FALSE COVERING:  WHY DID JESUS CURSE THE FIG TREE?  11/16/08

ANOINTED HANDS:  Today I turned with anointed hands to the following scripture about Jesus cursing the fig tree.  I suddenly wondered why did He curse the fig tree?  Of course the obvious one was a display of His spiritual laws of cursing and blessing with the power of faith and spoken word.  And there are many lessons to learn from it.  But I was still led to ask, “Why did He curse the fig tree?”  He then opened my eyes to following a train of thoughts that led to quite a revelation.  I was amazed to find the hidden treasure.

Matt 21:18-22 NKJV

Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, "Let no fruit grow on you ever again." Immediately the fig tree withered away.

And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, "How did the fig tree wither away so soon?"  So Jesus answered and said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' it will be done.  And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." 

WHAT DOESN’T BEAR FRUIT GETS CUT OFF

I was reminded that it is a scriptural principal that whatever does not bear fruit will get cut off, wither and then burned in the fire. 

John 15:1-7  NKJV

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.  2 Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.  3 You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.  4 Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.  5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  6 If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

John said:

Luke 3:7-9 NKJV

Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him,"Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 9 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

Luke 13:6-9 NKJV

He also spoke this parable: "A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none.  7 Then he said to the keeper of his vineyard, 'Look, for three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree and find none. Cut it down; why does it use up the ground?'  8 But he answered and said to him, 'Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and fertilize it.  9 And if it bears fruit, well. But if not, after that you can cut it down.'" 

Within Israel, in April the fig trees that will later bear fruit have young leaves and also some immature figs appearing at the same time.  Those trees that only bore leaves without the immature figs were known to be barren and would never bear fruit.  When Jesus saw the fig tree, it had a lot of leaves and so He approached it because He was hungry.  Because the leaves were green, they offered a promise and expectation.    But when He approached it and found no fruit, it became clear that the green leaves at a distance were just camouflaging that there was no fruit coming.

LAW OF FIRST MENTION:  THE FIG LEAF, A COVERING FOR SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Gen 3:7-10  NKJV

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.  8 And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden.  9 Then the LORD God called to Adam and said to him, "Where are you?"  10 So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself." 

The first time fig leaves are mentioned in scripture is right after Adam and Eve sinned, they used fig leaves to cover their nakedness because they were ashamed.  This was a parable of self righteousness, which is an attempt to make oneself justified, innocent and in right standing with God.     (Gen 3:7 & 21) 

NOTE:  Afterwards, the Lord Himself covered them with animal skins, which is the first hint of His coming redemption through spilling of blood.  Later God further hints of the difference to Adam and Eve by rejecting their son Cain’s farmer offering of the fruit of the ground.  Yet He accepts their other son, Abel’s sheepherder offering of the first born sheep.  Cain used his own strength to cultivate and bear fruit.  Abel simply watched over his sheep’s safety and led them to what God had already provided for them.  All throughout scripture we see that we can do nothing to redeem ourselves and be justified and innocent by ourselves.  It is only through faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ spilling His blood to pay for our right standing with God.  

Matt 26:28-29 NKJV

For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Heb 9:21-22 NKJV

And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood , and without shedding of blood there is no remission.

Phil 3:9 NKJV

...and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.

2 Cor 5:20-21 NKJV

 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

INTERESTING CHRONOLOGICAL EVENTS – COVERING THE GROUND

Just the day prior to cursing the fig tree, Jesus has entered into Jerusalem where they gave great “plumage” to welcome and honor Him into their city.  It was marked by cutting palm branches off trees and spreading them down on the street before Him.  Others took their coats and did the same.  The palm branches and the people’s coats were coverings for the trees and the people.  They laid these “coverings” upon Jerusalem’s ground, which was later saturated with the blood of One they killed, the very same Jesus.

Matt 21:8-11  NKJV

And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:  "Hosanna to the Son of David! 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'  Hosanna in the highest!"  And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?"  So the multitudes said, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee."

HAVING THE FORM OF GODLINESS

Now consider that fig tree... it too was covered with much “plumage.”  The very next day Jesus is hungry and approaches the tree in expectation of fruit.  But the tree only offers leaves because it is barren.  All the plumage, the leaves, are a covering or a guise to camouflage that there is no fruit on the tree.

In the following 2 passages it says that there will be people who

1. have a form of godliness

2. are always learning

3. and profess they know God...

...  BUT like all those in the streets honoring King Jesus, in their works and fruits, they deny Him.  The following 2 scriptures leaves me with a simple question:  How can someone be the following and HAVE A FORM OF GODLINESS? 

1. lovers of themselves

2. lovers of money

3. boasters

4. proud

5. blasphemers

6. disobedient to parents

7. unthankful

8. unholy

9. unloving

10. unforgiving

11. slanderers

12. without self-control

13. brutal

14. despisers of good

15. traitors

16. headstrong

17. haughty

18. lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God

19. make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins

20. led away by various lusts

21. abominable

22. disobedient

23. disqualified for every good work

2 Tim 3:1-8

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Titus 1:15-16 NKJV

They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

The answer to that question was pretty clear.  That list of characteristics is nothing like God.  So where is their form of godliness coming from?  They are wearing a lot of leaves.  So in these last day, consider becoming a FRUIT INSPECTOR before you jump onto someone’s bandwagon with expectation and hope in what they are promising.

ONLY CLINGING TO THE SOURCE OF FRUIT CAN WE BEAR FRUIT

Just as Adam and Eve could not hide their nakedness from God through fig leaves, neither can we.  The only way we will ever be able to bear real fruit is constantly being tapped into the Source of all fruit:  Jesus Christ.  The more we cling, the more we become godly and the more we will be like Him and bear rich and everlasting fruit.

John 15:4 NKJV

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 

CONFIRMATION! 11/18/08
I wrote the above teaching on 11/16. I was discouraged by the teaching and so I had decided to wait upon the Lord for confirmation if He wanted me to post it. Then today someone sent me an article by Dave Wilkerson. His revelation goes on to speak about faith, but the following quotes were definitely a confirmation. The Lord must be highlighting this scripture right now!

Newsletter: Moving Your Mountain

By David Wilkerson July 14, 2008  

http://www.davidwilkerson.org

EXCERPT QUOTE:

“As they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto (Jesus), Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away. And Jesus answering saith unto them, Have faith in God.

“For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass; he shall have whatsoever he saith…. What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them” (Mark 11:20–24, my italics).

This well known passage is beloved in the church of Jesus Christ. As I read it recently, God would not let me pass over it without examining it further. Now I have found within it powerful spiritual truth I hadn’t seen before...

... We know from Jesus’ response that the message to follow was all about faith. The withered fig tree was another of Christ’s illustrated sermons. What did this dried-up plant represent? It signified God’s rejection of the old religious system of works in Israel. That system was all about trying to earn salvation and God’s favor by human effort and self-will.

{END QUOTE}

WHAT A PRECIOUS CONFIRMATION. The following graphic popped onto the top banner as I was posting this.




When we are "arrayed" in Him, we are covered in His holy clothing and not a bunch of religious leaves.  (smile)

Matt 6:28-30 NKJV
So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?