Jeremiah 24
January 31, 2024 3:37 PM
Solitary Man
solitaryman.substack.com
20240131
(Please refer to the Preface and Introduction sections found in the Jeremiah Chapter 1 commentary for some general information about this chapter by chapter study of Jeremiah).
Jer 24:1 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 (craftsmen) and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon.
This places this chapter after the 2nd of 3 deportations, at the start of Zedekiah’s reign (597-586 BC). Jeremiah is given a vision of 2 baskets of figs. Jesus loved to use the simplest things in the common man’s life, to try and illustrate an eternal truth. We need to be mindful that when we speak/teach/share, the goal is not to make everyone see how smart we are, but to try to communicate God’s thoughts in a manner that most anyone can grasp. Too many seminary trained preachers want to show off their fancy education by using abstract themes and big words. If the listener cannot understand, then you have failed in your mission as a teacher.
Jer 24:2 One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket had very naughty (rah – evil) figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad.
God is setting up 2 things as opposite as they can be.
Jer 24:3 Then said the LORD unto me, What seest thou, Jeremiah? And I said, Figs; the good figs, very good; and the evil (rah), very evil (rah), that cannot be eaten, they are so evil (ro-ah – bad).
Often God will take us line by line, precept by precept. Sometimes we get so excited in trying to share a revelation that we skip a bunch of things to get to the good part. Proper teaching is part gift, part discipline. It is a very pleasant experience to be in the presence of a gifted teacher. They speak at a steady pace. They know how to build their case line by line. Yet if they had not applied themselves in study and practice, then they may stutter, rush their words, use annoying sounds and repetitions, and generally make people tune them out. We are to study to show ourselves approved (2 Tim 2:15).
Jer 24:4 Again the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
Jer 24:5 Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge (scrutinize, look intently at) 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.
Isn’t this fascinating? Our natural human reasoning would of concluded the opposite. How can it be that those thrown out of their homes and lands and sent to a pagan, foreign place are the good figs? Wasn’t it a sign of God’s blessing if they had escaped the judgment and were spared the loss of their homes?
God’s ways are not our ways. Lev 26:40-45 clearly states that if we accept our punishment meted out by God’s righteous and perfect mishpat for our sins, then God will begin to work with us, hearing our prayer, and not forgetting us.
This is so crucial that I think it is time that I address something that has been troubling me, and that I have been wrestling with for quite some time. How do we reconcile embracing our fate in judgment against resisting evil with our entire being?
Whenever I hear an alternative media freedom fighter speak about how we all need to get involved and protest, write letters, go to rallies, vote harder, talk to more people about the cabal, run for office, etc, etc, my heart within knows that at this time, it will mostly be for naught. Why? Because we are omitting the most crucial part. Repentance. Humbling ourselves with all contriteness before our God. Acknowledging our part that we played in contributing to the spiritual downfall of our land. Identifying with all the citizens of our nation in our sinfulness, just as Daniel did in Daniel chapter 9.
Until and unless we fully accept the punishment for all our iniquity, God will not fight on our side. Right now, he is fighting against his church, especially in the west, and most especially in Canada and the United States. We can rally, we can protest, we can make all the speeches we want, we can throw our support behind some politician, yet it will all be to no avail until and unless we first repent. And when we repent we must be willing to accept whatever punishment God had decreed, even if it means the total destruction of our nation and way of life forever. Not every nation survives intact and enters the Millenium.
If we take this attitude however, does that mean we simply withdraw from all public participation in our society? Do we become completely silent, and spend whatever time we have left in our prayer closet, waiting upon the Lord to see if he will sovereignly intervene and save us? This is the accusation a lot of the very active fighters make against us who have received the revelation of true repentance and judgments. How do we reconcile the two?
I don’t know of a perfect answer that will completely address this tension. While we are to put the kingdom of God and His righteousness first in our lives, we are also called to resist evil with every fibre of our being wherever we find it. First, resist in our own personal lives. If you cannot overcome evil in your own life, how can God use you to overcome evil out in the world? Second, in our day to day lives, if God puts us in a situation that we cannot get out of, then we must make the righteous choice. If it’s your career or taking poison, the give up your career. If its’ affirming sexual depravity or standing against it, you stand. If its muzzling up as a new world order slave or taking a stand against worthless nonsense and virtue signalling, then generally we know the answer to that.
Each of us are a unique member of the body of Christ. We each have our personalities, and our callings. We have different interests. Different things speak louder or softer to each of us. Some feel compelled to get involved politically. Others to make videos speaking the total truth about one topic or another. Others feel the pull of the prayer closet like never before. They will withdraw more and more from the world, not to cower in fear, but to give of themselves completely over to intercession for the lost, and the things that God places on their hearts.
The conclusion is that we should avoid judging one another. I know very few believers will be led to read these commentaries. My heart has been given to prayer in the wilderness. That does not mean that I am not open to witnessing whenever and wherever God provides an opportunity. I have struck up conversations about God with total strangers in stores, and in parks. But my focus is in my secret place.
I greatly admire and honor those that are called to the front lines in this time when the forces of darkness have been given such authority. I have witnessed all those Canadian pastors getting arrested for simply daring to do their jobs. I have watched those normal patriotic folk in America get thrown in jail for simply publicly standing up for the Constitution. And it’s not just them, but their families who have had their lives torn apart and for what? Not for breaking any law, but simply daring to oppose the illegal, criminal tyrants that have stolen the seats of authority in our lands.
While the active ones may look down upon the intercessors, we intercessors need also to beware of evil attitudes. We may rationalize our inactivity (which may actually be cowardice) by stating that every individual who takes a stand at this time simply gets their life destroyed and nothing changes, so why would you do that? So we say that until God shows up and starts fighting on our behalf, we will continue to hide.
Brothers and sisters, let us abide in the calling that God has called us to. Let us not look down on one another, but bless, support, and pray for one another. Let us admire those who have gifts and strengths that we don’t have. Yet don’t let those people intimidate us in moving away from our calling. God needs all of us. We will be rewarded according to faithfulness, not the type of work we did.
I don’t know if I have provided a satisfactory answer. Each one will have to wrestle with these things in their own conscience. Whatever it is we are called to do, let us do it with all our might.
Jer 24:6 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.
God promises future restoration for those who were willing to bow their necks under God’s chastisement. Even though the punishment was severe, they willingly submitted, though they would be under the yoke of their enemies and suffer great humiliation. These sorts of experiences are not uncommon for those of you who want to go all the way with Jesus. Our greatest growing places are in the valley of humiliation. Think of Joseph and David.
Jer 24:7 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 (shoob) unto me with their whole heart.
Unless God gives us a heart to know him, all is in vain. I find it interesting how rigid and legalistic fundamentalists get when they want to split hairs over utter precision in doctrine. Being precise is good, but not when it contradicts other scripture. We all preach that only if your heart is regenerated in the new birth in the new covenant, can your heart really be touched by God. While there is definitely a uniqueness and a new thing being done in the new birth, there are several places in the old testament where God is said to of given a new heart to someone or some group. Here is one. 1 Sam 10:9 says that God gave Saul a new heart. Not only did God sent the spirit upon people, but he changed their inner man at times, even before there was such a thing as a new birth.
Now all the theologians may rage and sputter, but remember the golden rule – simply go where the text leads, not where the seminarians lead. Perhaps God did these on special occasions as a type and shadow and sign of what was to come in Christ. God is not limited by man’s sinfulness. He has always found a way to work with man from the beginning of time, and will continue to do so until the end.
This verse is why I am first looking to God to send his spirit to restore a genuine fear of the Lord back in the land. I don’t believe we can even begin to fight back until there is a pervasive sense that people in society are genuinely acknowledging the reality of God, and our need to submit to him. You cannot make America great again without making the fear of the Lord great first.
Jer 24:8 And as the evil (rah) figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil (ro-ah); 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:
Jer 24:9 And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt (rah), to be a reproach (disgrace) and a proverb (byword), a taunt (something to point at) and a curse (villification), in all places whither I shall drive them.
Now God speaks to those who think they can defy God’s judgment on their own strength. They had built the defences to withstand a siege. The preppers had moved to their hideouts that they had prepared in Egypt. All to no avail. Why? Because they were evil in God’s sight. Pride, arrogance, and a spirit of self sufficiency would be their undoing.
Initially, it looks like the righteous and the wicked were treated roughly the same. Both groups do suffer exile. In fact, the righteous seem to suffer exile first. Here is where faith must kick in. It may look like everyone is being treated the same way. In fact, the just seem to be getting it first. Yet God reveals the end of each group. One will be ultimately delivered, the other will be ultimately destroyed. Isn’t this the real heart of the Christian faith? God asks us to trust him, even if we never see true justice until we get to the other side of eternity.
We need to understand that even if you move to your own Egypt, God knows your address and if you are destined for judgment, you will not escape. All these people with their bug out locations, stockpiling years worth of supplies. All that may be wonderful, but it is utterly useless if you are doing it for self preservation, by your own will, and not directed by the Lord. Many have even moved to foreign lands, like some of these Jews had done in moving to Egypt. They initially may think they are safe. Yet situations are changing in an instant. I know of one fellow who moved to Ecuador and politically, that country appeared to be in much better shape. Yet I just read an article that the drug cartels are now sweeping through the land in brutal lawlessness, so his safety may of just vanished.
We are only safe in him, by seeking and living in the center of his will. Note how the unrepentant ones will be delivered over to their enemies, to the thing they fear most. Do you fear famine and have spent all your money stockpiling food? If you don’t repent, God may let you starve. Do you fear imprisonment by a tyrannical regime, so you’ve gotten yourself a place far off the grid? If you don’t repent, you may never see it.
God says he will fling them out into the furthest reaches of the earth. Their history will end up being one of humiliation, mockery, shame and contempt. Do we not already see this coming to pass? Is not Canada and our current prime minister one of the most mocked, despised, ridiculed, and hated leaders on the earth today? If we end up losing our countries, in the future others will shake their heads at us and wonder how could we be so stupid? How did we end up throwing away paradise on earth? Exactly what are we losing our way of life for? Transgenderism? Sodomy? Saving the planet by banning all fossil fuels until we freeze to death and criminalizing farming until we starve to death? Throwing open or borders to any and every vile creature that wants to come here. And paying them to do so. Yet locking up our own citizens and forbidding them to travel during covid. And we’re letting this happen? No one could of ever predicted it, yet this is exactly what we are doing.
If this lunacy does not sound like the worst sort of cosmic joke, then I don’t know what else is. This is what a world looks like that has turned their backs fully on God and utterly abandoned him. God has returned the favor and utterly abandoned us. That is why I preach day and night that only repentance gives us any chance of God changing his mind and coming to our rescue.
Jer 24:10 And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed (completely gone) from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers.
Here are the 3 great judgments that are spoken over and over again. War, starvation, and plague. Note that God sends them until we are completely wiped out. The time for half measures is over. If you believe like I do that there is so much similarities between Judah of 587 and North America of 2024, then this is our fate, unless we choose to act differently than those wicked people in their time. Note that it will take more than one or two broken people on their knees. I do not know exactly what God is looking for, as far as quantity, but I do know that I do not want to be found as one those who fell short in the quality of my reaching out and seeking his mercy and grace with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.
May God see us as the good basket and not the bad.
Solitary Man
https://solitaryman.substack.com/
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