In the prophecy of Luke the Lord separates the fig tree from all others

-- `Behold the fig tree, and all the trees' (Luke 21:29 -31).  The sign of

the Lord's return is found in the budding of the nation, and all the nations;

a day is coming when `Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the world with

fruit' (Isa. 27:6).  At the time, however, when the miracle was performed,

the Lord found `leaves only'.  The crowd had spread their garments in the

road, had cut down branches from the trees and scattered them on the road,

they had shouted saying, `Hosanna to the Son of David'; but it was `leaves

only'.  The same crowd within a few days were prevailed upon to cry, `away

with Him, crucify Him'.  The Lord had foretold this in Matthew 13:5,6:

`Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and

forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: and

when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root,

they withered away'.

The Hosannas were leaves only, fruit depends upon root.

The scorching

sun indicates persecution:

`He that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that

heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it; yet hath he not root

in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution

ariseth because of the word, by and by (immediately) he is offended'

(Matt. 13:20,21).

The fig tree and those hearers on stony ground withered.  Such was the

parable of Israel, they began to cumber the earth; soon the word would go

forth, `cut it down'.  Israel will bring forth no fruit until the age

(translated `for ever').

It is deeply suggestive to us all to note the fact that the only

miracle of judgment which the Lord performed was upon a tree.  Never did He

work such upon a human being.  The only other occasion where anything

resembling a judgment might be found is the case of the swine which were

choked.  Yet here it was the swine, not the men, who were drowned.  Thus

these two miracles concerning the Syrophenician woman and the fig tree, taken

together, speak of the blessing going out to the Gentiles, and the cutting

off, for the time being, of an unfruitful people.  In this case there are

lessons for all to learn, lessons not rendered the less pointed by seeing

them in their true dispensational perspective.

We will conclude this section with a word concerning the presence of

the miraculous in the Scriptures.  One of the most obvious reasons for a

miracle is that it `confirms' that which purports to be a revelation from

God.  Anyone can declare that what he has to teach is a message received

direct from heaven, and there are always enough gullible souls ready to make

a following.  Consequently we find that the miracle is referred to as a

confirmation in several passages of Scripture:

Mark 16:20  `Confirming the word with signs following'.

1 Cor. 1:6,7

`The testimony of Christ was confirmed in you: so

that ye come behind in no gift'.

Heb. 2:2,3,4

`The word spoken ... was confirmed unto us ... God

also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers

miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to His own will'.