by Cindy Phillips
It is fig harvest time, if you are blessed to have fig trees. I really enjoy figs, which remind me of one of my favorite stories in the Bible about figs found in Jeremiah chapter 24.
God often teaches His people through practical illustrations. In this story, God showed Jeremiah two baskets of figs. In one basket the figs were perfectly ripe (very good). The other basket had figs that were rotten (very bad).
In Jeremiah’s vision the two baskets of fruit represented the hearts of two groups of the people of Judah. The good figs stood for those who had yielded to the will of the Lord and were carried away into exile in Babylon. The “good figs” surrendered themselves wholly to the judgment and mercy of God. They entered into captivity still safely upheld by His mighty hand. Their brethren, the ones that resisted being taken into captivity, probably thought they were corrupt, weak and cowardly.
The bad figs were the people of Judah who successfully fought to remain in Judea. They did whatever it took to remain in their homeland even though the Prophet of God told them they should go. Instead, they listened to the false prophets who told them the power of God lay within them. They heaped up teachers who would satisfy their itchy ears. Sound familiar? 2 Tim 4:3
Gal 6:7 says Do not be deceived; God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man sows, so shall he reap. We each will stand before God for what we do, not based on how we look, what others think of us or even what we say. Our words are very important (and Jesus said we will be judged by our words Matt 12:36-37) but if our inner heart does not match our words then what we say does not impact our eternal destiny. For example, someone can say they are a Christian but those words alone will not save them. Romans 10:9 says that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Notice your confession must match your heart for you to be saved.
Those who deceive themselves with their own lies (or allow themselves to believe the lies of others) have actively chosen their own will over God’s. Continue to do what you believe God has instructed you to do, even if you are the only one. Heaven will be filled with good figs.