Jeremiah 22-24
Read these chapters now with the BIBLE READER to the right of this post or at http://www.bible.com/.
GOOD FRUITS AND BAD FRUITS.
Yesterday, God used the analogy of a potter and clay to describe what His people are like. It made sense, and we can learn from it. But today... God gave another analogy to us, which is far more confusing. I'll post it below:
Jeremiah 24:3-10
Then the LORD asked me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?"
"Figs," I answered. "The good ones are very good, but the poor ones are so bad they cannot be eaten."
Then the word of the LORD came to me: "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. I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.
" 'But like the poor figs, which are so bad they cannot be eaten,' says the LORD, 'so will I deal with Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials and the survivors from Jerusalem, whether they remain in this land or live in Egypt. I will make them abhorrent and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword, an object of ridicule and cursing, wherever I banish them. I will send the sword, famine and plague against them until they are destroyed from the land I gave to them and their fathers.' "
Sounds a bit harsh... right? Like God chooses who is good and bad, and He'll protect the good ones and destroy the bad? I guess you can interpret it however you like, but while I was reading, a fair explanation popped into my head.
Maybe God doesn't just deem people as good and bad from birth. Maybe our time here on earth is a way to determine whether or not we're good or bad. Maybe, just maybe, we determine our worth ourselves.
It's a different view on things, but I believe it's true. That God doesn't make people bad... humankind makes people bad. We aren't born evil or good, we chose to be so. God has always given us a choice, and I think that when it's all said and done, and we all eventually die someday, God has enough proof of who's worth keeping in heaven... and who gets to go someplace else.
I believe that if you value God and value others, then you're a good fig. And even if you've been a bad fig, you can always come to the other side. God is forgiving, so if you feel like you need to make changes in your life, God is always willing for you to become good!
Think on that today, and... forever!
Peace.
Read these chapters now with the BIBLE READER to the right of this post or at http://www.bible.com/.
GOOD FRUITS AND BAD FRUITS.
Yesterday, God used the analogy of a potter and clay to describe what His people are like. It made sense, and we can learn from it. But today... God gave another analogy to us, which is far more confusing. I'll post it below:
Jeremiah 24:3-10
Then the LORD asked me, "What do you see, Jeremiah?"
"Figs," I answered. "The good ones are very good, but the poor ones are so bad they cannot be eaten."
Then the word of the LORD came to me: "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. I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.
" 'But like the poor figs, which are so bad they cannot be eaten,' says the LORD, 'so will I deal with Zedekiah king of Judah, his officials and the survivors from Jerusalem, whether they remain in this land or live in Egypt. I will make them abhorrent and an offense to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach and a byword, an object of ridicule and cursing, wherever I banish them. I will send the sword, famine and plague against them until they are destroyed from the land I gave to them and their fathers.' "
Sounds a bit harsh... right? Like God chooses who is good and bad, and He'll protect the good ones and destroy the bad? I guess you can interpret it however you like, but while I was reading, a fair explanation popped into my head.
Maybe God doesn't just deem people as good and bad from birth. Maybe our time here on earth is a way to determine whether or not we're good or bad. Maybe, just maybe, we determine our worth ourselves.
It's a different view on things, but I believe it's true. That God doesn't make people bad... humankind makes people bad. We aren't born evil or good, we chose to be so. God has always given us a choice, and I think that when it's all said and done, and we all eventually die someday, God has enough proof of who's worth keeping in heaven... and who gets to go someplace else.
I believe that if you value God and value others, then you're a good fig. And even if you've been a bad fig, you can always come to the other side. God is forgiving, so if you feel like you need to make changes in your life, God is always willing for you to become good!
Think on that today, and... forever!
Peace.
Comments