Verses 12-14 and 20-21 “12And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry:
13And seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for the time of figs was not yet.
14And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.
…20And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
21And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig tree which thou cursedst is withered away.”
The fig tree, having leaves only and no figs, is a picture of Israel. She had leaves, which was something for show and for a promise of being fruitful, but she was not fruitful for God. Therefore, Israel was cursed by God and set aside in God’s eschatological program, and she will bear no fruit unto God until Jesus comes and establishes His kingdom. In His earthly kingdom Israel will be revived, she will be transformed from a valley of dry bones to a miracle nation, and the nation will be born in a day (Romans 11:25-26). In that day Israel will begin to be fruitful, and she will be fruitful ever after. But now we wonder how many individual lives have only leaves, no fruit for God? And what does the future hold for them? Fortunately, Christians can be revived TODAY and can begin to be fruitful for the Lord.