Jeremiah 11:16
The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken. The LORD called thy name, A green olive tree, fair, and of goodly fruit: with the noise of a great tumult he hath kindled fire upon it, and the branches of it are broken.
The name of a green olive tree, fair and of goodly fruit, is God's calling of His people to be flourishing and abundantly fruitful. It sets forth the condition He intended for them, vigorous in growth and rich in yield. The fire kindled upon it with the noise of a great tumult is His anger kindled against them. The breaking of its branches means that where fruit should have been yielded freely and without stint, fruitfulness was cut off because of stubborn disobedience.
The verse reaches those entrusted with positions of responsibility who rejoice in robbing their fellow men. It reaches those who extort means for the advantage of the cause and who use ingenuity entrusted to them by God to make the way as hard as possible for those earnestly seeking to do His will. In such a course they manifest the attributes of Satan. Their wrong course brings its sure result both upon themselves and upon those they influence.
By departing from the example of holy men whose invisible Leader was Jesus Christ, they lose the power to form characters that God can approve. Their failure to bear the fruit freely required of them leaves them without excuse. When they see how offensive their course was to God, it will be to their shame.