Tale of the FIGS

JEREMIAH     CHAPTER 24

After King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon exiled Jehoiachin to Babylon along with the princes of Judah and all skilled craftsmen, the Lord gave Jeremiah a vision. In the vision he saw two baskets of figs placed in front of the Lord's Temple in Jerusalem. One basket was filled with fresh, ripe figs and the other filled with figs that were spoiled and could not be eaten.

Then the Lord asked Jeremiah what he saw and he said "Figs, some good and some very bad."
Then the Lord gave Jeremiah a message that the good figs represented the exiles he sent to Babylon. He promised to see that they were well treated and would bring them back to Jerusalem again and would build them up and not tear them down. He would plant them and not uproot them. And he would give them hearts that they would recognize God as their Lord and they would be he his people.

But the rotten figs, said the Lord, represent King Zedekiah of Judah, his officials and all the people left in Jerusalem and those who live in Egypt. The Lord would treat them as spoiled figs and make them subject to horror and evil in every nation on earth. They would be disgraced, mocked, taunted, and cursed wherever the Lord sent them. He would send war, famine and disease until they vanished from the land of Israel, which he had given to them and their ancestors.

BIBLE NOTES SHOW: Often exiled royal officials were exiled to keep them from exerting power and starting a rebellion. Skill craftsmen were taken because they were valuable for Babylon's building program. Jeremiah foretold this in chapter 22: 24-28.

HOW DOES THIS CHAPTER RELATE TO US TODAY?  The fresh figs represented the exiles not because they were good, but because their hearts would respond to God and he would preserve them and bring them back.
Those spoiled figs that remained behind in Judah, may have arrogantly believed they would be blessed if they remained in the land or escaped to Egypt. But the opposite was true.

In our world today, we assume we are blessed when life goes well. But troubles can be blessings if we learn from them and grow stronger. Just as prosperity can be a curse if it takes us away from our God.

If you have trouble in your life, pray to God now and ask him to help you grow stronger. If you are prosperous, ask him how to use your prosperity to help him and others. This is a powerful lesson for such a short chapter. I hope you get as much out of the meaning as God intended.

Yours in Christ,
Mary

Prayer Requests are needed for:


HEALTH: Pray for Gabe.

Pray for Gary and Steve my insurance men who have prostate cancer.

Pray for Arlene’s nephew David and for my neighbor Al who is nearing the end of his life.

Pray for Carolyn’s brother Ronald who has cancer.

Pray for our friend Michelle who was diagnosed with a form of MS.

Pray for Robert Sargent who is quite ill with lung cancer.

Pray for Gary Summers, my friend from church, who has cancer.

Pray too for Charly’s husband Robert who has been undergoing chemo. Pray also for Charly who longs to be 100 percent again and walk without an aid.

Pray for James’s sister Cynthia whose chemo has lost its effect as the cancer grows powerful.

SPIRITUAL UPLIFTING: Gail, Mary

RESTORATION OF FAITH: Al, John

LOVE AND SUPPORT: Claire, Hunter, Brian

SUPPORT: Pray for our country’s leaders and our military people who die each day for our freedom. Pray for our famers and those who raise livestock during this terrible drought.