Chapter 29

I have actually been looking forward to writing on this chapter for a while.

For many Christians, Jeremiah is simply too hard to read. And, well, I can’t blame them – even after my commitment to write on whatever book my readers selected, I have been finding Jeremiah heavy going.

But even then, most of us kind of know little popular snippets of many books, and one of the commonly lifted passages is 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.”’

And yet . . .

I have to admit that I was almost afraid to read this. I have found that many of the proof texts that we so love as Christians, if read in context, are actually not saying what we think they are saying. I was afraid of what this wonderful passage might say in context.

I needn’t have worried. The circumstances in which Jeremiah wrote were, of course, less than ideal; by the time he wrote this part of the book, the Exile had already begun. The Babylonians had already invaded and taken the cream of the people of Israel back to serve them (incidentally, Daniel was one of those taken, and if he’s typical of the quality, you can see why they were keen to put them to work!). Jeremiah has been left behind (which kind of emphasizes the “ordinariness” of Jeremiah seen in the introduction of this series!), and he sends a letter to the exiles to encourage them.

This passage is a little confusing in the Message. That is because this chapter actually represents 2 letters, one to the Exiles and the other to a person named Shemaiah. The Message doesn’t really show the separation very well, so for this chapter I recommend you switch back to the NIV or some other translation.

For me, this chapter is fasicinating because it really reveals the heart of God. At this time, Judah is experiencing what it is like to be left behind in a desolate place as a result of her disobedience. She’s at her lowest ebb. And remember that of the 28 previous chapters, most are further condemnation.

But now it’s all happened, God is singing a different tune. Before He was warning of exile: now exile has happened. The other shoe has dropped, sort of. So God can now step in and be merciful. It is in this context that we read Joshua 29. God has just spent some time encouraging His people to plant gardens, learn to live in Babylon – the exile will last 70 years!

And then the famous line comes in.

God is encouraging people in the midst of (possibly) the worst moment of their lives so far. At times like that it is more important than any other time to acknowledge God’s sovereignty.

When you go through bad times, it can be tempting to assume God has dropped the ball. It’s at that time that you most need that message – that there IS a plan, that God DOES want to prosper you and not to harm you. God loves you at all times, but sometimes it pays to remind ourselves of that.

This passage is specifically intended for a group of people who are feeling like God has abandoned them. Maybe that’s you right now. If so, Jeremiah 29:11 is for you, even in context!