The following comments are in regard to a statement someone made in an email regarding the statehood of Israel in 1948 and the sign of the fig tree mentioned in Matthew 24:32-33:
"And since an evil and perverse race seeks for a sign, I do not believe 1948 means anything biblically valid."
The reference to an evil and adulterous generation is found in several verses in which Jesus condemns those who seek a sign:
Mat 12:38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. Mat 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Mat 16:1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. Mat 16:2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. Mat 16:3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? Mat 16:4 A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed.
Mar 8:11 And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him. Mar 8:12 And he sighed deeply in his spirit, and saith, Why doth this generation seek after a sign? verily I say unto you, There shall no sign be given unto this generation.
Luk 11:29 And when the people were gathered thick together, he began to say, This is an evil generation: they seek a sign; and there shall no sign be given it, but the sign of Jonas the prophet. Luk 11:30 For as Jonas was a sign unto the Ninevites, so shall also the Son of man be to this generation.
One very important question that should be asked is whether there is a difference between seeking a sign and observing a sign. Consider the question the disciples asked Jesus in Matthew 24:3,
Mat 24:3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Now here the disciples asked Jesus what would be the sign of His coming. Was this a case in which the disciples spoke rashly and were seeking a sign just like the Pharisees had done earlier? Was the disciples question showing they were part of the wicked and adulterous generation, or maybe they just fell into a evil and perverse perverse sin on this particular occasion? If we continue reading Matthew 24 we also find these statements:
Mat 24:29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
Mat 24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
Mat 24:33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mat 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
In verse 30 we learn that at some point in time the sign of the Son of man shall appear. Now why would God provide a sign of Christ's return if only an evil and perverse people are the ones looking for a sign (i.e., if believers are to ignore any and all signs)? Is it really evil and perverse to look for the sign Jesus told his disciples about? Or to recognize it when it occurs? In one sense it comes down to who is this sign for, is it for those who are watching and looking for Christ's return or is it for the wicked and adulterous generation who are not?
One could also ask, for those watching and looking for Christ's return, what is it they are watching for? Matthew 24 lists many things to watch for including: rising of many false prophets (v11), abounding iniquity (v12), gospel preached to all the world (v14), the time when the abomination of desolation will be "seen" standing in the holy place (v15), which will also indicate the time of the great tribulation (v21), emergence of "great" signs and wonders (v24), gathering of eagles around carcasses (v28), darkening of sun and stars falling from heaven (v29), and finally the sign of the Son of man appearing (v30). It should be noticed that Matthew 24 not only lists things to watch or look for, but it also gives specific directions of what to do when the abomination of desolation is seen,
Mat 24:15 When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) Mat 24:16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: Mat 24:17 Let him which is on the housetop not come down to take any thing out of his house: Mat 24:18 Neither let him which is in the field return back to take his clothes.
Now how could anyone obey God's commands in Matthew 24:16-18 if they are not to look for or recognize the abomination of desolation? The fact is that there is no indication that it is evil and perverse to watch and look for any of the specific items Jesus foretold in Matthew 24 including the sign of the Son of man. In fact, if you consider the verses that follow Matthew 24:30,
Mat 24:30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Mat 24:31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Mat 24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: Mat 24:33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
As verse 33 says, it is because God provides all this information for us to "see" that we can "know that it is near, even at the doors". So we have a very clear statement that these things are to be seen and observed, and that when they are seen and observed, the people of God can know it (or "He") is near, at the doors. By the way, this is certainly proof that the people of God will know something of the end before it actually occurs, i.e., they will not be ignorant that the end is near.
Before getting back to Matthew 24:30-33, two more things should be considered in regard to an evil and perverse generation seeking a sign:
1) In Matthew 16:11 and Mark 8:11, we find when the Pharisees came seeking a sign from Jesus that they did so "tempting" him:
Mat 16:1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven.
Mar 8:11 And the Pharisees came forth, and began to question with him, seeking of him a sign from heaven, tempting him.
The word "tempt" can also mean "to test". So we see the motives behind the Pharisees desire to see a sign were corrupt. I believe it is important to understand the phrase "a wicked and adulterous generation seeketh a sign" in this light. In fact, given what we find in Matthew 24 where Jesus did not condemn the disciples for asking what sign would indicate his coming, it's possible that Jesus condemnation of the Pharisees was based mainly on their faulty motives and not so much their desire to see a sign (though it's difficult to actually separate these because they are interrelated). So while the Bible condemns those like the Pharisees who seek a sign, there is no indication it is evil and perverse to watch for or observe a sign.
2) There are many instances in the early church in which God did provide signs to bear witness to the ministry of the apostles. For example:
Act 2:43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.
Act 4:15 But when they had commanded them to go aside out of the council, they conferred among themselves, Act 4:16 Saying, What shall we do to these men? for that indeed a notable miracle [lit: sign] hath been done by them is manifest to all them that dwell in Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it.
Act 4:22 For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle [lit: sign] of healing was shewed.
Act 4:29 And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, Act 4:30 By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus.
Act 5:12 And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.
Act 6:8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles [lit: signs] among the people.
Act 8:6 And the people with one accord gave heed unto those things which Philip spake, hearing and seeing the miracles [lit: signs] which he did.
We see that God provided many signs to the early church. But if signs are only for evil and perverse people, why would God give them to the early church? Did the early Christians ignore these signs? Or did they recognize them for what they were, signs from God witnessing to the apostles authority? And while it's true these types of signs did cease at some point in time, the point is signs were given to the believers in the early church, and there is no hint that it was sinful for them to observe these signs. So I would assert that it is also not sinful or evil or perverse to observe the signs of the end times.
Now the real question is whether the nationalization of Israel in 1948 is a sign signaling the end is near (Matthew 24:32-33). This possibility should not be thrown out simply because it could be a sign. As shown above, observing signs and trying to understand what they signify is not by definition sinful. I don't plan to actually answer this question here as it is something I still don't fully understand at this time (see below). However I did want to point out that the question of whether Israel 1948 is a sign of the end times should not be thrown out simply because it might be a sign.
Ref 1: I've posted some comments on this on Latter Rain and Depart Out
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Latter_Rain/message/40340