October 28, 2011
Good Figs—OR—Bad Figs. Two different outcomes, the result of two very different choices. Blessings—verses—Curses. We are all given the option to choose which path we are going to take. The consequences we receive are a direct result of the choices we've made. We have no one to blame but ourselves.
Good Figs - People who have chosen to surrender their wills to God's will. God says He will look after them. He will free them from bondage. He will build them up. He will plant them so they will grow. He will make them want to know Him even more. He will make them His people and He will be their God. They will return to God with their whole hearts. What God does for them will be "for their good." (KJV)
Bad Figs - Rotten... too rotten to even be used (eaten). People who have refused to surrender their wills to God's. People who have insisted on following their own selfish ways. People who in their pride have elevated themselves to be their own god. And God compares them to rotten figs, something that is no longer valuable or useful in His service. God says He will make those people hated as an evil people. He will scatter them and people will make fun of them, tell jokes about them, point fingers at them, and curse them. God says He will send war, hunger, and disease against them. He will attack them until they are gone. Then they will no longer be in the land that was given to them and their ancestors. What God decided to do to them, "was for their hurt." (KJV)
Jeremiah 25 - summarizes Jeremiah's preaching. For 23 years Jeremiah warned the people—but they would not listen. The LORD sent many prophets to them over and over again, "But you have not listened or paid any attention to them." The prophets were telling them—Stop! "Stop your evil ways. Stop doing what is wrong! Don't follow other gods to serve them or to worship them. Don't make me, the LORD, angry by worshiping idols that are the work of your own hands, or I will punish you."
But the people did not listen. Instead of heeding the message they were angry at the messenger. How dare you! How dare you! That was their response. Jeremiah was relaying God's message. God told him to tell them everything and to not leave out a word. "Maybe they will listen and stop their evil ways." Say to them: "You must obey me and follow my teachings that I gave you." But they did not listen and chose instead to blame the messenger. For 23 years, Jeremiah urged them to "Change your lives and start doing good and obey the LORD your God. Then he will change his mind and not bring on you the disaster he told you about."
Some of the people wanted to kill Jeremiah because of the message he brought. Jeremiah responded, "As for me, I am in your power. Do to me what you think is good and right. But be sure of one thing. If you kill me, you will be guilty of killing an innocent person... the LORD truly sent me to you to give you this message." So the people decided not to kill Jeremiah because, "If we hurt Jeremiah, we will bring terrible disaster on ourselves."
But STILL they refused to listen to his message.
Next Entry: Jeremiah 24:1 – 26:24 (Continued)
Good Figs—OR—Bad Figs. Two different outcomes, the result of two very different choices. Blessings—verses—Curses. We are all given the option to choose which path we are going to take. The consequences we receive are a direct result of the choices we've made. We have no one to blame but ourselves.
Good Figs - People who have chosen to surrender their wills to God's will. God says He will look after them. He will free them from bondage. He will build them up. He will plant them so they will grow. He will make them want to know Him even more. He will make them His people and He will be their God. They will return to God with their whole hearts. What God does for them will be "for their good." (KJV)
Bad Figs - Rotten... too rotten to even be used (eaten). People who have refused to surrender their wills to God's. People who have insisted on following their own selfish ways. People who in their pride have elevated themselves to be their own god. And God compares them to rotten figs, something that is no longer valuable or useful in His service. God says He will make those people hated as an evil people. He will scatter them and people will make fun of them, tell jokes about them, point fingers at them, and curse them. God says He will send war, hunger, and disease against them. He will attack them until they are gone. Then they will no longer be in the land that was given to them and their ancestors. What God decided to do to them, "was for their hurt." (KJV)
Jeremiah 25 - summarizes Jeremiah's preaching. For 23 years Jeremiah warned the people—but they would not listen. The LORD sent many prophets to them over and over again, "But you have not listened or paid any attention to them." The prophets were telling them—Stop! "Stop your evil ways. Stop doing what is wrong! Don't follow other gods to serve them or to worship them. Don't make me, the LORD, angry by worshiping idols that are the work of your own hands, or I will punish you."
But the people did not listen. Instead of heeding the message they were angry at the messenger. How dare you! How dare you! That was their response. Jeremiah was relaying God's message. God told him to tell them everything and to not leave out a word. "Maybe they will listen and stop their evil ways." Say to them: "You must obey me and follow my teachings that I gave you." But they did not listen and chose instead to blame the messenger. For 23 years, Jeremiah urged them to "Change your lives and start doing good and obey the LORD your God. Then he will change his mind and not bring on you the disaster he told you about."
Some of the people wanted to kill Jeremiah because of the message he brought. Jeremiah responded, "As for me, I am in your power. Do to me what you think is good and right. But be sure of one thing. If you kill me, you will be guilty of killing an innocent person... the LORD truly sent me to you to give you this message." So the people decided not to kill Jeremiah because, "If we hurt Jeremiah, we will bring terrible disaster on ourselves."
But STILL they refused to listen to his message.
Next Entry: Jeremiah 24:1 – 26:24 (Continued)
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