Jeremiah 24
Jeremiah 24 contains a vision given to Jeremiah, where God shows him two baskets of figs placed before the temple. One basket holds good figs, symbolizing the exiles in Babylon who will receive God’s favor and restoration. The other basket has bad figs, representing those left in Jerusalem who will face judgment. This chapter highlights God's sovereign plan to use the exile for the good of His people and a warning for those who reject His guidance.
Jeremiah 24:1 (NKJV)
1 The Lord showed me, and there were two baskets of figs set before the temple of the Lord, after Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the craftsmen and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.
God presents a vision to Jeremiah involving two baskets of figs. This vision takes place after King Jeconiah and others from Judah have been exiled. By placing the baskets in front of the temple, God signifies His concern and authority over the people’s destiny, marking this as a divine message intended for their instruction and reflection.
Jeremiah 24:2 (NKJV)
2 One basket had very good figs, like the figs that are first-ripe; and the other basket had very bad figs which could not be eaten, they were so bad.
The vision features a clear contrast between the two baskets: one with good figs, symbolizing the exiles who will experience God's favor, and one with inedible, bad figs, representing those who will face judgment. This stark difference emphasizes the separation between those who submit to God’s will and those who refuse His guidance.
Jeremiah 24:3 (NKJV)
3 Then the Lord said to me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” And I said, “Figs, the good figs, very good; and the bad, very bad, which cannot be eaten, they are so bad.”
God prompts Jeremiah to observe the vision closely, underscoring the importance of understanding what is being shown. Jeremiah describes the figs, noting that the bad figs are so spoiled they are inedible. This description emphasizes the severity of the impending judgment on those represented by the bad figs.
Jeremiah 24:4 (NKJV)
4 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
The continuation of God’s word signals that He is about to provide Jeremiah with the meaning of the vision, clarifying His intentions for the people represented by each basket of figs.
Jeremiah 24:5 (NKJV)
5 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge those who are carried away captive from Judah, whom I have sent out of this place for their own good, into the land of the Chaldeans.
God identifies the good figs as the exiles who have been taken to Babylon. He reassures Jeremiah that He has allowed this captivity for their ultimate benefit, preserving them through this hardship and setting the stage for a future restoration. This affirms God’s protective care for those who submit to His will, even amid difficult circumstances.
Jeremiah 24:6 (NKJV)
6 For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up.
God promises His watchful protection and eventual restoration of the exiles. He vows to rebuild and replant them, ensuring their stability and prosperity in the future. This reflects His commitment to their well-being and the fulfillment of His covenant, underscoring a hopeful future for those who trust in Him.
Jeremiah 24:7 (NKJV)
7 Then I will give them a heart to know Me, 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.
God reveals His intent to transform the hearts of the exiles, leading them to truly know and follow Him. This promise of spiritual renewal highlights that their exile will ultimately bring them into a closer relationship with God, restoring the covenant relationship where they acknowledge Him as their Lord wholeheartedly.
Jeremiah 24:8 (NKJV)
8 And as the bad figs which cannot be eaten, they are so bad’—surely thus says the Lord—‘so will I give up Zedekiah the king of Judah, his princes, the residue of Jerusalem who remain in this land, and those who dwell in the land of Egypt.
The bad figs represent King Zedekiah, his officials, and those who remain in Jerusalem and Egypt. God declares that they will face severe consequences because they chose to rebel against His guidance. This highlights the unavoidable judgment that will fall on those who reject His will, emphasizing the cost of disobedience.
Jeremiah 24:9 (NKJV)
9 I will deliver them to trouble into all the kingdoms of the earth, for their harm, to be a reproach and a byword, a taunt and a curse, in all places where I shall drive them.
God warns that those symbolized by the bad figs will suffer disgrace and hardship throughout the earth. Their fate will serve as a public testimony of the consequences of disobedience, becoming a lesson and a warning to others about the dangers of forsaking God’s covenant.
Jeremiah 24:10 (NKJV)
10 And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence among them, till they are consumed from the land that I gave to them and their fathers.
The chapter concludes with God’s declaration of a threefold punishment—sword, famine, and pestilence—for those who remain rebellious. This severe judgment underscores the complete devastation awaiting those who oppose God’s plan, marking the finality of His decision to remove them from the land He promised to their ancestors.