Nathanael said to Him, “How do You know me?” Jesus answered and said to him, “Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you.” Nathanael answered and said to Him, “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel! Jesus answered and said to him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” John 1:48-50
Nathaniel has seen or understood that Jesus is the Son of God and the Messiah. These were the greater things which Jesus was mentioning in this verse. Just with one answer Nathaniel found out that Jesus is the Messiah: “How do you know me?” the answer was that “I saw you under the fig tree”. "I saw you under the fig tree" means that I saw you in your quiet time alone with God under the fig tree, which He and only God knew about. Jesus indirectly said, "I saw you talking to Father God in your quiet time under the fig tree."
In Matthew 16:15-16 - When Jesus asked the question ‘But who do you say that I am?’. Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven”. It was Father God who revealed Jesus was the Son of God and the Messiah to Peter. It could also be the same Father God who revealed to Nathaniel that Jesus was the Son of God and the Messiah. Nathaniel did not come to this conclusion on his own but by the help of Father God. Nathaniel was speaking to Father God when Jesus saw him under the fig tree. Jesus said "I saw you under the fig tree" means that “Jesus saw Nathaniel in His quiet time alone with Father God under the fig tree”
Nathaniel had such a wonderful time speaking and communing with Father God under the fig tree. Jesus said that to Nathaniel that “You will see greater things than these” if you continue to spend quiet time with Father God and Father God will reveal greater secrets about me (Jesus). Father God will impart his wisdom to you, and you will be a witness. Nathaniel will be able to see Father God pour out His fullness (All His Glory) on Jesus. It means that Nathaniel will be the first person to witness or see God in His fullness.
Jesus also said to Nathaniel - “Most assuredly, I say to you, hereafter you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man” John 1:51. This means that Nathaniel will be given an opportunity to see Jesus in all of His Glory. He will live under open heavens, witnessing more and more spectacular and glorious revelations about Jesus. He will see increasing amounts(more and more) of heavenly wisdom deposited on Jesus until he sees Jesus in all of God's glory. He will see Jesus as Heaven sees Jesus.
Nathaniel has received all these great blessings, and Jesus wanted to give even greater things to him because of his quiet time with Father God under the fig tree. Quiet time with Father God opened the gates of heaven to receive to great revelations about Jesus. What the disciples could not discover after spending some years with Jesus ( i.e. Jesus is the Messiah), Nathaniel discovered in his quiet time with Father God. Our quiet time with Father God is also a place where heaven will open, allowing us to receive greater revelations about Jesus. Quiet time with Father God is a place where Father God will open the gates of heaven and deposit the riches and treasures of Jesus in our life.
That is why Matthew 6:6 states, “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” Our quiet time or secret place of prayer is the place (fig tree) where we can find and meet our Father God. Nathaniel found the Father God under the fig tree. Did you find Father God under your fig tree? Do you have a fig tree where you can commune with Father God? Father God is already present near the fig tree or the secret place of prayer. He is already waiting near your fig tree before you. Nathaniel welcomed Jesus in the first coming. Nathaniel, like John the Baptist, played an important role in the First Coming of Jesus. Nathaniel was the first person to see Jesus in His Fullness. Nathaniel might have got all the information regarding the first coming of Jesus during his quiet time with Father God.
This generation needs a lot of people like Nathaniel who speak to Father God and receive greater revelations about Jesus. To get a deeper understanding of the breadth, greatness, mercy, love and Cross of Jesus as deposited by the Father God. Nathaniel saw who Jesus really IS: in all His fullness. What a rare sight to see. On one side, he saw Jesus in all His fullness, while on the other, he had communion with Father God. Father God will reveal manifold aspects about Jesus and the cost of Jesus’s sacrifice.
Before the second coming, there is a great need of people like Nathaniel who, in their quiet time with Father God, receive magnificent revelations concerning Jesus from the Father. Let those Nathaniel’s be caught up with Father God - worshipping and adoring Jesus along with the angels. Communion with Father God itself is a great thing, but Father revealing about Jesus is even more greater thing.
We do not need to know end-time mysteries regarding Antichrist or seals, but rather we need to know greater revelations about Jesus from the Father that are required to live eternity with Jesus. End-time secrets about earth(which is to be destroyed) are worthless in comparison to the greater treasures hidden at the Cross and in Jesus, which are valid for eternity. Get end-time secrets about Jesus and greater revelations about Jesus that are needed to spend eternity or the next 10,000 years with Jesus.
