E.A. Johnston warns that America, likened to a nation of morally corrupt 'naughty figs' from Jeremiah, faces imminent divine judgment unless it repents and returns to God.
In this prophetic sermon, E.A. Johnston draws from Jeremiah 24 to illustrate how America has become a nation of 'naughty figs'—morally corrupt and rebellious against God. He highlights the pervasive sin in society and the church, warning of the impending divine judgment if the nation does not repent. Johnston calls believers to recognize the seriousness of apostasy and to return wholeheartedly to God to avoid destruction.
Full Transcript
In the book of Jeremiah, in chapter 24, God uses vivid imagery to describe the unregenerate wicked. Jeremiah says in verse 1 and following, The Lord showed me, and behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the Lord. 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.
I will stop there, friends. That word naughty in the Hebrew language is the word rah, and it means bad in a moral and ethical sense. It depicts evil in an absolute negative sense, and that is the thought God is implying here as he speaks of this basket of naughty figs, so bad they are good for nothing.
God declares what he will do to this rebellious people, represented by the naughty figs. And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence among them, till they be consumed from off the land. The title of my message this evening, friends, is A Nation of Naughty Figs.
We as a nation have gone from being a God-fearing nation that once honored God to one that hates God and who has legislated God right out of this country. We have naughty figs who sit in government places, running our legislature and making laws in the land. We have highly paid naughty figs running our corporations.
We have highly paid naughty figs on all our plates of our sports and entertainments. Your typical community is comprised of sin-loving people who are naughty figs. The state that I live in is comprised of beach communities up and down it, and they drink enough booze here every night they would drown the entire nation.
Everywhere you turn is a massage parlor or a strip club. Our entire cities have become full of naughty figs doing evil. Not only is America a nation of naughty figs, but we have entire religious denominations that have become naughty figs by falling into such gross apostasy.
They ordain perverts and the unconverted, who teach the most damnable heresies that will send you straight to hell. And we have churches all over this land whose sanctuaries are filled each week with naughty figs, who although they polish themselves to look like a ripe fig in their pew on Sunday, their hearts are set on evil throughout the week. Almighty God tells the Prophet Jeremiah what he intends to do with the basket of naughty figs, and that is to thrust a sword of judgment right through the entire basket of good-for-nothing fruit.
You don't have to be a prophet of God, friends, to see the sword of judgment that hangs over naughty America, ready to fall at any moment. You'd have to have your head in the sand not to see it. If this naughty nation does not turn back to the living God of the Bible, then the living God of the Bible will and must destroy it.
Like the naughty figs in the book of Jeremiah, it has become good-for-nothing, and Almighty God will soon toss it out until they be consumed from the land.
Sermon Outline
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I
- Introduction to the imagery of two baskets of figs
- Explanation of the Hebrew word 'rah' meaning morally bad
- Description of the 'naughty figs' as representing the wicked
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II
- Application of the 'naughty figs' imagery to modern America
- Examples of moral decay in government, corporations, and entertainment
- Observation of widespread sin and apostasy in churches
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III
- God's declared judgment on the rebellious 'naughty figs'
- Warning of impending sword of judgment over the nation
- Call for national repentance to avoid destruction
Key Quotes
“The Lord showed me, and behold, two baskets of figs were set before the temple of the Lord. One basket had very good figs... and the other basket had very naughty figs, which could not be eaten, they were so bad.” — E.A. Johnston
“God declares what he will do to this rebellious people, represented by the naughty figs. And I will send the sword, the famine, and the pestilence among them, till they be consumed from off the land.” — E.A. Johnston
“You don't have to be a prophet of God, friends, to see the sword of judgment that hangs over naughty America, ready to fall at any moment.” — E.A. Johnston
Application Points
- Examine your own life for areas of moral compromise and seek repentance.
- Pray for national revival and the turning of leaders and citizens back to God.
- Be vigilant and discerning about the spiritual condition of churches and society.
