Jeremiah Chapter 24 presents a vivid illustration through two baskets of figs, one full of good figs and the other of bad figs. The prophet Jeremiah sees these baskets placed before the temple as a symbolic vision that reveals God’s perspective on those taken into exile and those who remain in Jerusalem. The LORD says the good figs represent the people carried away to Babylon, while the bad figs stand for those who remain in the land or flee elsewhere. Through this comparison, God promises restoration and a renewed relationship with the exiles, while warning of destruction to the unrepentant.

The historical setting of this chapter is rooted in the events of 597 BC, when King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon (reigning approximately 605-562 BC) had taken King Jeconiah (also known as Jehoiachin) and many inhabitants of Jerusalem into captivity. Zedekiah, a puppet king left in Jerusalem, still resisted God’s message through Jeremiah. Because the Judeans in exile began to humbly seek the LORD, He likens them to figs that are “very good.” Those who refused to heed the warnings—represented by the inedible, rotten figs—would face judgment, showing the stark distinction between those who trust God’s plan and those who do not.

God assures the “good figs” that He will bring them back and plant them in the land once more, declaring, “I will set My eyes on them for good…and I will build them up and not overthrow them; and I will plant them and not pluck them up” (Jeremiah 24:6). This promise underscores His redemptive plan, even in the midst of exile. Far from abandoning His people, God is refining and restoring them, teaching them to rely on Him alone. In contrast, those who persist in rebellion will be “like the bad figs which cannot be eaten due to rottenness” (Jeremiah 24:8), illustrating the irreversible judgment awaiting those who refuse to acknowledge God’s sovereign authority.

The message of Jeremiah 24 ties into the broader testimony of Scripture, highlighting how genuine faith and humility before God lead to life, while stubborn disobedience leads to ruin (Matthew 7:17-20). Much like in Jesus’s parables, God desires a repentant, obedient heart that produces “good fruit.” Jeremiah’s vision ultimately provides hope for the faithful in exile and warns the unfaithful who would cling to false security. This assurance of divine restoration reveals the consistency of God’s character throughout the entire Bible: He disciplines in order to save, and He restores those who turn to Him in faith and humility.