Jehovah shewed me, and behold, two baskets of figs, set before the temple of Jehovah, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive from Jerusalem, Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, the king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, and the craftsmen and smiths, and had brought them to Babylon.
Nebuchadnezzar has already carried Jeconiah, the officials and the craftsmen off to Babylon. Now God gives Jeremiah a vision: two baskets of figs standing in front of the temple. The sign answers one question. Which group does God count as good: the ones taken away, or the ones left in Jerusalem?
The date fixes the two groups the vision compares. One writer counts the deportations:
In chapter 24, Jeremiah is shown two baskets of figs. This happened after the second deportation. The first one had occurred under Jehoiakim. Now, around ten years later… Zedekiah was king.
The survivors had their own reading of events. One writer names the mistake:
Jeconiah, with the choicest of the nation, had been carried away into captivity. A large portion remained, and were not taken away, and these attributed their escape from exile to some goodness in them.
Where the baskets stand matters:
Jeremiah in a vision sees two baskets of figs placed before the temple of the Lord, the one place where the people's true state could be rightly judged. One of these baskets was full of very good figs in God's eyes, like figs that are first ripe; the other of very bad figs. What men saw was the exact opposite of what God reveals to Jeremiah. To the world, the good figs were the people left at Jerusalem under Zedekiah. To God's heart, they were those carried away from Judah. Their goodness rested on one thing: they had submitted to the judgment God brought for their sin.
The chapter closes a set of prophecies, and sorts the nation into two futures:
Jeremiah 24 seems to close this set of prophecies. They were given at different times, but they stand together here because they all circle round the last kings of Judah and the fall of Jerusalem. The purpose was to show, under the picture of two baskets of figs, two completely opposite futures. One group of Jews went with Jeconiah to Babylon. The other stayed in the land with Zedekiah or lived in Egypt.
The bad figs were not just unlucky. They escaped the first blow, then set themselves against God:
The bad figs, too bad to eat (v. 8)… were those who had not gone through the first judgment under Jehoiachin. They must go through a second one, and this time it would be final. God declared that everything was lost. They, trusting in themselves, boasted that they were the representatives of the people of God.
The exile had a purpose. It also became a test of how people take correction:
The Lord meant their exile to be for their eventual good. This is a very important point. In a day of ruin faith always recognises the chastening of God and bows to it. Unbelief always resists, and treats its opposition as patriotism, or maybe religion. That is why the men of Judah thought Jeremiah a very false Jew. He always told them to submit to the king of Babylon. They counted themselves much better Jews, because they were willing to fight him.
What God promises the good figs runs past their address and reaches their hearts:
Even in the land of the Chaldeans the eyes of the Lord are upon them for good. He would restore them too, and settle them again in the land of Israel. But better than the best of the land, they would know the Lord. And better than returning to the place, they would return to Him.
Did the return from Babylon complete that promise? One writer answers no:
I do not accept that this prophecy was fulfilled in the past return from the captivity in Babylon. There was a partial fulfilment then, as with other predictions… Whatever has not happened must still happen. The promised restoration and regeneration of Israel has never yet taken place. So it must come in the future.
The same principle reaches past Judah. One writer applies it to the reader:
This same principle holds true for us. Only, thanks be to God, we have suffered our judgment in the person of Christ, condemned in our place on the cross. Once the sentence had been carried out, God could look down with favour on those who had been its objects… It is the same for us: because of Christ's judgment God sees us perfect in Him, however wretched we may be in ourselves.
- Setting — The vision comes after the second deportation. Jeconiah and the nation's best are in Babylon, and Zedekiah rules in Jerusalem.
- Place — The baskets stand before the temple. That is the one place where the people's real state shows, and God's verdict there reverses the public one.
- Reversal — The exiles looked like the losers. They are the good figs, because they bowed to God's judgment. Those who stayed trusted themselves and faced a second, final blow.
- Purpose — God meant the exile for their good. Faith bows to His chastening. Unbelief fights back and calls the fighting loyalty.
- Reach — The promise runs past land and rebuilding to a heart that knows the Lord. One writer holds that the return from Babylon only began it.
- For us — The same principle stands today. Our judgment fell on Christ, so God can look on us with favour.
One basket had very good figs, like the figs first ripe; and the other basket had very bad figs, which could not be eaten for badness.
Jeremiah sees two baskets of figs in front of the temple — one like the first ripe fruit of the season, the other too rotten to eat. The picture raises the question that runs through the whole chapter: which Jews does God count as good, the ones carried off to Babylon or the ones left in Jerusalem?
The vision comes at a precise moment in Judah's collapse. Babylon had already taken a second group of captives away.
In chapter 24, Jeremiah is shown two baskets of figs. This happened after the second deportation. The first one had occurred under Jehoiakim. Now, around ten years later, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah. He also took the princes of Judah, with the craftsmen and the metalworkers, from Jerusalem to Babylon (v. 1). Zedekiah was king.
Those left behind drew their own conclusion from their escape.
Jeconiah had been carried away into captivity, and with him the best of the nation. A large part of the people remained and were not taken away. They put their escape from exile down to some goodness in themselves.
Where the baskets stand matters as much as what is in them.
Jeremiah in a vision sees two baskets of figs placed before the temple of the Lord (Jer. 24), the only place where the people's true state could be rightly judged. One of these baskets was full of very good figs in God's eyes, like figs that are first ripe; the other of very bad figs. What men saw was exactly the opposite of what God reveals to Jeremiah. To the world the good figs were the people remaining at Jerusalem under Zedekiah; to God's heart they were those carried away from Judah.
The verse gives two kinds of fruit, each at its extreme. Commentators read that as deliberate.
There were no intermediate figs. They were either "very good" or "very bad". This shows that God would not accept a middle ground or a neutral position.
One writer sees the same split running through the whole book.
They kept up an outward pretence and profession. There was a great appearance of good, a little real good under the surface, and a great deal of outward show… In Jeremiah's day the state of the nation was very much what he said himself (Jer. 24). There were some good figs, and the good figs were very good; but there were very many bad figs, and the bad figs were very bad. We will find this moral character, then, all through this book.
So what put the exiles in the good basket?
Why does God say the opposite? Because those who wanted to stay in Jerusalem were refusing to accept God's discipline. They thought they could evade it, either by staying in Jerusalem to fight or by fleeing to Egypt.
One writer carries that principle over to the believer today.
Their goodness rested on one thing: they had submitted to the judgment God brought on them for their sin. The same principle holds true for us. Only, thanks be to God, we have suffered our judgment in the person of Christ, condemned in our place on the cross. Once the sentence had been carried out, God could look with favour on those who had borne it… Because Christ bore the judgment, God sees us perfect in Him, however wretched we may be in ourselves.
The promise to the captives reaches past the land they lost.
Even in the land of the Chaldeans the eyes of the Lord are on them for good. They should be restored again, too, and settled in the land of Israel. But better than the best of the land, they should know the Lord. And better than returning to the place, they should return to Him.
Commentators differ over how much of this has already happened. One argues the return from Babylon does not exhaust it.
I do not admit that this prophecy was fulfilled in the past return from the Babylonian captivity. There was a partial fulfilment then, as with other predictions… On the other hand, there is Israel's permanent settlement in their own land, their knowledge of God, and their return to Him with their whole heart. These stand firmly against the teaching of those who suppose the prophecy was used up at that time as far as Israel is concerned.
- Setting. The vision comes after Babylon deports Jeconiah and the princes, while Zedekiah still reigns in Jerusalem.
- Sight. The baskets stand before the temple, the one place where the people's true state shows. God's reading reverses the public one.
- Sorting. There are no middling figs: God allows no neutral ground between very good and very bad.
- Secret. The good figs were good because they bowed under God's discipline instead of dodging it by fighting or fleeing to Egypt.
- Sequel. The Lord keeps His eye on the exiles for good and settles them in the land again — but their return to Him is worth more than their return to the place.
And Jehovah said unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs the good figs very good; and the bad very bad, which cannot be eaten for badness.
God sets two baskets of figs in front of Jeremiah and asks him what he sees. His answer — one basket excellent, the other rotten — becomes God's verdict on a nation split in two by the exile to Babylon.
Jeconiah and the best of the nation had already gone to Babylon. Those left behind had their own explanation for why they stayed.
Jeconiah, with the choicest of the nation, had been carried away into captivity. A large part of the nation stayed behind, and they credited their escape from exile to some goodness in themselves. At that time the prophet had a vision. He saw two baskets of figs set in front of the temple. The one basket was filled with good figs, the second basket with bad figs.
The place where the baskets stood matters.
Jeremiah in a vision sees two baskets of figs placed before the temple of the Lord (Jer. 24), the only place where the true state of the people might be appreciated. One of these baskets was full of very good figs in God's eyes, like figs that are first ripe; the other of very bad figs. What men saw was the opposite of what God reveals to Jeremiah. To the world the good figs were the people remaining at Jerusalem under Zedekiah; to God's heart they were those carried away from Judah. Their goodness rested on this: they had submitted to God's judgment on their sin. The same principle holds true for us. Thanks be to God, we have suffered our judgment in the person of Christ, condemned in our place on the cross. Because Christ bore that judgment, God sees us perfect in Him, however wretched we may be in ourselves.
The difference lay in how each group answered the discipline God had sent.
How could this be? Surely, one might have thought, those who remain in Jerusalem are the better Jews and those in Babylon are the bad ones. Why does God say the opposite? Because those who wanted to stay in Jerusalem were refusing to accept God's discipline. They thought they could escape it, either by staying in Jerusalem to fight or by fleeing to Egypt. Keep in mind that since the first deportation, God had handed government in the world to Nebuchadnezzar (Jer. 28:14; Dan. 2:37-38; 5:18-19). The only right course was to accept this and to confess the sins that had led to it.
The prophet reports no third basket and no average fruit.
There were no in-between figs. They were either 'very good' or 'very bad'. This shows that God would not accept a middle ground or a neutral position. The good figs were the ones that accepted the discipline and bowed under it. God would bless them and completely change their hearts: "I will give them a heart to know that I am the LORD, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart" (Jer. 24:7).
The second basket stands for people, not fruit.
The bad figs, "so bad that they cannot be eaten," were figs God Himself could do nothing with. They were the people who had not gone through the first judgment under Jehoiachin, so they had to face a second judgment — this time the final one. God declared that everything was lost, but they trusted in themselves and boasted that they represented the people of God. The land of Egypt, a picture of the world under the rule of Satan, suited them very well.
Has this vision already come true in history? Kelly gives his answer.
I do not accept that the past return from Babylon fulfilled this prophecy. Part of it came true then, as part of other predictions did. That is the most that verses 5 and 6 will support. On the other hand, the prophecy promises Israel a permanent home in their own land, and a knowledge of God as they return to Him with their whole heart. That flatly contradicts those who teach that the prophecy was finished then. Whatever has not been fulfilled must be fulfilled. The promised restoration and renewal of Israel has never yet taken place, so it must come in the future.
- Sight. Men and God read the same two groups in opposite ways. The exiles looked like the losers, yet they were the good figs.
- Submission. The good figs were good for one reason. They bowed under God's discipline instead of dodging it by fighting or fleeing to Egypt. The same principle holds for us: Christ bore the judgment in our place.
- Self-trust. The bad figs stayed, boasted that they represented God's people, and so faced a second and final judgment.
- Separation. There were no middle figs; God accepted no neutral ground between the two baskets.
- Sequel. God promised the good figs a heart to know Him and a whole-hearted return. The return from Babylon only began to fulfil it.