Now, why should it matter for Christians if Jews are returning to Israel? Because this is God in action! Despite the nation’s repetitive disobedience – and they are disobedient – God preserved it from the agenda of its enemies time and time again, even up to the War of Independence in 1948.
And now we live in 2022 and all of you belong to that generation that can see the fig tree come back to life. The fig tree, by the way, is the symbol of Israel’s national privileges. You cannot be part of this fig tree but you can see the fig tree. “Oh, I’m grafted into the fig tree.” No, you are not. You’re grafted into the olive tree. You’re grafted into the vine, but you are not grafted into the fig tree. Your capital is Washington. Your nationality is American, but you can see the fig tree because you can see Israel is born.
We live in an unprecedented age where countless ancient prophecies, or precursors to them, are happening right before our eyes. While some may be more subtle and others are like the spokes on a larger wheel, there is none more clear than the rebirth of the nation of Israel.
Isaiah 54:5-8
“For your Maker is your husband, The LORD of hosts is His name; and your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel; He is called the God of the whole earth.
For the LORD has called you like a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, like a youthful wife when you were refused,” says your God.
“For a mere moment I have forsaken you, but with great mercies I will gather you.
With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” says the LORD, your Redeemer.
Today we can see that the Lord’s promise to gather His “momentarily forsaken” people by His great mercy and everlasting kindness is being undeniably fulfilled. Yet in spite of this incredible miracle fulfilling a 2700 year old prophecy, antisemitism is rising around the world, including in the church. However, this too is prophetic.
Zechariah 12:3
And it shall happen in that day that I will make Jerusalem a very heavy stone for all peoples; all who would heave it away will surely be cut in pieces, though all nations of the earth are gathered against it.
Zechariah’s 2500 year old prophecy is also coming to pass right before our eyes, and yet there are many in the church who say that God is finished with the nation of Israel or that the church has replaced Israel in God’s redemptive plan. Not only are neither of those things true, they are anti-biblical and present a series of major theological problems, not the least of which is this:
Romans 11:16-18
For if the firstfruit is holy, the lump is also holy; and if the root is holy, so are the branches. And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you.
The firstfruit, the lump, and the root all point back the believing patriarchs of Israel. The broken-off branches represent all unbelieving Jews. The cultivated olive tree is Israel, and the wild olive tree grafted in is believing Gentiles, or the predominantly Gentile church. In verse 18, Paul skips over the agrarian and ceremonial metaphors and reaches back to the root – Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, etc. – and says you do not support the root but the root supports you.
If the root, believing Israel, has been cast off then who are Christians grafted into? If modern Israel is not Biblical Israel then why are the things prophesied about Israel happening to the nation?
What tragic spiritual loses are suffered when we follow the errant teaching of God casting off or replacing Israel. We miss the majesty of God protecting His chosen people and their eternally covenanted homeland in our day. We miss the mercy and grace of God towards even the most rebellious of people by recognizing it is He who has regathered them as promised. We miss the closeness of the Day of the Lord and do not have a reference point from which to see the day approaching.
1 Peter 2:9-10
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
Christians should rejoice in the the faithfulness of God to Israel and take heart in the fact that God does not cast off people He calls chosen. If He did so with Israel, he could do so with the church.
The fig tree buds three times a year in spring, late summer, and fall.
Hosea 9:10a
“I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness; I saw your fathers as the firstfruits on the fig tree in its first season.”
Here Hosea refers to the Patriarchs as the firstfruits on the fig tree.
Jeremiah 24:5-8a
“Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: ‘Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge those who are carried away captive from Judah, whom I have sent out of this place for their own good, into the land of the Chaldeans. For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up. Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart. And as the bad figs which cannot be eaten, they are so bad’—surely thus says the LORD.”
Here, the faithful of the captives of Judah are referred to as “good figs”, and at the time of the regathering God will set His eyes on them for good in preparation for what Jesus said in the Olivet Discourse:
Matthew 24:32
“Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.”
The tender branch speaks of the new wood on the fig tree that would support an upcoming harvest of good figs. This pictures Messianic Jews, including the 144,000 and all the Jews who they lead to faith in Christ, and also the good fruit among the Jews that happens at Jesus’ second coming:
Zechariah 12:10
“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn.”
Don’t let anyone rob you of the majestic mercy and goodness of God toward Israel by saying He has cast them off or replaced them with the church. They’re back in the land to tell us He’s coming for us soon. Then, not long after, He’s coming back for the believing Jews and we will be with Him.
Even so, come quickly Lord Jesus.