Reflection question:
-What do you think of this image of good and bad figs?
I really liked verse 7 - directed toward the good figs:
"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."
I really liked verse 7 - directed toward the good figs:
"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."
I was not sure what to make of the figs, but the foot note in my bible on verses 5-6 says that like the good figs the exiles should be protected and preserved. Interesting words. I also liked verse 6 and 7. Especially "My eyes will watch over them for thier good,"
ReplyDeleteThe figs represent people and the decisions they make. People can make poor choices, but at their true core are good and perhaps only misguided by others that are supposed to be truthful knowledgeable leaders. These people may step off the path God leads, but in truth have a whole heart and represent the good figs. However, there are others that step so far off the path without a good core that their is no turning back for these people. Sometimes these people are the leader such as the Kings, priests and false prophets that God has essentially condemned. Because of the leadership roles these people were to have played, is perhaps why God does not show them mercy, and it is these people that represent the bad figs...the are too far gone to be saved.
ReplyDeleteBoy, I had to read and re-read this chapter. I think figs were a good representation in those days because of fig trees being so common ( I have never bought a fig in my life)!! I think the good figs were the exiles from Judah to Babylon. God knew their hearts and he promised them in vs. 6-7 good things like not uprooting them, giving them a heart to know him, calling them " my people.". The bad figs were those who remained in Judah or went to Egypt. God talks about how they would be cursed and banished. I think once again it comes down to the status of the heart. The good figs-- not perfect, but yet good, were salvageable but the bad figs, so bad they had no worth, were destroyed. This chapter reminded me a little of the parable of the good and bad soils
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