to determine why Martha Jane Canary was given the nickname “Calamity.” They really are not sure. I mean there are some historians who believe she was given the name Calamity because she brought calamity to any person who stood against her, but more historians believe that she was called Calamity because of her compassion. Whenever there was calamity, she showed up to help. She cared about poor people. She cared about homeless people. She loved children, this violent, sometimes drunken woman. She cared about children, and she cared about sick people.
During the smallpox epidemic of 1878, it was Calamity Jane who was there working long hours day after day, week after week trying to rescue as many lives as possible. Whatever calamities occurred in the Old West during the 19th century, those calamities will pale when compared to the calamities for the final days. In fact, whatever calamities have occurred at any time at any place in the world, those calamities will pale when compared to the calamities of the final days.
Jesus tells us that in the last days, there will be this is from the Olivet Discourse, Luke, chapter 21 “there will be wars, famines, earthquakes, pestilences, signs terror in the heavens, and, of course, signs at sea with raging waves.” Calamity. Of course, there have always been wars but this century, the 20th century drawing to a close, this is the century when more people have been killed by war than in any prior century. This is the century wherein we have made war truly global, and the Bible tells us Armageddon is coming. There have always been earthquakes, but it is true that seismologists tell us that earthquakes are increasing in number in our times.
There have always been pestilences and in times past there have been pandemic pestilences, but now, the second symptom in the Olivet Discourse, the second pathologists and virologists and bacteriologists tell us that we are going to reach a time again when disease is pandemic because new viruses are surfacing, and bacteria is mutating and becoming increasingly resistant to modem-day antibiotics. Also, because, with regard to pestilence, we have begun to market the diseases on our own in biological warfare. We have created the possibility of airborne contagions used to eradicate people. Such a time is the time in which we live.
Of course, we are in hurricane season and in the wake of El Niño… When Jesus describes the roaring of the sea and of the waves as characteristic of the end times, perhaps we think of our time. Scholars and theologians’ debate what Jesus is referring to when He talks of “terror in the heavens, when He speaks of terror in the heavens.” Some think that He is referring to thermonuclear warfare and to weapons of mass destruction descending from the heavens. Others think that He is referring, perhaps, to meteors or asteroids. We do not know but the point is, there is going to be calamity and it is going to come suddenly. When people say, “Peace, then sudden destruction will come upon them as travail comes upon a woman with child and there will be no escape.” Calamity.
You know, on Sunday night, October 30, in the year 1938, millions of people were listening to the CBS radio network. It was 8:00 PM on October 30, 1938. People were listening to orchestra music when suddenly an announcer broke in. The announcer said, “Ladies and Gentlemen, we interrupt this program to bring you a special bulletin from the International Radio News.” In the subsequent hour, a series of increasingly hysterical announcers conveyed to the listening audience that the earth was being invaded by Martians, beginning with a New Jersey farm, and moving on to unleashed poisonous gases on New York City. Broken, hysterical voices told people not to try to reach their loved ones in New York City or on Manhattan Island, as the bridges were clogged. They were told the New Jersey coast was shut down. They were told that the military was impotent, unable to withstand the assault, that all the artillery of the army was worthless, that this broadcast might be the final broadcast. It was only later that people found out that they were listening to Orson Welles’ Mercury Theater production of “War of the Worlds.” Six million people tuned in that night and historians tell us that more than a million people experienced incredible distress. Thousands of people totally panicked, ran out of their homes and into the streets.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if a real calamity happened? I mean if a REAL calamity took place, what would it be like in this nation and in all nations? Jesus, in the Olivet Discourse, tells us what it’s going to be like. He tells us that people are going to be fleeing the cities. There is going to be chaos. But Jesus says, in verse 19 of the Olivet Discourse, “By your endurance, you will gain your souls,” and He says to Christians in all generations, “Watch and pray.” So, there will be apostasy and there will be calamity and then finally there will be persecution—persecution. There will be persecution of Christians and verses 12-19 of the Olivet Discourse describe that persecution. Jesus tells us that Christians will be hated by all nations for His name’s sake.
The year was 303AD when the Roman Emperor Diocletian issued his six-fold decree. His first decree was that all Christian assemblies, all Christian gatherings, all Christian meetings were henceforth illegal. Any Christians who assembled or met together would be incarcerated or executed. His second decree was that all Christian structures, all Christian buildings, would be eradicated and totally destroyed. His third decree was that all Christian leaders, all pastors, all clergy, would be executed. His fourth decree was that any Christian who shared his or her faith with an unbeliever would be incarcerated. His fifth decree was that all sacred writings to Christians, the writings of the Apostle Paul, the writings of the Apostle Peter, the writings of the Apostle John, would be destroyed by fire. His sixth decree in the six-fold decree issued in 303, his sixth decree was that all Christians must, from this time forth, worship the Roman gods. Failure to do so would result in incarceration or execution.
Historians tell us that, in the wake of that 303 decree, the Roman prisons were just glutted with Christians, so much so that there was no room for criminals. In the year 310, Diocletian minted that coin which said, “The Christian religion is destroyed, and worship of the Roman gods is restored.” But, of course, it was not true. The Christian faith had simply gone underground. Of course, today nobody worships the Roman gods and more than 1,600,000,000 people call Jesus Christ, Lord. And yet Christians are continuously persecuted, and you know that Christians are being persecuted today, on a scale never before done. Globally Christians are being persecuted. This has been documented and reported on by NAE and by Freedom House and by Amnesty International. This persecution of Christians globally has been recognized by the Congress of the United States, by the House and the Senate and through a joint declaration, condemned, and yet the persecution continues. Christians are being beheaded and crucified and sold into slavery in many parts of the world.
Jesus tells us that the last days will not only be a time of persecution for Christians, but it will be a time of persecution for Jews. Indeed, in verses 20-24 of Luke 21 in the Olivet Discourse, Jesus describes the destruction of the city of Jerusalem. He prophesies it, that the city of Jerusalem would be destroyed. Of course, this happened in 70AD when Titus and his Roman legions swept over the city of Jerusalem. Some Jews fled to Masada, only to be destroyed there. But that was simply the beginning of persecutions. I have here in my hand a calendar of Jewish persecutions. It begins in 70AD when 1,100,000 Jews were destroyed by Titus and his Roman legions and almost 100,000 Jews were sold into slavery. This calendar concludes in 1933 when the systematic execution of six million Jews began by Hitler and the Nazi German party.
In the interim period, between 1933 and 70AD, 31 different episodes of mass execution of Jews around the world. Unbelievable. But Jesus tells us that both Christians and Jews will be persecuted, and that persecution will be characteristic of the last days. There are a couple of interesting statements as we close here in this passage.
First of all, Jesus tells us that the city of Jerusalem would be trodden down, oppressed, until the period of the gentiles comes to an end, until the period of the gentiles, the times of the gentiles, are fulfilled. This past week, I have taken a look at so many commentaries to get different slants on this from dispensationalists to non-dispensationalists. I do not happen to be a dispensationalist and most of you don’t know and care what it means, but I’ve taken many different perspectives on this. Most every Bible scholar agrees that God has set aside a certain period of time for the gentiles to rule Jerusalem. Jesus was speaking of the period of the gentiles as the period of time in which the gentiles would dominate the city of Jerusalem and that began in 70AD which Jesus prophesied in the Olivet Discourse and it continued until 1948 when Israel became a nation again or perhaps 1967 when the Jews reoccupied the city of Jerusalem again.
Certainly, this seems to be a sign fulfilled. The period of the gentiles is coming to an end and the Jews have repossessed the city of Jerusalem. Surely the consummation is not far away. Jesus makes the statement, “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all takes place.” What does that mean? Some Bible scholars believe it means that the generation that Jesus was speaking to would see the destruction of the city of Jerusalem in 70AD. Certainly that is true but that is an unlikely perspective because the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD, while prophesied in the Olivet Discourse, is only a small portion of the prophecies of the Olivet Discourse.
Other Bible scholars believe, “Well, what we’re being told here is that the final generation, the generation that sees the times of the gentiles fulfilled and the Jewish reoccupation of Jerusalem, that generation will not pass away until the end comes.” This is a possible interpretation of this passage, but we need to understand that the Greek word for generation is the word “genea.” The word genea is a very flexible word and it can mean age. Jesus could simply have been saying, “This age will not pass away until all these things take place.” The word genea many times in the Bible simply means “race.” Jesus could have been saying “This Jewish race will not pass away.” I mean all of these things; all of this persecution is going to take place. In fact, the word genea is used in the Bible even to describe Christians collectively. You are a chosen race. Jesus could be saying that Christians and Jews will survive till the end despite the persecution, but the point is, persecution is coming. I believe persecution will come even to this nation and even to us.
As we conclude, a couple of thoughts. First of all, for Christians, I think we really need a biblical prospective. I serve on the National Board of Fellowship of Christian Athletes. I am privileged to serve there for a limited period of time. Part of what I experience there is that there are athletes around the country who are serving Christ. One such athlete is a golfer named Paul Azinger. Some of you have heard of Paul Azinger. He plays on the PGA Tour. He was afflicted with cancer just a few years ago. He is returned to the PGA Tour. He once won the PGA Championship. He loves Jesus Christ.
He tells the story, many times when he speaks, of a friend of his who owns this very fancy airplane. In the airplane there are leather seats and mahogany tables. There is a television set, a VCR, and a computer system. It is an unbelievable deal. He once said to his friend, “Well, why do you have this plane so fancy?” His friend said, “Well, this is my home.” Paul Azinger thought, “Well, you know, it’s kind of strange to turn something that was meant to be a means of travel into a home.” Azinger says, “It’s stranger still, however, that Christians who are meant for travel have turned the earth into a home.” Stranger still, because as Christians, we are just passing through. Of course, Paul Azinger understands, as well all do, that we need houses to live in and we are supposed to love our families, and certainly we are to be in this world though not of it, but we are just passing through and God wants us to have this perspective. Our commonwealth is in heaven. “From it, we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ who will change our lowly bodies to be like His glorious body by the power that enables Him to subject all things unto Himself.” He has gone to prepare a place for us. And so, while we live in this world, we do not really want to make this world our home. We want to have that perspective where we are living for eternal things and we’re looking forward to eternity itself
For non-Christians, of course, a parable like this, the parable of the fig tree and a passage like this, the Olivet Discourse, is an invitation to receive Christ, to ready yourself to the time that is coming.
You know, Dwight L. Moody was one of the greatest evangelists this nation has ever seen, and he shook two continents for Christ. Dwight L. Moody once said that the worst day of his life was October 8, 1871. It was on October 8, 1871, that he preached a sermon in the city of Chicago. He concluded by telling the audience that they should take a week and think over the claims of Christ and next Sunday, when they come back, decide whether or not they want to accept Christ. Well, that very night came the great Chicago fire when most of downtown Chicago was destroyed. Eighteen hundred buildings burned to the ground. Massive residential areas destroyed. Ninety thousand people in Chicago left homeless. Hundreds and hundreds of people died, some of whom had been in the audience of D.L. Moody that very day.
D.L. Moody said that was the worst day of his life. He gave people a week which he should not have done. He said, “From this time forth, I’m going to give people a chance to accept Christ right on the spot. “That is what we are going to do this morning as we conclude, give you a chance to accept Christ right here, today. Let us close with a word of prayer.