Jeremiah 24:1-10 “ A Sovereign Setback “ “ The Sovereignity in the Setbacks “

Jeremiah 24:1–10 (NIV)

1 After Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and the officials, the skilled workers and the artisans of Judah were carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, the Lord showed me two baskets of figs placed in front of the temple of the Lord.

2 One basket had very good figs, like those that ripen early; the other basket had very bad figs, so bad they could not be eaten.

3 Then the Lord asked me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” “Figs,” I answered. “The good ones are very good, but the bad ones are so bad they cannot be eaten.”

4 Then the word of the Lord came to me:

5 “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.

6 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.

7 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.

8 “ ‘But like the bad 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.

9 I will make them abhorrent and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword, a curse and an object of ridicule, wherever I banish them.

10 I will send the sword, famine and plague against them until they are destroyed from the land I gave to them and their ancestors.’ ”

A Sovereign Setback

The most important doctrine you can learn as a christian

Is the Gospel

To accept Jesus Christ as your personal substitute

Is the Greatest truth you can ever learn

But the second Greatest truth you can learn

Is the Sovereignty of God

Because if you don’t believe that God is Sovereign

You will live your life by luck, chance, happenstance, fate

There is no such thing as LUCK in the christian vocabulary

Everything is either CAUSE by God

Or ALLOWED by God

But NOTHING is never Missed by God

You are wondering about some things

You are trying to figure some things out

You are asking God some questions

And He haven't answered you yet

And what's worse than that

Is that you're asking yourself some questions

And you telling your own self you don't even know

But if you allow me today

To answer all your questions

To answer all your why’s

To answer all your don't know’s

Here’s the answer

“ The Sovereignty of God “

Today our sermonic spotlight

Remind us that at some point in our life

We’re going to have some setbacks

Regardless of how much you love God

Regardless of how faithful you are to God

Regardless of how faithful you are to ministry

No matter how long you pray

No matter how wonderful you worship

And even though you are a living sacrifice

Always trying to give of yourself for the kingdom

You’re going to have some setbacks

I wish as your pastor

That I could tell you of something that you could do

So that you can avoid any setbacks

I wish I could tell you as your spiritual leader

That if you pray powerful prayers

Or that you was a terrific tither

Or that you was an incredible person

That you would not have any setbacks

I wish I could tell you as the under Shepard

That if you took six months

To mind your own business

And the last six months

Staying out of other people business

You wouldn’t have any setbacks

The truth of the matter is

Whatever you do

You are still going to have some setbacks

Someone listening to me right now you are having medical setbacks

Something has happened in your body

It’s not functioning the way that you would like for it to function

Some kind of way

Your get up and go

Has gotten up and gone

Someone today you are facing financial setbacks

Your income is less than your outgo

You’re in a season

Where things are not coming together

From a financial perspective

Someone else

You don’t have to raise your hand

You don’t have to nod your head

You don’t have to wink your eye

But you’re in a relational setback

Something has happened

The love that you used to have

Has grown cold

That little house on the Prairie

Have turned into nightmare on Elm Street

You’re in a relational setback

But I come to understand

That God sanctions our setbacks

That setbacks

May have caught you off guard

But it have not caught God of guard

God sanctions our setbacks

As strange as that my sound

I believe that God sanctions our setbacks

For several reasons

Because God knows

That setbacks have a way

A Sovereign Setback

1st They Can Build our Faith

setbacks have a way of strengthening our faith

Setbacks have away

Of pushing us from our own dependence

And forces us to lean and depend on God

2 Corinthians 1:9 (ESV)

9 Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead.

That setback has allowed you to depend on God

Like you have never depended on God before

It has allowed you to pray

Like you have never prayed before

Quote: Sometimes we don’t know that God is all we need until God is all we have

That setback has reminded us

It was God that all we needed

In the first place

Note: if your setback have not push you closer to God in prayer, and reading, in worship, in ministry, in church, in Bible study, in spiritual enrichment, I come to tell you it’s going to be a long season and a difficult season. Because setbacks are tailor made to Build your FAITH

God sanctions our setbacks

A Sovereign Setback

1st They Can Build our Faith

2nd They can Broaden Our Fellowship

When God allows us to have setbacks

It really allows us in our surroundings

To Partner with others in our affliction

But setbacks have a way of showing you

Who your real friends are

Setbacks will reveal who will be there

When things get thick in your season

Because everybody that you count

When you are going through something

You can’t count on

When you’re going through something

In that same text

2nd Cor. 1:11– it was the Lord that delivered him from the setback

2 Corinthians 1:11 (CSB)

11 while you join in helping us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gift that came to us through the prayers of many.

Verse 11 – It was your prayer that you prayed for us

Acts 12:5 (ESV)

5 So Peter was kept in prison, but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church.

My setback have allowed others

To step in my context spiritually

And pray me through

God sanctions our setbacks

A Sovereign Setback

1st They Can Build our Faith

2nd They can Broaden Our Fellowship

3rd They Can Bring Us Favor

God allows setbacks

Because setbacks are setups

For a comeback

God would allow us to have a setback

To give the devil an optical illusion

That you think I’m done

But I’m not done

God would allow us to have a setback

Just to turn that thing around

To bring us back bigger and better

Than before

I say all of that because

This is the canvas of the text

Which is painted on

God has allowed a portion of his people

To be taken into Babylonian captivity

It is after that happens

That God pulls Jeremiah aside

And uses him as a mouthpiece

And gives him the revelation of what’s going on

And God tells Jeremiah

I have allowed the good figs

To be taken into captivity

Please don’t miss this

Because if you miss this

You will miss the whole message

God Gives Jeremiah a revelation

And in this vision

He shows Jeremiah something

And Jeremiah sees two basket of figs

One set of figs are rotten and horrible

They are so bad to where they can’t be eaten

Then God shows him another basket of figs

And they are rip and good

And it’s when God tells Jeremiah

It is the good figs

He allowed to have a setback

It is the good figs that go into captivity

I want to suggest today

And this will Literally

Mess with your mind

When you have done everything right

And things still go left

It can mess with you spiritually

When you have done the right thing

You’ve crossed every ( T )

You have dotted every ( I )

It can mess with you theologically

When you feel that you have done the right thing

And things still don’t go your way

In our minds when you read this text

You would think

If there was bad figs and good figs

That it would be the bad figs

That would be taken into captivity

When you read this text on the surface

You would thing that the

Good fortune should happen to the good figs

And the bad fortune should happen to the bad figs

It would make you ask yourself

God

Why in the world would you allowed good figs

To be taken into captivity

Because in our minds

We think if we have done the right thing

Good things should happen to good people

Somebody right now is struggling

With that same issue in your life

What do you do when you’ve been faithful

And you still get fired

What do you do when you have done right

And you get back wrong

What do you do when you’ve been helpful

And you still get hurt

What do you do when you’ve been kind

And you still got conned

What do you do when you have helped others

And they have taken advantage of you

What do you do when you’ve done everything you should do

It seems as if you are still experiencing

Setbacks in your life

The first thing you Gotta do

Is understand that God don’t see things the way you do

Isaiah 55:8–10 (ESV)

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater

Note: You’re trying to get God to see things the WAY YOU SEE THINGS

1 Corinthians 1:27 (ESV)

27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;

God says if you can just trust me in the process

Things will work out on your behalf

Just trust God

God pulls Jeremiah to the side

And God explains to Jeremiah

Why he has the good figs

To be taken into captivity

Because somebody today

Is asking God why have you allowed me

To have this setback

At this time in my life

A Sovereign Setback

1st God is Protecting Them from Grief

Now that really don’t make sense when you look at the text

In other words, how can you say that you are protecting them from grief

And you have allowed Nebuchadnezzar

Babylonian, armies

To invade Judah, and take a portion of your people

How can you say it’s for my good

And you have allowed ( ME )

To be taken into captivity

The bad figs look like they ain’t going through nothing

But you have allowed me

The good figs to go through

I got fired

I got divorced

I got the cancer

I got the sick child

I got the handicap child

I had the child to die

I had the spouse to die

I had things cave in

I had the bottom fall out

Why have you allowed this Lord?

The good figs

To go through captivity

And God says because I see stuff

That you can’t see

God says when you look around

All you can see is right in front of you

But I can see what’s coming around the corner

Some of you are upset with God right now

Because things have slowed down in your life

And while you’re trying to figure out why

God is saying, I slowed things down

Because I see what’s coming around the corner

Here it is they are confused

Because they have no idea why God has allowed

The good figs to go to captivity

Look in verse 8,9 & 10

Jeremiah 24:8–10 (NIV)

8 “ ‘But like the bad 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.

9 I will make them abhorrent and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword, a curse and an object of ridicule, wherever I banish them.

10 I will send the sword, famine and plague against them until they are destroyed from the land I gave to them and their ancestors.’ ”

God says they going to dwell in the land

But they die in the land

But you going into captivity

But you’re going to be kept

In other words those that stay gonna be slayed

But those that are captive gonna be kept

You should thank God

that even though you’re in this season of setbacks

God has kept you

Even though God has allowed you

To be in this season

But the God, you serve

Got His eyes on you and still keeping you

Keeping You

Keeping the Lights on

Keeping the Car note

Etc…..

Praise God, for being the kind of God

That can keep you in a season of setbacks

You have taken two steps back

But God is still keeping you

God says I sent them away

It’s for their good

Because they don’t know what’s coming around the corner

Of their lives

Note: can any of you ever remember that you really wanted to go somewhere but you had a setback and then you found out later that something happened. Now you don’t know if it would’ve been you, but you do know it could’ve been you.

God says I allowed this setback

A Sovereign Setback

1st God is Protecting Them from Grief

2nd God is Positioning Them to Grow

Jeremiah 24:6 (NIV)

6 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.

Verse 6 says

I’m sending them away to Babylonia captivity

But while there I’m going to

Build them up and not tear them down

While there I’m going to plant them

And not up root them

They are going to GROW

Note: they just won’t go through but grow through it

In verse 6 this word BUILD means Hebrew [ bnh ] – means to “ construct “ , develop , rebuild

God says I’m going to construct you

I pulled the building permit

And I’m getting ready to start

A construction project

“ And YOU Are It “

Note: Some people show up at different phases in your life and the ones that showed up. If they’re not careful they will miss read the person that they showed up to because they don’t have the luxury of knowing what stage the building project is in when they showed up.

In construction sometimes you have to get rid of some stuff, you got to tear down some stuff

But some folks show up in your completed stage after you got your mind together after you got your credit together

But some folks showed up when you tore up from the floor

Some showed up when you were getting rid of some people

Note: But here’s the problem is people don’t know what’s in you because they wasn’t with you from the beginning

Note: You need to know that you’re built to take some stuff now

God has built you to last – You’re builded for this

You can handle folks lying on you

You could handle folks talking about you

You can handle folks walking out on you

You can handle folks sleeping on you like the disciples

You are built for stuff

You are built for Satanic attacks

Because God has build you up

God says I sent them away

Because in the season of setbacks

I am going to build them up

God says I have sent them away

The good figs

And I sent the good figs away for a reason

A Sovereign Setback

1st God is Protecting Them from Grief

2nd God is Positioning Them to Grow

3rd God is Preparing Them for Greater

Jeremiah 24:7 (NIV)

7 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.

God says I allowed this setback

Because I’m preparing you for something great

You don’t have the best of nothing yet

NO BOO he was good but he wasn’t the best

NO BOO she was good but she wasn’t the best

But greater is on the way

You ain’t had the best job yet

You haven’t had the best relationship yet, but greater

You ain’t driving the best car yet but greater

You ain’t living in the Best house yet

Jeremiah 24:7 (NIV)

7 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.

A Sovereign Setback

1st I’m giving you a GREATER RECOGNITION of the Lord

The greater is not necessarily financial

The greater is spiritual

The immature saint shout over the financial

But the mature saint shout over the Spiritual

If you’re HOLY – He’ll give you the House

If you’re Righteous – He’ll give you the Riches

If you’re Godly – He’ll give you the Gold

A greater recognition of the Lord

Means that when you come out of this setback

You really going to know who I am

And knowing me is going to be better then know anything

Verse 7 – that word KNOW means to know experientially

Your momma knew God

But when you come out of this season

You were known for yourself

A Sovereign Setback

1st I’m giving you a GREATER RECOGNITION of the Lord

2nd Then you’re going to have A GREATER RESPONSE towards the Lord

Jeremiah 24:7 (NIV)

7 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.

1st They Can Build our Faith

2nd They can Broaden Our Fellowship

3rd They Can Bring Us Favor

1st God is Protecting Them from Grief

2nd God is Positioning Them to Grow

3rd God is Preparing Them for Greater