Teach About the Bible

Chapter Summary

Jeremiah 24 presents a striking vision from God that uses a simple, agricultural image to explain a profound spiritual reality. Through two baskets of figs - one wonderfully good and the other hopelessly rotten - God reveals His surprising plans for the people of Judah. This chapter teaches that God's judgment and His methods of preservation often defy human expectations, showing that what appears to be a curse can actually be a path to future blessing.

Core Passages from Jeremiah 24
Jeremiah 24:5"Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I have sent away from this place to the land of the Chaldeans."
This verse shockingly redefines who God considers 'good.' It's not those who escaped exile, but those who were taken, as God planned to use their discipline for future restoration.
Jeremiah 24:7I 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.
The core of the promise is that God will do more than bring them home. He will perform spiritual surgery, giving them a new heart that truly desires a relationship with Him.
Jeremiah 24:8-9“But thus says the Lord: Like the bad figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten, so will I treat Zedekiah the king of Judah, his officials, the remnant of Jerusalem who remain in this land, and those who dwell in the land of Egypt. I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a reproach, a byword, a taunt, and a curse in all the places where I shall drive them.
This passage delivers a harsh verdict on the leadership and people left in Jerusalem. Their physical presence in the land gave them a false sense of security, but God saw their rebellious hearts and declared their coming destruction.

Trust is found not in the outward appearance of circumstances, but in the sovereignty of God who weaves both judgment and preservation into a tapestry of future blessing

Historical & Cultural Context

After the First Deportation

This vision takes place shortly after a major national trauma in 597 BC. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, had conquered Jerusalem and deported the top tier of Judean society - King Jeconiah, his officials, and all the skilled craftsmen and workers. This event stripped the nation of its leadership and strength, leaving behind a puppet king, Zedekiah, and a population that likely felt relieved to have been spared. The exiles were seen as the cursed ones, while those remaining felt they were the fortunate few.

A Vision at the Temple

It is in this tense political and spiritual atmosphere that God gives Jeremiah a vision. Right before the temple, the center of their national faith, Jeremiah sees two baskets of figs. The contrast couldn't be more stark: one basket is full of fresh, early-ripe figs, a delicacy, while the other contains figs so rotten they are inedible. This simple, powerful image becomes the foundation for God's message, turning conventional wisdom completely upside down.

Faith is not measured by the outward appearance, but by the inward condition of the heart, as God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

A Prophecy of Two Baskets

In Jeremiah 24, the prophet receives a vision that serves as a powerful parable about the fate of Judah. The scene is set right after the first wave of exiles has been taken to Babylon, a moment of great confusion and fear for the nation. God uses the simple image of figs to clarify who holds the key to the future and who is headed for disaster.

The Vision of Good and Bad Figs (Jeremiah 24:1-3)

¹ After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had taken into exile from Jerusalem Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, together with the officials of Judah, the craftsmen, and the metal workers, and had brought them to Babylon, the Lord showed me this vision: behold, two baskets of figs placed before the temple of the Lord.
² One basket had very good figs, like first-ripe figs, but the other basket had very bad figs, so bad that they could not be eaten.
³ Then the Lord said to me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I said, “Figs, the good figs very good, and the bad figs very bad, that cannot be eaten due to their badness.”

Commentary:

Jeremiah sees a vision of one basket of very good figs and another of very bad figs.

The chapter opens by grounding the vision in a specific historical moment: the exile of King Jeconiah and Judah's elite. God shows Jeremiah two baskets of figs placed before the temple. One basket contains perfect, delicious figs, like the first harvest of the season. The other is full of figs that are so rotten they are completely inedible. God asks Jeremiah a simple question, 'What do you see?' This sets the stage for the divine interpretation that will follow, using this stark visual contrast to explain the two different paths awaiting the people of Judah.

The Hope of the Good Figs (Jeremiah 24:4-7)

⁴ Then the word of the Lord came to me:
⁵ "Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Like these good figs, so I will regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I have sent away from this place to the land of the Chaldeans."
⁶ I will set my eyes on them for 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 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.

Commentary:

God reveals that the good figs are the exiles in Babylon, whom He promises to restore and give a new heart.

In a surprising twist, God explains that the 'good figs' represent the exiles who were carried off to Babylon. While they might have seemed like the ones being punished, God declares that He has sent them away 'for their own good.' He promises to watch over them, bring them back to the land, and rebuild their lives. More importantly, God promises a spiritual renewal: 'I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord.' This is about a complete transformation of their relationship with Him, not merely physical restoration. It turns their discipline into a path for deep, wholehearted return.

The Doom of the Bad Figs (Jeremiah 24:8-10)

⁸ “But thus says the Lord: Like the bad figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten, so will I treat Zedekiah the king of Judah, his officials, the remnant of Jerusalem who remain in this land, and those who dwell in the land of Egypt.
⁹ I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a reproach, a byword, a taunt, and a curse in all the places where I shall drive them.
¹⁰ And I will send sword, famine, and pestilence upon them, until they shall be utterly destroyed from the land that I gave to them and their fathers.

Commentary:

The bad figs represent the people left in Judah and Egypt, who will face complete destruction for their rebellion.

Conversely, the 'bad figs' symbolize King Zedekiah and the people who remained in Judah and those who had fled to Egypt. These were the ones who likely felt they had escaped God's judgment, but God declares them worthless and inedible. He promises to make them 'a horror' to all kingdoms, scattering them and subjecting them to war, famine, and disease. Their fate is to be utterly destroyed from the land. This harsh judgment reveals that their physical presence in the promised land meant nothing without spiritual faithfulness and submission to God's will.

Spiritual Truths in the Two Baskets

God's Surprising Sovereignty

This chapter powerfully demonstrates that God's plans often contradict human logic. The community that appeared judged and defeated - the exiles - was actually the one being preserved for a future. God was sovereignly using the trauma of exile to protect His remnant and purify their faith.

The Promise of Heart Transformation

The hope offered in this passage includes a return from exile and a changed heart. God promises to give His people a heart that knows Him, shifting the focus from external obedience to internal devotion. This is a key preview of the New Covenant promise found later in Jeremiah 31.

The Danger of False Security

The people left in Jerusalem under King Zedekiah were clinging to the temple and the land as signs of God's favor. However, this chapter shows that religious symbols and physical location are meaningless without genuine repentance and submission. Their false security blinded them to their impending doom.

Trust in God's sovereignty brings hope and redemption, even in the midst of judgment and uncertainty, as He separates the good from the bad, like the figs, to fulfill His divine purpose

Applying the Vision of the Figs

What does this chapter teach about God's perspective during difficult times?

Jeremiah 24 teaches that God's perspective is far greater than ours. What you might see as a disaster or a punishment, like the exile, God may be using as a means of protection and future restoration (Jeremiah 24:5-6). It encourages you to trust that even in hardship, God is working for a good and redemptive purpose.

How can I apply the idea of 'good figs' and 'bad figs' to my own spiritual life?

This vision challenges you to look beyond outward circumstances as a measure of spiritual health. A 'good fig' is not defined by comfort, but by a heart that is soft and responsive to God, even under pressure. As Jeremiah 24:7 says, it's about returning to God 'with their whole heart,' which is a choice you can make regardless of your situation.

What does having 'a heart to know' God mean in my life today?

Having 'a heart to know' God (Jeremiah 24:7) means moving beyond knowing facts about Him to having a deep, personal relationship with Him. It's about your desires, motives, and affections being aligned with His. This is a gift from God that transforms you from the inside out, making your faith a living, breathing reality rather than a set of rules.

God's Purpose in Painful Times

Jeremiah 24 reveals that God's ways are not our ways, especially in times of judgment and discipline. He shows that what looks like abandonment can be an act of preservation, and what feels like security can be the doorstep of destruction. The message is one of hope: God's primary goal is to restore their hearts to Himself, creating a community that knows and loves Him from the inside out, as well as restoring His people to a place.

What This Means for Us Today

The vision of the figs invites us to trust God's assessment of our situation over our own. It calls us to desire a heart that is pliable and open to Him, even if it means going through a season of difficulty. This chapter reminds us that God is always working to cultivate good fruit in His people, and sometimes the best soil is found in the unexpected fields of exile.

In what area of your life do you need to trust God's perspective over your own feelings or circumstances?
Are you asking God to give you 'a heart to know Him' more deeply?
How can you embrace a difficult season as an opportunity for God to build you up rather than tear you down?

Finding hope in God's redemption, even in the midst of judgment and uncertainty, trusting in His sovereign plan to bring forth good from the bad.

Discussion Questions

In what ways do we, like the people in Jerusalem, sometimes mistake comfort or the status quo for God's blessing? How does this chapter challenge that assumption?
Jeremiah 24:7 promises a 'heart to know' God. What is the difference between knowing about God and truly knowing Him in the way this verse describes?
Can you think of a time in your life when a difficult or painful experience (an 'exile') ultimately led to spiritual growth and a closer relationship with God?