Maybe the Fig Tree Did Not Sprout Until 1967?

 

Thinking about the forward-looking prophetic meaning of the current Israel-Iran War and its relationship to the Ezekiel 38 prophecy, I wonder if we have the Fig Tree Prophecy of Matthew 24, Luke 21 and Mark 13 wrong.

 

Given the setting of Israel in the day of the era of the Ezekiel 38 war, Israel must be living in “unwalled villages”. (Ezekiel 38:11). Is that true today? No.  Considering that the Day of the Lord (“Time of Jacob’s Trouble”) commences when Israel is living in “peace and safety” (1 Thess. 5:2 see note 1 below), it would appear that Ezekiel 38 is some time off in the future.

 

What if nascent Israel’s recovery of Jerusalem in 1967 was the “fig tree shooting forth” and not the 1948 nation forming event of Isaiah 66:8?   It would not be uncharacteristic of the Lord to skip counting time.  He did it multiple times in the past.  John posted my letter on May 8, 2016 which had an essay titled "Covenant Time” discussing God’s counting of Israel’s years.

 

If 1967 is the start date for the “Fig Tree” prophecy, perhaps we were 19 off target for the generational start date.

 

It is all very interesting…………….

 

Greg

 

Note 1:  Consider this….1 Thess. 5 is a post-rapture discussion where Paul is speaking doctrinally to remnant Israel.  Remember, chronologically the Resurrection/Rapture event just happened in 1 Thess. 4:17 a verse away.  The use of the phrases “times and seasons” (Acts 1:6-7, 1 Thess. 5:1)), “day of the Lord” (1 Thess. 5:2) are doctrinally associated with remnant Israel and Israel’s kingdom restoration.  To send this important doctrinal point home, consider that the “armor of God” described in 1 Thess. 5:8 is NOT the armor of God described in Ephesians 6:13-17.  Compare them line by line and note the distinction.  I am not saying that these Thessalonian verses are not applicable in the sense of spiritual value to the Church, but they are not doctrinally applicable to the Church.  This is my point.  The distinction is between the doctrinal audience and the inspirational audience.  Ephesians 6 says “helmet of salvation”.  This is assurance of salvation. Thessalonians 5:8 “helmet, the hope of salvation”.  There is no assurance of salvation, only the hope.  Or comparing the Thessalonian breastplate of faith and love with the Ephesian “breastplate of righteousness”.  Do you see the doctrinal differences?  Thessalonian verse 9 says that the audience (remnant Jews) God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.  This wrath is not the Tribulation wrath, but the wrath of eternal condemnation.  Why?  Because the context is salvation in Christ verse eternal condemnation without Christ.  Many Christians wrongly think this verse is speaking of the Tribulation implying that “you are not going into the tribulation”.  Rightly dividing the Word of Truth is crucial for a propert doctrinal understanding of Scripture.