Misunderstood Scriptures – JEREMIAH 29:11

I KNOW THE PLANS I HAVE FOR YOU

This is such a well-known and much-loved verse – Jeremiah 29:11 says: “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.”

The first question to ask is: Who is the ‘YOU’ in this verse?

When God said, through Jeremiah, “I know the plans I have for you”, who was He referring to? It is worth reminding ourselves that, although the Bible was written for us, it was not written to us. These words are part of a letter which Jeremiah wrote to the Jewish Exiles in Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar had invaded Judah, destroyed Jerusalem, demolished the temple, and taken many of the Jews as captives to Babylon (modern-day Iraq). Many false prophets had arisen and were telling the exiles not to worry, this captivity would be short-lived. God would not allow His people to suffer for long, any day now they would be set free and sent back to their beloved homeland.

Into this context, Jeremiah writes, telling them exactly the opposite. Their suffering had been brought about due to their own disobedience, idolatry, and injustice. In verse 1 we read: “This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.”

In verses 5-7 he advises them: “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

In other words, Jeremiah is preparing them for the reality that this exile is going to last a long time. The false prophets, who were telling them this was not God’s doing and it would not last long, were wrong. On the contrary, it was God who sent His people into captivity and they should not expect an immediate deliverance. ‘Settle down’ he tells them. ‘Have children, build homes, plant crops, we are in this for the long haul’. The good news, however, is that God has not abandoned you. He has a purpose in your suffering. That purpose is to purify you. It will be painful, and it will last decades, but in the long run, it is for your good.

ROMANS 8:28

We could call this an Old Testament example of Romans 8:28 – “For we know that in all things (even 70 years of suffering) God works for the good of those who love Him, who have have been called according to His purpose”.

Now to get the thrust of what Jeremiah is really saying, we must read the whole paragraph. The Prosperity Cult preachers of our day will pluck this verse out of its context and tell you that God’s plan is for you to prosper. God wants you to be wealthy and healthy, now. But that is not what Jeremiah is saying. He is warning the exiles that many of them will die before deliverance comes. This suffering is going to last 70 years, but don’t despair, God will be with you and deliverance will come… eventually.

This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfil my good promise to bring you back to this place. 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 hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

Notice how God takes responsibility for their suffering. He does not say: “Oh dear, those evil Babylonians took you into captivity. I am coming to rescue you, now”. He says: “I banished you” and “I carried you into exile”. But He also says: “After 70 years I will fulfil my promise to bring you back to Jerusalem…. Because I know the plans I have for you”.

The exile was never intended to harm the Israelites, it was to purify them, to bring back a remnant who would remain faithful to God no matter what. This is not a promise of instant gratification. It’s better! It is a promise of sanctification and eternal blessedness. I know many people would prefer a quick fix, an instant miracle. That is why the prosperity preachers are so popular. Paul warned that the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear (2 Timothy 4:3).

Two Final Thoughts

So, let me leave you with two final thoughts:

• This promise, in its context, has already been fulfilled. After 70 years, the exiles were allowed to return to Jerusalem. A remnant was saved, and through them, the Messiah did come. Does that mean there is no application of this passage for us? Certainly not! Although it was not written directly to us, and it has already been fulfilled, it most certainly is for us.
• The application for us is this: Even when we face suffering and difficulties that go on for years and years, God will never abandon us. He is working through our hardships to sanctify us. We may very well see the answer we seek in our lifetime, but even if we do not, eternal blessedness is guaranteed to those who remain faithful.