Jeremiah

Jeremiah 24:1-2

Jeremiah shares an oracle coming from a vision of two baskets of figs.  This comes at a time when the king, officials and all the skilled workers were carried off to Babylon.  One of these baskets were good figs, the first ones that ripen early.  These are the best of the harvest.  The other figs aren't just bad, but very bad – so that they couldn't even be eaten.  Therefore, they had no value in their primary purpose (secondary being seed). 

Jeremiah 24:3-10

The Lord looked on the people who went into exile like the good figs.  They were the best of the harvest and valuable to him.  The Lord gave them a precious promise:

1. He would watch over them.
2. He would bring them back
3. He would build them up
4. Give them a new heart
5. He would be their God, they His people

To the bad figs, represented by Zedekiah, his officials and the people.  The Lord would see to their destruction.  They would be discarded as rotten and worthless fruit. 

©2018 Doug Ford