Shema “Tree of Life” Living Series #7: A Fig Tree of Life
The one who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit… (Proverbs 27:18)
“Learn this parable from the fig tree: Whenever its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. (Matthew 24:32)
After noticing in the distance a fig tree with leaves, he went to see if he could find any fruit on it. When he came to it he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again.” And his disciples heard it. (Mark 11:13-14
I love figs! Especially, I love them made in the forms preserves—super yummy on a biscuit! But, I appreciate the taste of them in their raw state as well. Part of this love and appreciation for the delectable fruit was partly due to an early introduction to them. In the small town I grew up, my teenage years was spent living adjacent to my mother’s parents. Our backyards were connected by a sidewalk! Just as you would crossover from our property into my grandparents, there was a fig tree. I remember collecting the figs a couple of times during those years. And yes, I even ate a few during the harvesting moment—some of those figs never had a chance to be preserved! Lol!.
The fig tree is a common reference point, filled with symbolism, in both the Old and New Testaments as not only a part of the regional landscape but for its robust expression in biblical prophecy and spiritual teaching. The tree was a valued product of the region as it was among the list of those fruit trees that populated the Promised Land. (Deuteronomy 8:8). Yes, much like the grapevine and olive, the fig tree was a common sight and a staple of the Middle East diet. New, young figs were known for being sweet and tasty. Figs were also pressed into cakes as another form of dietary consumption. (1 Samuel 30:12)
Moreover, the fig was utilized and known for its medicinal properties. “Isaiah ordered, ‘Get a fig cake.’ So they did as he ordered and placed it on the ulcerated sore, and he (King Hezekiah) recovered.” (2 Kings 20:7; also see Isaiah 38:21) Though we are not exactly sure what King Hezekiah’s sore was the order to utilized the pressed figs along with God’s mercy brought healing to the physical issue.
The fig tree’s physical features and its development provide biblical lessons that illustrates God’s attentive care, Jesus’ prophetic timing, and a symbol of our Lord’s divine peace and prosperity. First, the heart message of the fig tree as a reference of the vital need of horticultural care is denoted in Proverbs, The one who tends a fig tree will eat its fruit… (27:18). “Tends” indicates much needed care of the fig tree required. In this respect the fig tree relates to the grapevine which also needed continual care. Pruning, guarding, and overall nurturing was a vital necessity until harvest time. Yes, the fig tree could be characterized as more of a “high maintenance” tree as this care needed to be done until the maturity of the tree was sufficient so it would be able to produce the fruit desired. This could take five years! The virtue of diligent care and persevering expertise—what a wonderful demonstration depicting the nature and character of Yahweh.
A second spiritual meaning presented in the Scriptures is the issue of prophetic timing. Jesus, following what is called the Olivet Discourse (Jesus was located in the Mount of Olives, known for its fig trees as well as the prominent olive groves.) in which Jesus declared end time prophecies in Matthew 24. After detailing the events Jesus references the fig tree as a figure to understand the timing of His second advent and the coming end.
The teaching surfaces an interesting point of the fig tree’s growth—the blooms of the coming fruit will appear first, before the tree’s leaves. The understanding becomes a crucial contribution to why Jesus would curse the fig tree in Mark 11. The Scripture indicates the tree was full of leaves but leaves only. The blooms and formation of the figs were not present. Though the tree looked good and healthy, it was useless because it was non-fruit bearing. So, though the timing of Jesus looking for ripe figs to eat would be an early one as compared to a normal May-June ripening process, the well-known nature of how the tree develops clearly indicated it would not fruit-bearing. Thus, Jesus’ cursing of the tree is appropriate. (An additional thought, is the rich and wet soil of this area could have ushered in an earlier timing of April in which young figs could have begun to be evident.)
A third and final spiritual application of the fig tree is its symbolism to signify peace and prosperity. As noted earlier, both the fig tree and grapevine required constant attention for the fruit to be produced and harvested. Thus, when the bounty of these fruit-bearing trees became descriptive of the region it denoted a time of established peace in the land had been experienced. “All the people of Judah and Israel had security; everyone from Dan to Beer Sheba enjoyed the produce of their vines and fig trees throughout Solomon’s lifetime.” (1 Kings 4:25; see also Micah 4:4, Zechariah 3:10) A time of enduring peace allowed families to be home to nurture their crops as well as the onslaught and destruction that often accompanied enemy invasion had been averted.
Each of these three spiritual applications are rich and robust to communicate who our Lord is. First, there is no care like God’s care over His people. We too, have moments of being “high maintenance” as well as need multiple seasons before Christ nurtures us as a fig tree of life to produces the fruit of God’s Spirit. Let us rejoice and be grateful for His wonderful longsuffering and watchful compassion over our lives as He forms Christ in each of us.
Next, God’s revelation of His ways in the fig tree and the unique way in which it develops and bears its fruit clearly emphasize the importance of timing concerning Jesus’ return. The truth applies not only at the end times, but in daily life as we look to God often for His help, provision, and work. Often our obsession is how long things take. Even with God we can find ourselves being stretched and uncomfortable looking for God to answer our prayer and help in a time of family or financial crises. Yet, in order to be a fig tree of life the needed adjustment to prioritize and trust God’s timing over how much time is needed in our spiritual journey is a transformative adjustment.
Finally, God is a God of peace! His provision of intentional seasons of qualitative serenity (John 14:27; 16:33) and meaningful prosperity cannot be equaled. These God-given moments are treasured gifts that not only foreshadow one’s eternal relationship with the Prince of Peace but also will fuel and inspire during and through moments of drudgery and crisis.
Now, these godly, fig tree of life qualities—care, timing, and peace—of our Heavenly Father are imparted to us as His followers. With our Father’s enablement they are to be demonstrated in and through us as His children and servants. When empowered by the One who is our Source of these spiritual assets the wonderful qualitative difference before the world will testify to the world around us of the Lord we love and follow. Indeed, fig trees of life are powerful gifts to others of Christ Jesus!
Our Father, You have revealed Your life and Person in the wonderful parable and imagery of the fig tree. Thank you for the biblical teaching that reminds us first of You as a God of care timing, and peace. Enable us as Your followers to allow You to be a fig tree of life to our spouses, family, churches, workplaces, and enemies. May our lives be a sweet taste of spiritual nourishment and medicinal properties of supernatural wellness to Your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.