The Leaves Are One The Trees

“The Leaves are on the Trees.”

By

Bishop Melvin L. Maughmer, Jr.

OPENING: - 2 Timothy 4:1-5 says, “I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lust shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ear; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of the evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry”.

My mission today is as always not for you to accept unconditionally the words that come out of my mouth, but to cause you to study to show thyself approved unto God a workman that needeth not be ashamed rightly dividing the Word of Truth 2 Timothy 2:15.

There are a lot of people that see the events of the world, the war in Israel, the atmospheric conditions, the earthquakes, famines, pestilences, etc. and are troubled. They are running around in a state of panic wondering if we are headed towards WWIII. However, we that are saved, we that have the Holy Ghost need not be troubled of these things. Matthew 24:6 says, “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye are NOT TROUBLED: for all these thing must come to pass, but the end is not yet”. That word Troubled Greek word meaning to wail, to clamor, to be frighten, to make noise, to be troubled in mind and alarmed. People of God don’t need to be troubled at what is going on for all these things must come to pass. Must means it is necessary, there is a need it is right and proper. So we don’t have to be troubled for the things that are happening is necessary.

My mother tells the story of when I was 4 years old, and she was pregnant with my brother Mark. My mother says when she was pregnant that I would always ask her when is the baby coming and she says she told me “When the leaves come on the trees that the baby would be here”. My brother Mark was born in June and the leaves came on the trees in April or May and she says I said, “Mommy the leaves are on the trees where is the baby, she said she would say the baby will be here any day now”.

Well Jesus said in Matthew 24:32 “Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh”. Luke 21:29-30 says, “And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand”.

Today I want to deal with this subject: - “The Leaves are on the Trees”.

PRAYER: -

SCRIPTURE: - Matthew 24:32-34 “ 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”.

Luke 21:29-32 “And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees; When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand. So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled”.

Let me start off by saying many preachers have interpreted Jesus words as a prophecy about Israel. As a matter of fact, many preachers, churches, denominations, and theological schools are dogmatic about the fact that fig tree represents Israel in all of scripture. If that is true then in Mark 11:12-24 after Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem as He and the disciples were leaving, they come upon a fig tree that is full of leaves and they expected to find fruit of figs on the tree. When Jesus finds no fruit, He curses the tree and says in verse 14 “And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter forever. And his disciples heard it”. Then in verses 20 it says, “And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots”. If the fig tree represents Israel in scripture, then here in Mark 11 Israel would be dried up from the roots forever.