Jeremiah 24
Jeremiah 24 is a chapter that shows how God distinguishes the people belonging to Judah through the parable of two baskets of figs concerning the Babylonian exile. This chapter was given shortly after the fall of Judah, after King Jehoiachin and his officials were taken to Babylon as captives. The prophet Jeremiah presents God’s will to those who hear it through striking symbolic images.
1verseThe LORD showed me, and behold, two baskets of figs were set before the LORD’s temple, 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.
2verseOne 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.
3verseThen the LORD asked me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I said, “Figs. The good figs are very good, and the bad are very bad, so bad that they can’t be eaten.”
4verseThe LORD’s word came to me, saying,
5verse“The LORD, the God of Israel says: ‘Like these good figs, so I will regard the captives of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans, as good.
6verseFor I will set my eyes on them for good, and I will bring them again to this land. I will build them, and not pull them down. I will plant them, and not pluck them up.
7verseI will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God; for they will return to me with their whole heart.
8verse“‘As the bad figs, which can’t be eaten, they are so bad,’ surely the LORD says, ‘So I will give up Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the remnant of Jerusalem who remain in this land, and those who dwell in the land of Egypt.
9verseI will even give them up to be tossed back and forth among all the kingdoms of the earth for evil, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places where I will drive them.
10verseI will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence among them, until they are consumed from off the land that I gave to them and to their fathers.’”
The Parable of Two Baskets of Figs
In the early part of the chapter, Jeremiah sees two baskets of figs placed in front of the temple. One basket contains very good figs, and the other contains very bad figs (verses 1–3). This symbolism is followed shortly by God’s interpretation.
- Good figs: the people of Israel taken captive to Babylon, and those whom God intends to do good to.
- Bad figs: those who remain in Jerusalem or flee to places such as Egypt, and they become the objects of God’s judgment.
The Meaning of God’s Will and Judgment
God gives the people who have been taken captive to Babylon words of hope (verses 5–7). He promises that he will care for them and do good to them, and that he will plant a new covenant in their hearts so they will come to know him. On the other hand, he warns that wicked people, like the bad figs, will be scattered and become the targets of a curse and shame (verses 8–10).
The Message Felt Throughout the Whole Chapter
In Jeremiah 24, it becomes clear that the true blessing is not a blessing of outward circumstances (remaining in Jerusalem) or hardship (life in exile), but restoring one’s relationship with God. Even God’s judgment itself can be understood as a means for restoration and a new beginning. The criterion for distinction does not lie in situations visible to human eyes, but under God’s sovereignty and providence.
Meditation Point
- Do we not just think that difficult circumstances or hardship are only the result of being separated from God?
- Even if it seems hard on the outside, are we listening for God’s will and his good plan contained within it?
- Does God look at not just the situation but the heart, and can we trust his plan for restoration?
Try Applying It to Yourself
- Try to have the trust that any difficulty in my life can be under God’s good guidance.
- Make a decision to have a day focused on my relationship with God, without clinging only to my standards (external comfort, stability).
