Jeremiah 24:1-10
A vision from God of two baskets of figs, one basket was of good figs
and the other of bad figs. God asked Jeremiah what he had seen, and this
was his reply, figs. That is a correct answer but it is not all that
Jeremiah had seen, the following is the conversation between God and
Jeremiah; “And the Lord said to me,
“What do you see, Jeremiah?” I said, “Figs, the good figs very good, and the
bad figs very bad, so bad that they cannot be eaten.” (Jeremiah 24:3)
Just maybe we are getting the cart before the horse, so the saying goes,
in that it is important to state what this is all about. Some of Judah’s people had been carried off
into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon and they were the brightest
and best that Jerusalem had to offer. He took the son of Jehoiakim whose
name was Jeconiah, the officials of Judah the craftsmen, and the metal workers
and they ended up in Babylon. These we will find out represent the choice
basket of figs.
Now pay attention to what God is going to share with Jeremiah who has
shared it with all of us. “Then the word of
the Lord came to me: “Thus says the Lord, the God of
Israel: Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the exiles from Judah,
whom I have sent away from this place to the land of the Chaldeans. I will
set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land. I will
build them up, and not tear them down; I will plant them, and not pluck them
up. I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they
shall be my people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with
their whole heart.” (Jeremiah 24:4-7)
If you are open to understanding, this will be an eye opener to what has
taken place and answer some of the questions I’ve wondered about the chosen
people of God who have represented the bad figs. The answer is found in
verses 8-10. “But thus says the Lord: Like the
bad figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten, so will I treat Zedekiah the
king of Judah, his officials, the remnant of Jerusalem who remain in this land,
and those who dwell in the land of Egypt. I will make them a horror to all
the kingdoms of the earth, to be a reproach, a byword, a taunt, and a curse in
all the places where I shall drive them. And I will send sword, famine,
and pestilence upon them until they shall be utterly destroyed from the land
that I gave to them and their fathers.”
Now many have branded Jeremiah as pessimistic, be very careful if you
are not in the same battle. His mission had no converts; everywhere he
turned they laughed at him or tried to bring harm to him. It is easy to
believe you are the only one in the battle but that was not truth then or
now.
All we have to do is look at another prophet Elijah on Mount Carmel
found in 1 Kings 18:21-22, “Elijah came near to
all the people and said, "How long will you hesitate between two opinions?
If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people
did not answer him a word. Then Elijah said to the people, “I alone
am left a prophet of the Lord, but Baal’s prophets are 450 men.” And Elijah was also wrong, and God made sure that he had clarity on the
subject by sharing with him in 1 Kings 19:18, “Yet I will leave seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not
bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” Once you and I come to the understanding that the battle is never ours,
the battle is the Lord’s and yet it is so easy to believe it is only our battle.
Dear Father, teach us how to stand, often it seems as if we are alone
but that is a lie from the evil one, for you have promised never to leave us or
forsake us, and You are a Promise Keeper!
From the Back Porch,
Bob Rice
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