Old Testament & Fig Tree

This might be helpful to know:

Jesus knew that while the tree was covered with leaves, it was not the season for figs. In effect, he is giving a living parable, acting out the principle parts of the story. We also need to know that throughout the Old Testament, the fig tree is used by the prophets as a symbol of Israel. A fruitful tree is a sign of blessing and obedience, while a tree without fruit is a sign of Israel’s poor spiritual condition (cf. Jeremiah 8:13; 29:17; Hosea 9:10, 16; Joel 1:7; and Micah 7:1-6). Furthermore, the prophets speak of the destruction of the fig tree as a metaphor for judgment upon Israel (Hosea 2:12; Isaiah 34:4). --from Kim Riddlebarger