Of Donkeys and Fig Trees - Day 32 Through the Bible

Yancey County, NC - New/Historic library-refurbished historic building with state-of-the-art technology for research

Lamb and Donkey - Why was the donkey singled out as the only firstborn of beasts that should be either redeemed by a lamb or the donkey's neck must be broken (Ex. 13:13)?  Why was a donkey colt chosen for Christ to enter into Jerusalem? (Matt. 21:1-5)  According to Rabbi Osher Chaim Levene, the donkey is symbolic of materialism and lowest deprivation - impure - like the Jewish nation in Egypt.  The lamb is kosher - pure - symbolizing the acceptance of God as their Shepherd - redeeming them from their depravity.  The following 2 linked blog posts give more Biblical background on this:  torah.org  Forward to Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on a donkey colt - prior to His crucifixion - the Lamb of God redeeming us from our depravity. An EXTRAordinary Ride

The Fig Tree - throughout the OT, the fig tree symbolizes the Jewish nation - the nation that rejected Jesus as Messiah.  The nation bore no fruit in His First Coming - and was prophetically destroyed as a nation.  But there is hope...For a wonderful synopsis of Fig Tree symbolism through the Bible to this cursing of the tree, you might like this blog post:  Think Hebrew.

I had an agnostic once ask me what Jesus' curse of the fig tree meant.  This is so significant from a "complete Scripture" perspective, that I want to end today's post with this, in hopes that readers will use the above linked posts and other research to more fully understand and consider this.

 Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you. [Peter 3:15]