DEVOTION – DAY 341

Jeremiah 24:5-6 “Good Figs vs Bad Figs”

Jeremiah 24:5-6 “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: “Like these good figs, I regard as good, the exiles from Judah, whom I sent away from this place to the land of the Babylonians. My eyes will watch over them for their 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.”

The prophet Jeremiah saw two baskets of figs in front of the temple in Jerusalem. One basket of figs was good, and the other was bad. The Lord revealed to Jeremiah that the basket of good figs was like the Jewish exiles, the best young men, leaders and craftsmen who were captured and taken to Babylon. At the time of their capture and exile, many people would consider it as a tragedy. It would be a great loss of talent to the nation.

But the Lord confirmed that what may seem to be a tragedy was actually a blessing for Israel. The Lord promised that He would watch over and protect the Jewish exiles in Babylon. He would bring them back to Israel when it was time to do so. Many people would think that those who escaped being sent to exile in Babylon must be very lucky. But God likened them to the basket of bad figs. The Babylonians had left behind the poorest and weakest people. They were people who were also useless and unfaithful to God. God would deal with them in His perfect timing. This passage teaches us that sometimes, what seems to be a tragedy or disaster was actually a blessing in disguise. It also teaches us that God will always be faithful to those who follow Him.

Some years ago, an Islamic extremist threw a petrol bomb in front of a small church in Kuala Lumpur. He tried to set fire to the church. The culprit was caught by the police and was sent to jail. The incident caused a big uproar amongst the Christian community about safety in churches and whether other Islamic extremists would target churches. In order to seem supportive of other religions, the government offered its assistance to the affected church. The church had been seeking approval to build a place of worship without success. Suddenly, approval was granted. What had seemed to be a disaster to the church members when one of their premises was burnt, turned out to be a blessing in disguise. It paved the way for them to get approval to build a larger building to worship the Lord.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we worship you as the Almighty and Faithful God. You are Sovereign and in control of everything. Please help us to trust you always even though circumstances paint a different picture for you are good and you will watch over us. We pray this in the wonderful name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Questions

  1. How has God turned a bad situation into something good in the end? Share.
  2. How has God been watching over you recently? Share.
  3. Why do people get discouraged easily by challenging circumstances and fail to be patient and trust God? Discuss.
  4. How has this devotion helped you to trust in God’s Sovereign control over all things?