The parable of the fig tree and this generation

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! I was troubled by the interpretation of the parable of the fig tree and the meaning of the verse "Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled." (Matthew 24:34 KJV). I became very troubled for I could not understand, and my faith became very weak. But God had mercy on me, and gave me understanding.

My confusion came from some popular interpretations by the scholars. For example, some of them say that "this generation" simply means "this race", and some others say "all these things" means the destroy of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. by the Roman army. On the very surface, they might take "this generation" as the generation of the 12 disciples, then they have to say that "all these things" means the destroy of Jerusalem, otherwise the Scripture would be broken, since the very next verse says: "Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away." So they point to verses 15-20 as mentioning the destroy of Jerusalem (and even use history as their support, saying that many Christians were saved by that warning around the year of 70 A.D., yet that should be the verses in Luke 21:20-24, when the Israel will be again "led away captive into all nations, and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled", and these are two different events: one is at the start of the times of the Gentiles, the other is about the end of the times of the Gentiles, which is a long, long time).

But, there are ample evidences against this interpretation as the destroy of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. For immediately the great tribulation follows in the next verse (and that's why people should escape in great haste, for it comes very quickly, and it is *the* most severe trouble in all human history: "such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be."). Secondly, in verse 14, it mentions by that time "this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations;" And what follows from verse 15 on is for the detailed discussion of "and then shall the end come" in the latter part of verse 14. A third argument against that interpretation comes from the verses on "the abomination of desolation" in the book of Daniel (9:27, 11:31, 12:11). The abomination of desolation lasts for 1290 days (Daniel 12:11), and "blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty (1335) days" (Daniel 12:12). In Daniel 12:1 similar words are used: "and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." Daniel 12:2 mentions the resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous, which is also mentioned in the book of Revelation. These are all of the time of the end.

Then, how about the other interpretation as "this race"? Those people realized that Jesus was talking about the time of the end, and it will be a long long time, so they say that it means "this race". They are talking about the race of Israel, and we know that the race of Israel shall not pass (neither the Israel according to flesh, as some of them are of faith, nor the Israel according to faith), rather, they will be delivered onto eternal life according to their faith, some at resurrection, some will be fortunate enough to be ruptured while still in the flesh. If you notice how the word "this" is also used in verse 21: "such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." So, "this generation" in "this time", naturally, and what the term "this time" refers to here, is obviously the time of the end!

From these discussions above, it shall be clear that "this generation" in verse 34 is referring to the generation that saw "the abomination of desolation" stand in the holy place (verse 15). This interpretation cause trouble to a popular interpretation of the parable of the fig tree, as many consider it to be a prophecy about the independence of the modern Israel state in May 1948 A.D. As for why they think there is a link between the fig tree and the Israel nation, I do not quite understand, but that's the major argument they can deliver. But if we read Luke 21:29, "And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;" we see that not just fig tree is mentioned, but also "all trees". This clearly shows that the interpretation of the fig tree parable as a prophecy of the establishment of the modern Israel state can not hold. And now we also know the timing is not right. In summary, the time of the end has little to do with the establishment of the modern state of Israel, and we should not expect that within a generation of the establishment of Israel, the time of the end should come. But when it comes, it comes swift and quick, just like the Lord says of the day of his return: like a thief, at an unexpected time.

So, don't fall asleep, you faithful! And when the time of the end comes, you can rejoice, for your redemption draws near!