“I saw you
while you were still under the fig tree
before Philip called you.”

- Jesus

“Where are you?” God asked.  He was not asking their physical location, nor asking because He didn’t know.  God was asking Adam and Eve a question to help them realize the truth of their own self deception.  God does not ask questions because He is trying to figure a matter out.  He was asking the question to Adam to help him understand the deception Adam had accepted and now was walking in.  God already knew where Adam and Eve were.  He was asking the question because they didn’t know where they were.

The deception they had entered into was not only one of them being unclothed and therefore naked.  The deception was far greater and severe than just being naked.  They honestly thought that they could fashion a mask to hide the truth from God.  In their deception, they thought they could use something created by the creator, to hide from The creator.  In their delusion, they thought the truth was that God couldn’t possibly see beyond their fashioned masks and see the state of their nakedness.  They took FIG leaves and tried to hide FROM God.  And thought in their masks, they could.  So God asks, “Where are you?”  Realizing they were caught, rather than being honest in their reply, they still answered not in truth but still trying to hide from the truth. 

“I heard Your voice in the garden,” he replied, “and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”

Adam did not hide himself because he was naked, they were already clothed with fig leaves.  Rather than walking in truth, transparency, and honesty, they chose to point to something that seemed like the truth.  They chose to hide behind being naked rather than state, “we disobeyed and accepted the deception of the snake and transgressed against your voice Lord.  We heard Your Voice coming near and were afraid, chose to avoid you, cause the reality is that we chose not to obey your voice.”

Such was deception of the prophets of Israel.  In all their prophetic words and decrees declaring the blessings and favor of God, none were telling the pure and naked truth.  So much was their delusion and deception that even the true word of God was then decreed by them as false and self serving. 

And Amaziah said to Amos, 

“Go away, you seer! Flee to the land of Judah;

earn your bread there and do your prophesying there.

But never prophesy at Bethel again, because it is the sanctuary of the king and the temple of the kingdom.”

“I was not a prophet,” Amos replied,

“nor was I the son of a prophet; rather,

I was a herdsman and a tender of sycamore-fig trees. 

But the LORD took me from following the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to My people Israel.’

Amos' reply shows the level of the deception and self made delusion that the “recognized” oracles of “truth” were walking in.  In their delusion, only nice fig leaves declarations, “good words”, “well wishes,” “edifying words” were allowed to be declared.

Amos was in the fig trees minding his own “business.”  Amos was not one looking to make his social media following nor even a “ministry” grow.  It was the opposite for him, he was someone that preferred the quiet work of being a grower of sycamore fig trees.  The false prophets accused him that he was speaking to hype up his popularity and people giving him money telling him to go and  “earn YOUR bread there.”  Their hearts were so deceived that they were not only speaking words NOT from God, but they couldn't even recognize a true word FROM God being spoken within their very midst.

Despite the warnings of Amos and others, the delusion just grew more and more till it actually became a way of living. Traditions turned to religion and religion was violently defended as being the truth.  Within this cultural and traditional belief system, Jesus was born into.  Jesus walked among the many scholars, teachers, preachers and priests of the land.  Yet the majority of them walked in this self made deception.  They hid behind their self made fig-leaves clothing of rituals and traditions.  Many declared they knew the voice of God but all were naked and afraid.  They were hiding the truth that they knew not nor could recognize the voice of God.  Even when God was in the physical flesh and physically talking within their midst, they could not recognize the voice.

But there was one that did not follow the “truth” of the day.   Rather he had discovered something far deeper and better than the cultural and traditional religion of many.

When Jesus saw Nathanael approaching, He said of him, “Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is no deceit.”

“How do You know me?” Nathanael asked.

Jesus replied,

“Before Philip called you,

I saw you under the fig tree.”

“Rabbi,” Nathanael answered,

“You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!”

Jesus said to him,

“Do you believe just because I told you

I saw you under the fig tree?

You will see greater things than these.” 

Then He declared, “Truly, truly, I tell you, you will all see heaven open and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”

Two used the fig tree’s leaves to mask, to hide their nakedness.  Two were also among the fig trees and became known by God.  All heard the Voice of God for themselves. 

Have you ever wondered what was being done under the fig tree by Amos and Nathanel?

There is something about the tree understood by those that study it.  It grows in many places but only thrives under certain conditions.  Its roots are deep, fruits throughout the year, and grow best by a river.  And you know who else takes care of trees? You got it, GOD.

Jesus said it best

“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 bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit."

So what do you think Nathalean and Amos were doing under the tree?  What do you think they were doing that allowed them to instantly understand what time it was and to instantly react to the instructions of what were the next steps?

They were refreshing their insight into the ways and means of God, the protocols of the Kingdom.  They sat under the tree because they had discovered that life comes from the Creator of all things. They had discovered that this same Creator loves to sit and talk to his Children.  They had discovered the simplicity of worship and learning from God how themselves could be a tree planted by the rivers.

They had discovered a key to the mystery of the prophet Jeremiah.

Blessed is the man that trusteth in Jehovah, and whose trust Jehovah is.

For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, that spreadeth out its roots by the river, and shall not fear when heat cometh, but its leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.

The heart is deceitful above all things, and it is exceedingly corrupt: who can know it?

I Jehovah, search the mind, I try the heart, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings.

That is why AMOS was able to hear.  And why Nathaneal was able to instantly hear and believe.  They had submitted themselves to the original intent of GOD.  God coming down and having communion with his Sons.

Some will say hearing from the Father is a “special gift”  but that is not what Jesus taught.  He said my sheep HEAR my voice and the voice of another they will not follow.

God is the same yesterday, today and forever.  IF He spoke to His creation in the garden, and throughout history, why would He stop?

If the original intent has always been for Him to walk with us and teach us, How to be His sons in the cool of the day in the garden, why would He stop?

The answer is that He hasn’t.

The real question is do you HEAR the voice of God?

What are you willing to give up to hear it?

Elijah heard His voice and was instructed to go up a mountain.  Then a mighty WIND, Earthquake, and Fire came. They broke rocks to pieces and caused a great shaking to occur were he was standing and yet, in all that, the Lord was not in it.

What happen next can be deeper understood by going back to the original language.  In doing so, a fuller picture is revealed, it is “In the nothingness, or in the peace peace proclaiming peace” that Elijah heard God.

How can God be in "the nothingness?”  You may ask?  Search that out and you will start to understand why Amos and Nathaneal chose to sit under the fig tree and Learn from GOD. 

The Kingdom protocol is not about how others hear God.  But are YOU able to hear GOD for yourself?  Away from the priest and prophets of the land, away from the noise and distractions of others saying “God works this way.”  Once you hear the father's Voice no one can tell you differently.  This is what gave Amos the boldness to go and declare the judgment against a nation.  This is what brought Jesus to the cross.  This is what was brought many christians to die and not deny Him.  

The Kingdom of God asks this question: Do you hear?  Do you understand and KNOW the peace peace proclaiming peace of GOD?

Can you stand still and hear in "the nothingness?"

Hearing is a requisite, a protocol of a Son in The Kingdom of God.

Can you hear?