Matthew 24:35 Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.
In Matthew 21, Yeshua (Jesus) approached a fig tree full of leaves but found no fruit. He cursed it, and it withered. This dramatic act was not about the tree—it was about Israel. The fig tree had the appearance of life, but it lacked the substance of transformation. It was a warning to a nation full of religion but void of repentance. The tree became a symbol of spiritual barrenness, of form without fruit.
But a few chapters later, in Matthew 24:32, the fig tree appears again — not cursed, but budding with new life. This time, it signals hope and restoration. The same fig tree that once symbolized judgment now speaks of redemption. Its tender branches and fresh leaves are a prophetic picture of Israel’s return to life, just as Ezekiel foretold: “But you, O mountains of Israel, shall shoot forth your branches and yield your fruit to My people Israel, for they are about to come” (Ezekiel 36:8).
This restoration is not only national–it is deeply spiritual. Romans 11:25-27 reveals the mystery that a partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in, but “all Israel will be saved.” The budding fig tree points to that promise. And it doesn’t stand alone–Yeshua said, “When you see all these things,” including deception, war, apostasy, and Israel’s rebirth, “know that it is near, even at the doors.” We are witnessing prophetic convergence, with the fig tree at the center. Yet in the midst of it all, He gives us an anchor: His Word will not pass away. In Hebrew, davar means both “word” and “thing” — because when God speaks, things happen. Creation responds. History bends. That’s why the fig tree parable ends not with fear, but with certainty. Though everything else may shake, His Word stands forever (Isaiah 40:8).
Here lies the mystery within the parable: the fig tree that blossoms is more than a sign of new life—it not only points to restoration and revival — but toward God’s appointed rest. Shabbat (שַׁבָּת) is not merely a pause from labor; it is a prophetic window into the Messianic Age—the seventh day in God’s redemptive week—when He will dwell with His people and make all things new. “There remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God” (Hebrews 4:9), and the fig tree is quietly declaring that final rest is near.
So as the fig tree buds, awaken your heart–this is not the time to sleep. As the signs converge, don’t be shaken–be sharpened. This is not a moment for fear, but for preparation and confident rest. The same God who declared the end from the beginning has appointed you to live in this hour. The fig tree is a prophetic promise: the harvest is ready, restoration has begun, and God’s final rest is near. So rise up, stay sharp, and step boldly into your calling–the King is at the door.
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]When we think of a good citizen, we probably think of a law-abiding, productive contributor to society who takes pride in his country. I’m sure all of us would like to be thought of as good citizens of the countries in which we live. My wife has dual citizenship, she’s both Israeli and American — I guess that means she has to work extra hard at being loyal!
The Apostle Paul’s discourse in 1 Corinthians 10 recalls the great miracles God performed for the children of Israel during the time of the Exodus. Delivered from Egypt and Pharaoh’s slavery, they were dismayed to discover his maniacal rage pursuing them anew, driving them into a deadly corner and imminent destruction. Humanly speaking, their terror and panic was understandable. With their eyes they could only see the wrath of Egypt succeeding at last to utterly destroy them. In that state of mind, how might they have remembered the consecutive miracles God had wrought against Egypt which had brought them to this very place?
Is there something about miracles that makes them forgettable? Or is the problem with us? After journeying for a season the children of Israel were faced with hunger — another test. This time, naturally faced with starvation, they murmured against the Lord, AGAIN! You’d think they might begin to put it together that God truly wanted them to trust Him. Apparently not yet. The dire circumstances attacked their mass cerebral cortex (memory) and once again they went into attack mode, bitterly complaining in unbelief. The Ten Plagues, the pillar of fire, the Red Sea walk, the Egyptian chariot soup, none of these connected to the present hunger pangs. Nature trumped super-nature, and sadly, God Himself.
When I was in school, it seemed they ran a “fire drill” at least once a year. A long, loud, kind of scary bell would sound and we knew it was either a real fire, or, more likely, just another drill. We were formed into lines, ushered down the halls, and out the doors we went. Of course, the point was practice….so we would be prepared for a real fire.
The children of Israel are facing yet another test, this one, even more severe than hunger– dehydration – which, unabated, quickly leads to a miserable death. Yet, now, every day they are also seeing the miracles of God, who is feeding them regularly with manna, and surrounding them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. Once again, they fail the test, even in the midst of their daily witness of miracles. So even though the test is more severe, the evidence for trust is that much greater.
There is a long standing tradition of cleaning one’s house in the springtime – hence the term “spring cleaning”. One source for this tradition is certainly the Jewish Passover (Pesach). Each spring as the holiday approaches observant householders in Israel and around the world perform a meticulous cleaning of their homes, especially to be sure there is no leaven in the house before Pesach begins. Leaven, in scripture, is often a metaphor for sin and impurity; and this season of the year is often a time for emphasizing “spiritual housecleaning”.
This season of the Resurrection also occurs during a significant Old Testament feast day, the feast of “Firstfruits” (Hebrew, “bikoreem”). When Yeshua (Jesus) rose from the dead he was the firstfruit of the resurrection. On that day the keys of Hell and Death were obtained by our Lord. The apostle Paul connected the resurrection with the feast of Firstfruits in his letter to the congregation at Corinith. “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”