And the fig is a fruit that crops up again and again in the scriptures, because God does nothing without purpose. First, it is seen in Matthew 21:18-22, and then also in Mark 11:12-14. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! God gives good gifts. Mentioned over fifty times in Scripture, the fig tree was extremely important for both nutritional and economic reasons in ancient times. ONE FOR ISRAEL - Because the best way to bless Israel is with Jesus - Because the best way to bless Israel is with Yeshua (Jesus). The amazing deep colours, the distinctive shape and glorious gentle smell. Fig (KKL-JNF). Hosea 9:10 says, “When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your ancestors, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree.”, Later, the Bible tells us of the glorious time when, “Judah and Israel lived in safety, every man under his vine and his fig tree, from Dan even to Beersheba, all the days of Solomon.” (1 Kings 4:25), Later still, following the minor prophets we can see warnings to the nation of how God would bring destruction and failure of crops as part of his judgement against them, specifying empty fig trees that were stripped bare and fruitless. For Israel, exile and wandering has been a byword for punishment and so sitting under your own vine and fig tree is a sign of blessing and security. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.". Mentioned over fifty times in Scripture, the fig tree was extremely important for both nutritional and economic reasons in ancient times. Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." Answer: Jesus told the Parable of the Fig Tree—Luke 13:6-9—immediately after reminding His listeners of a tower over the pool of Siloam (John 9:7) which unexpectedly fell and killed eighteen people. The first is the Tree of life and the second is the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil. We're an initiative of Jewish and Arab born-again believers, building the Kingdom in Israel through online evangelism and our own Bible college. Common Fig (Old Dominion University). An Ancient Technique for Ripening Sycomore Fruit in East-Mediterranean Countries. Miracle Catch from Arabic Outreach on the Net, Shemini Atzeret: The Last and Greatest Day of the Feast, Sukkot: Jesus Tabernacled and Paul Made Tents, New Book: “Refuting Rabbinic Objections to…, The Myth that Rabbinic Oral Tradition Sees Women as…. Read through the biblical references of Fig Tree to learn more about its meaning and significance. It’s almost as if the fig was something of a barometer of the health of the nation – taken away as punishment, and flourishing in times of restoration. "Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. 2 Kings 18 states that Hezekiah rebelled against the King of Assyria, of whom he had become a vassal. This end-times warning system with the fig analogy is picked up again in Revelation 6:13. Throughout the scriptures, the plant becomes a symbol of prosperity, wellbeing, and security. The fig tree is the third tree to be mentioned by name in the Hebrew Bible. The chief priests and the teachers of the law heard this and began looking for a way to kill him, for they feared him, because the whole crowd was amazed at his teaching. A fig-tree wherever mentioned in the Word signifies in the internal sense the good of the natural (AC 217); that her branch is the affection of this, is because affection springs forth from good as a branch from its trunk; and that leaves are truths may be seen above (AC 885). In Deuteronomy, the Promised Land is described as "a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive oil and honey; a land where you will eat food without scarcity, in which you will not lack anything;" (Deuteronomy 8:8–10). The parable of the budding fig tree is found in Matt 24:32–36, Mark 13:28–32, Luke 21:29–33 as part of the Olivet discourse. Students may use the material on this site for school projects without permission. This end-times warning system with the fig analogy is picked up again in Revelation 6:13. Jesus cursed a fruitless fig tree along the road to Jerusalem. The pictures on this website are copyrighted and may be used only with permission. On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple area and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. There is something that just feels rich and decadent about figs. "Have faith in God," Jesus answered. When things were well in Israel and the people prosperous, the Bible describes “every man sitting under his own fig tree” (1 Kgs 4:25). There are seven species of food mentioned here, which would be abundant in the land promised to his people, and it is the time leading up to the Jewish holidays when many of them are ripe and ready to be eaten. The fig tree you cursed has withered!" The moral of that story is found in Luke 13:3: “Unless you repent, you will likewise perish.” The gospels also frequently mention fig trees. The image is taken from the Old Testament symbol of the fig tree representing Israel, and the cursing of the fig tree in Mark and Matthew and the parallel story in Luke are thus symbolically direc… Later he curses the fruitless fig tree, representing unfruitfulness (Mark 11:12-21), and then uses the fig as a metaphor of how we should recognise the signs of the times (Matthew 24:32). The term fig tree could be understood to refer to Israel Joel 2:21–25. The first mention of a fruit tree by name in Scripture references the leaves of the fig tree, not the fruit. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves, and would not allow anyone to carry merchandise through the temple courts. Today Israel is full of fig trees – huge, well developed, shady and mature. First of all, we see the figs in the garden of Eden – covering up the shame of Adam and Eve. Purchasers of the Photo Companion to the Bible and the Pictorial Library of Bible Lands are granted liberal usage rights for the images for personal and educational purposes. Figs are both cultivated and grow wild in the region. Discover the top Bible verses about Fig Tree from the Old and New Testaments. How to help us with our New Bible App in Hebrew! The man who checks bags for bombs on our transport system was eating juicy figs and gave one to me with a smile. So from Genesis to Revelation, the fig features strongly in scriptural symbolism. The spies brought back samples of this fruit before Israel entered the land (Num 13:23). Ancient Figs of the Holy Land (Wayne’s Word). There was a fig tree in the garden of the Song of Solomon, and in the year of love the tree formed its fruit early (Song 2:13). When things were well in Israel and the people prosperous, the Bible describes “every man sitting under his own fig tree” (1 Kgs 4:25). Adam and Eve sewed fig leaves together to hide their nakedness (Gen 3:7). In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. They were one of the seven species listed among the produce of the land God would give Israel (Deut 8:8). Mark 11:12–20 includes an account of Jesus cursing the fig tree: The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Answer: The account of Jesus cursing the barren fig tree is found in two different gospel accounts. Minute wasps cultivate these trees, and the fig is produced before the leaves emerge. These plants don’t grow overnight, and it takes time to culture and nurture them – their maturity indicates that the gardener has been continuously and steadfastly there, tending to their growth over the years. Figs, common in the Middle East today, were cultivated in Canaan before the Israelites entered the land. Two crops are produced each year. Finally, because the fig tree is the last tree to produce leaves and it does so right before summer, Jesus used it as an example of knowing that the end of the age was near when the signs came (Matt 24:32; Mark 13:28). Adam and Eve used the leaves of the fig tree to sew garments for themselves after they ate the "fruit of the Tree of knowledge" (Genesis 2:16–17), when they realized that they were naked (Genesis 3:7). There are many more interesting references not mentioned here which are also worth exploring in Judges, Song of Songs, and parables of Yeshua. In fact, it’s the only tree specified that we know for sure was in the garden.