Hello Doves,

So often I sit here thinking about the soon return of Jesus.  I am sure I am not alone.  As I was listening to a sermon online, it occurred to me that Christ's first miracle (the beginning of his ministry to Earth) was "at a wedding", where he changed the water into wine.  The water represents the baptism and the wine represents the celebration.  Christ said that He would not drink wine again until He returned for us to take us with Him...."at the wedding".  I believe this tells us that His very first act when He turns back from building all of those mansions (for us) and waits upon the Father's signal (to get His bride) will be to return to Earth and collect His Bride (those already baptized into the faith and belief of Jesus).

When Jesus' attention returns to Israel (when He enters Jerusalem), He enters on a donkey and the people throw palm leaves before Him and call Him their messiah....Now we know that most of them did not believe this as they swiftly abandoned Him when He was tried and crucified.  Does this not speak of the church today?  So many claim to be Christians, but few there be who actually ARE Christians.  It was easy to claim Jesus at that point, but soon, it wasn't and there was a TREMENDOUS falling away.  Even those who knew Him best ran away (for the most part).  Sound a bit like Revelation and the End Times Church?  So, at this point, it all looks good.  HE IS HERE!  I KNOW HIM!  I'M SAVED!  Right?  Well, wait....

The very next day, they were hungry and Jesus came upon a fig tree.  The fig tree had lots of leaves, but no fruit and it was "out of season" for them.  The Bible tells us that Jesus' return will be unexpected, but we shall know the season.  The fig tree is another symbol for Israel.  Jesus hungered for His people, but it was "out of season" and they were not expecting him.  What was Christ's reaction to this?   “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.”  He turns his back on the fig tree and in essence says that Israel no longer will be the only ones who represent Him.  They lost their exclusivity at that point.  But the fig tree remained.  He did not tear it down, but He did curse it.  And isn't that pretty much what happened to Israel when it rejected Jesus?  

Next, Jesus enters the temple and CLEANS IT OUT!  He removes everything that is WRONG and "not of the Father".  And isn't that what Christ does when He turns back to Israel?  He comes to His People and "cleans out His temple"!  When the next day arrives, his disciples ask Him why the fig tree has withered.  We read in Revelation that Jesus' return presages the awakening of Israel to the truth of who Jesus really is/was....Their Messiah!  The curse will be lifted when they recognize Him, AT LAST!  The fig tree will LIVE!  Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life!  Israel will know Him at last.  

So, I believe we can look at Christ's first time here one Earth as a way of understanding the chain of events we experience at His return.  Just my thoughts.  

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. – Luke 21:36