Jeremiah 29:11 — “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.’”

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Jeremiah 29:11 is probably one of the most commonly memorized and quoted verses of the Bible. In fact, according to my research, it is the third most memorized Bible verse. However, many of the people who hear or say that verse may not realize whom God was speaking to or the context surrounding this promise. If that describes you, do not feel bad because I did not know until just this week, and of all of the people whom I have asked, none of them did either.

But now that I know, I have been wanting to tell everyone! It is incredible when all the pieces of this puzzle come together and we realize just what this verse implies for us today. God was not just saying He had good plans in general for our lives, but there was a particular plan He was also speaking of that affects us greatly today.

So I hope you’ll be as excited as I am by the conclusion of this letter. And I truly believe that–for those of us who are not already aware of the context of this verse–we will never think of it the same again.

The Context:

In this chapter of Jeremiah, God told him to write a letter to the captives who had been exiled from their home. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had carried many exiles from Jerusalem into Babylon, just as Jeremiah had been warning them would happen. The people had continuously chosen to worship false idols, even going so far as to sacrifice their children to them. God is a just God, and He had had enough. His people had forsaken Him and His covenant, and punishment followed.

In his letter, Jeremiah instructs the exiles to build houses, marry, have children and increase in number because after seventy years, God would bring them back to their homeland.

And then the famous verse appears: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.’”

In that time and place, the exiles might have felt God had abandoned them and did not care about their futures anymore. I can imagine myself personally having a difficult time seeing the “good” in His plan at the moment.

However, the letter continued with God telling the people they would seek Him and find Him when they sought Him with all of their hearts. He promises again to bring them back home.

Then the letter takes a twist. Jeremiah prophecies:

“16 — But this is what the Lord says about the king who sits on David’s throne and your countrymen who did not go with you into exile... 17 — I will send the sword, famine, and plague against them… 18 – I will make them abhorrent to all the kingdoms of the earth and an object of cursing and horror, of scorn and reproach, among all the nations where I drive them.”

Considering His plans for those who remained in Jerusalem, perhaps being an exiled captive was one of God’s ways of preserving and protecting them. There is no place we can go or be sent where God’s goodness won’t follow us. Even in times we feel like exiles, we can know that God has not abandoned us and that He is working things out according to His good plans for us. Sometimes being exiled is just exactly part of God’s way of saving us.

So His plans truly were good for them. Yes, they were experiencing punishment at the moment, but they had hope for a good future, for restoration.

This verse took on a whole new light to me when I realized it was intended for God’s people whom He had exiled but also promised to restore; in contrast with the ones who had not been exiled, it is easy to see that His plans truly were good for them.

But then I read on. God shared even more of His future plans with them.

The Application:

In chapter thirty-one, God gives Jeremiah another message for the exiles:

“3 — I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. 4 — I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel. 9 — They will come with weeping; they will pray as I lead them back... 13 — I will turn their mourning into dancing; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.”

Beside verse thirteen, Mom wrote, “Only God can!” If only she had known when she wrote those words how much comfort her God would bring her family one day.

Those assurances alone from God are awesome promises, but the following verses is where this all gets even better:

“31 — The time is coming when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. 32 — It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers... because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them. 33 — I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. 34 — For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Now, what makes this part so good? Bear with me as I explain.

Galatians tells us that if we belong to Christ, then we are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians also says that God sent His Son to redeem those under the law that we might receive the full rights of sons.

In chapter twenty-nine, we discovered how being exiled was part of God’s plan to protect and preserve the Israelites. Chapter thirty-one reveals their exile was also part of His plan to provide a new covenant. But here is what Galatians and other books in the New Testament reveal: this new covenant is not only for Israel, but for everyone who calls upon the name of Jesus.

Jesus said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

So here is my point: when God planned the exile and return of His people, it was not only for punishment, it was not only to bring them back to Him, but it was also to establish a new covenant with them that would be extended to us one day through the blood of His Son.

Only God can turn mourning into gladness and sorrow into joy, and only God can orchestrate the restoration of a nation while also planning the adoptions of countless new heirs. He paved the way for a new covenant through Jesus’ blood that is written on our hearts and causes God to remember our sins no more. Only God could do that.

One truth this piece of history reveals is that when God is working things out for our good, we can’t always see how far His plan reaches–or how many other lives are being touched by it. But He is capable of using His plans to extend much farther than the people experiencing them in the moment.

Lord,

Thank you that we can always trust your plans for us. Even when life feels scary and the future seems uncertain, help us trust that you already see what lies ahead, that you are going before us, and that you are weaving everything together for our good—and likely for the good of many others as well. Thank you that we were on your mind even when you were planning to bring your people back home. Thank you for sending Jesus so we can be considered heirs of Abraham and part of your new covenant.

Your plans truly are good.

Amen.

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https://stillwaterswritings.kit.com/5149215172

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May God bless you all with Still Waters.

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Love,

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JulieAnna

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