Infertility
The Word of God mentions infertility in many places, today we will look at what counts as infertility and the fate of those who live in this way. I guess you’re already know that there won’t be joyful and comforting message, but we need to talk about it.
Infertility is often confused with bad fruits, but it is not the same. Bad fruits signify evil deeds, while infertility (unfruitful), testifies an idle state.
In the word of God we can often find that God likens men to trees. One of them:
Matthew 12:33
„Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.”
The Word of God likens us to fruit trees, especially fig trees, which may have good or bad fruit. However, we find a story when Jesus cursed a fig tree for his infertility:
Matthew 21:18-19
„In the morning, as he was returning to the city, he became hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the wayside, he went to it and found nothing on it but only leaves. And he said to it, "May no fruit ever come from you again!" And the fig tree withered at once.”
Other Gospels also mention this story, and we can read an important addition:
Mark 11:11-14
„And he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple. And when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. And he said to it, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard it.”
It seems unjust that Jesus cursed the fig tree when it is natural that it was not the season for figs. But we know full well that Jesus is the law itself, so what he did is something more than what we can conclude at first. Let us first look at what Jesus promises to those who are unfruitful (infertile):
John 15:1-6
„"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.”
The fate of infertility was clearly illustrated by Jesus, not good for anything but fire. We also read about this in Ezekiel:
Ezekiel 15:1-5
„And the word of the LORD came to me: "Son of man, how does the wood of the vine surpass any wood, the vine branch that is among the trees of the forest? Is wood taken from it to make anything? Do people take a peg from it to hang any vessel on it? Behold, it is given to the fire for fuel. When the fire has consumed both ends of it, and the middle of it is charred, is it useful for anything? Behold, when it was whole, it was used for nothing. How much less, when the fire has consumed it and it is charred, can it ever be used for anything!”
Infertility can bring us a sad time, so the importance of the crop is clearly important for salvation! We are destined to bear fruit, if we don’t have it, we’re good for nothing.
Ephesians 2:8-10
„For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”
Let's get back to the cursed fig tree. Jesus also mentions this act in another speech:
Matthew 24:42-51
„Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. "Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed,' and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Just as Jesus visited the fig tree, so He visits us. He comes to look for fruit on us, for as we have read before, we were created for it. It is natural for us to bear continually fruit in Jesus. We are like the tree of life, for if Life itself (Jesus) takes abode in us, then our fruitfulness is like the tree of life:
Revelation 22:1-2
„Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”
Constantly bear fruit! We cannot say to Jesus, "Sorry, in vain you seek fruit on me, I am going through a difficult time right now!" Just as it is natural for a tree to bear good fruit if it is in good soil and always receives water, so it is natural for us to bear good fruit if we remain in Jesus. With Jesus we can only produce good fruit, it is impossible to be fruitless or yielding bad fruits.
2Peter 1:1-10
„Simeon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ: May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to make your calling and election sure, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall.”
Just like the fig tree! Its leaves were ostentatious, but on closer inspection, no fruit was found on it. Just as they confess Jesus with their mouths today, but they deny them by their actions! Do we recognize the creed of today that does not consider actions important? Let us not be partakers, for with them we will come to the fate of the cursed fig tree.
Matthew 3:10
„Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
Antal Farkas
(October 24, 2020)
