Two Baskets: Hope in Despair
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Handout
Introduction
Introduction
Question: Tell me something that you have had to choose between, two things that looked similar but one was clearly better for you in the long run?
Similar Apples, which would you eat. They are both apples, right?
In our chapter this evening Jer24:1-10, Jeremiah sees a vision of two baskets of figs before the temple of the Lord. One with very good figs, the other with very bad rotten figs. But the illustration has to be explained and it is not what they expected.
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Big Idea: God distinguishes between hearts that turn to Him and those who resist Him — true hope lies in His mercy, not in circumstances
In the midst of trials and judgment, God assures us of His faithfulness and hope of restoration for those who remain faithful to Him.
Simple application: For Christians to understand that even in times of hardship and judgment , God’s plans are for the good for them, not for harm. It encourages believers to trust in God’s sovereignty and grace, reminding us that there is always reason to have hope and a future, no matter the circumstances we face.
Our test to be outlined
Our test to be outlined
1 After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and the officials of Judah with the craftsmen and smiths from Jerusalem and had brought them to Babylon, the Lord showed me: behold, two baskets of figs set before the temple of the Lord! 2 One basket had very good figs, like first-ripe figs, and the other basket had very bad figs which could not be eaten due to rottenness.
3 Then the Lord said to me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” And I said, “Figs, the good figs, very good; and the bad figs, very bad, which cannot be eaten due to rottenness.” 4 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying,
5 “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the captives of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans. 6 ‘For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them again to this land; and I will build them up and not overthrow them, and I will plant them and not pluck them up.
7 ‘I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart. 8 ‘But like the bad figs which cannot be eaten due to rottenness—indeed, thus says the Lord—so I will abandon Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials, and the remnant of Jerusalem who remain in this land and the ones who dwell in the land of Egypt.
9 ‘I will make them a terror and an evil for all the kingdoms of the earth, as a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse in all places where I will scatter them. 10 ‘I will send the sword, the famine and the pestilence upon them until they are destroyed from the land which I gave to them and their forefathers.’ ”
Is there anything that stands out to you in this passage? If so, make a note of it, what, and why did it stand out.
The Vision of two baskets
The Vision of two baskets
Jeremiah 24:1–3 “1 After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and the officials of Judah with the craftsmen and smiths from Jerusalem and had brought them to Babylon, the Lord showed me: behold, two baskets of figs set before the temple of the Lord! 2 One basket had very good figs, like first-ripe figs, and the other basket had very bad figs which could not be eaten due to rottenness. 3 Then the Lord said to me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” And I said, “Figs, the good figs, very good; and the bad figs, very bad, which cannot be eaten due to rottenness.””
King Jehoiachin has already been deported when Jeremiah has this vision. This is a turning point an opportunity to discern who remains faithful in trying times. It emphasizes God’s ability to know and distinguish between the faithful and the unfaithful. . See how this demonstrates God’s omniscience and the importance of clinging to Him when life seems bleak.
God had asked Jeremiah what he saw and it wets it up for the divine interpretation.
Jeremiah describes what he sees a basket of Good figs: fresh, nourishing, desirable
Then a basket of bad figs: rotten, inedible, beyond use
There is some symbolism here: Outwardly similar baskets, inwardly different quality.
The Interpretation
The Interpretation
Jeremiah 24:4–7 “4 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the captives of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans. 6 ‘For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them again to this land; and I will build them up and not overthrow them, and I will plant them and not pluck them up. 7 ‘I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.”
God gives an encouraging message, but it is to the exiles, not to the ones who stay in Jerusalem. The exiles are the good figs. The passage affirms God’s sovereign plan and promise to bring restoration and establish a faithful remnant.
Good figs = Exiles in Babylon
God sent them to Babylon for the ultimate good (v.5)
God will watch over them.
God gives them divine protection
He will bring them back to the land
God promises to bring them back to the land and build them up, and plant them securely (v.6)
He will give them a heart to know Him.
He will give them a hearts to truly seek Him and know Him as Lord; they will be His people returning to Him wholeheartedly (v.7)
Key promise: “They will be My people, and I will be their God” (v.7)
Bad Figs: Righteous Judgment
Bad Figs: Righteous Judgment
Jeremiah 24:8–10 “8 ‘But like the bad figs which cannot be eaten due to rottenness—indeed, thus says the Lord—so I will abandon Zedekiah king of Judah and his officials, and the remnant of Jerusalem who remain in this land and the ones who dwell in the land of Egypt. 9 ‘I will make them a terror and an evil for all the kingdoms of the earth, as a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse in all places where I will scatter them. 10 ‘I will send the sword, the famine and the pestilence upon them until they are destroyed from the land which I gave to them and their forefathers.’ ””
Judgment pronounced on those likened to bad figs. A stark contrast to the gravity of turning away from God. Still, within the judgment, God’s righteousness and longing for repentance shines through. Find encouragement in God’s sovereignty and goodness, in the Christ that is our true restoration and our true hope.
The fate of the bad figs
Bad figs = those remaining in Judah or fleeing to Egypt
Zedekiah, his officials, and survivors in Jerusalem or Egypt are like the bad figs —too rotten to eat (v.8)
They will face sword, famine or pestilence
God will send sword, famine, and plague until they are wiped out from the land given to their ancestors. (v.10)
They will be a reproach and curse among the nations
They will become abhorrent, a curse, and an object of ridicule among all kingdoms where God scatters them (v.9)
Time for scripture questions?
Time for scripture questions?
God flips human assumptions, the ones who seem judged are actually the ones God is shaping. The ones who seem safe are resisting God’s will. Having said that consider:
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How might exile (a negative circumstance) actually be a sign of God’s mercy?
How do you see the difference between outward appearance and inward reality in this passage?
How does God use discipline to bring about restoration?
Application
Application
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God may use difficult seasons for our good
Exile = growth
Hardship = God’s tool for deeper trust in Him
Application question: Where might God be refining me right now
True blessing is not outward success but an obedient heart
The exiles looked cursed, but God was with them
The comfortable looked blessed, but were far from God
Application question: Do I measure blessing by circumstances or by faithfulness?
God desires to give His people a renewed heart
He wants us to “know Him”
Spiritual renewal is God-initiated and God-completed
Application question: What does it look like to seek a heart that knows God more deeply?
Conclusion/Takeaway
Conclusion/Takeaway
God’s judgments are purposeful, leading to restoration for the repentant. Though exile and ruin seem final, God’s ultimate plan is to plant His people securely with transformed hearts.
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Major Takeaway: A heart aligned with God is more important than the circumstances we find ourselves in. God does His best restoring work in the lives of those who surrender to Him.
(prayer)
