〉 Chapter 64—A Doomed People
Chapter 64—A Doomed People
This chapter is based on Matthew 21:17-19; Mark 11:11-14, 20, 21. (HLv 387)
The last appeal to Jerusalem had been in vain. The priests and rulers had heard the prophetic voice echoed by the multitude in answer to the question, “Who is this?” but they did not accept it as the voice of Inspiration. In anger they tried to silence the people. To Roman officers in the throng, His enemies denounced Jesus as the leader of a rebellion. They represented that He was about to take possession of the temple, and reign as king in Jerusalem. (HLv 387.1)
But in a calm voice Jesus again declared that He had not come to establish a temporal rule; He would soon ascend to His Father, and His accusers would see Him no more until He should come again in glory. Then, too late, they would acknowledge Him. (HLv 387.2)
These words Jesus spoke with sadness and with singular power. The Roman officers were silenced and subdued. Their hearts were moved as they had never been moved before. In the solemn face of Jesus they read love and quiet dignity. Stirred by a sympathy they could not understand, they were inclined to pay Him homage. Turning on the priests and rulers, they charged them with creating the disturbance. (HLv 387.3)
Meanwhile Jesus passed unnoticed to the temple. All was quiet there, for the scene on Olivet had called away the people. For a short time Jesus remained, looking on the temple with sorrow. Then He returned to Bethany. When the people sought Him to place Him on the throne, He was not to be found. (HLv 387.4)
The entire night Jesus spent in prayer, and in the morning came again to the temple. On the way He was hungry, “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 the time of figs was not yet.” (HLv 387.5)
On the highlands about Jerusalem it might truly be said, “The time of figs was not yet.” But in the orchard to which Jesus came, one tree appeared to be in advance of all the others. It was already covered with leaves, giving promise of well-developed fruit. But its appearance was deceptive. Jesus found “nothing but leaves.” It was a mass of pretentious foliage, nothing more. (HLv 388.1)
Christ uttered against it a withering curse. ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again,’ He said. RSV. Next morning, as the Saviour and His disciples were again on their way to the city, the blasted branches and drooping leaves attracted their attention. “Master,” said Peter, “behold, the fig tree which Thou cursedst is withered away.” (HLv 388.2)
Christ’s act in cursing the fig tree seemed to the disciples unlike His ways. They remembered His words, “The Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” Luke 9:56. His works had been done to restore, never to destroy. This act stood alone. What was its purpose? they questioned. (HLv 388.3)
“As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked.” Ezekiel 33:11. To Him the work of destruction and the denunciation of judgment is a “strange work.” Isaiah 28:21. But in mercy and love He lifts the veil from the future and reveals the results of a course of sin. (HLv 388.4)
The barren fig tree, flaunting its pretentious foliage in the face of Christ, was a symbol of the Jewish nation. The Saviour desired to make plain the cause and the certainty of Israel’s doom. For this purpose He made the tree the expositor of divine truth. The Jews laid claim to righteousness above every other people. But they were corrupted by the love of the world and the greed of gain. They spread their pretentious branches aloft, luxuriant in appearance and beautiful to the eye, but they yielded “nothing but leaves.” The Jewish religion, with its magnificent temple and impressive ceremonies, was indeed fair in outward appearance, but humility, love, and benevolence were lacking. (HLv 388.5)
The leafless trees raised no expectation and caused no disappointment. These represented the Gentiles, who were as destitute as the Jews of godliness; but they made no boastful pretentions to goodness. With them “the time of figs” was not yet. They were still waiting for light and hope. The Jews, who had received greater blessings from God, were held accountable for their abuse of these gifts. The privileges of which they boasted only increased their guilt. (HLv 389.1)
Jesus had come to Israel, hungering to find in them the fruits of righteousness. Every privilege had been granted them, and in return He longed to see in them self-sacrifice, compassion, and a deep yearning for the salvation of their fellowmen. But love to God and man was eclipsed by pride and self-sufficiency. The treasures of truth which God had committed to them, they did not give to the world. In the barren tree they might read both their sin and its punishment. Withered, dried up by the roots, the fig tree showed what the Jewish people would be when the grace of God was removed from them. Refusing to impart blessing, they would no longer receive it. “O Israel,” the Lord says, “thou hast destroyed thyself.” Hosea 13:9. (HLv 389.2)
Christ’s act in cursing the tree which His own power had created stands as a warning to all churches and all Christians. There are many who do not live out Christ’s merciful, unselfish life. Time is of value to them only as they can gather for themselves. In all the affairs of life this is their object. God designed them to help their fellowmen in every possible way. But self is so large that they cannot see anything else. Those who thus live for self are like the fig tree. They observe the forms of worship without repentance or faith. In profession they honor the law of God, but obedience is lacking. In the sentence pronounced on the fig tree Christ declares that the open sinner is less guilty than he who professes to serve God but bears no fruit to His glory. (HLv 389.3)
The parable of the fig tree, spoken before Christ’s visit to Jerusalem, had a direct connection with the lesson He taught in cursing the fruitless tree. For the barren tree of the parable the gardener pleaded, “Let it alone, sir, this year also, till I dig about it and put on manure. And if it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.” Luke 13:8, 9, RSV. It was to have every advantage. In the parable, the result of the gardener’s work was not foretold: it depended on that people to whom Christ’s words were spoken, represented by the fruitless tree. It rested with them to decide their own destiny. Every advantage was given them, but they did not profit by their increased blessings. By Christ’s act in cursing the barren fig tree, the result was shown. They had determined their own destruction. (HLv 390.1)
For more than a thousand years the Jewish nation had rejected God’s warnings and slain His prophets. For these sins the people of Christ’s day made themselves responsible by following the same course. The fetters which the nations had for centuries been forging, the people of Christ’s day were fastening on themselves. (HLv 390.2)
There comes a time when mercy makes her last plea. Then the sweet, winning voice of the Spirit entreats the sinner no longer. (HLv 390.3)
That day had come to Jerusalem. Jesus wept in anguish over the doomed city, but could not deliver her. He had exhausted every resource. In rejecting the warnings of God’s Spirit, Israel had rejected the only means of help. (HLv 390.4)
The Jewish nation was a symbol of the people of all ages who scorn the pleadings of Infinite Love. The tears of Christ when He wept over Jerusalem were for the sins of all time. (HLv 390.5)
In this generation many are treading the same ground as the unbelieving Jews. The Holy Spirit has spoken to their hearts, but they are not willing to confess their errors. They reject God’s message and His messenger. (HLv 391.1)
Today Bible truth, the religion of Christ, struggles against a strong current of moral impurity. Prejudice is stronger now than in Christ’s day. The truth of God’s Word does not harmonize with men’s natural inclination, and thousands reject its light and choose their independent judgment. But they do it at the peril of their souls. (HLv 391.2)
Those who caviled at the words of Christ found ever-increasing cause for cavil, until they turned from the Truth and the Life. God does not propose to remove every objection which the carnal heart may bring against His truth. To those who refuse light which would illuminate the darkness, the mysteries of God’s Word remain such forever. From them the truth is hidden. (HLv 391.3)
Christ’s words are applicable to every soul who slights the pleadings of divine mercy. Christ is shedding bitter tears for you, who have no tears to shed for yourself. And every evidence of the grace of God, every ray of divine light, is either melting and subduing the soul, or confirming it in hopeless impenitence. (HLv 391.4)
Christ foresaw that Jerusalem would remain impenitent, yet all the guilt lay at her own door. Thus it will be with every soul who follows the same course. The Lord declares: “O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself.” “Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto My words, nor to My law, but rejected it.” Hosea 13:9; Jeremiah 6:19. (HLv 391.5)