Bible reading: JEREMIAH 24-25
🎵 Song 124 — opens in JW Library
Repentant exiled Jews were like good figs (Jer 24:1, 2, 5-7; w94 3/1 14 ¶6)
Disobedient, unrepentant Jews were like bad figs (Jer 24:8-10; w94 3/1 15 ¶10; it “Egypt, Egyptian” ¶74)
Christians can be like good figs by doing an honest self-examination and by making needed adjustments (w13 3/15 10 ¶10-11)
Why these scriptures
24 Then Jehovah showed me two baskets of figs set before the temple of Jehovah, after King Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar of Babylon had carried into exile Jec·o·niʹah son of Je·hoiʹa·kim, the king of Judah, along with the princes of Judah, the craftsmen, and the metalworkers; he took them from Jerusalem to Babylon.
One basket had very good figs, like early figs, but the other basket had very bad figs, so bad that they could not be eaten.
“This is what Jehovah the God of Israel says, ‘Like these good figs, so I will regard in a good way the exiles of Judah, whom I have sent away from this place to the land of the Chal·deʹans.
I will keep my eye on them for their good, and I will cause them to return to this land. I will build them up, and I will not tear down; I will plant them, and I will not uproot.
And I will give them a heart to know me, that I am Jehovah. They will become my people, and I will become their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.
“‘But concerning the bad figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten, this is what Jehovah says: “So I will regard King Zed·e·kiʹah of Judah, his princes, the remnant of Jerusalem who are left in this land, and those who are dwelling in the land of Egypt.
I will make them an object of horror and calamity to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach, a proverbial saying, a cause for ridicule, and a curse in all the places to which I disperse them.
And I will send against them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, until they have perished from the land that I gave to them and to their forefathers.”’”
🗺️ Places: Judea (southern West Bank / Israel), Jerusalem (Jerusalem, Israel), Babylon (Hillah, Iraq), Egypt (Ain Shams)
Referenced material
Jer 25:8, 9, 12—Why did Jehovah punish Babylon when it acted as his “servant” to execute judgment on his people? (it “Kingdom of God” ¶36)
What spiritual gems from this week’s Bible reading would you like to share?
Why these scriptures
“Therefore this is what Jehovah of armies says, ‘“Because you would not obey my words,
I am sending for all the families of the north,” declares Jehovah, “sending for King Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar of Babylon, my servant, and I will bring them against this land and against its inhabitants and against all these surrounding nations. I will devote them to destruction and make them an object of horror and something to whistle at and a perpetual ruin.
“‘But when 70 years have been fulfilled, I will call to account the king of Babylon and that nation for their error,’ declares Jehovah, ‘and I will make the land of the Chal·deʹans a desolate wasteland for all time.
🗺️ Places: Judea (southern West Bank / Israel), Jerusalem (Jerusalem, Israel), Babylon (Hillah, Iraq), Egypt (Ain Shams), Uz (Buseira), Tyre (Sur, Lebanon), Buz (between Dedan and Kedar), Tema (Tayma, Saudi Arabia), Arabia (Arabian Peninsula), Elam (Shush), Media (Tell Hagmatana), Zimri (Shush), Sheshach (Babylon)
Referenced material
Why these scriptures
24 Then Jehovah showed me two baskets of figs set before the temple of Jehovah, after King Neb·u·chad·nezʹzar of Babylon had carried into exile Jec·o·niʹah son of Je·hoiʹa·kim, the king of Judah, along with the princes of Judah, the craftsmen, and the metalworkers; he took them from Jerusalem to Babylon.
One basket had very good figs, like early figs, but the other basket had very bad figs, so bad that they could not be eaten.
Jehovah then asked me: “What do you see, Jeremiah?” So I said: “Figs; the good figs are very good, but the bad ones are very bad, so bad that they cannot be eaten.”
Then the word of Jehovah came to me, saying:
“This is what Jehovah the God of Israel says, ‘Like these good figs, so I will regard in a good way the exiles of Judah, whom I have sent away from this place to the land of the Chal·deʹans.
I will keep my eye on them for their good, and I will cause them to return to this land. I will build them up, and I will not tear down; I will plant them, and I will not uproot.
And I will give them a heart to know me, that I am Jehovah. They will become my people, and I will become their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.
“‘But concerning the bad figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten, this is what Jehovah says: “So I will regard King Zed·e·kiʹah of Judah, his princes, the remnant of Jerusalem who are left in this land, and those who are dwelling in the land of Egypt.
I will make them an object of horror and calamity to all the kingdoms of the earth, a reproach, a proverbial saying, a cause for ridicule, and a curse in all the places to which I disperse them.
And I will send against them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, until they have perished from the land that I gave to them and to their forefathers.”’”
🗺️ Places: Judea (southern West Bank / Israel), Jerusalem (Jerusalem, Israel), Babylon (Hillah, Iraq), Egypt (Ain Shams)
Referenced material
HOUSE TO HOUSE. After starting with a timely topic, switch to something that seems more relevant to the person. (lmd lesson 2 point 5)
Referenced material
INFORMAL WITNESSING. Share a truth from appendix A of the Love People brochure. (lmd lesson 9 point 5)
Referenced material
Give encouragement to a Bible student who is struggling to break free from an addiction. (lmd lesson 12 point 4)
Referenced material
🎵 Song 65 — opens in JW Library
Referenced material
🎵 Song 137 — opens in JW Library
Comments are AI-generated study aids, not published material. Program text and references are © Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania; follow the links above to read them on jw.org.