In Jeremiah, chapter twenty-four, verses one through ten, the historical background for the parable of the two baskets of figs is the beginning of Zedekiah’s reign. Nebuchadnezzar had just deported Jehoiachin and many other Israelites to Babylon. Zedekiah and those who remained behind had been spared the judgment of God; Therefore, they believed Jeremiah’s prophecies of total destruction were misguided. Jeremiah’s parable warned that those left in Jerusalem would experience a far more devastating judgment than those who had already been carried into exile in Babylon.
In verse one, “The Lord shewed me, and behold, two basket of figs were set before the temple of the Lord, after that Nedbuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, and the princes of Judah, with the carpenters and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brough them to Babylon.” The first basket of figs was considered to contain good figs, good in that God would purify them through the suffering of the exile. After the exile they would be brought back into the land,as in verse six, and would turn from idolatry to God with all their hearts, as in verse seven; God would use them to accomplish His redemptive purpose in th world.
The second basket of figs had bad figs, as in verse two, and represented king Zedekiah and those who remained in Jerusalem after the recent deprtation; they would continue to oppose Jeremiah and his message, and would experience the incredible horrors of the fall of Jerusalem in bringing great disgrace.
Good and bad figs represent God’s people in captivity, and those who remained in the land. The prophet saw two baskets of figs set before the temple, as offerings of first-fruits. The figs in one basket were very good, those in the other very bad. This vision was to raise the spirits of those gone into captivity, by assuring them of a happy return; and to humble and awaken the proud and secure spirits of those yet in Jerusalem, by assuring them moserable captivity.
The good figs represents the pious captives. We cannot determine as to God’s love or hatred by what is before us. Early suffering sometimes proves for the best. The sooner the child is corrected; the better effect the correction is likely to have. Even this captivity was for their good; and God’s intentions never are in vain.