太二四14　这国度的福音要传遍天下，对万民作见证，然后末期才来到。

　　　　32~33 但是你们可以从无花果树学个比方：当树枝发嫩长叶的时候，你们就知道夏天近了；照样，你们几时看见这一切的事，也该知道那夏天近了，正在门口了。

　　国度的福音，包括恩典的福音（徒二十24），不仅把人带进神的救恩，也把人带进诸天的国（启一9）。恩典的福音重在罪的赦免、神的救赎和永远的生命；国度的福音重在神属天的管治和主的权柄。在这世代结束之前，国度的福音要传遍天下，对万民作见证，如启示录六章一至二节第一印之白马所表征的。因此，这传扬乃是这世代终结的兆头（圣经恢复本，太二四14注1）。

　　〔当〕国度的福音传遍全世界……这事成就时，我们就该领悟，末了的三年半即将开始〔太二四14〕。……在这传扬以前，许多其他的事将已发生。但这些事不是这世代终结的兆头，因为提到这些事时，主说末期还没有来到。因此，国度的福音传遍天下，将是这世代终结独一的兆头（马太福音生命读经，七九九页）。

　　Matt. 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

　　32-33 But learn the parable from the fig tree: As soon as its branch has become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that the summer is near. So also you, when you see all these things, know that it is near, at the doors.

　　The gospel of the kingdom, which includes the gospel of grace (Acts 20:24), brings people not only into God’s salvation but also into the kingdom of the heavens (Rev. 1:9). The gospel of grace emphasizes forgiveness of sin, God’s redemption, and eternal life, whereas the gospel of the kingdom emphasizes the heavenly ruling of God and the authority of the Lord. This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole earth for a testimony to all the nations before the end of this age. Hence, that preaching, signified by the white horse of the first seal in Revelation 6:1-2, will be a sign of the consummation of this age. (Matt. 24:14, footnote 1)

　　[When] the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom to the whole world... has been accomplished, we should realize that the last three and a half years are about to begin [Matt. 24:14]…. Prior to this preaching, many other things will have taken place. But these things are not the signs of the end of the age, for in speaking about them the Lord said that the end was not yet. Therefore, the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom to all the inhabited earth will be the unique sign of the end of this age. (Life-study of Matthew, p. 722)

　　无花果树乃是代表以色列国的。……在……马太二十一章十八至二十节，以色列国这棵无花果树，因没能结果子给主用，就遭了主的咒诅而枯干了，就是亡国四散了。但圣经预言说，犹太人还要复国，就是这里所说，无花果树树枝发嫩长叶所象征的。主说，我们看见这事，就该知道祂近了，正在门口了。所以这也是主再来的一种预兆（圣经要道卷六，一六五八页）。

　　无花果树象征以色列国，在马太二十一章十九节被咒诅。这树经过漫长的冬天，从第一世纪直到主后一九四八年，以色列国得着复国，那就是这树的枝子发嫩长叶了。……发嫩表征生命的复苏，长叶表征复兴的时代。冬天表征枯干的时期，灾难的期间（二四7~21）；夏天表征国度复兴的时代（路二一30~31），这时代要开始于主的再来。

　　以色列是给我们的兆头，正如国度福音的传扬是给犹太人的兆头。犹太人看见国度福音的传扬，就该领悟那是要来灾难的兆头。同样的，以色列这无花果树，对我们是关于主来临的兆头。门徒问主关于祂来临的兆头，和这世代终结的兆头。在前一段主说到这世代终结的兆头。这兆头就是国度福音的传扬。现在主说到另一个兆头，祂来临的兆头。这兆头就是无花果树。当树枝发嫩长叶的时候，我们就知道夏天—弥赛亚国完全的复兴—近了。

　　就人口和地理而言，以色列还没有完全复兴。……主是主宰一切的。……以色列国的复兴越来越完全。在千年国时，要达到完全（马太福音生命读经，八一一至八一二页）。

　　参读：马太福音生命读经，第六十三篇。

　　The fig tree represents the nation of Israel. In Matthew 21:18-20 the fig tree, the symbol of the nation of Israel, was cursed by the Lord and withered because it did not produce fruit for Him. The Jews lost their nation and were scattered. According to prophecies in the Bible, however, the Jews will recover their nation. The Lord’s word concerning the fig tree branch becoming tender and putting forth its leaves refers to this matter. When Israel, like the fig tree, becomes tender and puts forth leaves, the Lord said that His coming would be near. The recovery of the nation of Israel is another sign of the Lord’s second coming. (CWWL, 1932-1949, vol. 4, “Crucial Truths in the Holy Scriptures, Volume 6,” pp. 607-608)

　　The fig tree, signifying the nation of Israel, was cursed in Matthew 21:19. It passed through a long winter, from the first century to A.D. 1948, when the nation of Israel was restored. That was its branch becoming tender and putting forth its leaves….To become tender signifies that life has come back, and to put forth leaves signifies outward activity. Winter signifies the time of being dried up, the time of tribulation (24:7-21). Summer signifies the age of the restored kingdom (Luke 21:30-31), which will begin at the Lord’s second coming.

　　Israel is a sign to us, just as the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom is a sign to the Jews. When the Jews see the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom, they should realize that it is a sign of the coming tribulation. Likewise, Israel as a fig tree is a sign to us concerning the Lord’s coming. The disciples had asked the Lord concerning the sign of His coming and the sign of the consummation of the age. In the foregoing section the Lord gives the sign of the consummation of the age. This sign is the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom. Now the Lord gives another sign, the sign of His coming. This sign is the fig tree. When its branches become tender and it puts forth its leaves, we know that summer, the full restoration of the Messianic kingdom, is near.

　　As far as both population and geography are concerned, there has not been a full restoration of Israel….The Lord is sovereign….The restoration of the nation of Israel is becoming more and more full. At the time of the millennium, it will reach its fullness. (Life-study of Matthew, pp. 733-735)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Matthew, msg. 63