Learn a Parable of the Fig Tree

Yesterday I wrote about what the Lord expects us to learn, including learning of Christ and learning to do His will.  There’s another interesting command that He gave regarding something very specific that we should learn.  In His discourse on the Mount of Olives during His final week He told the disciples, “Now learn a parable of the fig tree—When its branches are yet tender, and it begins to put forth leaves, you know that summer is nigh at hand; So likewise, mine elect, when they shall see all these things, they shall know that he is near, even at the doors; But of that day, and hour, no one knoweth; no, not the angels of God in heaven, but my Father only” (JSM 1:38-40).  This counsel is repeated in the Matthew and Mark versions of the discourse (Matt. 24:32, Mark 13:28), and the Lord referred to it again in our dispensation.  Speaking of “the poor and the meek” who will “have the gospel preached unto them” in the latter days, He said, “They shall be looking forth for the time of my coming, for it is nigh at hand—And they shall learn the parable of the fig tree, for even now already summer is nigh” (D&C 35:15-16). 

               The invitation here from the Savior is to “learn a parable of the fig tree.”  The parable is straightforward because He gave us the explanation; just as we can tell when the summer is close based on the growth and leaves of the fig tree, we should be able to see the signs of the coming of the Savior and know that His arrival is close.  So I don’t think that the real work for us is learning the meaning of this parable—it is not hard to understand.  I think the real learning that He expects us is to learn to apply the parable of the fig tree; in other words, we need to learn to discern the signs of the times and see when they are being fulfilled.  Wilford Woodruff said this: “The Lord will not delay his coming because of their unbelief, and the signs both in heaven and earth indicate that it is near. The fig trees are leafing in sight of all the nations of the earth, and if they had the Spirit of God they could see and understand them.”  We are to learn the prophecies of the scriptures and then watch as they come to pass in our day—something we can only do if, as President Woodruff said, we have the Spirit of God to help us understand them.  And in addition to learning to see the signs of the times for what they are, we also show that we understand the parable of the fig tree when we prepare for the coming of the Son of Man.  As the Savior put it, “Therefore be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man cometh…. Blessed is that servant whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so doing” (JST Matt 1:48, 50).  If we have truly learned the parable of the fig tree, then we will know that the signs of the times are all around us and we will be ready spiritually for that great day when He will come again.