Did God actually order such violence against the dwellers in the land? We would hope not! This is not how we look at God today, but the Israelites were an ancient people and had a different understanding of God. They felt that this is what God expected, but God only expected loyalty and fidelity. There is no need to persecute or kill those who think and worship differently. The Israelites had been chosen by God and were God's 'treasured possession.' God would love, bless, and multiply the people as long as they were faithful. God can never just be taken for granted.

Jesus often spoke in parables using scenes that would be familiar to the people of his day. Here he used the example of the fig tree and the way that it follows a regular cycle of sprouting leaves when summer is coming. So it would be when the kingdom of God was near - people would need to read the signs of the times. The important point of this parable is Jesus' declaration that his words would not pass away. All that Jesus taught his disciples and the people of his day is still true. We can always count on the truth of Jesus' words to help us through life! As God has been faithful to us, let us be faithful to the teachings of Jesus.