I have read these passages many many times, yet today I noticed something different. Where in the past, the ideas presented seemed rather disjointed and random. This time I tried to contextualize everything as part of a scene.
The scene is this: The King has returned. His triumphal entry has occurred. He surveys the Temple, then leaves. He returns the next day and wrecks the corrupted financial system of the day.
During this brief span of time he encounters a fig tree that bears no fruit, curses it and it dies. When Peter makes note of it, Jesus makes the statement that has become the hallmark of faith believers:
(Mar 11:22-24) Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. For most certainly I tell you, whoever may tell this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ and doesn’t doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is happening; he shall have whatever he says. Therefore I tell you, all things whatever you pray and ask for, believe that you have received them, and you shall have them.
The word that stands out to me is 'mountain'. In prophetic scripture, mountains are often used to represent high places of worship and kingdoms. Couple this with the fact that the incidents prompting these words and His proclamation, that He is not merely teaching us of mountains and fig trees.
I believe He is showing prophetically how His Kingdom, will destroy a corrupt world mercantile empire. The fig tree has been used throughout scripture to symbolize Israel, but in this case I believe it is actually the corrupt underbelly.
Israel has always been used as His chosen example to a wider world. If He would judge His chosen, why would He not judge the world? He made a covenant with the Hebrew people, so the devout among them will not be destroyed, unlike the fig tree in our story. Couple this with the idea that he wreaked havoc among the money changers in the temple, this to me makes the entire account a double reference prophecy.
Things come to light seemingly at providential times when dividing the scriptures. The hyperlinks are there all throughout the text, but are only revealed at the proper time. This also came up as I was doing my daily reading, (This was not a dig, but just reading):
(Mic 2:1) Woe to those who devise [[iniquity]] and work evil on their beds! When the morning is light, they practice it, because it is in the power of their hand.and further:
And further:
(Mic 2:3) Therefore Yahweh says: “Behold, I am planning against these people a disaster, from which you will not remove your necks, neither will you walk haughtily; for it is an evil time.
As concepts contained in these verses blend in my mind, I'm reminded of a phrase that has circulated in light of geopolitical upheaval:
Nothing can stop what's coming. Nothing.
Truly, darkness seems to be being exposed at an exponential rate. The world government system seems to be collapsing, the financial seems more fragile than ever, and it all like the fig tree, seems to be withering from it's roots up.
The King shall soon return, not riding a donkey this time, but a white horse, to remove this entire corrupt world system mountain and cast it into the sea!
Maranatha!
If our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ Returned in the next ten minutes, it wouldn't be too soon for me...God Bless!