Jeremiah 29:11

Shortandy · Jul 17, 2008

You know this passage; you can probably quote it. But what does it really mean? Have we taken it out of context and abused it in our churches in recent years? Are we secular humanist in our approach to this passage?

Lets open the floor up for discussion and see.

StefanM · Jul 17, 2008

The verse is for a specific group of people--those in exile. It was intended to give the exiles hope that God had not forgotten them.

This is probably one of the most abused verses in the Bible, but I wouldn't say it's prone to secular humanist interpretation. It's a verse about God and God's plans, so I think that it is definitely more than secular.

Shortandy · Jul 17, 2008

StefanM said:

The verse is for a specific group of people--those in exile. It was intended to give the exiles hope that God had not forgotten them.

This is probably one of the most abused verses in the Bible, but I wouldn't say it's prone to secular humanist interpretation. It's a verse about God and God's plans, so I think that it is definitely more than secular.
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The mindset of the secular humanist is to consume and enjoy. Those who take this passage out of context want to claim and apply this verse for their life because many in our churches are consumers thinking that God is going to give, give, give.

ReformedBaptist · Jul 17, 2008

Ver. 11. For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord,.... The purposes and resolutions of his heart concerning their welfare, particularly the restoration of them to their own land; these were within him, and known to him, and him only; they were remembered by him, and continued with him, as the "thoughts of his heart are to all generations"; and so would not fail of being performed; men think and forget what they have thought of, and so it comes to nothing; but thus it is not with God; he has taken up many thoughts in a way of love, grace, and mercy, concerning sinful men; about their election in Christ; a provision of all spiritual blessings for them; redemption and salvation by Christ; their effectual calling, adoption, and eternal life:

thoughts of peace, and not of evil: or "for evil" {t}; these thoughts were concerning the temporal peace and prosperity of the Jews in Babylon, and not of anything to their hurt; yea, even their captivity was for their good, Jer 24:5; and thoughts concerning his spiritual Israel, their peace and reconciliation with God, and the manner of bringing it about, by the blood, sufferings, and death of his Son in human nature, with whom he consulted and agreed about this matter; and concerning their inward spiritual peace of mind and conscience now, and their eternal peace hereafter: nor does he ever think of evil for them; whatever evil he thinks towards others, angels or men, he thinks none towards them; and whatever evil befalls them, he means it for good, and it does work for good unto them; he cannot think otherwise concerning them, consistent with his everlasting and unchangeable love to them; since he has designed so much good for them, does so much to them, and has so much to bestow upon them. The issue of all which is,

to give you an expected end; a very desirable one; such as they wished and hoped to have, and expected; such as would put an end to all their troubles, and put them into the enjoyment of all good things promised and waited for. This, in the mystical sense, may have reference to the Messiah, in whom all God's thoughts of peace, concerning his special people, issue; he is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, of all things, Re 1:8; of all things in creation; of the Scriptures, promises and prophecies of it: "the end of the law for righteousness",
Ro 10:4: the fulfilling end of it, by his obedience, and sufferings, and death; and who was to come, and did come, at the end of the Jewish world, at the end of their civil and ecclesiastical state: he was long promised and prophesied of and was much waited for and expected, by the saints before the flood; from thence to Moses; from Moses to David; from David to the Babylonian captivity; from thence to the times of his coming, when there was a general expectation of him; and expected end was then given, as an instance of grace and good will to men. It may also be applied to salvation by Christ; the end of all God's gracious purposes and designs; the end of the covenant of grace, the provisions, blessings, and promises of it; the end of Christ's coming into the world, and of his obedience and death; the end of his prayers and preparations now in heaven; and the end of the faith of the saints on earth: this is an end hoped, waited for, and expected by faith; and for which there is good reason; since it is wrought out, prepared, and promised; saints are heirs of it; and now it is nearer than when they believed; and will be bestowed as a free grace gift, through Jesus Christ our Lord; and will be enjoyed as the issue and result of God's eternal thoughts of peace concerning them. Some render it, "an expected reward" {u}; which is given at the end of the work: others, "posterity and hope" {w}; a numerous posterity, and hope and expectation of good things from the Lord, promised in the days of the Messiah.

{t} herl alw "et non in malum", Montanus, Cocceius, Schmidt. {u} hwqtw tyrxa "mercedem et quidem expectatam", Piscator; so Ben Melech. {w} "Posteritatem et spem", Schmidt.
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Expository commentary by John Gill.

annsni · Jul 17, 2008

I love that verse. While I know it was given to a specific people at a specific time, I still think that God DOES have plans for each one of us - and gives us a hope and a future. We DO have a future with the Lord. He will not harm us but instead loves us and when we are living in God's will, we will prosper. Not necessarily in a physical sense but in a Spiritual sense.

Shortandy · Jul 17, 2008

annsni said:

I love that verse. While I know it was given to a specific people at a specific time, I still think that God DOES have plans for each one of us - and gives us a hope and a future. We DO have a future with the Lord. He will not harm us but instead loves us and when we are living in God's will, we will prosper. Not necessarily in a physical sense but in a Spiritual sense.
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I think most people feel like you do. But look at the context of the passage. Read the verses before it and contexualize. They were getting ready to go into captivity that was brought on by the hand of God. Sometimes God take us through the vally. Sometimes we go tot he wood shed to get to a blessing. I think many people in our churches have missed that as they read this verse.

annsni · Jul 17, 2008

Shortandy said:

I think most people feel like you do. But look at the context of the passage. Read the verses before it and contexualize. They were getting ready to go into captivity that was brought on by the hand of God. Sometimes God take us through the vally. Sometimes we go tot he wood shed to get to a blessing. I think many people in our churches have missed that as they read this verse.
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And my thinking of the verse is wrong? God will not harm us. He has a plan for us. Is that wrong? I didn't say God won't chastise us - I will chastise my children - sometimes using spanking as a method of discipline but I still do not ever harm my children. God won't harm us either.

Deacon · Jul 17, 2008

‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11 NASB95

Quotes of the OT used in the NT were sometimes taken out of context and used to support ideas unlike those of their original intent.

In this case a similar idea is presented in Romans.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28 NASB95

Rob

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