In 1867 celebrated American author Mark Twain, visited the land of Israel (Palestine as it was called). He travelled across the land, writing his observations in his best-selling book Innocents Abroad. He used words like “plain,” “ugly,” and “empty” to describe what he saw.
“Palestine sits in sackcloth and ashes…. desolate and unlovely.”
Innocents Abroad
About the Jezreel Valley, Twain wrote that it was no longer full of life. There were no villages, only a few small tents. He said you could travel for miles without seeing many people.
“Stirring scenes … occur in the valley no more. There is not a solitary village throughout its whole extent-not for thirty miles in either direction. There are two or three small clusters of Bedouin tents, but not a single permanent habitation. One may ride ten miles hereabouts and not see ten human beings.”
Innocents Abroad
He described Galilee as a lonely and sad place, with empty lands and falling-down ruins. He said Capernaum was in ruins and Tiberias was a dull, sleepy village.
“the sort of solitude to make one dreary … Come to Galilee for that … these unpeopled deserts, these rusty mounds of barrenness, that never, never do shake the glare from their harsh outlines, and fade and faint into vague perspective; that melancholy ruin of Capernaum: this stupid village of Tiberias, slumbering under its six funereal palms … “
Innocents Abroad
Mount Tabor stood alone in a quiet land. He wrote that they didn’t see any people on their journey, and there were hardly any trees or plants, not even olive trees or cactus, which usually grow in poor soil.
“stands solitary … [in a] silent plain … a desolation … we never saw a human being on the whole route … hardly a tree or shrub anywhere. Even the olive tree and the cactus, those fast friends of a worthless soil, had almost deserted the country”
Innocents Abroad
Desolate Land or ‘flowing with Milk and Honey’?
Mark Twain was surprised because what he saw did not match what the Bible described. In the Bible, kings ruled over Israel, large crowds followed Jesus, and the land was called:
… a land flowing with milk and honey.
Jeremiah 32:22
So what happened to the land?
The answer comes from what Jesus said and did on Tuesday of Passion Week. He gave a powerful message through symbols and strong words. He was good at using drama, just like some Jewish comedians today.
Witty & Gifted critics Present and Past
Some well-known Jewish critics today are Bill Maher, Seth Rogen, Ivan Urgant, and Sasha Baron Cohen. They are known for their comedy, satire, and sharp words.
Bill Maher hosts a late-night show in the U.S. where he talks about politics and society, often with harsh jokes.
Seth Rogen made a movie called The Interview that made fun of the North Korean leader. This made North Korea very angry.
Sasha Baron Cohen acts as funny characters like Borat and Bruno to criticize people and politics. He has upset many people with his comedy.
Ivan Urgant is a Russian TV host. His show, Evening Urgant, was cancelled because he spoke against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Even though they are all different, they share a Jewish background and are known for using satire.
Jesus also used drama and criticism. But what he said changed history in a bigger way than any of these modern critics. His actions affected people even centuries later, like Mark Twain.
Jesus’ Looming Conflict
Let’s look at what happened that week. Jesus entered Jerusalem on Sunday, as the Prophets had said. Then on Monday, he went to the Temple and stopped the buying and selling. The Jewish leaders then planned to kill him.
But they could not act right away. According to God’s law in the Torah, people had to choose a lamb on the 10th day of the month and take care of it until the 14th. Then the lamb would be killed as part of the Passover.
6 Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month, when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight.
exodus 12:6
God chose Jesus as His Lamb on Monday, the 10th day. So just like the lambs were kept safe, Jesus was kept safe for a few days. Then on Tuesday, Day Three, we read what Jesus did.
Jesus Curses a Fig Tree
Jesus went out to Bethany for the night. The next morning, he was hungry and saw a fig tree with leaves but no fruit. He said, “May you never bear fruit again!” and the tree quickly died.
Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
7 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.
18 Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. 19 Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.
Matthew 21: 17-19
This made the disciples amazed. They asked how it happened so fast. Jesus told them that with faith, they could do the same—even tell a mountain to throw itself into the sea. If they believed, they would receive whatever they asked for in prayer.
20 When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. “How did the fig tree wither so quickly?” they asked.
21 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. 22 If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
The prophet Hosea said Israel was like fruit on a fig tree. But then the people turned to false gods and became dirty like the idols they worshiped.
10 “When I found Israel, it was like finding grapes in the desert; when I saw your ancestors, it was like seeing the early fruit on the fig tree. But when they came to Baal Peor, they consecrated themselves to that shameful idol and became as vile as the thing they loved.
Hosea 9:10
God said Israel would dry up and have no fruit. Even their children would be taken away. He said He would reject them because they did not obey Him, and they would become wanderers among the nations.
16 Ephraim is blighted, their root is withered, they yield no fruit. Even if they bear children, I will slay their cherished offspring.”
17 My God will reject them because they have not obeyed him; they will be wanderers among the nations.
Hosea 9:16-17 (Ephraim=Israel)
This happened in 586 BCE when Jerusalem was destroyed and it fullfilled Moses’ curses (see the history).
So when Jesus cursed the fig tree, he was showing another destruction was coming. He was warning that the city of Jerusalem would be destroyed again, and the Jewish people would be scattered.
Jesus then went back to the Temple. He kept teaching, explaining, and pointing out the failures of the Jewish leaders. The Gospel records it this way.
Not an empty one – The Curse takes hold
History shows that what Jesus said came true. In 70 CE, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and the Temple. The Jewish people were forced to leave and live in many other countries.
Roman Destruction of Jerusalem Temple in 70 CE. Preserved Roman sculptures show them looting the Temple and taking the Menorah (large, 7-place candle)
The Temple was destroyed, and the people were scattered for nearly 2,000 years. The land stayed dry and empty, just like Jesus had warned.
19th Century panorama view of Jerusalem – desolate
This curse was not just a story. It happened in real history. The people of Jesus’ time did not listen, and they suffered the results.
The destroyed Temple ruins visible today
The Curse to Expire
But Jesus also said the curse would not last forever.
Jerusalem trampled by Gentiles
24 They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
Luke 21:24
They will fall by the sword and be taken as prisoners to all nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.
This meant that non-Jews would rule Jerusalem for a time, but only until their time ended. Jesus explained more about this the next day, on Day 4.
The Curse Lifted
Historical Timeline of the Jews on larger scale – featuring their two periods of exile
These events show the end of the time when non-Jews ruled the city.
Now Jewish people pray again at the Western Wall of the Temple. What Jesus said would happen has happened. His words were powerful, and we see them fulfilled even in our news today.
On Day 3, Jesus cursed the fig tree while he was being kept as God’s chosen Passover Lamb. The chart shows that on Day 4 he spoke about his return and how he would fix what was wrong in the world.
Day 3: Jesus Curses the Fig Tree
Postscript on the Day 3 Withering Curse
Jewish people are known for leading in many areas. But only Jews living in Israel are known for their farming success. About 100 years ago, Jews started returning to Palestine and created shared farms called kibbutzim and moshavim.
The land was full of swamps, rocks, and desert—just like Mark Twain described. The first settlers worked hard to drain swamps and learn irrigation.
Blossoming Green in Today’s Desert
Israel Farmers
Now, Israel is a leader in farming and water technology. They grow and export fruits, vegetables, and dairy—even though the land is mostly desert. Water is limited, but they are experts at using it wisely.
Israeli farmers have turned the land from a dry desert into a green and growing place. If you look on Google Maps, you can see how green Israel is compared to its neighbors. On Day 4, Jesus prophesied this would occur, holding a special meaning.
The border with Egypt shows green circles of irrigated fields on the Israeli side.
The border with Jordan shows green farmlands on the Israeli side.
The border with Syria shows Israel’s green land.
The border with Lebanon also shows well-kept farmland on the Israeli side.
And the border with Gaza is the same—Israel’s side is green and cultivated.
