Jeremiah Chapters 23 - 25
Opening Prayer
Father God, As we open Your Word to Jeremiah 23–25, quiet our hearts and clear our minds. Guard us from every false word and deceptive voice. Give us discernment to recognize true shepherds from those who scatter the flock. Soften us to receive both Your warnings and Your promises. Let the hope of the Righteous Branch take root in us, and prepare us to walk in obedience even when judgment is near. Speak, Lord—we are listening. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Looking Back
Recall of Jeremiah 22 In Jeremiah 22 the Lord confronts the kings of Judah for their injustice, oppression of the poor, and failure to do what is right and just. He pronounces judgment on Shallum (Jehoahaz), Jehoiakim, and Coniah (Jehoiachin), declaring that none of Coniah’s offspring will sit on David’s throne. The chapter closes with a stark contrast: while Josiah had done justice and righteousness, these later kings chased selfish gain, and their houses and futures would be left desolate.
Introduction Jeremiah 23–25 exposes the false shepherds and prophets who lead God’s people astray, unveils the hope of the coming Righteous Branch, and announces the seventy-year exile along with God’s sweeping judgment on the nations.
Scripture NKJV
Jeremiah 23
The Branch of Righteousness
1 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!” says the Lord. 2 Therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel against the shepherds who feed My people: “You have scattered My flock, driven them away, and not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for the evil of your doings,” says the Lord. 3 “But I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all countries where I have driven them, and bring them back to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. 4 I will set up shepherds over them who will feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, nor shall they be lacking,” says the Lord.
5 “Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness;
A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth.
6 In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell safely;
Now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
7 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord, “that they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt,’ 8 but, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up and led the descendants of the house of Israel from the north country and from all the countries where I had driven them.’ And they shall dwell in their own land.”
False Prophets and Empty Oracles
9 My heart within me is broken Because of the prophets; All my bones shake.
I am like a drunken man, And like a man whom wine has overcome,
Because of the Lord, And because of His holy words.
10 For the land is full of adulterers; For because of a curse the land mourns.
The pleasant places of the wilderness are dried up.
Their course of life is evil, And their might is not right.
11 “For both prophet and priest are profane;
Yes, in My house I have found their wickedness,” says the Lord.
12 “Therefore their way shall be to them Like slippery ways;
In the darkness they shall be driven on And fall in them;
For I will bring disaster on them, The year of their punishment,” says the Lord.
13 “And I have seen folly in the prophets of Samaria: They prophesied by Baal
And caused My people Israel to err.
14 Also I have seen a horrible thing in the prophets of Jerusalem:
They commit adultery and walk in lies; They also strengthen the hands of evildoers,
So that no one turns back from his wickedness.
All of them are like Sodom to Me, And her inhabitants like Gomorrah.
15 “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the prophets:
‘Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, And make them drink the water of gall;
For from the prophets of Jerusalem Profaneness has gone out into all the land.’ ”
16 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.
17 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.’ ”
18 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?
19 Behold, a whirlwind of the Lord has gone forth in fury— A violent whirlwind!
It will fall violently on the head of the wicked.
20 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.
21 “I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran.
I have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied.
22 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.
23 “Am I a God near at hand,” says the Lord, “And not a God afar off?
24 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.
25 “I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in My name, saying, ‘I have dreamed, I have dreamed!’ 26 How long will this be in the heart of the prophets who prophesy lies? Indeed they are prophets of the deceit of their own heart, 27 who try to make My people forget My name by their dreams which everyone tells his neighbor, as their fathers forgot My name for Baal.
28 “The prophet who has a dream, let him tell a dream;
And he who has My word, let him speak My word faithfully.
What is the chaff to the wheat?” says the Lord.
29 “Is not My word like a fire?” says the Lord, “And like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?
30 “Therefore behold, I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who steal My words every one from his neighbor. 31 Behold, I am against the prophets,” says the Lord, “who use their tongues and say, ‘He says.’ 32 Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” says the Lord, “and tell them, and cause My people to err by their lies and by their recklessness. Yet I did not send them or command them; therefore they shall not profit this people at all,” says the Lord.
33 “So when these people or the prophet or the priest ask you, saying, ‘What is the oracle of the Lord?’ you shall then say to them, ‘What oracle?’ I will even forsake you,” says the Lord. 34 “And as for the prophet and the priest and the people who say, ‘The oracle of the Lord!’ I will even punish that man and his house. 35 Thus every one of you shall say to his neighbor, and every one to his brother, ‘What has the Lord answered?’ and, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 36 And the oracle of the Lord you shall mention no more. For every man’s word will be his oracle, for you have perverted the words of the living God, the Lord of hosts, our God. 37 Thus you shall say to the prophet, ‘What has the Lord answered you?’ and, ‘What has the Lord spoken?’ 38 But since you say, ‘The oracle of the Lord!’ therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Because you say this word, “The oracle of the Lord!” and I have sent to you, saying, “Do not say, ‘The oracle of the Lord!’ ” 39 therefore behold, I, even I, will utterly forget you and forsake you, and the city that I gave you and your fathers, and will cast you out of My presence. 40 And I will bring an everlasting reproach upon you, and a perpetual shame, which shall not be forgotten.’ ”
Jeremiah 24
The Sign of Two Baskets of Figs
1 The Lord showed me, and there were two baskets of figs set before the temple of the Lord, after Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and the princes of Judah with the craftsmen and smiths, from Jerusalem, and had brought them to Babylon. 2 One basket had very good figs, like the figs that are first ripe; and the other basket had very bad figs which could not be eaten, they were so bad. 3 Then the Lord said to me, “What do you see, Jeremiah?”
And I said, “Figs, the good figs, very good; and the bad, very bad, which cannot be eaten, they are so bad.”
4 Again the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 5 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: ‘Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge those who are carried away captive from Judah, whom I have sent out of this place for their own good, into the land of the Chaldeans. 6 For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up. 7 Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart.
8 ‘And as the bad figs which cannot be eaten, they are so bad’—surely thus says the Lord—‘so will I give up Zedekiah the king of Judah, his princes, the residue of Jerusalem who remain in this land, and those who dwell in the land of Egypt. 9 I will deliver them to trouble into all the kingdoms of the earth, for their harm, to be a reproach and a byword, a taunt and a curse, in all places where I shall drive them. 10 And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence among them, till they are consumed from the land that I gave to them and their fathers.’ ”
Jeremiah 25
Seventy Years of Desolation
1 The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah (which was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon), 2 which Jeremiah the prophet spoke to all the people of Judah and to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying: 3 “From the thirteenth year of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah, even to this day, this is the twenty-third year in which the word of the Lord has come to me; and I have spoken to you, rising early and speaking, but you have not listened. 4 And the Lord has sent to you all His servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear. 5 They said, ‘Repent now everyone of his evil way and his evil doings, and dwell in the land that the Lord has given to you and your fathers forever and ever. 6 Do not go after other gods to serve them and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands; and I will not harm you.’ 7 Yet you have not listened to Me,” says the Lord, “that you might provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.
8 “Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Because you have not heard My words, 9 behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,’ says the Lord, ‘and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations. 10 Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp. 11 And this whole land shall be a desolation and an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.
12 ‘Then it will come to pass, when seventy years are completed, that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity,’ says the Lord; ‘and I will make it a perpetual desolation. 13 So I will bring on that land all My words which I have pronounced against it, all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah has prophesied concerning all the nations. 14 (For many nations and great kings shall be served by them also; and I will repay them according to their deeds and according to the works of their own hands.)’ ”
Judgment on the Nations
15 For thus says the Lord God of Israel to me: “Take this wine cup of fury from My hand, and cause all the nations, to whom I send you, to drink it. 16 And they will drink and stagger and go mad because of the sword that I will send among them.”
17 Then I took the cup from the Lord’s hand, and made all the nations drink, to whom the Lord had sent me: 18 Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, its kings and its princes, to make them a desolation, an astonishment, a hissing, and a curse, as it is this day; 19 Pharaoh king of Egypt, his servants, his princes, and all his people; 20 all the mixed multitude, all the kings of the land of Uz, all the kings of the land of the Philistines (namely, Ashkelon, Gaza, Ekron, and the remnant of Ashdod); 21 Edom, Moab, and the people of Ammon; 22 all the kings of Tyre, all the kings of Sidon, and the kings of the coastlands which are across the sea; 23 Dedan, Tema, Buz, and all who are in the farthest corners; 24 all the kings of Arabia and all the kings of the mixed multitude who dwell in the desert; 25 all the kings of Zimri, all the kings of Elam, and all the kings of the Medes; 26 all the kings of the north, far and near, one with another; and all the kingdoms of the world which are on the face of the earth. Also the king of Sheshach shall drink after them.
27 “Therefore you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Drink, be drunk, and vomit! Fall and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you.” ’ 28 And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “You shall certainly drink! 29 For behold, I begin to bring calamity on the city which is called by My name, and should you be utterly unpunished? You shall not be unpunished, for I will call for a sword on all the inhabitants of the earth,” says the Lord of hosts.’
30 “Therefore prophesy against them all these words, and say to them:
‘The Lord will roar from on high, And utter His voice from His holy habitation;
He will roar mightily against His fold. He will give a shout, as those who tread the grapes,
Against all the inhabitants of the earth.
31 A noise will come to the ends of the earth— For the Lord has a controversy with the nations;
He will plead His case with all flesh.
He will give those who are wicked to the sword,’ says the Lord.”
32 Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Behold, disaster shall go forth
From nation to nation, And a great whirlwind shall be raised up
From the farthest parts of the earth.
33 And at that day the slain of the Lord shall be from one end of the earth even to the other end of the earth. They shall not be lamented, or gathered, or buried; they shall become refuse on the ground.
34 “Wail, shepherds, and cry! Roll about in the ashes, You leaders of the flock!
For the days of your slaughter and your dispersions are fulfilled;
You shall fall like a precious vessel.
35 And the shepherds will have no way to flee, Nor the leaders of the flock to escape.
36 A voice of the cry of the shepherds, And a wailing of the leaders to the flock will be heard.
For the Lord has plundered their pasture,
37 And the peaceful dwellings are cut down Because of the fierce anger of the Lord.
38 He has left His lair like the lion; For their land is desolate
Because of the fierceness of the Oppressor, And because of His fierce anger.”
What it all means
Jeremiah 23 – Explanation
Jeremiah 23 continues the theme of failed leadership from chapter 22, but shifts the focus from the kings to the shepherds and prophets who were supposed to care for God’s people. The chapter divides into two main parts: a message of judgment mixed with hope for the true leaders (vv. 1–8), and a strong indictment of the false prophets (vv. 9–40).
1. Woe to the Shepherds and the Promise of the Righteous Branch (23:1–8)
The Lord begins with a sharp “Woe” against the shepherds (kings, officials, and spiritual leaders) who have destroyed and scattered the flock instead of gathering and protecting it. Because of their failure, God Himself will step in:
He will gather the remnant of His flock from the lands where they have been driven.
He will raise up faithful shepherds who will truly care for them.
Then comes one of the clearest Messianic promises in Jeremiah: “Behold, the days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which He will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’” (vv. 5–6)
This “Righteous Branch” points forward to Jesus the Messiah—the true King from David’s line who brings real justice, salvation, and security. The final restoration will be so great that people will no longer primarily remember the Exodus from Egypt, but the greater deliverance from exile and, ultimately, from sin.
2. Indictment of the False Prophets (23:9–40)
The tone turns deeply personal and intense. Jeremiah’s heart is broken because of the prophets. The land is full of adulterers (both literal and spiritual), and the prophets themselves are the chief offenders.
Key charges against them:
They speak visions of their own minds, not from the mouth of the Lord (v. 16).
They fill the people with false hope, saying “You shall have peace” and “No disaster shall come upon you” when judgment is actually coming (vv. 17).
They have committed adultery, walked in lies, and strengthened the hands of evildoers (v. 14).
Their “dreams” are self-generated and lead people away from God (vv. 25–27).
God compares His true word to a fire and a hammer that breaks rock in pieces—powerful, purifying, and unstoppable—while the false prophets’ words are empty straw (vv. 28–29).
The Lord declares that He is against these prophets. He will punish them and the people who listen to them. The chapter ends with a strong warning about the phrase “the burden of the Lord.” The people had begun using it flippantly or mockingly. God says that anyone who continues to misuse His word in this way will themselves become a burden that He will cast off.
Main Themes
Failed leadership brings judgment, but God never abandons His people permanently.
True hope is not found in human leaders or optimistic messages, but in the coming Righteous Branch—Jesus.
Discernment is essential: not every spiritual-sounding message is from God. The true word of the Lord confronts sin and calls for repentance; false words comfort people in their sin.
God’s word is powerful and authoritative. Human opinions and pleasant dreams cannot replace it.
This chapter calls God’s people (then and now) to reject false assurance, return to the true Shepherd, and place their hope in the One who is called “The Lord is our righteousness.”
The Messianic Implications of the Righteous Branch (Jeremiah 23:5–6)
In the middle of a chapter filled with judgment on corrupt shepherds and false prophets, God suddenly speaks a word of pure hope:
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’” — Jeremiah 23:5–6
This short prophecy is one of the clearest and richest Messianic promises in the Old Testament.
1. The Identity of the Branch
The “Branch” (Hebrew tsemach) is a deliberate Messianic title. It points to a future king who will spring up from the seemingly cut-down line of David. Other prophets use the same image:
Isaiah 11:1 – “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.”
Zechariah 3:8 and 6:12 – The Branch who will build the temple of the Lord and sit and rule on His throne.
Jeremiah 33:15–16 – Almost identical language, confirming this is a repeated and intentional promise.
The Branch is not merely another good king in David’s line. He is the ultimate fulfillment of the Davidic covenant (2 Samuel 7)—the One who will reign forever.
2. His Character and Reign
Four key descriptions are given:
Righteous – Unlike the kings of Jeremiah’s day who practiced injustice and oppression, this King will be perfectly righteous in His own person.
He shall reign as king and deal wisely – He will possess true wisdom (unlike the foolish leaders of Judah) and exercise real royal authority.
He shall execute justice and righteousness – His rule will bring actual justice and moral rightness to the land, something the people had not known under their recent kings.
Judah will be saved… Israel will dwell securely – His reign brings both salvation and lasting security.
3. His Name: “The Lord Is Our Righteousness” (Yahweh Tsidkenu)
This is the most profound part of the prophecy. The Branch is not only a righteous king; He is given the divine name itself. The people will call Him Yahweh Tsidkenu—“The Lord is our righteousness.”
This name reveals that the righteousness God’s people need will not come from their own obedience or from any human king. It will come from the Lord Himself, provided through this coming King. The Branch does not merely practice righteousness—He is the source of righteousness for His people.
4. Fulfillment in Jesus Christ
The New Testament presents Jesus as the clear fulfillment of this promise:
He is the Son of David, born of the royal line (Matthew 1; Luke 1:32–33; Romans 1:3).
He is the wise and righteous King who reigns with perfect justice.
He is the One in whom Judah and Israel (and the nations) find true salvation and security.
Most significantly, He is the One who becomes “our righteousness.” Paul writes: “Christ Jesus… became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). And again: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21).
In Jesus, the name Yahweh Tsidkenu is fully realized. The Lord Himself has become our righteousness through the life, death, and resurrection of the Righteous Branch.
5. Theological and Personal Implications
Hope in the midst of failure – Even when human leaders fail and the nation is under judgment, God has already prepared the perfect King.
Righteousness is a gift – We do not achieve the righteousness God requires; we receive it in the Branch.
A better King and a better security – Temporary political or religious leaders will always disappoint. Only the Righteous Branch can give lasting salvation and security.
Future fullness – While Jesus has already inaugurated this reign, the complete worldwide expression of His justice and the full security of His people still await His return.
Jeremiah 23:5–6 is not merely a comforting side note in a hard chapter. It is the center of hope: when every human shepherd has failed, God Himself raises up the One who is both the righteous King and the very righteousness of His people.
The Greater Exodus in Jeremiah 23:7–8
Right after the promise of the Righteous Branch, God declares that a future deliverance will be so significant that people will no longer primarily remember the Exodus from Egypt. Instead they will say, “As the Lord lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.”
Immediate Fulfillment: Return from Exile
This pointed first to the return from Babylon. Unlike the original Exodus from one nation, this gathering would come from “all the countries.” It would display God’s faithfulness even after judgment. Other prophets echo this “new Exodus” language (Isaiah 11, 43; Ezekiel 36–37). The historical return under Zerubbabel, Ezra, and Nehemiah partially fulfilled it, yet never brought the lasting security the prophecy describes—pointing beyond itself.
Greater Deliverance Pointing Forward
The phrase “the days are coming” and the worldwide scope signal a larger future act. This prepares the way for an even greater deliverance that surpasses both the first Exodus and the return from exile.
Ultimate Fulfillment in Christ
Jesus’ death and resurrection are the true and greater Exodus. At the Transfiguration, Moses and Elijah speak of “his departure [exodos] which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem” (Luke 9:31). Jesus is the greater Moses who frees people from slavery to sin and death. Through Him God gathers people from every nation, not only ethnic Israel. The final result is eternal security under the reign of the Righteous Branch.
How the Greater Deliverance Surpasses the Original Exodus
The original Exodus delivered from physical slavery in one land under Moses and the old covenant, resulting in temporary rest. The greater Exodus—seen partially in the return from exile and fully in Christ—delivers from spiritual slavery to sin and death, gathers people from every nation under the Righteous Branch, establishes the new covenant, and brings eternal security with God. The first Exodus remains a mighty act of God; Jeremiah 23 simply declares that God’s future saving work would become the new defining story of His people’s identity.
Jeremiah 24 – Explanation
Jeremiah 24 records a short but powerful vision that completely overturns human expectations about who is “favored” by God in the coming judgment.
The Vision (24:1–3)
After King Jeconiah (Jehoiachin), the officials, craftsmen, and many people of Judah had already been carried into exile in Babylon (around 597 BC), the Lord showed Jeremiah two baskets of figs placed in front of the temple.
One basket held very good figs, like the first-ripe figs of the season—sweet, desirable, and valuable.
The other held very bad figs, so rotten they could not be eaten.
When the Lord asked Jeremiah what he saw, the prophet simply described the two baskets: good figs that were very good, and bad figs that were so bad they were worthless.
God’s Interpretation (24:4–10)
The good figs represent the exiles already taken to Babylon—Jeconiah and those deported with him. God’s surprising word is that He regards these captives as the good ones. He promises:
To set His eyes on them for good
To bring them back to the land
To build them up and not tear them down
To plant them and not uproot them
To give them a heart to know Him
That they will be His people and He will be their God, because they will return to Him with their whole heart
The bad figs represent King Zedekiah, his officials, the remnant still left in Jerusalem, and those who had fled to Egypt. These will become a horror, a reproach, a byword, a taunt, and a curse. Sword, famine, and pestilence will pursue them until they are destroyed from the land.
Key Themes
God’s unexpected valuation From a human perspective, those left in Jerusalem (still near the temple and the throne) seemed better off. God reverses this completely: the exiles are the ones He calls “good.”
Hope in the place of judgment Exile is not the end of the story for those God regards as good. He intends to use the hardship of captivity to give them a new heart and draw them into genuine relationship with Himself.
The promise of a new heart Verse 7 is especially important: God Himself will give them a heart to know Him. This looks forward to the new-covenant promise of Jeremiah 31:33 and anticipates the inner transformation that only God can produce.
Judgment on false security Remaining in Jerusalem or fleeing to Egypt offered no real safety. Those who trusted in location, political alliances, or the mere presence of the temple would face severe judgment.
Summary
Jeremiah 24 teaches that God’s favor is not determined by outward circumstances or proximity to religious institutions. The people already in exile—seemingly the losers—are the ones God intends to restore and transform. The chapter holds out real hope for a remnant who will return to the Lord with their whole heart, while warning that clinging to false security only leads to ruin.
The Symbolism of the Figs in Jeremiah 24
In the vision, the Lord shows Jeremiah two baskets of figs set before the temple:
One basket of very good figs, like the first-ripe figs—sweet, early, and highly prized.
One basket of very bad figs, so rotten they could not be eaten.
This simple agricultural image carries a strong theological message about how God evaluates the two groups of people.
How the Imagery Communicates God’s Evaluation
First-ripe figs were considered the best of the harvest—desirable, valuable, and a sign of fruitfulness. Rotten figs were not merely inferior; they were completely useless and repulsive.
By calling the exiles in Babylon the “good figs,” God overturns human judgment. Those who had already been carried away—seemingly the defeated, disgraced, and abandoned—were the ones He regarded as precious and full of potential. He intended to watch over them for good, restore them, and give them a heart to know Him.
By contrast, those still in Jerusalem under Zedekiah (and those who fled to Egypt) looked more secure by outward standards. They remained near the temple and the throne. Yet God declared them the “bad figs”—worthless for His purposes and destined for judgment. Their apparent advantage meant nothing; their spiritual condition rendered them unfit.
The imagery is absolute: there is no middle category. The figs are either very good or completely inedible. God’s evaluation is not based on location, status, or outward religious privilege, but on His sovereign purpose and the spiritual reality He sees.
Other Places in Scripture That Use Fruit or Fig Imagery
Scripture frequently uses figs and fruit to speak of spiritual condition, fruitfulness, or judgment:
Jeremiah 8:13 – God looks for fruit on Israel and finds none: “There are no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree; even the leaves are withered.” Lack of fruit signals coming judgment.
Hosea 9:10 – The Lord recalls Israel’s early days with affection: “Like grapes in the wilderness, I found Israel. Like the first fruit on the fig tree in its first season, I saw your fathers.” The early delight contrasts with their later corruption.
Micah 7:1 – The prophet laments, “There is no cluster to eat, no first-ripe fig that my soul desires.” Spiritual barrenness leaves nothing of value.
Isaiah 5:1–7 – The song of the vineyard: God planted and cared for His people, expecting good grapes, but they produced only wild, worthless fruit. The result is judgment.
Matthew 21:18–19 (and Mark 11:12–14, 20–21) – Jesus curses the barren fig tree that had leaves but no fruit. It becomes a living parable of fruitless religion that faces judgment.
Luke 13:6–9 – The parable of the barren fig tree given more time to bear fruit before being cut down. It speaks of God’s patience and the expectation of repentance and fruit.
Matthew 7:16–20 – “You will recognize them by their fruits.” Good trees bear good fruit; bad trees bear bad fruit. The principle applies to people and their spiritual condition.
In all these passages, fruit (or the lack of it) reveals the true state of the heart and the people before God. Good fruit signals life, faithfulness, and divine favor; barrenness or rotten fruit signals judgment and worthlessness for God’s purposes.
In Jeremiah 24, the two baskets make the same point with sharp clarity: God Himself distinguishes between those He will restore and transform and those whose condition leaves them fit only for removal. The image calls for honest self-examination—whether we are among those God regards as good fruit, open to His transforming work, or whether we are relying on outward position while remaining fruitless.
The Promise of a New Heart (Jeremiah 24:7)
God declares concerning the exiles (the “good figs”):
“I will give them a heart to know that I am the Lord, and they shall be my people and I will be their God, for they shall return to me with their whole heart.”
This single verse is rich with meaning and serves as an early glimpse of the greater promise that will be unfolded later in the book.
How Jeremiah 24:7 Anticipates the New-Covenant Promise (Jeremiah 31:31–34)
In Jeremiah 31:31–34 God announces the new covenant with these key features:
He will put His law within them and write it on their hearts.
He will be their God, and they will be His people.
They will all know Him, from the least to the greatest.
He will forgive their iniquity and remember their sin no more.
Jeremiah 24:7 already contains the core elements of that later promise:
A new heart given by God – the inner transformation necessary to know Him.
The covenant relationship formula – “they shall be my people and I will be their God.”
True knowledge of the Lord – not merely outward information, but relational knowing.
Wholehearted return – genuine turning to God that flows from the changed heart.
While Jeremiah 31 expands the promise (especially with the writing of the law on the heart and the full forgiveness of sins) and applies it more broadly, Jeremiah 24:7 is a clear anticipatory statement. God is already revealing that the restoration of the exiles will involve more than a return to the land—it will require and include an inner renewal that only He can accomplish. The later new-covenant passage builds directly on this foundation.
The Source of True Spiritual Change
The wording of verse 7 is decisive: “I will give them a heart to know me.”
True spiritual change does not begin with human effort, resolve, or self-reformation. The people in exile were not first going to clean themselves up and then receive God’s favor. Instead, God takes the initiative. He sovereignly gives the very heart that is capable of knowing Him. The wholehearted return is the result of that gift, not the condition for it.
This truth runs throughout Scripture:
Left to ourselves, our hearts are hard, deceitful, and unable to return to God in a saving way.
God must act first—giving a new heart, writing His truth within, and enabling the response of faith and repentance.
Human responsibility remains real (they will return with their whole heart), yet that response is made possible only by God’s prior, sovereign work.
Jeremiah 24:7 therefore protects us from two errors: the despair that says change is impossible, and the pride that thinks change is something we can produce on our own. The hope of the exiles—and the hope of every believer—rests on God’s gracious gift of a new heart that knows Him and turns to Him fully.
The Wholehearted Return (Jeremiah 24:7)
God promises that the exiles—the “good figs”—will return to Him “with their whole heart.” This is not a minor detail. Throughout Jeremiah, the difference between a genuine turning to God and a partial or outward one is a central concern.
What Wholehearted Returning Looks Like
Wholehearted return means a complete, undivided turning of the person to the Lord. It involves:
The inner person – Not merely changing outward behavior or religious habits, but the heart itself being reoriented toward God.
Undivided loyalty – No longer clinging to idols, false securities, or competing allegiances alongside a claim to follow the Lord.
Sincere seeking and knowing – A real desire to know God as He is, rather than using religious language while the heart remains elsewhere.
Obedience that flows from relationship – Returning is not just sorrow for consequences; it leads to walking in God’s ways because He is now truly their God.
In short, it is a return of the entire self—mind, affections, will, and life—to the Lord.
Contrast with Partial or Outward Religion
Jeremiah repeatedly exposes the emptiness of half-hearted or merely external religion:
In Jeremiah 3:10 the Lord says of Judah, “Yet for all this her treacherous sister Judah did not return to me with her whole heart, but in pretense.” Outward reforms and religious activity masked an unchanged heart.
The people could fast, offer sacrifices, and speak of the temple while continuing in injustice, idolatry, and self-reliance (see Jeremiah 7).
Partial return treats God as one option among many or as a means to security and blessing, rather than the rightful center of life.
Wholehearted return leaves no room for pretense. It refuses to keep a divided heart—one part turned toward God and another part still attached to sin, comfort, or false hopes.
Connection to the Call for Genuine Repentance Throughout Jeremiah
The promise in 24:7 stands in deliberate contrast to the repeated failures Jeremiah confronts:
Jeremiah calls the people to “return” again and again (3:12, 14, 22; 4:1), yet most respond only superficially.
True repentance is described as circumcising the heart (4:4), washing the heart from evil (4:14), and seeking the Lord with all the heart (29:13).
The book shows that genuine turning is impossible without God’s prior work—exactly what 24:7 highlights when it says God will give them a heart to know Him, and then they will return with their whole heart.
Thus the wholehearted return is both a divine gift and a real human response. It is the repentance Jeremiah has been seeking all along: not temporary sorrow or religious performance, but a deep, lasting reorientation of the entire person to the living God.
This promise offers strong hope. The same God who diagnoses partial religion also undertakes to create the wholehearted return He requires.
Jeremiah 25 – Explanation
Jeremiah 25 marks a major turning point. After years of warning, the Lord announces a fixed period of judgment and extends that judgment beyond Judah to the surrounding nations—and ultimately to Babylon itself.
Historical Setting and the People’s Refusal (25:1–7)
The word comes in the fourth year of Jehoiakim (605 BC), the same year Nebuchadnezzar defeated Egypt at Carchemish and began to dominate the region. Jeremiah reminds the people that he has been speaking God’s word to them for twenty-three years. Other prophets have also warned them. Yet they have not listened. They have refused to turn from evil and from chasing other gods.
The Seventy Years of Captivity (25:8–14)
Because of this stubborn refusal, God announces the consequences:
He will summon “Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant,” and bring him against Judah and the surrounding nations.
The land will become a desolation and a waste.
These nations will serve the king of Babylon for seventy years.
After seventy years, God will punish Babylon and the land of the Chaldeans for their iniquity, making it a perpetual desolation.
This seventy-year prophecy becomes one of the most important chronological markers in Scripture (later referenced in Daniel 9 and 2 Chronicles 36).
The Cup of the Wine of Wrath (25:15–29)
The Lord then gives Jeremiah a vivid symbolic action: he is to take the cup of the wine of God’s wrath and make all the nations drink it. The list begins with Jerusalem and the cities of Judah, then moves outward to Egypt, the Philistines, Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, Sidon, and many others, ending with “the king of Sheshach” (a cryptic name for Babylon).
The message is unmistakable: judgment begins with God’s own people, but no nation is exempt. Those who refuse the cup will still be made to drink it. The Lord of hosts will punish all the inhabitants of the earth.
The Roar of Judgment (25:30–38)
The chapter closes with powerful imagery of the Lord roaring from on high like a lion. Disaster spreads from nation to nation. The slain will stretch from one end of the earth to the other. The shepherds (leaders) will wail as their peaceful pastures are destroyed and the Lord despoils their fold like a lion leaving his thicket.
Key Themes
Persistent refusal to listen brings certain judgment.
God’s sovereignty over the nations – He raises up Babylon as His instrument and later judges Babylon for its own sins.
A fixed time of discipline – the seventy years show that judgment is neither random nor endless.
The cup of wrath – a picture of inescapable divine judgment that starts with the household of God and extends to all the earth.
Universal accountability – no political power, religious privilege, or geographic distance can shield anyone from the Lord’s justice.
Jeremiah 25 makes clear that God’s patience has a limit. After decades of ignored warnings, the time of reckoning is fixed—first for Judah, then for the nations, and finally for the very empire God uses to carry out His judgment.
The Cup of Wrath in Jeremiah 25
In Jeremiah 25:15–29 the Lord gives the prophet a powerful symbolic task:
“Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it. They shall drink and stagger and be crazed because of the sword that I am sending among them.”
Jeremiah is to make the nations drink this cup, beginning with Jerusalem and Judah, moving through the surrounding peoples, and ending with Babylon itself (“Sheshach”).
The Meaning of the Image
The “cup of the wine of wrath” is a vivid picture of God’s inescapable judgment. In the ancient world a cup could symbolize one’s allotted portion—what a person is given to drink, whether blessing or disaster. Here the portion is wrath.
Key features of the image:
It is given by God – The cup comes from the Lord’s own hand. Judgment is not random or merely political; it is divine.
It must be drunk – There is no option to refuse. Those who try to decline will still be compelled to drink (v. 28–29).
Its effects are devastating – The nations will stagger, go mad, and fall by the sword. The wine of wrath produces confusion, helplessness, and destruction.
It is universal in scope, yet ordered – Judgment begins with God’s own people and then moves outward to the nations, finally reaching even the empire God uses as His instrument.
The Order of Drinking
The sequence is deliberate and theologically important:
Jerusalem and the cities of Judah
Egypt and the surrounding nations
Finally Babylon itself
This order shows that privilege does not exempt anyone. In fact, judgment begins at the household of God (see also 1 Peter 4:17). Yet no nation—however powerful—stands outside the Lord’s authority.
Other Old Testament Uses of the Cup of Wrath
The image appears elsewhere in the prophets and Psalms:
Isaiah 51:17, 22 – Jerusalem has drunk the cup of staggering; God later takes it from her hand and gives it to her tormentors.
Ezekiel 23:31–34 – Samaria and Jerusalem drink the cup of judgment for their unfaithfulness.
Habakkuk 2:16 – Babylon will drink the cup of shame and exposure.
Psalm 75:8 – “In the hand of the Lord there is a cup with foaming wine… all the wicked of the earth shall drain it down to the dregs.”
In each case the cup represents the full measure of God’s righteous judgment poured out on sin.
Fulfillment and the Greater Cup
The nations in Jeremiah’s day did drink this cup through war, exile, and the rise and fall of empires. Yet the image points beyond the sixth century BC.
In the New Testament, Jesus speaks of a cup He must drink (Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42; John 18:11). On the cross He takes upon Himself the cup of God’s wrath against sin so that those who trust in Him might receive instead the cup of salvation (Psalm 116:13). The judgment pictured in Jeremiah 25 falls finally and fully on Christ for the sake of His people.
At the same time, Scripture still warns of a future pouring out of God’s wrath on those who refuse His mercy (Revelation 14:10; 16:19). The cup remains a sober reality for all who reject the salvation God provides.
Summary
The cup of wrath in Jeremiah 25 teaches that God’s judgment is real, measured, unavoidable, and just. It begins with His own people, extends to every nation, and reaches even the most powerful empires. No one can refuse the cup—yet in the gospel we learn that Jesus has drunk it in the place of all who turn to Him. The image therefore serves both as a severe warning and as a backdrop that makes the grace of the cross shine with greater clarity.
Judgment Begins with God’s Own People
In Jeremiah 25 the cup of the wine of wrath is handed first to Jerusalem and the cities of Judah before it is passed to the surrounding nations and finally to Babylon. This order is deliberate and theologically weighty.
Why Judgment Begins with the Household of God
God’s people had received far greater light and privilege than the nations around them:
They possessed the covenant, the law, the temple, and the repeated warnings of the prophets.
They knew the Lord’s name and had been called to walk in His ways.
Their sin was therefore not committed in ignorance but against clear revelation and repeated mercy.
Because of this greater privilege, they bore greater responsibility. Scripture consistently teaches that those who know more are held more accountable (see Luke 12:47–48). When the people of God persist in rebellion despite clear light, judgment rightly begins with them. Their unfaithfulness dishonors the Lord in a uniquely public way, and His holiness requires that He deal with it first.
This is not because God loves His people less, but because He takes His relationship with them with utmost seriousness. He will not indefinitely allow His name to be profaned by those who claim to belong to Him.
The Principle Elsewhere in Scripture
The same pattern appears throughout the Bible:
Amos 3:2 – “You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” Special relationship brings special accountability.
1 Peter 4:17 – “For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God; and if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” Peter applies the same principle to the church under pressure and suffering. Purification and accountability start with those who bear the name of Christ.
Ezekiel’s vision of judgment beginning at the sanctuary (Ezekiel 9:6) follows the same order.
In every case, God’s dealings with His own people serve as both discipline for them and a warning signal to the watching world.
The Warning for God’s People in Every Generation
This principle carries a sober warning:
Religious privilege, spiritual heritage, or outward identification with God’s people does not shield anyone from the Lord’s purifying judgment.
Greater knowledge of Scripture and greater access to gospel truth increase, rather than decrease, accountability.
God still disciplines those He loves (Hebrews 12:5–11). That discipline may be severe when His people harden their hearts.
If judgment begins with the household of God, the outcome for those who reject the gospel altogether will be far more severe.
At the same time, the principle is not meant to produce despair. For those who belong to Christ, judgment in this sense is purifying rather than condemning (1 Corinthians 11:32). The same God who begins with His people also provides the way of escape through the One who drank the cup of wrath in their place.
The order in Jeremiah 25 therefore calls God’s people in every age to humble self-examination, genuine repentance, and renewed wholehearted devotion—knowing that the Lord takes His relationship with us with profound seriousness.
Closing Summary – Jeremiah 23–25
In today’s reading we moved through three tightly connected chapters that expose failed leadership, reveal God’s surprising evaluation of His people, and announce both severe judgment and unshakable hope.
Jeremiah 23 opens with a strong “Woe” against the shepherds who scattered the flock, then lifts our eyes to the coming Righteous Branch—the King from David’s line who will reign wisely, execute justice, and be called “The Lord is our righteousness.” We also saw the promise of a Greater Exodus: a future deliverance so significant that it would surpass even the memory of the original escape from Egypt. The chapter then turns sharply against the false prophets whose dreams and empty words filled the people with false peace.
Jeremiah 24 gives us the vision of two baskets of figs. The good figs represent the exiles already in Babylon—those God surprisingly regards as precious and intends to restore. He promises to give them a heart to know Him so they will return with their whole heart. The bad figs, those left in Jerusalem or fled to Egypt, face judgment. The imagery of first-ripe versus rotten fruit, the gift of a new heart, and the call to wholehearted return all point forward to the new-covenant realities later unfolded in Jeremiah 31.
Jeremiah 25 fixes a seventy-year period of captivity under Nebuchadnezzar (called “My servant”) and introduces the cup of the wine of God’s wrath. That cup is first given to Jerusalem and Judah, then passed to the surrounding nations, and finally to Babylon itself. Judgment begins with the household of God because greater privilege brings greater accountability—a principle echoed later in 1 Peter 4:17. Yet even in wrath, God sets limits and holds every nation responsible.
Together these chapters remind us that human leaders and optimistic messages often fail, that God sees the heart rather than outward position, that He Himself provides the new heart we need, and that both His judgment and His salvation are sure. The Righteous Branch has come in Jesus, the greater Exodus has been accomplished at the cross, and the cup of salvation is now offered to all who trust Him.
Thank you for joining me in this study of God’s Word. It is a joy to walk through these chapters together, to dig into the details, and to watch the Lord’s faithfulness shine even in the hardest passages. May He continue to give us hearts that know Him and return to Him fully. I love you.
Special thanks are given to Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, for the gift of writing and the privilege of sharing this Bible Study. His guidance and blessings have made this work possible, and it is with a grateful heart that can share my study with you. I hope you find it informational and helpful in your spiritual journey. I am asking that you open your hearts and minds to accept the word of Christ into your hearts and accept His word to transform your life in positive ways. This is the first part of my online Christian Bookstore Fellowship and I do accept donations that will further my mission to have a Bookstore in our community, a place where we can sit down face to face and enjoy this Bible Study over open and honest conversation. I will continue this online Study as well to complete the entire year. Thank you for following The Mustard Seed Christian Bookstore Fellowship & Café online Bible Study.
This Bible study is written with inspiration and wisdom from the Holy Spirit, Scripture from the Holy Bible (NIV), NKJV Life Application Study Bible, analytical support and help in organizing and presentation from Grok AI (which examines multiple sources online) and writing assistance with drafting and editing from Microsoft Co-Pilot.
