And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
The verse belongs to a prophetic discourse that joins the destruction of Jerusalem with Christ's coming and the end of the world. That discourse reaches beyond Jerusalem's destruction to the final judgment and was given for those living in the last scenes of earth's history. The parable means that when the fig tree and all the trees put forth leaves and shoots, people know that summer is near.
In the same way, when the signs Jesus described come to pass, the kingdom of God is near. That nearness means Christ's return and redemption are drawing near, so there is no time to lose. Those signs include wickedness, turmoil, and disturbances on every side, showing that the day of God and Christ's second coming are near. They include earthquake destruction with loss of property and the shaking down and demolition of buildings, so such calamities fulfill what was foretold. The chapter shows what to expect before the Lord's day, with signs in the world that the end is near and Christ's warning to watch and be ready.
The verse belongs to a prophetic discourse that joins the destruction of Jerusalem with Christ's coming and the end of the world. That discourse reaches beyond Jerusalem's destruction to the final judgment and was given for those living in the last scenes of earth's history. The parable means that when the fig tree and all the trees put forth leaves and shoots, people know that summer is near.
In the same way, when the signs Jesus described come to pass, the kingdom of God is near. That nearness means Christ's return and redemption are drawing near, so there is no time to lose. Those signs include wickedness, turmoil, and disturbances on every side, showing that the day of God and Christ's second coming are near. They include earthquake destruction with loss of property and the shaking down and demolition of buildings, so such calamities fulfill what was foretold. The chapter shows what to expect before the Lord's day, with signs in the world that the end is near and Christ's warning to watch and be ready.