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THE GREAT EXCHANGE

Part XXV

Recent chapters of The Great Exchange have elaborated on the Jewish prophetic expectations as the New Covenant approached. When the prophetic panorama found in the book of Ezekiel unfolded, the Jews were encouraged. The prophet not only told them they were going to be released from the bondage of Babylon, they were to enjoy the presence of the LORD’s blessings once again.

However, the freedom that Ezekiel and the other prophets regaled was not the release from the Babylonians who had carried them away under Nebuchadnezzar; it was a breaking of the Spiritual bands of sin, which had held them for so long.

“And the earth shall yield her increase…when I have broken the bands of their yoke, and delivered them out of the hand of those that served themselves of them” (Ezekiel 34:27).

God had always indicated that if Israel turned away from Him, as His covenant people He loved them enough to punish them – and the kingdom of Babylon was His instrument.

“For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon” (Jeremiah 28:14).

Many believers have heard the true fact that the Jews rejected Jesus because they expected a conquering Messiah, who would violently deliver them from their oppressors – in the present case, Babylon. However, an epic reversal of sorts was in the making as the LORD was about to provide the Remnant of Israel in Judaea with liberation in the Spiritual arena.

The Jews of Judaea in Ezekiel’s day prophetically looked for a political deliverer, because that is what they desired. The prophets (all the way back to Moses), had told them they were to be vessels of the LORD’s light --  shining His righteousness to the Gentiles – but that is not the role they desired.

“Woe unto him that striveth with his Maker! Woe unto him that saith unto his father, What begettest thou? Or to the woman, What hast thou brought forth?” (Isaiah 45:9, 10).

The Jews in Judaea enjoyed the role of being chosen to be a “special people” (Deuteronomy 7:6) before God; but they consistently held back from a committed devotion to the LORD. This was particularly acute when they saw the Northern tribes of Israel decisively turn away from their role as God’s light to the nations, and a self righteous arrogance came upon them.

Another prophet of the exile in Babylon, Jeremiah, specifically addressed these circumstances.

“And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah feared not, and went and played the harlot also. And yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah hath not turned unto me with her whole heart but feignedly, saith the Lord” (Jeremiah 3:8, 10) .

Thus, at the time of Ezekiel’s vision of the “dry bones” representing the desolation of “all Israel” during the Babylonian captivity, the nation had finally come to the realization that they were completely lost.

“Then he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel: behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost” (Ezekiel 37:11).

Jesus addressed this time in one of his marvelous parables. Many know about the symbolism of the Fig Tree as a metaphor describing Israel, but most are not cognizant of the fact there were two “Fig Tree” parables.

The Rapture Cult twists one of the two tales into yet another role reversal – again exchanging the prophetic roles, by identifying the Fig Tree parable with the re-gathering of the modern state known as Israel – thereby mis-identifying the Antichrist nation as “the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16).

“Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors” (Matthew 24:32, 33).

Since there are now two Israels – the modern flesh and blood, Christ rejecting political state, and the Spiritual body of redeemed people now known as Christians -- this parable points us to the important truth that Israel was split into two, at the cross of JESUS CHRIST. Indeed, the very fact the nation was split into the two houses of Israel known as Samaria and Judaea under the Old Covenant, prophetically prefigures this astonishing  metamorphosis.

In the original example of the Fig Tree, Jesus and His disciples had encountered a Fig Tree, and since He was hungry, the LORD sought fruit on the tree. When he found no fruit at all, He cursed the tree.

“And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it. And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots” (Mark 11:14).

The reader may remember the verse quoted in our last installment of The Great Exchange, when we cited the wonderful chapter of Isaiah 53, about the Saviour who was “despised and rejected of men” when He “was wounded for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53:3).

In that priceless passage, we also saw that He was prophesied to grow up as “a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground” (Isaiah 53:2).

The picture of Christ as a “tender” plant, that is raised up out of “dry ground,” is mystically manifested as JESUS grows up in the Israel that was “dried up from the roots” (Mark 11:14).

In the other Fig Tree parable, we see the Father, the owner of the tree, has wearied of waiting for the tree to bear fruit.

“He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found none. Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down” (Luke 13: 6, 7).

This end of His longsuffering is seen in the prophet Amos, who states the final reckoning of Israel is near.

“And he said, Amos, what seest thou? And I said, A basket of summer fruit. Then said the Lord unto me, The end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more” (Amos 8:2).

The “summer fruit” that Amos sees is indicative of a harvest, and it certainly points to a shelf life for the fruit. In other words, the final time of reckoning for the “Fig Tree” was at hand. Furthermore, it resonates with Amos’ prophecy of “the end…of Israel” (Amos 8:2), when Christ said you’ll know that “summer is near” (Mark 13:28). 

Back in the New Testament parable where the “certain man” decrees the tree is to be cut down, there is even more information. The “dresser” of the vineyard was obviously Christ, who is duty bound to obey the directives of the Father -- the “certain man” that owned the Fig Tree.

Here we see the intercessory characteristic of the Son, as the Scripture tells us that Christ mediates with the Father, to placate His wrath against unrepentant mankind.

“It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us” (Romans 8:34).

Thus, we see the LORD JESUS CHRIST in the parable, mediating with the Father on behalf of Israel – the Fig Tree.

“And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down” (Luke 13:8, 9).

In that the Son’s statement may be paraphrased as If it still doesn’t bear any fruit after I’ve worked with it, you can still cut it down, we are provided even more context. In other words, the parable also provides a “second witness” (Deuteronomy 17:6) to the fact that the effort made to spare the Fig Tree is definitely Israel’s last chance, just as Amos said.

The end is come upon my people of Israel; I will not again pass by them any more” (Amos 8:2).

It is self evident that Christ intercedes for Israel -- as opposed to an entirely separate body known as the “Church” (which is supposedly distinct from Israel), so the parable is embedded with doctrine as well as prophecy.

In fact, the parable of the Fig Tree – which is clearly Israel – provides additional layers of prophetic doctrine.

We just noted that when Christ (as the “dresser” of the vineyard) says that if the tree does not bear fruit after His efforts to redeem it, the Father can still cut it down, we might add that history precisely records the final end of flesh and blood Israel. After Jerusalem refused to honor Jesus Christ as their prophesied king, the insurrection of the Jews shortly thereafter sealed their fate.

The records are extensive (and graphic), and they coherently record the Roman siege which ultimately destroyed Jerusalem and the temple. In short, the end of Israel came about as the Remnant of flesh and blood Israel was completely destroyed in 70 AD.  

When Christ cursed the tree because He was “hungry” (indicating an expectation of the praise due the Father for His centuries of dealing with His rebellious chosen people), and He finds no “fruit” at all on the tree, He also precludes a further contribution by the “tree.”

“Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward forever” (Matthew 21:19) .

The desired “fruit” is clearly tied to the efforts of the “dresser of the vineyard” (Luke 13:7), who expends effort to make the tree productive. This fruit is directly related to the New Testament definition of fruits in a Spiritual vein.

“Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:11).

Further, the physical flourishing of the modern state is unrelated to the Scripturally defined Spiritual vitality -- which is a necessary component of Israel’s original mission as a light to the nations.

In this regard, we remember Israel’s original calling was to be a vessel of honour, containing the righteousness of God, as a witness to the nations. That light – shining to the Gentiles through Israel – is indeed Jesus Christ.

“I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles” (Isaiah 42:6).

Thus, two “Israels” intersected at the cross. One was destined for destruction, as the dual factions of Death and Hell were driving it, and the other was inhabited by the Spiritual Life in Jesus Christ.

-- James Lloyd                                

To Be Continued

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