Hi Jesse and all,
I wrote a paper on that passage you quoted a while ago. I'm going to share it here. It doesn't really answer why we are compared to fig trees but definitely shows that we are likened to good figs.
The good fig baskets of Babylon
Revelation 17:3-5 " So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw A WOMAN sit upon a
scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten
horns. And THE WOMAN was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked
with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full
of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead
was a name written, Mystery, BABYLON The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And
Abominations Of The Earth."
Jeremiah 24:1 "The Lord shewed me, and, behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the Lord,
after that Nebuchadrezzar KING OF BABYLON had carried away captive....and had
brought them to BABYLON."
Jeremiah 24:2 "One basket had very good figs, even like the figs that are first ripe: and the other basket
had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad."
Jeremiah 24:5-7 "Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel; Like these good figs, so will I acknowledge them that
are carried away captive of Judah, whom I have sent out of this place into the
land of the Chaldeans for their good. For I will set mine eyes upon them for
good, and I will bring them again to this land: and I will build them, and not
pull them down; and I will plant them, and not pluck them up. And I WILL
GIVE THEM AN 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 unto me with their whole
heart."
Jeremiah 31:33 "This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time," declares
the LORD. "I will put my law in their minds and write it ON THEIR HEARTS.
I will be their God, and THEY WILL BE MY PEOPLE.
Hebrews 10:15-17 "Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before, This is
the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I
will put my laws INTO THEIR HEARTS, and in their minds will I write them;
And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more."
Romans 2:29 But HE IS A JEW, which IS ONE INWARDLY; and CIRCUMSCIAN IS THAT OF THE HEART, in the spirit, and not
in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Philippians 3:3 "For IT IS WE who are the circumcisian, which worship God in spirit, who boast in Christ
Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh..."
Romans 8:14 "For as MANY AS ARE LED BY the Spirit of God, they ARE the sons of God."
2 Peter 2:9-10 "But YE ARE a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that
ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness
into his marvellous light; Which in time past were not a people, BUT ARE NOW
THE PEOPLE OF GOD: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
2 Cor 6:16-18 "16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for YE ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE
LIVING GOD; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I
will be their God, and THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. WHEREFOR COME OUT FROM AMONG
THEM, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and
I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and
daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."
1 Rev 18:4 "And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, COME OUT OF HER [BABYLON!] MY PEOPLE, that ye be not
partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."
Matthew 11:15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mark 4:9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Revelation 2:7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches [THE WHOLE CHURCH OF GOD];
Revelation 2:11 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches [THE WHOLE CHURCH OF GOD];
Revelation 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches[THE WHOLE CHURCH OF GOD];
Revelation 2:29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches[THE WHOLE CHURCH OF GOD].
Revelation 3:6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches[ THE WHOLE CHURCH OF GOD]
.
Revelation 3:13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches[THE WHOLE CHURCH OF GOD].
Revelation 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.[THE WHOLE CHURCH OF GOD]
God's love, mercy, and peace,
Alex