Michael Bresciani
The Fig Tree generation - - so how much time is left?
By Michael Bresciani
"I saw the danger and I passed, along the enchanted way, and I said let grief be a fallen leaf, at the dawning of the day" Raglin Road – McNally and James
A lot of Americans would say they never thought they would live long enough to see the day when a failing President could not get support from our oldest ally (Britain) or his own Congress and his new big buddy, the 'international community,' to wage war. Just when that sinks in, along comes old arch enemy Russia, like a big brother to the rescue, and offers a plan to remove the Syrian weapons of mass destruction for us and the rest of the world. Go figure.
America's moral decline and the rise in liberalism have been coupled; the enforcement arm of this new marriage is political correctness. Black and white is gone, now the leaders and followers are swimming around in a vast grey ocean where hypocrisy, stupidity and a lot of lying are drowning the swimmers on a daily basis.
Pigeon Holing Our Best Voices – If you can't silence them, profile them!
We've labeled our prophets, preachers and learned prognosticators as 'doomsdayers,' and we barrel down the road like a drunk driver who insists he will not have to pay the piper – until that tree jumps out and brings our ride to an end.
We overestimate the power of consensus and because we all agree, we needn't take note of those nations, cultures or individuals who have already smashed their rides into wandering trees. We have heard names like Adolph Hitler, Chairman Mao and we know history says something about fallen civilizations like Rome, but we cannot endure hearing, even one more time, the warning that 'those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.'
So here we are, repeating the mistakes of the past, the greatest of which is a complete failure to recognize the times, these last times, in which we live. Little wonder that Solomon said: "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun." (Ec 1: 9)
Christ, building upon Solomon's wisdom knew that men would rebuild the past in every generation. The most technically advanced, highly educated and completely distracted last generation would be no exception, thus he said, "O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" (Mt 16: 3b) So, what are these "signs of the times?"
Let's focus on only one of the Bible's hundreds of last day's prophecies. Speaking of conditions that would prevail just prior to his return Christ summarized by saying that when all the signs he warned of were fully underway, that would mark the last generation of time as we know it. Specifically he said:
"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. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." (Mt 24: 32–34)
Since his generation has passed and no other generation in history has produced all of the signs he spoke of, there is little doubt that he was speaking of our generation. Adding to this conclusion is the myriad of accompanying prophecies that clearly declare that when Israel becomes a nation again that all last days prophecies are about to be fulfilled.
The most history challenged of the day, know that Israel became a free and independent nation in 1948 after a 2500 year long history of being dispersed throughout the world.
From these two streams of prophetic warning comes the term the "Fig Tree Generation."
It is becoming apparent that 'boomers' got a lot of things wrong like the sexual revolution and abortion to name a few, then along came the 'X' generation that get most of their impressions in two second blips. Now we are told the 'Y' generation doesn't get much of anything because they are busy with texting, smart phones and are too distracted, and supremely confused, so much so that they have decided it's perfectly OK for men to marry men. It may be safe to say that a 'Z' generation will be the ones who slam into the aforementioned wandering tree.
How Much Time Does the 'Fig Tree Generation' Have Left?
Throughout the world a generation is held to be a period of between 25 and 75 years. The lowest number is derived from the idea that when one generation has spawned its offspring, the average age of those having children is about 25. The larger number is used by those who think that a generation is the entire lifetime of individuals. Nursing homes are the proof that some can go beyond the 75 year old mark, but a visit to the obits pages of any newspaper will show that on average most of us check out at around 70-75 years of age. Sorry, modern medicine.
The biblical record uses the longer number of years both in prophecy and in general. The figure used in scripture is often shaved by five years and is consistently shortened to 70 years. One example of this is found in Psalm 90: 10.
"The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away."
All we need to know now is when did the 'Fig Tree Generation begin. There are only two possibilities. One is at the rebirth of Israel in 1948. Because Jerusalem, the spiritual capital of Israel, plays into all last days prophecy the year Israel took back that city in the six day war of 1967 is thought to be the starting date. Using either date provides some stunning conclusions when the simplest math formula is applied.
Let's Do the Math
If the date of 1948 is used then we have 65 years from 1948 to the present (2013) which leaves five years to go until the fulfillment of all prophecy and the return of the Lord.
If we start at 1967, 46 years have passed which leaves 24 years to go to reach the end of the Fig Tree generation.
Now we know that between 5 and 24 years remain to the end of the Fig Tree generation. What we don't know is the day or the hour of Christ's return.
"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." (Mt 24: 36)
Well over forty years of study in eschatology and every bit of Divine input I've had, along with meticulous attention paid to current events have led me to believe that the five year balance is correct. While it remains to be seen, one thing that is clear as a bell, not much time is left and now is the time to consider this strong admonition.
"Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness." (Heb 3: 7, 8)
© Michael Bresciani
September 13, 2013
"I saw the danger and I passed, along the enchanted way, and I said let grief be a fallen leaf, at the dawning of the day" Raglin Road – McNally and James
A lot of Americans would say they never thought they would live long enough to see the day when a failing President could not get support from our oldest ally (Britain) or his own Congress and his new big buddy, the 'international community,' to wage war. Just when that sinks in, along comes old arch enemy Russia, like a big brother to the rescue, and offers a plan to remove the Syrian weapons of mass destruction for us and the rest of the world. Go figure.
America's moral decline and the rise in liberalism have been coupled; the enforcement arm of this new marriage is political correctness. Black and white is gone, now the leaders and followers are swimming around in a vast grey ocean where hypocrisy, stupidity and a lot of lying are drowning the swimmers on a daily basis.
Pigeon Holing Our Best Voices – If you can't silence them, profile them!
We've labeled our prophets, preachers and learned prognosticators as 'doomsdayers,' and we barrel down the road like a drunk driver who insists he will not have to pay the piper – until that tree jumps out and brings our ride to an end.
We overestimate the power of consensus and because we all agree, we needn't take note of those nations, cultures or individuals who have already smashed their rides into wandering trees. We have heard names like Adolph Hitler, Chairman Mao and we know history says something about fallen civilizations like Rome, but we cannot endure hearing, even one more time, the warning that 'those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.'
So here we are, repeating the mistakes of the past, the greatest of which is a complete failure to recognize the times, these last times, in which we live. Little wonder that Solomon said: "The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun." (Ec 1: 9)
Christ, building upon Solomon's wisdom knew that men would rebuild the past in every generation. The most technically advanced, highly educated and completely distracted last generation would be no exception, thus he said, "O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?" (Mt 16: 3b) So, what are these "signs of the times?"
Let's focus on only one of the Bible's hundreds of last day's prophecies. Speaking of conditions that would prevail just prior to his return Christ summarized by saying that when all the signs he warned of were fully underway, that would mark the last generation of time as we know it. Specifically he said:
"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. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." (Mt 24: 32–34)
Since his generation has passed and no other generation in history has produced all of the signs he spoke of, there is little doubt that he was speaking of our generation. Adding to this conclusion is the myriad of accompanying prophecies that clearly declare that when Israel becomes a nation again that all last days prophecies are about to be fulfilled.
The most history challenged of the day, know that Israel became a free and independent nation in 1948 after a 2500 year long history of being dispersed throughout the world.
From these two streams of prophetic warning comes the term the "Fig Tree Generation."
It is becoming apparent that 'boomers' got a lot of things wrong like the sexual revolution and abortion to name a few, then along came the 'X' generation that get most of their impressions in two second blips. Now we are told the 'Y' generation doesn't get much of anything because they are busy with texting, smart phones and are too distracted, and supremely confused, so much so that they have decided it's perfectly OK for men to marry men. It may be safe to say that a 'Z' generation will be the ones who slam into the aforementioned wandering tree.
How Much Time Does the 'Fig Tree Generation' Have Left?
Throughout the world a generation is held to be a period of between 25 and 75 years. The lowest number is derived from the idea that when one generation has spawned its offspring, the average age of those having children is about 25. The larger number is used by those who think that a generation is the entire lifetime of individuals. Nursing homes are the proof that some can go beyond the 75 year old mark, but a visit to the obits pages of any newspaper will show that on average most of us check out at around 70-75 years of age. Sorry, modern medicine.
The biblical record uses the longer number of years both in prophecy and in general. The figure used in scripture is often shaved by five years and is consistently shortened to 70 years. One example of this is found in Psalm 90: 10.
"The days of our years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away."
All we need to know now is when did the 'Fig Tree Generation begin. There are only two possibilities. One is at the rebirth of Israel in 1948. Because Jerusalem, the spiritual capital of Israel, plays into all last days prophecy the year Israel took back that city in the six day war of 1967 is thought to be the starting date. Using either date provides some stunning conclusions when the simplest math formula is applied.
Let's Do the Math
If the date of 1948 is used then we have 65 years from 1948 to the present (2013) which leaves five years to go until the fulfillment of all prophecy and the return of the Lord.
If we start at 1967, 46 years have passed which leaves 24 years to go to reach the end of the Fig Tree generation.
Now we know that between 5 and 24 years remain to the end of the Fig Tree generation. What we don't know is the day or the hour of Christ's return.
"But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." (Mt 24: 36)
Well over forty years of study in eschatology and every bit of Divine input I've had, along with meticulous attention paid to current events have led me to believe that the five year balance is correct. While it remains to be seen, one thing that is clear as a bell, not much time is left and now is the time to consider this strong admonition.
"Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness." (Heb 3: 7, 8)
© Michael Bresciani
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