Jeremiah24
v.1
After Jehoiachin son of Jehoiakim king of Judah and the officials, the craftsmen 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.
v.2
One basket had very good figs, like those that ripen early; the other basket had very poor figs, so bad they could not be eaten.
v.3
Then the LORD asked me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” “Figs,” I answered. “The good ones are very good, but the poor ones are so bad they cannot be eaten.”
v.4
Then the word of the LORD came to me:
v.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.
v.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.
v.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.
Observe that it is not said, “I will give them a head to know Me.” As I have already said, man’s great stumbling block in coming to God does not lie in his reason; there is a difficulty in his reason, but not the major one! The first and primary impediment to his knowledge of God lies in the affections! man’s heart is set upon that which is evil—consequently he needs a God after his own fashion—that will smile upon sin, or at least tolerate it!
One of the first effects of knowing God in the soul is that it turns out our idols.
The second good effect of the knowledge of God is that it creates faith in the soul.
Thirdly, this knowledge of God not only creates faith, but also creates good works.
The knowledge of God has a further effect. It causes us to praise Him.
The knowledge of God brings comfort, and that is a very desirable thing in a world of trouble.
One thing more, and that is, the man who knows the Lord will have usefulness given him.
v.8
“‘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.
v.9
I will make them abhorrent and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword, an object of ridicule and cursing, wherever I banish them.
v.10
I will send the sword, famine and plague against them until they are destroyed from the land I gave to them and their fathers.‘”