"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 Iam the Lord. They will be my people and I will be thier God, for they will return to me with all my heart"
I think these are amazing words of hope and blessing for people who are about to face the toughest 70 years of their lives in exile - basically slaves in another conuntry.
To the bad figs - they will be cut of and banished from God's blessing - they would in fact be cursed.
As I read this passage I was trying to work out what the difference betwent he two types of figs. All I can see is the good figs are the ones who REMAINED with God, they kept their faith and kept turing to him and trusting Him. Thet had the active and living relationship with God. Those that went bad, drifted away from God - loved the world around them became self centred and tried trusting in other gods. They went their own way.
Again in this passage we see it is God who works the fruit in his peoples hearts - God is the one doing all the work - the people are called to KEEP IN STEP with his work. To stay close and listen and obey.
It dosn't mean that the good figs were perfect - they two stuggled with the sin of the world and self - but they kept connected - returning, repenting and seeking to follow their God.
REMAIN IN ME AND FRUIT HAPPENS
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