Is the Fig Tree Cursed Forever?
Posted on Nov 28, 2011 in David L Cooper | 0 comments
By David L. Cooper
And on the morrow, when they were come out from Bethany, he hungered. 13 And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find anything thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for it was not the season of figs. 14 And he answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit from thee henceforward for ever. And his disciples heard it” (Mark -14; see also Matt. ).
One of our radio listeners asked me to explain the significance of our Lord’s cursing the fig tree. Both Mark and Matthew record this incident. In order that we may understand the incident properly, we must see it in its connection. In Matthew, chapters 21 and 22, and in Mark, chapters 11 and 12, we have an account of our Lord’s entering into Jerusalem, when He went there to offer Himself as “the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.” As He was approaching the Holy City, He was acclaimed the Son of David by the throngs who preceded, and who followed Him. This event has been called “the triumphal entry.” The name does not seem quite appropriate in view of the events which immediately followed His visit to the city on this last occasion. The real entrance that can be called triumphant is that which He will make at the conclusion of this age, when He returns in answer to the pleadings of the penitent remnant of Israel, after they shall have acknowledged their guilt in the national sin of rejecting Him nineteen hundred years previously.
Instead of our Lord’s entering triumphantly into Jerusalem as He will do in the future (Rev. 19:11-16), He came, as Zechariah foretold, meek and lowly and riding upon an ass. When the Lord thus entered the city, He went immediately to the Temple (Matt. 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11). Upon arriving there, He engaged in a healing ministry (Matt.-16). The children, seeing what He did, began to praise Him saying: “Hosanna to the son of David . . .” This turn of events aroused the jealousy of the religious leaders, who in envy reprimanded Him for permitting the children thus to express themselves.
Thereupon, He, with His disciples, retired from the city and went to Bethany, which was about two miles distant from Jerusalem, where He spent the night, presumably at the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus.
Early Monday morning Jesus returned, with His disciples, to the city. As they were going along the road, He spied a fig tree which had “leaves only” (See Matt. 21:18,19; Mark 11:12-14). He then pronounced a curse upon it because of its barrenness.
Upon entering Jerusalem He immediately went to the Temple and cleansed it, driving out the mercenary money changers and those who were buying and selling doves, and who were making merchandise of the truth of God and His service (Matt. 21:12, 13;Mark 11:15-18).[1]
On Tuesday morning, as Jesus and His disciples were returning to the city, they again noticed the fig tree which had been cursed, and which had withered so very rapidly. “And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Rabbi, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away” (Mark ). Therefore, Jesus said to them: “. . .I say unto you, whosoever shall say unto this mountain, be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it” (verse 23). When Jesus thus entered the Temple on Tuesday morning, He was met by the leading authorities, who caustically challenged the validity of the things which He had done and taught on the two preceding days (Matt. ; Mark , 28). But, being always ready for any emergency, He replied by saying to His antagonists: “I also will ask you one question, which if ye tell me, I likewise will tell you what authority I do these things. 25 The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven or from men?” Being caught thus unexpectedly, these religious leaders writhed mentally and spiritually under the stinging rebuke of the Lord Jesus and the lashing of their own guilty, outraged consciences. Then they hypocritically stated that they could not answer the question (Matt. 21:24-27; Mark 11:29-33). Jesus, seizing the initiative, proceeded to denounce their base hypocrisy and to foretell the doom which would come upon the nation because of their ungodliness and treachery, for they were the ones who were leading the great masses of people astray (Matt. 21:28-22:13; Mark 12:13-27).
From John’s record of the Gospel it is crystal clear that these very leaders had already plotted against Jesus. A secret detective plan had already been worked out whereby they could seize Him and later have Him executed. Of course, our Lord realized all of these things, for during the last six months of His life He had foretold His visit to Jerusalem and His rejection by the authorities of the Holy City (Matt. 16:21-28;; 17:22,23;; 20:17-19). All of these facts must be held clearly in mind, as we investigate the significance of our Lord’s cursing the fig tree.
The Cursing of the Fig Tree
Probably, times without number, the question has been asked, “Why did our Lord curse the fig tree?” The answer to this question depends entirely upon the special bias which the one who replies entertains. Oftentimes, the desire is “father to the thought.” For example, Renan, the skeptic and rationalist, coldly asserted that Christ lost His temper when He discovered that there were no figs on the tree and in a rage pronounced the anathema of God against it. Thus he is reported to have blasphemously said, in substance: “Your gentle Jesus lost His temper and, in a fit of rage, cursed the fig tree.” Is there any evidence supporting such an impious supposition? Is such a reply logical? From the sources which we have, the Gospel Records, there is not a scintilla of evidence to that effect. It is a mere guess, begotten by unbelief, to suggest such a thing. On the other hand, there is evidence that points in an entirely different direction. We are told that, as Jesus was going from Bethany to Jerusalem, accompanied by His disciples, “. . .he hungered.” His body experienced the same pangs of hunger and feelings of satisfaction as does that of any normal human being. Probably not having had breakfast that morning, He became hungry. This craving for food naturally suggested the thought of that which would satisfy it. As they were walking along, they saw at a distance a fig tree. Our Lord’s mind, working normally, entertained the question as to whether or not there was any fruit on this tree. Thus far all the psychological phenomena in this case are normal. Here is something, however, that is usually overlooked. Mark informs us that “. . .it was not the season of figs.”
Mark knew it was not the time for figs, so did Jesus, since He was familiar with the climate and the seasons of the Holy Land. Remember, this was at the Jewish Passover, which comes approximately at the same time of the year as does our Easter. In the mountainous country of Jerusalem ripe figs would certainly not be expected on the trees at that time. The presumption resting upon this passage is that Jesus was not expecting at that time to find any ripe figs that would satisfy His hunger. Since He was not expecting to find fruit that He could eat, He was not disappointed when He did not find ripe figs. These statements being true to fact, there evidently was some other reason why our Lord pronounced the anathema of God upon the fig tree.
There can be but one other conceivable possibility as to why He cursed the fig tree. Among Bible students it is recognized that sometimes in the Scriptures the fig tree is used as the symbol of the Jewish nation—but not always. For example, in Joel 1:5-7 the Chosen People are thought of as, first, a vine; then as a fig tree: “He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white” (vs. 7). The context here shows clearly that the prophet was foretelling the invasion of Palestine by another power that would do great damage to the country and spoke of this calamity as “barking” Jehovah’s “fig tree (Israel).” This context therefore demands that the fig tree here, as well as the grapevine, be understood as symbolically representing Israel.
Again, in Luke 13:6-9, we have the following words: “And he spake this parable; a certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit thereon, and found none. 7 And he said unto the vinedresser, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why doth it also cumber the ground? 8 And he answering saith unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9 and if it bear fruit thenceforth, well; but if not, thou shalt cut it down.” In order to understand this parable, we should read carefully verses 1-5 of this chapter, which inform us that Pilate had lain certain Galileans and mingled their blood with their sacrifices in Jerusalem when they came to worship God. Moreover, the tower in Siloam had fallen upon eighteen men and killed them. Certain ones told Jesus of the murderous acts of Pilate and of the accidental killing of the eighteen at the falling of this tower. Jesus then asked His informants about these occurrences: “. . .think ye that they were offenders above all the men that dwell in Jerusalem? 5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” If these people, who were innocent of any sort of crime, were overtaken by such fates as that which they mentioned, should they, asked He, think that the people of Jerusalem, whom He here indicts as being great sinners, would escape a catastrophic judgment and punishment by the Lord for their ungodliness? By His rhetorical question and answer our Lord meant to affirm that a far greater calamity would come upon the guilty inhabitants of Jerusalem because of their sins.
Having these thoughts in mind, He spoke a parable: “A certain man had a fig tree plants in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit thereon, and found none . . .” In this connection, therefore, the parable of the fig tree is an object lesson which He uses in foretelling the punishment of Jerusalem, which would inevitably come upon it because of its not having any fruit—of the right type. It is true that it—under the symbolism of the vineyard—did have fruit, but not of the right kind (Isa. 5:1-7). “. . .Jehovah . . . looked for justice, but, behold, oppression; for righteousness, but, behold, a cry” (vs. 7). When the Lord said that He found no fruit on this fig tree, He meant that He found nothing that could properly be called fruit.
Our Lord, in this parable, speaks of the owner’s coming to look after the fig tree for three successive years, seeking fruit thereon, but finding none. (This is clearly an echo of the three years of His own personal ministry. He spoke this parable near the close of His life’s work. Hence the three years mentioned in the parable are echoes of this fact. But His ministry continued probably three and a half years. During the latter half year there was still no evidence of any more fruit than there had been during the former years>) The vinedresser besought the owner to let it alone for another year saying, “. . . and if it bear fruit thenceforth, well; but if not, thou shall cut it down.” With this suggestion the owner seems to agree.
The same through is that, as a consequence of Jerusalem’s not bearing the proper kind of fruit, notwithstanding the four years of His visits to it, its destruction was a necessity. As we shall see later, the fig tree, then was cut down in A.D. 70, when the Romans overthrew Jerusalem and the entire nation. In Luke 13:6-9, the fig tree is therefore unquestionably symbolic of the Jewish nation.
But we must not conclude that, since in Joel 1:5-7 and in Luke 13:6-9 the fig tree obviously is used symbolically of Israel, it therefore is a symbol of the Jewish nation every time it appears in the Scriptures. To make that hasty deduction is to smash all logic and to force the Scriptures to teach something that they do not. All to frequently, the fig tree mentioned in Matthew 24:32, 33 is interpreted as a reference to the Jewish nation: “Now from the fig tree learn her parable: when her branch is now become tender, and putteth forth its leaves, ye know that the summer is nigh; 33 even so ye also, when ye see all these things, know ye that he is nigh, even at the doors.” An examination of this context does not point in any direction except that of a literal fig tree. There is nothing in the Olivet Discourse (Matt., chaps. 24-25) that indicates a departure from the literal meaning of the fig tree. When its branches become tender and it begins to put forth leaves, the person observing that natural phenomenon can know that the summer is close at hand. In the same way, asserted our Lord, the one who sees “all these things” mentioned in Matthew 24:8 (a world war, attended by famines, pestilences, and great earthquakes in different places in the world)—can know that the coming of the Lord is near at hand; for, “Verily I say unto you, this generation shall not pass away, till all these things (all the things foretold in the Olivet Discourse thus far) be accomplished” (Matt. 24:34).
Neither would one think that the fig tree mentioned in John 1:48 is a symbol of the Jewish nation. Nathaniel was under a fig tree—a literal fig tree—when Philip found him and brought him to the Lord.
From these observations we can see that it is absolutely essential for us to study the context of each passage in which the term, fig tree, occurs in order to determine its significance in each case.
Having seen that it is psychologically impossible for us to accuse Jesus of becoming irritated upon finding no fruit upon the fig tree mentioned in Mark 11:12-14, and having seen, also, that the fig tree in certain connections is used symbolically of the Jewish nation, it is now for us to examine the facts connected with this particular fig tree concerning which we are studying to ascertain whether or not it is used in a symbolic sense. Jesus was not expecting any ripe fruit on the literal tree, although, according to nature, it should have had young, undeveloped figs on it—if it were a normal tree growing under usual conditions. This conclusion is inevitable when we recognize the fact that the fig tree first puts the fruit and, following that, the leaves. Since this particular tree had put forth its leaves, the presupposition was that, if it was a normal tree, it would also have young figs. IF we, then assume that He uses the fig tree symbolically as signifying Israel and look at the facts in the case, and if we let the natural phenomena throw light upon the passage, we shall see that, by our Lord’s cursing the fig tree, He was simply indicating the punishment that would come upon Israel because of his non-fruit-bearing. The nation, especially the inhabitants of Jerusalem—the capital of the national and representative of all the people—had the fig leaves of religious profession and outward show; but they did not have the genuine fruit of justice and love for God, a passion to do His will and only His will, and an unquenchable desire to treat one’s fellow-man as each one would have others do unto him. Moreover, as we have already seen, the plot had already been laid and the spy system of the Lord’s enemies had also been alerted—initiated by the leaders whom the populace followed blindly—for the apprehension and arrest of Jesus with the purpose of destroying Him. These things our Lord knew. His heart was hungry—as was His physical body—for the spiritual food that satisfies the longing of the soul. His hunger was therefore twofold on this occasion: His body was hungry for physical nourishment; but, far above this, His heart was hungry for the real devotion of His people and an acceptance on their part of Him as their Messiah.
The Fulfillment of the Prophetic Act of Cursing the Fig Tree
The curse pronounced upon the fig tree by our Lord in this object lesson was literally fulfilled in A.D. 70, when the Roman armies, under Titus, stormed Jerusalem and brought about its fall. The history of those turbulent days is recorded in Josephus’ The Jewish War. After the fall of Jerusalem those who survived were scattered among the nations and sold into bondage in the slave markets of the world. Since that time, throughout the entire Christian Dispensation, Israel has been scattered and has been driven from nation to nation in fulfillment of such passages as Leviticus, chapter 26 and Deuteronomy, chapter 28.
The events of A.D. 70 were only the partial and incomplete fulfillment of this prophetic act of the cursing of the fig tree. According to many utterances of different prophets the great Tribulation is coming upon the entire world, but it will be especially designed to punish Israel for his sins, particularly his sin of rejecting the Messiah at His first coming. Jeremiah speaks of the day of Jehovah as “the time of Jacob’s trouble” (Jer. 30:7). God punishes Israel double for his sins, as is seen in Isaiah 40:1, 2: “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith you God. 2 Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem; an decry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she hath received of Jehovah’s hand double for all her sins.” The explanation given concerning the judgments of the latter half of the Tribulation is that they will continue until the power of the holy people be broken in pieces: “And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that is shall be for a time, times, and a half; and when they have made an end of breaking in pieces the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished” (Dan. 12:7). Thus the judgments of the Tribulation will be designed to bring Israel to the point of repudiating the national sin and pleading for the Messiah to come and to deliver him.
The Curse to be Lifted
That the curse symbolized by Jesus’ cursing the fig tree is resting upon the Jewish people is evident from Matthew 27:25: “And all the people answered and said, His blood be on us, and on our children.” But that it will be lifted from the Chosen People is abundantly evident from many passages of Scripture. In our thinking of this judgment of God upon the Jewish people, we must remember the statement of the Apostle Paul in the synagogue at Antioch in Pisidia: “Brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you that fear God, to us is the word of this salvation sent forth. 27 For they that dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. 28 And though they found no cause of death in him, yet asked they of Pilate that he should be slain. 29 And when they had fulfilled all things that were written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead: 31 and he was seen for many days of them that came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now hi witnesses unto the people” (Acts -31). There can be no doubt that many of the religious leaders of the Jews at Jerusalem during the days of Christ were honorable, sincere, godly men. At the same time, judging from things in general, we are bound to conclude that some of them doubtless were not sincere. On the whole, however, we must admit that the Jerusalem authorities were good men.
Nevertheless, as Paul stated in the quotation given above, their trouble was that they did not know God in a personal manner. Neither did they understand the voices of the prophets which were read every Sabbath. Not knowing God in an experimental manner, and not knowing what He had said through the Scriptures, it was in ignorance, therefore, that they fulfilled them in condemning their Messiah when He came. It is fatal to the spiritual life of any man not to know God in a personal manner. It is also tragic not to know what the Scriptures teach.
Since the leaders of Israel did not recognize Jesus as their Messiah, and since He claimed that He was God and made Himself equal with God the Father, the leaders naturally rejected Him and demanded His death. Moses had instructed the children ofIsrael that, if anyone arose, made a prediction that would come true, and at the same time appealed to the people to forsake the true God and to worship idols, such a one should be stoned to death (Deut. 13:1-5). In their ignorance the leaders of Israel, though they acknowledged that He had superhuman power—as is evident from the fact of their claiming that He was performing miracles by the power of the devil—naturally clamored for His death. They thought that He was trying to seduce Israel and to lead the nation into idolatry. They sincerely felt that they were doing the will of God in demanding the execution of Christ. They were convinced that they were doing the only thing that could be done under the circumstances. They were, in their ignorance and blindness, willing to assume all responsibility for their actions; hence, they cried out, “His blood be on us, and on our children.”
Thus they assumed all responsibility in their own behalf and in behalf of their children, their descendants, for the execution of Messiah. Our Lord, when He was on the cross, recognized that it was in ignorance that they had crucified Him, for He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
Though they committed this deed in absolute ignorance of the facts and the consequences of it, as a result of their neither knowing God nor the Scriptures, still Israel is held guilty of the blood of the Messiah. Paul declared that the wrath of God “. . .is come upon them to the uttermost” (I Thess. -18). The indignation of God still rests upon the Jewish people because of that terrible, fateful crime committed in ignorance.
But the wrath of God will not abide upon His Chosen People forever, since all sin and blasphemy against the Son of man may be forgiven, while blasphemy against the Holy Spirit can never be forgiven—neither in this age, nor in the one which is to come (Matt. 12:31, 32). That Israel will eventually see his mistake, confess his error, and plead for forgiveness is quite evident from many passages of Scripture. For instance, in Hosea 5:15 we have this language: “I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offense, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me earnestly.” The Lord here prophesied that He would go away to His place and remain there until Israel acknowledges his sin and repudiates it, pleading for Him to come. We know that he will do this very thing. According to the correct rendering of Zechariah 12:10, Israel will “look unto me (Jehovah) whom they have pierced.” The Apostle Peter called upon Israel to repent of the rejection of Messiah and to turn to Him “. . .so there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord; 20 and that he may send the Christ who hath been appointed for you, even Jesus. . .” (Acts 3:19-21). Since every sin and blasphemy committed against men, God, and the Son of man may be forgiven upon repentance and acknowledgment of the same, we know that, inasmuch as Israel is scheduled to repent of this national crime and to seek divine favor, he will obtain the favor of God when he does this.
In Romans, chapters 9-11, we have the Jewish section of the Epistle. Here we are given Israel’s past, present and future. The Jewish people are still beloved for the fathers’ sake (Rom. ): “For the gifts and the calling of God are not repented of” (Rom. ). Thus we may be sure that Israel is coming back into favor with God and will become the channel of world blessing.
Notwithstanding the scriptural facts presented above concerning Israel’s repudiation of the national sin and his restoration to fellowship with God, there are those who insist that the curse of the Almighty God fell upon this people, and that it is to remain upon them forever. The basis for such reasoning is the statement found in Mark 11:14: “And he answered and said unto it, no man eat fruit from thee henceforward to ever.” Those not understanding the import of this language reason thus: Since this verse asserts that no man should eat fruit of the tree any more after that, so Israel should never again bear any fruit of a spiritual nature of which anyone might partake. It is, therefore, concluded that the curse has fallen upon the nation of Israel, never to be lifted so long as time shall last. Since this fig tree was never to yield fruit, these Bible students naturally conclude that Israel will nevermore have life and bear any fruit of which the nations might partake. From this conclusion there could be no escape, if this were all that we have on the subject. But when we take into consideration the passages of Scripture which have been referred to above, and which show that Israel will yet repent, will be forgiven, will be restored to favor with God, and will bear fruit abundantly, filling the whole earth with fruit, then we see that we cannot press the analogy to its logical conclusion, but must interpret this passage in the light of all the facts. We therefore conclude that Israel will yet bear the fruit—the curse having been lifted—and fill the earth with it, as we shall see below (Isa. 27:2-6)
Is it true, as some people assert, that, since the gospel was given to the Hebrew nation at the beginning of this dispensation, and since he has turned from it, he has had his one and only chance and is rejected of God now? Unfortunately, this position has been taken by some, and is still held by certain ones. It is true that the gospel was preached to the Jewish nation in the very beginning of the Christian Dispensation. So was it proclaimed to all nations by the first generation of Christians. This is seen in Romans 10:18: “But I say, Did they not hear? Yea, verily, their sound went out into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.” It is also affirmed by Paul in Colossians 1:5, 6: “. . .because of the hope which is laid up for you in the heavens, whereof ye heard before the word of the truth of the gospel, 6 which is come unto you; even as it is also in all the world bearing fruit and increasing, as it doth in you also, since the day ye heard and knew the grace of God in truth; . . .” And again in Colossians 1:23: “. . .if so be that ye continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and not moved away from the hope of the gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven; whereof I Paul was made minister.” Israel as a nation did not do any worse than any other nation to whom the truth was given in the first generation of the Christian church. A small minority in the various nations accepted Christ. The great bulk of each race turned their backs upon the gospel. If we are to turn our backs upon the Jew because he, in the first century, as a nation rejected the gospel, then we would have to turn our backs upon all other nations that were in existence at that time; because they, too, had the privilege of hearing the truth. But that which proves too much, proves nothing at all.
Our Lord, when He gave the Great Commission as recorded by Matthew, said that His disciples were to proclaim the gospel to all the nations throughout the entire dispensation, unto its consummation (Matt. 28:19, 20). It has been obligatory upon the disciples of Christ to proclaim the gospel to every nation of every generation throughout the present age. Unfortunately, the church has not done this. At the same time, there has been some most excellent and praiseworthy work that has been accomplished by various ones at different times during the dispensation. For all the labors of these consecrated servants of God we praise Him.
After the gospel had been given, first to Jerusalem, then in Samaria, and, finally, to the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8); Rom. ), Paul asserted: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For therein is revealed a righteousness of God by faith unto faith: as it is written, But the righteous shall live by faith” (Rom. , 17). So long as the gospel is “the power of God unto salvation,” just so long is it “to the Jews first, and also to the Gentile.” God has never modified, changed, altered, or rescinded this decree. In order for any person, or group of people, to be in the center of God’s holy, directive will, he must recognize this divine order and act accordingly.
Sometimes we hear the statement made that God is through with the Jews. This is indeed a mistake. God is not through with this nation whom He foreknew. It is true that they rejected the Lord Jesus when He came and, by so doing, went off, figuratively speaking, on a siding, which is running parallel to the main line of God’s plan and purpose.[2] Eventually, however, Israel will come back upon the main line and will become the channel of world-blessing.
Israel Will Yet Fill the Earth with Fruit
According to the original statement found in Genesis 12:1-3, God’s plan and purpose is to bless all nations in and through Abraham and his literal seed. Only a few, comparatively speaking, of the Hebrew people have thus far yielded themselves to God and allowed Him to use them as channels for world-blessing. Yet God has not rejected the Jew, but is awaiting the time when He will be able to bring the faithful remnant of His people back into fellowship with Himself. When He does that, He will use the whole nation in blessing all races of the world.
“In that day: A vineyard of wine, sing ye unto it. 3 I Jehovah am its keeper; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. 4 Wrath is not in me; would that the briers and thorns were against me in battle! I would march upon them, I would burn them together. 5 Or else let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; yea, let him make peace with me. 6 In days to come shall Jacob take root; Israel shall blossom and bud; and they shall fill the face of the world with fruit” (Isa. 27:2-6). The vineyard of Jehovah is the nation of Israel. It will yet, according to these verses, take root downward, bear fruit, and fill the whole world with it.[3] This teaching is n perfect harmony with Psalm 67, which is both a prophecy and a prayer. It is the former in that it foretells something that is yet to be fulfilled; it is the latter in that Israel, seeing his sad mistake of the centuries and feeling keenly a sense of his sinfulness, will plead to the Lord to have mercy upon him and to extend grace and help in order that the remnant may carry out the divine plan for their lives. Thus the nations of the world will learn of the grace of God and His salvation through converted Israel.
The great passage which shows conclusively the role that Israel will yet play in the plan of God is Revelation, chapter 7. At the beginning of this chapter we have the sealing of the 144,000 Jews—a sealing for service. I am thoroughly aware that various Gentile groups—usually some off-color brand of professing Christians or cult—have disregarded the scriptural facts and have claimed that they are the 144,000 of this passage. But John says that these are Jews—12,000 from each of the twelve tribes of Israel. There is no occasion for our disregarding the plain facts of the context and claiming that, though the Apostle said that they are Jews, he did not mean, exactly and literally, what he said: but that he was referring to some other group—to which those making this claim always belong. These 144,000, then, are real, true-blooded descendants of Abraham. They are the twelve tribes of Israel, who are also called Jews.[4]
These 144,000 servants of God are sealed in the first part of the Tribulation. This fact is seen by an examination of the Book of Revelation in its orderly development. The fact that they are chosen and sealed in the Tribulation precludes our identifying them as some group of Gentile believers that is now in existence. By no logic, rhyme, or reason can this passage be distorted from its context and made to apply to some group of religious people today.
After John was given the vision of these Jewish evangelists, he was granted another glorious picture of the results of their labors: “After these things I saw, and behold, a great multitude, which no many could number, out of every nation and of all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, arrayed in white robes, and palms in their hands; 10 and they cry with a great voice, saying, Salvation unto our God who sitteth on the throne, and unto the Lamb” (Rev. 7: 9, 10). Without a doubt the company here seen are saved people, for they are standing before the throne of God and of the Lamb, arrayed in white robes and with palms in their hands.
At the sight of these all the angels standing round about the throne, together with the elders and the four living creatures, feel before the throne on their faces and worshiped God, saying: “Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever. Amen” (Rev. 7:12). Then one of the elders asked John who this multitude was. He confessed his ignorance and replied to the elder, “Thou knowest.” The elder than informed him: “These are they that come out of the great tribulation, and they washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (Rev. 7:14). This elder emphatically stated that this great company—so very numerous that it could not be computed—“come out of the great tribulation.” This assertion must be taken at its face value. These people come out of the great Tribulation, the period of seven years during which God pours out His judgments upon the world, and which closes this present dispensation. The language is so very plain that it cannot be misunderstood or doubted by the truth seeker.
To ignore the context of Revelation , as is frequently done, and to interpret this verse in the light of Acts is to do violence to the Word of God. This latter passage is Paul’s statement regarding their (his and Barnabas’) exhorting their new converts, made on the Apostle’s first missionary tour, “to continue in the faith, and that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.” Paul knew that all who will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution. This is true of believers in every decade and every century of the Christian era. According to its context a person dare not take Acts out of its connection and apply it to the great Tribulation. Neither dare anyone who wants to handle the Word of God correctly whittle Revelation down and make it of the same size as Acts 14:22.
In Revelation John is talking about the Tribulation Period.