Jeremiah (1-31) 24:8 Commentary and Bible Study

But those will not submit to the exile and go willingly into Babylon are like the evil figs which cannot be eaten, they are so evil. Among these are Zedekiah the king and his princes. These have held out against the Chaldeans to the last moment until they are forced to flee in the extremities of the siege of Jerusalem and were capture in their flight (2 Kings 25:1-7). Some had gone down to Egypt for help, even though God had forbidden this through his prophets. These too would suffer as people who refused to submit to God. They too will be taken away from the land, but they will not experience the relative peace of the exiles in Babylon. They will be scattered far and wide in uncomfortable situations. Matthew Poole points out that verse 9 is quoting from Moses, who they at least claimed to follow. Moses had warned that in Deuteronomy 28:37, where he describes the increasing severity of God’s judgments on the nation, culminating with this worst judgment of all, the loss of the land and the scattering of the people. But some will not live long enough to go into exile. They will die in Judah and in the fall of Jerusalem. God will pursue them even in exile and bring on them bloodshed and famine and diseases. The famine was great in the siege of Jerusalem before it fell (2 Kings 25:3). The land had been given to the fathers, but because of their idolatry and waywardness, it would be taken away again. Let those who try to take advantage of God’s promises to sin securely beware. God has in reserve a punishment for them which will capture them. He will do this even though he cannot change and his word cannot be broken.Matthew Henry says, ‘these represented the pious captives, that seemed first ripe for ruin, for they went first into captivity, but should prove first ripe for mercy, and their captivity should help to ripen them; these are pleasing to God, as good figs are to us, and shall be carefully preserved for use. Now observe here, (1.) those that were already carried into captivity were the good figs that God would own. This shows [1.] that we cannot determine of God’s love or hatred by all that is before us. When God’s judgements are abroad those are not always the worst that is first seized by them. [2.] That early suffering sometimes proves for the best to us. The sooner the child is corrected the better effect the correction is likely to have. Those that went first into the captivity were as the son whom the father loves, and chastens betimes, chastens while there is hope; and it did well. But those that staid behind were like a child long left to himself, who, when afterwards corrected, is stubborn and made worse by it, Lam. iii. 27 … Even this disgraceful uncomfortable captivity [was] intended for their benefit… It seemed to be every way for their hurt, not only as it was the ruin of their estates, honours, and liberties, separated them from their relations and friends, and put them under the power of their enemies and oppressors, but as it sunk their spirits, discouraged their faith, deprived them of the benefit of God’s oracles and ordinances, and exposed them to temptations; and yet it was designed for their good, and proved so, in the issue, as to many of them.’