[:en]SCRIPTURE: JEREMIAH 24
“This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: ‘Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent away from this place to the land of the Babylonians. My eyes will watch over them for their 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 uproot them. I 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 all their heart” (Jeremiah 24:5-7)
“But like the poor figs, which are so bad they cannot be eaten,’ says the Lord, ‘so will I deal with Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials and the survivors from jerusalem, whether they remain in this land or live in Egypt. I will make them abhorrent and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a by-word, an object of ridicule and cursing, wherever I banish them. I will send the sword, famine and plague against them until they are destroyed from the land I gave to them and their fathers'” (Jeremiah 24:8-10)
TWO BASKETS OF FIG:
The two baskets of fig signify two kinds of people of Israel. There were good people who listened and obeyed God’s Word. There were also rebellious people who rejected God’s Word. God will watch over the good ones and bring them back to the land. But God will punish the rebellious people with sword, famine and plague.
Godly people will experience good things from God. But the ungodly citizens will be consumed by troubles and hardships because they rejected Him.
Let us prepare our hearts fo fully devoted to God. We must “keep our hearts with all diligence, for out of it springs the issues of life” (Prov. 4:23). May we be like the good figs that produces fruits to give glory to His name.[:]