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The Fig Tree Blossoms: The Emerging of Messianic Judaism
Jesus was a Jew. The writers of Scripture were Jews. The early church emerged in a Jewish environment. So why the tension between Jews and Christians, and why have so few Jews come to believe in the Messiah?
In The Fig Tree Blossoms, Paul Liberman uncovers the Jewish roots of the Christian faith and helps Gentile believers come to a deeper understanding of the historic issues that have fed Jewish suspicion of Christians and Christian prejudice toward Jews.
But in these last days, Liberman writes, God is using the emerging Messianic movement to bring many Jews into His kingdom and to awaken Gentile Christians to their Jewish faith heritage. Instead of casting blame or assigning guilt, Liberman calls Gentile Christians to embrace their Messianic brothers' and sisters' Jewish expressions of faith in much the same way Paul encouraged his fellow Jews to embrace Gentile believers who were entering the first century church.
Discover how the "fig tree"—the biblical symbol for the Jewish people—is blossoming, and how many will come to enjoy its fruit.
Paul Liberman became a believer in the Messiah in 1971. He was instrumental in founding Messianic congregations in Washington, D.C., and San Diego and co-led a congregation in Israel. For five years, he served as the Executive Director of the International Messianic Jewish Alliance and is currently Publisher of The Messianic Times newspaper, a board member of MAOZ, Inc. (Israel), and President of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America.
In The Fig Tree Blossoms, Paul Liberman uncovers the Jewish roots of the Christian faith and helps Gentile believers come to a deeper understanding of the historic issues that have fed Jewish suspicion of Christians and Christian prejudice toward Jews.
But in these last days, Liberman writes, God is using the emerging Messianic movement to bring many Jews into His kingdom and to awaken Gentile Christians to their Jewish faith heritage. Instead of casting blame or assigning guilt, Liberman calls Gentile Christians to embrace their Messianic brothers' and sisters' Jewish expressions of faith in much the same way Paul encouraged his fellow Jews to embrace Gentile believers who were entering the first century church.
Discover how the "fig tree"—the biblical symbol for the Jewish people—is blossoming, and how many will come to enjoy its fruit.
Paul Liberman became a believer in the Messiah in 1971. He was instrumental in founding Messianic congregations in Washington, D.C., and San Diego and co-led a congregation in Israel. For five years, he served as the Executive Director of the International Messianic Jewish Alliance and is currently Publisher of The Messianic Times newspaper, a board member of MAOZ, Inc. (Israel), and President of the Messianic Jewish Alliance of America.
124 pages, Paperback
First published April 22, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 19, 2025
AN EARLY SURVEY OF THE ‘MESSIANIC JEWISH’ MOVEMENT
Paul Liberman is the rabbi of Ohav Shalom Messianic Congregation in California; he served two other congregations prior to this, as well as worked with other organizations (e.g., the international Messianic Alliance).
He wrote in the Preface to this 1976 book, “The sudden surge in the number of Jews recognizing the Messiah of Israel has created a stir in the traditional Jewish community. It also has been the source of much excitement among true believers in the Messiah. During the first century , Messianic believers were practically all Jewish. Messianic Judaism flourished during the next 300 years, then laid virtually dormant until the Arab-Israeli Six-Day War in 1967. The end of that war was the beginning of a greater Jewish consciousness among Jews themselves, and it has swept across nations.
“It also marked the time when Jews who accepted the New Testament no longer wished to be absorbed into traditional church institutions. Such Jews preferred to be called Messianic Jews. This is a departure from the past, but it does not represent any biblical inconsistency. In recent years this desire to maintain a Jewish identification has intensified… the new Jew, armed with the truth, has the burden of bringing the Messianic message to other Jews throughout the world… this book is not intended as a deep theological treatise. Rather, it brings together many current thoughts of the thousands of Messianic Jews throughout this nation.”
He observes, “There is nothing in the Scriptures that requires Jews to stop being Jews when they accept the Messiah. As a matter of fact, the Scriptures strongly support the concept that Jews remain Jews after they come to know their Lord personally. Early followers of the Messiah continued going to synagogues and celebrating festivals as they always had done. Saul of Tarsus, after changing his name to Paul, spoke of himself as a Jew. He did not refer to himself as a former Jew and he underwent the purification required by festival procedures. Moreover, Paul instructed Timothy to be circumcised to affirm his Judaism.” (Pg. 3)
He argues, “The survival of the Jewish people is the best evidence of the Bible’s validity. What other people, so small in number, have endured so long despite the most adverse circumstances? God easily could have snuffed out a people with so little to recommend. But God must keep his promise to Abraham’s seed. Since the biblical prophecy is for the Jew to survive despite all adversity, it is reasonable to assume that God had a purpose for their preservation. If Jews die not survive, how could God deliver on His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? The Jew is an enduring memorial to the validity of God’s Holy Word.” (Pg. 8)
He asserts, “Most advocates of traditional Judaism are unaware of how much their practices come from rabbinical commentary, rather than from biblical commandment. The practice of wearing a Yarmulke (skull cap) in the synagogues is one example. It was started by Rabbis; it was not God’s instruction. This practice was a temporary measure instituted to satisfy the need for a covering (Kippur). When the second Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed … in 70 A.D., the traditional Jewish community was faced with a dilemma… Then the Temple and altar were destroyed… The Rabbis, knowing that atonement (a blood covering) was required, invented their own covering so that God would pass over the sin. Thus, the head-covering skull cap was initiated … This covering for sin is not recognized by God.” (Pg. 10-11)
He contends, “It has only been within the last few centuries … that the Rabbis have tried to apply Isaiah 53 to a Messianic age utopia… All through the ages, Rabbis unanimously accepted Isaiah 53 … as speaking of the Messiah… How, then, did the Jewish Pharisees miss Yeshua’s coming? Why didn’t they recognize him?... As we have seen in Isaiah 53, the true Messiah was to be rejected by men. It also is shown that He was to be the stone which the builders rejected (Ps 118:22). If all the Jewish people of the time accepted Him, then He wouldn’t have been rejected and wouldn’t have met the criteria of this Psalm.” (Pg. 30)
He states, ‘Yeshua told the disciples about future cataclysmic events. They asked Him when these events would occur. Yeshua advised them to learn the parable of the fig tree... Yeshua was saying… when the symbolic fig tree (Israel) would come to life, unusual events would begin to transpire… and the Second Coming… would take place. Israel is referred to as ‘the fig tree’ many times in the Bible. God said, ‘I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness, I saw your fathers as the first-ripe of the fig tree.’ (Hos 9:10) Joel 1:7 refers to Israel when he speaks of ‘barking my fig tree.’ Indeed the fig tree—Israel---is in bloom today… The blossoming of the fig tree---Israel’s development---is concrete evidence that the Bible was written by a providential God who does not make mistakes. He knows the end from the beginning.” (Pg. 51)
Though nearly 50 years old, this book may still interest some modern Messianic believers.
Paul Liberman is the rabbi of Ohav Shalom Messianic Congregation in California; he served two other congregations prior to this, as well as worked with other organizations (e.g., the international Messianic Alliance).
He wrote in the Preface to this 1976 book, “The sudden surge in the number of Jews recognizing the Messiah of Israel has created a stir in the traditional Jewish community. It also has been the source of much excitement among true believers in the Messiah. During the first century , Messianic believers were practically all Jewish. Messianic Judaism flourished during the next 300 years, then laid virtually dormant until the Arab-Israeli Six-Day War in 1967. The end of that war was the beginning of a greater Jewish consciousness among Jews themselves, and it has swept across nations.
“It also marked the time when Jews who accepted the New Testament no longer wished to be absorbed into traditional church institutions. Such Jews preferred to be called Messianic Jews. This is a departure from the past, but it does not represent any biblical inconsistency. In recent years this desire to maintain a Jewish identification has intensified… the new Jew, armed with the truth, has the burden of bringing the Messianic message to other Jews throughout the world… this book is not intended as a deep theological treatise. Rather, it brings together many current thoughts of the thousands of Messianic Jews throughout this nation.”
He observes, “There is nothing in the Scriptures that requires Jews to stop being Jews when they accept the Messiah. As a matter of fact, the Scriptures strongly support the concept that Jews remain Jews after they come to know their Lord personally. Early followers of the Messiah continued going to synagogues and celebrating festivals as they always had done. Saul of Tarsus, after changing his name to Paul, spoke of himself as a Jew. He did not refer to himself as a former Jew and he underwent the purification required by festival procedures. Moreover, Paul instructed Timothy to be circumcised to affirm his Judaism.” (Pg. 3)
He argues, “The survival of the Jewish people is the best evidence of the Bible’s validity. What other people, so small in number, have endured so long despite the most adverse circumstances? God easily could have snuffed out a people with so little to recommend. But God must keep his promise to Abraham’s seed. Since the biblical prophecy is for the Jew to survive despite all adversity, it is reasonable to assume that God had a purpose for their preservation. If Jews die not survive, how could God deliver on His promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? The Jew is an enduring memorial to the validity of God’s Holy Word.” (Pg. 8)
He asserts, “Most advocates of traditional Judaism are unaware of how much their practices come from rabbinical commentary, rather than from biblical commandment. The practice of wearing a Yarmulke (skull cap) in the synagogues is one example. It was started by Rabbis; it was not God’s instruction. This practice was a temporary measure instituted to satisfy the need for a covering (Kippur). When the second Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed … in 70 A.D., the traditional Jewish community was faced with a dilemma… Then the Temple and altar were destroyed… The Rabbis, knowing that atonement (a blood covering) was required, invented their own covering so that God would pass over the sin. Thus, the head-covering skull cap was initiated … This covering for sin is not recognized by God.” (Pg. 10-11)
He contends, “It has only been within the last few centuries … that the Rabbis have tried to apply Isaiah 53 to a Messianic age utopia… All through the ages, Rabbis unanimously accepted Isaiah 53 … as speaking of the Messiah… How, then, did the Jewish Pharisees miss Yeshua’s coming? Why didn’t they recognize him?... As we have seen in Isaiah 53, the true Messiah was to be rejected by men. It also is shown that He was to be the stone which the builders rejected (Ps 118:22). If all the Jewish people of the time accepted Him, then He wouldn’t have been rejected and wouldn’t have met the criteria of this Psalm.” (Pg. 30)
He states, ‘Yeshua told the disciples about future cataclysmic events. They asked Him when these events would occur. Yeshua advised them to learn the parable of the fig tree... Yeshua was saying… when the symbolic fig tree (Israel) would come to life, unusual events would begin to transpire… and the Second Coming… would take place. Israel is referred to as ‘the fig tree’ many times in the Bible. God said, ‘I found Israel like grapes in the wilderness, I saw your fathers as the first-ripe of the fig tree.’ (Hos 9:10) Joel 1:7 refers to Israel when he speaks of ‘barking my fig tree.’ Indeed the fig tree—Israel---is in bloom today… The blossoming of the fig tree---Israel’s development---is concrete evidence that the Bible was written by a providential God who does not make mistakes. He knows the end from the beginning.” (Pg. 51)
Though nearly 50 years old, this book may still interest some modern Messianic believers.
March 9, 2022
Inspiring. Messianic Jews, the new Jews on the block.
September 6, 2013
This is an okay book, it does explain some of the feasts and what it means to be a Messianic Jew. However, I was disappointed Mr. Liberman make a remark that the feasts were not important to the Gentile, though later on he did say that in order to reach the Jew, a Gentile needs to embrace the Jewish culture. The problem with him not making the feasts important is, Adonai did command them and so a Jew should not abandon them, and if a Gentile does not embrace the feasts, whether to reach a Jew or not, that is dividing, and division is not right. Another point on the Gentile not embracing the feasts are, what celebration should a Gentile observe then? The pagan ones? Sorry, but if anyone follows the Creator and wants to celebrate, I think it is safer to celebrate His appointed times, not mans!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews