Jeremiah 23-25: Good Figs, Great Blessing in Captivity

Jeremiah 24:4-7
Amplified Bible (AMP)


4 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying,

5 Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so will I regard the captives of Judah whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good.

6 For I will set My eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land; and I will build them up and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up.

7 And I will give them a heart to know (recognize, understand, and be acquainted with) Me, that 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.


What jumps out at me is that those people, symbolized as "good figs," are exiled and taken captive right along side of the "bad figs."  God goes even farther by explaining that captivity in "the land of the Chaldeans" was "for their good."

Captivity generally is viewed as undesirable, but in this case captivity results in awesome benefits...

*God is watching over them for good.

*He will eventually bring them back to their inheritance.

*He will build them.  I understand this to mean personal growth.

*They will be planted.  Their roots in the Lord will grow deeper.

*The most awesome promise of all is that God will give them a heart capable of knowing Him!!!

Maybe we need to redefine our thoughts on captivity!  No matter what physical state we find ourselves, God IS with us!  A person whose heart is drawn to the Lord is free even though they are a captive!

God's ways are difficult to comprehend and we often cannot understand the things He does or allows in order to make us into the people that He desires.

He is God and we are not!!!

Father, all of us have felt captive to circumstances in this life.  Open our eyes to see deeper.  Give us a heart to know You and faith to trust that You have the best plan for our lives.  Help us to remember that this earth is not our true home.  It is the training ground for eternity.  All for the love of Jesus and in His name, AMEN!!!