In a picture of good and bad figs, is there a difference between the hearts of those who love God and those who don’t? Let’s begin in Jeremiah 24.
What did Jeremiah see in two baskets in front of the temple?
After Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had deported Jeconiah son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, the officials of Judah, and the craftsmen and metalsmiths from Jerusalem and had brought them to Babylon, the Lord showed me two baskets of figs placed before the temple of the Lord. One basket contained very good figs, like early figs, but the other basket contained very bad figs, so bad they were inedible. The Lord said to me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?” I said, “Figs! The good figs are very good, but the bad figs are extremely bad, so bad they are inedible.” (Jer 24:1-3 HCSB)
What did the basket of good figs picture and what wholehearted attitude determined their worth?
Then this message from the Lord came to me: “This is what the Lord God of Israel says: ‘Like these good figs, so I’ll regard as good the exiles of Judah whom I sent from this place to the land of the Chaldeans. I’ll look at them with good intentions, and I’ll bring them back to this land. I’ll build them up. I won’t tear them down; I’ll plant them and not rip them up. I’ll give them the ability to know me, for I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God when they return to me with all their heart. (Jer 24:4-7 ISV)
What character trait determined that the other basket of figs was so bad?
And as the evil figs, which cannot be eaten, they are so evil; 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: And I will deliver them to be removed into all the kingdoms of the earth for their hurt, to be a reproach and a proverb, a taunt and a curse, in all places whither I shall drive them. And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, among them, till they be consumed from off the land that I gave unto them and to their fathers. (Jer 24:8-10 KJV)
What is a major difference between the old and new covenants?
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, And upon their hearts I will write them. And I will be their God, And they shall be My people. (Heb 8:10 LSB)
What is a definitive example of the law written on our hearts?
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from people, but from God. (Rom 2:28-29 NASB)
What was the inward intended lesson of circumcision of the flesh?
For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh (Phil 3:3 NIV)
In a picture of good and bad figs, is there a difference between the hearts of those who love God and those who don’t? You decide!
False Teachers (Jeremiah 23)
Do false teachers still exist? What are some indicators that expose their lies? Let’s look at Jeremiah 23.
What did God say to destructive leaders of the nation? Will God raise up faithful shepherds?
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” This is the Lord’s declaration. “Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who shepherd My people: You have scattered My flock, banished them, and have not attended to them. I will attend to you because of your evil acts”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “I will gather the remnant of My flock from all the lands where I have banished them, and I will return them to their grazing land. They will become fruitful and numerous. I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them. They will no longer be afraid or dismayed, nor will any be missing.” This is the Lord’s declaration. (Jer 23:1-4 HCSB)
Would God raise up a righteous descendant of king David to be called the Lord our righteousness? Could that refer to a righteousness not by our effort, but a gift from God, involving a safe relationship with God?
“The time is coming,” declares the Lord, “when I’ll raise up a righteous branch for David. He will be a king who rules wisely, and he will administer justice and righteousness in the land. In his time Judah will be delivered and Israel will dwell in safety. This is the name by which he will be known: ‘The Lord Our Righteousness.’ (Jer 23:5-6 ISV)
Will the scattered descendants of Israel be brought back to their own land?
Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land. (Jer 23:7-8 KJV)
What does God say about corrupt prophets and priests?
As for the prophets: My heart is broken within me; All my bones tremble; I have become like a drunken man, Even like a man overcome with wine, Because of Yahweh And because of His holy words. For the land is full of adulterers; For the land mourns because of the curse. The pastures of the wilderness have dried up. Their course also is evil, And their might is not right. “For both prophet and priest are polluted; Even in My house I have found their evil,” declares Yahweh. “Therefore their way will be like slippery paths to them; They will be driven away into the thick darkness and fall down in it; For I will bring their evil upon them, The year of their punishment,” declares Yahweh. (Jer 23:9-12 LSB)
Had some prophets created false images of God, tolerated adultery and the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah? Do some today?
“Moreover, among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray. Also among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: The committing of adultery and walking in deceit; And they strengthen the hands of evildoers, So that no one has turned back from his wickedness. All of them have become to Me like Sodom, And her inhabitants like Gomorrah. (Jer 23:13-14 NASB)
Who did God blame for the ungodliness throughout the land?
Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says concerning the prophets: “I will make them eat bitter food and drink poisoned water, because from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has spread throughout the land.” (Jer 23:15 NIV)
What did God say about listening to the words of false prophets?
Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; They speak a vision of their own heart, Not from the mouth of the Lord. They continually say to those who despise Me, ‘The Lord has said, “You shall have peace” ’; And to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, ‘No evil shall come upon you.’ ”
For who has stood in the counsel of the Lord, And has perceived and heard His word? Who has marked His word and heard it? Behold, a whirlwind of the Lord has gone forth in fury—A violent whirlwind! It will fall violently on the head of the wicked. The anger of the Lord will not turn back Until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart. In the latter days you will understand it perfectly.
“I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in My counsel, And had caused My people to hear My words, Then they would have turned them from their evil way And from the evil of their doings.
“Am I a God near at hand,” says the Lord, “And not a God afar off? Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says the Lord; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord. (Jer 24:16-24 NKJV)
Did the false prophets claim they had a dream from God? Did they deceitfully invent everything they said?
“I have heard these prophets say, ‘Listen to the dream I had from God last night.’ And then they proceed to tell lies in my name. How long will this go on? If they are prophets, they are prophets of deceit, inventing everything they say. By telling these false dreams, they are trying to get my people to forget me, just as their ancestors did by worshiping the idols of Baal. “Let these false prophets tell their dreams, but let my true messengers faithfully proclaim my every word. There is a difference between straw and grain! Does not my word burn like fire?” says the Lord. “Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces? (Jer 23:25-29 NLT)
What did God say about these false prophets and their lying dreams and vain boasting?
“Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” says Yahweh, “who each steal my words from his neighbor. Behold, I am against the prophets,” says Yahweh, “who use their tongues, and say, ‘He says.’ Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams,” says Yahweh, “who tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vain boasting; yet I didn’t send them or command them. They don’t profit this people at all,” says Yahweh. (Jer 23:30-32 WEB)
What consequences would the false prophets face for their ministry built on deceptive lies?
When these people or a prophet or a priest asks you, “What is the Lord’s message?” say to them, “What message? I will cast you off, declares the Lord.” I will punish anyone, including prophet or priest, who says, “This is the Lord’s message.” This is what you should ask each other: “What has the Lord said?” “What has the Lord declared?” But you are no longer to mention the Lord’s message, because everyone thinks they have received a message from the Lord. You destroy the very word of the living God, the Lord of heavenly forces, our God.
So this is what you should say to the prophet: “What has the Lord said to you?” “What has the Lord declared?” But if you insist on saying, “This is the Lord’s message,” the Lord says to you: Because you have made this claim—this is the Lord’s message—when I told you not to proclaim the Lord’s message, I will lift you up and cast you out of my presence, together with the city that I gave to your ancestors. I will make you an object of disgrace and enduring shame that no one will ever forget. (Jer 23:33-40 CEB)
Who is the good shepherd setting the highest standard of a true shepherd of the flock?
I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep. Hired workers are not like the shepherd. They don't own the sheep, and when they see a wolf coming, they run off and leave the sheep. Then the wolf attacks and scatters the flock. Hired workers run away because they don't care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me. (John 10:11-14 CEV)
Did God work out a great exchange, so that we might become the righteousness of God?
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor 5:21 ESV)
Do false teachers still exist? What are some indicators that expose their lies? You decide!
What did God say to destructive leaders of the nation? Will God raise up faithful shepherds?
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” This is the Lord’s declaration. “Therefore, this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says about the shepherds who shepherd My people: You have scattered My flock, banished them, and have not attended to them. I will attend to you because of your evil acts”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “I will gather the remnant of My flock from all the lands where I have banished them, and I will return them to their grazing land. They will become fruitful and numerous. I will raise up shepherds over them who will shepherd them. They will no longer be afraid or dismayed, nor will any be missing.” This is the Lord’s declaration. (Jer 23:1-4 HCSB)
Would God raise up a righteous descendant of king David to be called the Lord our righteousness? Could that refer to a righteousness not by our effort, but a gift from God, involving a safe relationship with God?
“The time is coming,” declares the Lord, “when I’ll raise up a righteous branch for David. He will be a king who rules wisely, and he will administer justice and righteousness in the land. In his time Judah will be delivered and Israel will dwell in safety. This is the name by which he will be known: ‘The Lord Our Righteousness.’ (Jer 23:5-6 ISV)
Will the scattered descendants of Israel be brought back to their own land?
Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, The Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt; But, The Lord liveth, which brought up and which led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I had driven them; and they shall dwell in their own land. (Jer 23:7-8 KJV)
What does God say about corrupt prophets and priests?
As for the prophets: My heart is broken within me; All my bones tremble; I have become like a drunken man, Even like a man overcome with wine, Because of Yahweh And because of His holy words. For the land is full of adulterers; For the land mourns because of the curse. The pastures of the wilderness have dried up. Their course also is evil, And their might is not right. “For both prophet and priest are polluted; Even in My house I have found their evil,” declares Yahweh. “Therefore their way will be like slippery paths to them; They will be driven away into the thick darkness and fall down in it; For I will bring their evil upon them, The year of their punishment,” declares Yahweh. (Jer 23:9-12 LSB)
Had some prophets created false images of God, tolerated adultery and the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah? Do some today?
“Moreover, among the prophets of Samaria I saw an offensive thing: They prophesied by Baal and led My people Israel astray. Also among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen a horrible thing: The committing of adultery and walking in deceit; And they strengthen the hands of evildoers, So that no one has turned back from his wickedness. All of them have become to Me like Sodom, And her inhabitants like Gomorrah. (Jer 23:13-14 NASB)
Who did God blame for the ungodliness throughout the land?
Therefore this is what the Lord Almighty says concerning the prophets: “I will make them eat bitter food and drink poisoned water, because from the prophets of Jerusalem ungodliness has spread throughout the land.” (Jer 23:15 NIV)
What did God say about listening to the words of false prophets?
Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; They speak a vision of their own heart, Not from the mouth of the Lord. They continually say to those who despise Me, ‘The Lord has said, “You shall have peace” ’; And to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, ‘No evil shall come upon you.’ ”
For who has stood in the counsel of the Lord, And has perceived and heard His word? Who has marked His word and heard it? Behold, a whirlwind of the Lord has gone forth in fury—A violent whirlwind! It will fall violently on the head of the wicked. The anger of the Lord will not turn back Until He has executed and performed the thoughts of His heart. In the latter days you will understand it perfectly.
“I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in My counsel, And had caused My people to hear My words, Then they would have turned them from their evil way And from the evil of their doings.
“Am I a God near at hand,” says the Lord, “And not a God afar off? Can anyone hide himself in secret places, So I shall not see him?” says the Lord; “Do I not fill heaven and earth?” says the Lord. (Jer 24:16-24 NKJV)
Did the false prophets claim they had a dream from God? Did they deceitfully invent everything they said?
“I have heard these prophets say, ‘Listen to the dream I had from God last night.’ And then they proceed to tell lies in my name. How long will this go on? If they are prophets, they are prophets of deceit, inventing everything they say. By telling these false dreams, they are trying to get my people to forget me, just as their ancestors did by worshiping the idols of Baal. “Let these false prophets tell their dreams, but let my true messengers faithfully proclaim my every word. There is a difference between straw and grain! Does not my word burn like fire?” says the Lord. “Is it not like a mighty hammer that smashes a rock to pieces? (Jer 23:25-29 NLT)
What did God say about these false prophets and their lying dreams and vain boasting?
“Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” says Yahweh, “who each steal my words from his neighbor. Behold, I am against the prophets,” says Yahweh, “who use their tongues, and say, ‘He says.’ Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams,” says Yahweh, “who tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies, and by their vain boasting; yet I didn’t send them or command them. They don’t profit this people at all,” says Yahweh. (Jer 23:30-32 WEB)
What consequences would the false prophets face for their ministry built on deceptive lies?
When these people or a prophet or a priest asks you, “What is the Lord’s message?” say to them, “What message? I will cast you off, declares the Lord.” I will punish anyone, including prophet or priest, who says, “This is the Lord’s message.” This is what you should ask each other: “What has the Lord said?” “What has the Lord declared?” But you are no longer to mention the Lord’s message, because everyone thinks they have received a message from the Lord. You destroy the very word of the living God, the Lord of heavenly forces, our God.
So this is what you should say to the prophet: “What has the Lord said to you?” “What has the Lord declared?” But if you insist on saying, “This is the Lord’s message,” the Lord says to you: Because you have made this claim—this is the Lord’s message—when I told you not to proclaim the Lord’s message, I will lift you up and cast you out of my presence, together with the city that I gave to your ancestors. I will make you an object of disgrace and enduring shame that no one will ever forget. (Jer 23:33-40 CEB)
Who is the good shepherd setting the highest standard of a true shepherd of the flock?
I am the good shepherd, and the good shepherd gives up his life for his sheep. Hired workers are not like the shepherd. They don't own the sheep, and when they see a wolf coming, they run off and leave the sheep. Then the wolf attacks and scatters the flock. Hired workers run away because they don't care about the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, and they know me. (John 10:11-14 CEV)
Did God work out a great exchange, so that we might become the righteousness of God?
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Cor 5:21 ESV)
Do false teachers still exist? What are some indicators that expose their lies? You decide!
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