At the first coming of Christ Israel proved a failure, there was "nothing but leaves,"

and the national fig tree was cut down.

As the days shorten, and the coming again of the Son of man draws near, the fig tree

begins to show signs of life. The fig tree is putting forth its leaves. Once again eyes are

turning to Jerusalem and Palestine.  Within a short time we may see great things

transpiring in connection with Israel and the Holy Land. Luke 21: 29 adds the words,

"Behold the fig tree and all the trees." This addition refers to the "times of the Gentiles"

of verse 24. The times of the Gentiles will "be fulfilled" when Israel comes forth from its

long night of rejection.

In Matt. 24: 34 we read, "This generation shall not pass till all these things be

fulfilled." The expression, "this generation," must not be quickly disposed of as having

reference only to those who lived during what we call the lifetime of a generation--it

carries with it something more than length of time--it indicates character also.

Sixteen times do we read of "this generation" in the Gospels, besides other

expressions like, "an evil generation"; "adulterous and sinful generation"; "the men of

Nineveh and the queen of the south shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall

condemn it"; "of this generation shall be required the blood of ALL the prophets which

was shed from the foundation (or overthrow) of the world" (Matt. 23: 34-36,

Luke 11: 49, 50). This seems to indicate something more than a reference to those who

were born and lived during the time of the Lord on earth. Heb. 3: 10 speaks of the Lord

being grieved with "that generation," and the reader will find many parallels in the O.T.

Further, the words of Col. 1: 26, speaking of the mystery being hid "from the ages,

and from the generations," will help us further in seeing that the word has a wider

meaning than the primary idea.  The words of verse 34, "be fulfilled," should be

rendered, "begin to be," or "may have begun to arise." If we glance back to verses 29-31

we shall see what was to "begin to arise." The sun was to be darkened, the moon was

not to give her light, the stars were to fall from heaven, the powers of the heavens were to

be shaken. Some may say that these things have not yet taken place. True, but they

"began to arise," although cut off through Israel's failure. This may seem an assertion

without foundation, but we believe a comparison of two passages of Scripture will help

The margins of most of our Bibles refer us back from Matt. 24: 29 to Joel. In

Joel 2: 10 we read words very similar to those of Matt. 24: 29. There, wonders shewn

in heaven have a prelude on earth. The spirit was to be poured out upon all flesh.