PAGE 43 BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (THE FIG TREE)

The Sanhedrin, made up of Pharisees, Sadducees and Scribes, was the supreme religious body in Israel during the time of Yeshua, Jesus.  They oversaw the priestly duties at the temple and at Bethpage.  They completely distorted what God had intended for the priesthood by: adding to and changing the scriptures; making the animal sacrifice offering a ritual without meaning; and being hypocritical by looking religious and doing evil.  Yahweh had intended his altar of sacrifice in the temple in Jerusalem to be the place where heaven meets earth. 


The Priests were to present the Word of Yahweh, the Tree of Life, which speaks of and leads to the Messiah Yeshua to all in Israel.  Yeshua says in John 5:39 that "...the Scriptures ...testify about me..." The Apostle Paul says that Timothy understood about salvation through faith in the Messiah because of his knowledge of the scriptures.  He says:


"...and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Yeshua the Messiah." 2 Timothy 3:15


Ever since the days of King David, the priestly system had become corrupted and by the time of Yeshua it had turned into the priestly system of Satan. Speaking to the Pharisees, Yeshua says:


"You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desire." John 8:44


There was a small remnant of true followers of God at the time of Yeshua who held to the pure Word of God.  Three of these were Nathaniel who studied the scriptures and was awaiting the Messiah and the Priest Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth who followed with their heart the pure Word of God. The scripture says:


"Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and righteousnesses blamelessly."Luke1:6


Satan's strategy is to deceptively make things look like the Tree of Life.  It looks pious and religious which is symbolized by the fig leaves, but is spiritually dead which is symbolized by bad or no fruit.  He kills the Spirit which leads to death by keeping people away from the pure Word of God and the Messiah Yeshua.