 I hope that you will get the resources that are available to you from Prophecy Files. You can go online at paceassembly.org, paceassembly.org and get more resources concerning last day Bible prophecy teaching and I believe it will be a blessing to you. Now let me talk to you about the fig tree generation. One of the signs to this generation found in Matthew 24 is what is identified as the parable of the fig tree that Jesus spoke of. In the Olivet Discourse there in Matthew 24 Jesus reveals to his disciples the end of the age. Now follow Matthew 24. It says in verse 32, Now learn a parable of the fig tree, which his branch is yet tender and puteth forth leaves. You know that summer is nigh. So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near even at the doors. Verily I say unto you that this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. Verse 36 says, But of that day and hour, knoweth no man, know not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. There's four things that I want to draw your attention to in this passage of Scripture. An event will be signaled as imminent by the budding of the fig tree in verse 32 and 33. And then a generation shall not pass before all these things are fulfilled. Thirdly, we can be sure that Jesus Christ will return as he promised according to verse 35 in that passage. And then in verse 36, we can't know exactly or the hour or the day when Jesus will return that's held in the mind of God. Now with those things in mind, let me share with you a little bit of background concerning the fig tree. We find the very first reference of the fig tree found where Adam and Eve used fig leaves to cover their nakedness after the sin in the book of Genesis chapter 2 and chapter 3. In Mark chapter 11 in the New Testament, it wasn't the time for the figs at this particular occasion when Jesus was passing by and cursed the fig tree. While some will reveal that in Israel there is the time in the spring and the time in the fall when figs will come out, they'll come out in their smaller form in the earlier time, but there was nothing there, no fruit when Jesus came by. Many believe that this is without a doubt when Jesus cursed the tree, He was cursing the nation of Israel because of their unbelief, no fruitfulness there. In Matthew 21, the Bible speaks of an area called Bethfigae. It is literally the house of figs just outside of the city of Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives. The Bible says that they were hungry, Jesus and the disciples were, and when Jesus saw the fig tree and it was not producing the figs like He wanted it to be, He cursed it and it withered away. When they passed back by, Peter spoke up and was an amazement to see that the fig tree had literally lost its leaves and its limbs. And because of that, Jesus takes that opportunity to teach them a lesson about faith. They were amazed at it and Jesus said to them, Verily I say unto you, if you have faith and doubt not, you shall not only do this which has been done to the fig tree, but also you shall say to this mountain, Be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea and it shall be done. The amazing thing is that they are standing on the Mount of Olives right there in the very location where an earthquake will open up in the book of Revelation 19 and the water from the Mediterranean will flow 1300 feet below sea level down to the dead sea and make it come alive again. He's literally saying that these things are going to come to pass. Now with that in mind, we're talking about the fig tree generation. The re-establishment of the nation of Israel is the foremost sign to our generation that Christ's return is imminent. In fact, from the parable of Jesus, the fig tree is the key to the understanding of which generation will witness the return of the Lord and throughout all the nation of Israel, God has given to us this sign of the nation of Israel, the re-establishment of Israel that we cannot ignore. In fact, many people choose to do such, to ignore it completely. But since Jesus' generation has passed and no other generation in history has produced all the signs that Jesus spoke of in Matthew 24, then he must be speaking about that generation that would see the re-establishment of the nation of Israel and the signs that would follow. Some people, of course, would make reference to the olive tree being representative of the nation of Israel and certainly we would agree and the fig tree has made reference throughout the Word of God to the nation of Israel. Specifically in this place, you don't see Israel attached to it, but it's certain that the budding of a fig tree, letting us know that summer is nigh, is an indicator of last day events and if Israel certainly is the fig tree, then we must pay close attention to it. Jesus is saying then that the first seasonal move that takes place is the budding of the fig tree and then opening up the door that summer would be then close by. The fig tree is one of the last trees to bud in the spring, so when it brings forth its leaves, people know that summer is right around the corner. If Israel is the fig tree represented in Matthew 24 and Israel becomes a nation again and it has, as a sign of the seasonal changes, then we are that generation that will see the coming of the Lord. Some don't believe that Israel represents the fig tree, but many scriptures support it. In Hosea, he compares the people of Israel to figs. He says in chapter 9 verse 10, I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness, and I saw your fathers as the first fruits on the fig tree in its first season. Isaiah compares it to the plants and the vineyards, and Isaiah 5 and 7, for the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah are his pleasant plant. In Joel chapter 1 verse 6 and 7, the Bible says, This for a nation has come up against my land strong and without number. His teeth are the teeth of a lion. He has the fangs of a fierce lion and has laid waste my vine, talking about Israel, and ruined my fig tree. He has stripped it bare, thrown it away. Its branches are made white. Amos also predicts that God would plant his people again in their land. These prophecies show that Israel would become a nation again, which found its fulfillment in 1948. And all these passages and more point to the nation of Israel being that fig tree. Some say that these passages about the fig tree are just analogies to show that people who see the signs will know the return of Jesus is near, and they're correct. But in that, the increasing of the signs show us the nearness of Christ's return. And we cannot discount that Israel is represented here by the fig tree. Now, the sign of the fig tree is the beginning of the last generation according to the Scripture. The budding of that fig tree gives us an indication that Jesus is about to return. Now, when you speak of that passage of Scripture that Jesus talked about, he said this generation would not pass away. So the question comes, what is a generation? Well, there's varying degrees and opinions concerning a generation throughout the Word of God. But let me just take you through a few things to consider about generations and what has happened in each one of these particular generations. In 1897, the year of the very first Zionist Congress to 2017 is 120 years. In 1917, the year of the Balfour Declaration, that was 100 years ago to 2017. That's another indicator in the Scripture of a particular generation. In 1947 and 1948, the year that Israel was reborn as a nation, that's 70 years to this very celebration that just took place. That's another generational indicator. And then in 1967, when the city of Jerusalem was retaken by Israel, that's a 50-year mark, a Jubilee year, another generational mark to 2017. And in 1977, 78, in the year that Israel actually reached a mature level at the 40-year mark, this was a time of testing that they'd been in and brings us to the year of 2017-2018. So my friends, you can see that we are that fig tree generation that has seen the budding of the nation of Israel as an indicator that Jesus is about to return. So how much time does the fig tree generation have left? Well, I've used this passage of Scripture at many occasions, especially at the funerals of individuals who've gone on to be with the Lord. And the Scripture in Psalm 90, verse number 10, is a powerful one. The days of our years are three-score years and ten. And if by reason of strength they are four-score years, yet is their strength, labor, and sorrow, for it is soon cut off and we fly away. We need to understand and realize when the fig tree generation is occurring. And the rebirth of the state of Israel 1948 is the marking, I believe, of the fig tree generation, which is a 70-year mark. In this passage of Scripture in Psalm 90, it talks about the 70 years, three-score and ten, that's 70. And perhaps even 10 more, 80 years before there is this sorrow, labor, and we are cut off and fly away. What's the point? The point is, we are at that 70-year mark. Could it be that even now, as we've witnessed the rebirth of Israel, the establishment of the capital now, even by the United States and many other countries of Israel being Jerusalem, and the signs are all around us indicating that we are that fig tree generation. Of course, we can't know, according to the Scripture, the day nor the hour, but we can know the season. And there is an indicator from the parable of the fig tree found in the song of Solomon. This is what it says in chapter 2, verse 8. The voice of my beloved, behold, he comes leaping upon the mountains, skipping upon the hills. My beloved is like a row or a young heart. Behold, he standeth behind the wall and looketh forth at the window showing himself through the lattice. Now listen to verse 10. My beloved spake and said to me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. He says in verse 13, the fig tree puteth forth her green figs. That's early. And the vines with the tender grapes give a good smell. And then he says again, arise, my love, my fair one, and come away. Two times right here, the bridegroom is saying arise. I believe the first will be the dead in Christ that rise first. The second is that we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together. The Bible is very clear, my friends, as we're watching the budding and the maturing of the nation of Israel as an indicator of the return of Jesus Christ. While we may not know the day nor the hour, we certainly can know the seasons, and the Bible gives us this admonition in 1 Thessalonians 5. But of the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I write to you, or yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night, for when they shall say peace and safety, then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, you're not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. You're all children of the light that are born again, and the children of the day were not of the night nor of the darkness. Therefore, don't sleep as others, but let us watch and be sober. The Bible tells us that we are not appointed under wrath in verse number 9 of that same chapter, but to obtain salvation to live together with Him. We're admonished to comfort one another with these words. How important that it is that as we see it happening as the fig tree of Israel is budding, we can know that we are that generation that will see the coming of the Lord. I want to encourage you to stay ready and watching because Jesus Christ could come at any time. Till the next time we get together, remember Jesus Christ is coming soon.