A Basket of Figs
This is the fourth of five sermons outlines I'll be posting this week.
A Basket of Figs
I. Introduction
a. In many figurative, prophetic passages, God demonstrates the difference between the good and the evil using common, everyday themes.
i. Good figs versus evil figs (Jeremiah 24)
ii. Fat Cattle and Lean Cattle (Ezekiel 34:20)
iii. Wheat and Tares (Matthew 13:24)
iv. Good fishes versus bad (Matthew 13:47)
v. Wise and Foolish Virgins (Matthew 25:1)
vi. Sheep and Goats (Matthew 25:31)
b. In Jeremiah 24, Jeremiah compares the good and bad of Israel to Figs that are fit to be eaten and figs that aren’t even worth to be thrown to the dogs.
c. “The LORD shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the LORD, after that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon. (2) One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad. (3) Then said the LORD unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the evil, very evil, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil. (4) Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, (5) Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the land of the Chaldeans for their good. (6) For I will set mine eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up. (7) And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the LORD: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: for they shall return unto me with their whole heart. (8) And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; surely thus saith the LORD, So will I give Zedekiah the king of Judah, and his princes, and the residue of Jerusalem, that remain in this land, and them that dwell in the land of Egypt: (9) And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them. (10) And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers” (Jeremiah 24:1-10)
i. This is not the only time Jeremiah employed the imagery of the evil figs, but this is the only place that it is expanded like it is.
ii. “Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil” (Jeremiah 29:17).
d. The good-for-nothing figs of Judah would be destroyed by the armies of Nebuchadnezzar, but the righteous remnant (even those that weren’t taken into captivity) would be spared (For example see Jeremiah 35 and 45).
e. Would you be considered a good fig or an evil fig? That being said, would you be redeemed or destroyed from among the people?
II. Are You a Good Fig? Are you Sure?
a. Though our city – the church – will never be destroyed, our spirits will one day definitely leave our bodies (Hebrews 9:27).
i. At that point our fate will be sealed. We are judged based off of things done in the body – not out of the body (II Corinthians 5:10)
ii. This means that we need to be sure of our “good fighood.”
iii. We never know when we will die, and life is far too short to waste anytime not working out our own salvation with fear and trembling (James 4:14 and Philippians 2:12).
b. God, through the Holy Spirit that dwelt in Peter, told us that it is possible to know whether or not we’re going to Heaven (II Peter 1:5-10). There are 7 steps to making our calling and election sure.
i. A Christian already has faith, but he must add to that faith virtue.
ii. Then they must add knowledge to that virtue.
iii. From the knowledge comes temperance, and from temperance comes patience.
iv. Afterwards, one must add godliness to patience.
v. Next comes brotherly kindness, and finally love.
vi. Without taking these steps, one is in danger of becoming unfruitful and barren. Jesus warned what would happen to unfruitful branches.
1. John 15:1-8
2. We must strive to be fruitful in order to be considered a good fig, wheat, wise, sheep, or any of the other many examples God gave us to represent someone who lives righteously.
III. What if You Are an Evil Fig?
a. There are two categories of people who would be considered evil figs if Jeremiah was preaching in the world today.
i. The first category is those that have not yet obeyed the gospel of Christ.
1. They can obey the gospel by repenting of their sins, confessing that Jesus is the Son of God, and by being baptized into Christ (Acts 17:30; Romans 10:10; Mark 16:16).
2. If you’re in that group, why stay unpleasing to God any longer?
ii. The second is those who have once obeyed the gospel, but turned from the holy commandments given unto them and have been entangled in the world once more (II Peter 2:20-22).
1. Like “wells without water,” these have gone back into a life that Is vain and unprofitable. They are like the evil figs from Jeremiah’s teachings.
2. In order to become faithful once more, they must repent of their sins and confess their sins (I John 1:7).