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Have you quoted a verse out of context?
Trust me, I’ve done the same thing too. Have you ever used Jeremiah 29:11 as a life verse? “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.”
This famous verse is tattooed on people; it is said at graduation speeches, athletes use this verse as a mantra, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
Unfortunately, some churches even get this verse wrong when quoted from the stage. Let me break this verse down for you in context.
Proper context
You must read the first ten verses before this one to get the proper context. Let me give you a little background of the previous verses. Jeremiah is a prophet; he was a prophet during the takeover of the Israelites in Jerusalem. King Nebuchadnezzar ravished Jerusalem and the Jewish people. A multitude of people were killed, and many, many people were taken from their homeland, Jerusalem, and forced to live in Babylon. It was a dire time for the Israelites.
A letter from Jeremiah to the exiles
Read verse 1 – “These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders of the exiles and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.” So, Jeremiah sent a letter to the exiles, the people taken from their homes to live in a foreign land.
Then, in verse 10, the Lord tells his children they will live in a foreign land for seventy years. The Lord is punishing the people of Israel because they were living in horrific sin. They were following false gods, sacrificing children, and not obeying the God of the heavens and earth. They rejected their first love. Verse 11 has to do with punishment. God brought forth judgment.
Now we get to verse 11 – “for I know the plans I have for you” – you will live in a foreign land for seventy years. You will live and die in this foreign land, a land that does not follow God. “Plans to prosper you” – when you live in this land, you will build houses, marry, have kids, plant gardens and live your life. You will realize that I am the God of Israel, the Lord of the universe – this will cause you to repent and follow my ways. When you follow my ways, I will begin the restoration to prosper you. “Plans to give you hope and a future.” Think of the prophet Daniel during this time. Daniel had hope because of the letter of Jeremiah; he knew that after seventy years, his people would be able to return to their land. God gave Daniel favor with the King of Babylon; during this time, King Nebuchadnezzar repented and followed God; there is even a writing in the book of Daniel from King Nebuchadnezzar.
Conclusion
Conclusion – This verse is for the nation of Israel during a specific time period. God will prosper the nation Israel, but first, He will punish them for their sinful ways. So, the next time someone says to you, “My life verse is Jeremiah 29:11”, in love, ask them if they know the first ten verses of the chapter. God never promises an easy life where all your dreams will be met. Tell that to the prophet Isaiah. He was sawed in two.
Have you used this verse out of context before? I sure have.
HI J.B. you have said it well. We can benefit from all scripture. However, all scripture is not written to us. If God punished Israel for their sins, we have to reap the results or sins. We do not lose our salvation, but we break our fellowship with God. As The Apostle John tells us in I John 1:9-10 ” If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us”.