Many a Christian has discovered consolation within the phrases of Jeremiah 29:11, “For I do know the plans I’ve for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and never for evil, to provide you a future and a hope.” However are we responsible of misusing this verse?
The message of Jeremiah 29:11 is among the oft quoted verses in Christian circles. I feel I’ve seen Jeremiah 29:11 utilized in contexts of encouraging graduates, newlyweds, and new staff. There have additionally been many occasions the place believers have quoted Jeremiah 29:11 in an try and consolation those that are struggling.
The Downside with Utilizing Jeremiah 29:11 as a Proof Textual content of God’s Love for Us
I don’t need to play the position of Debbie Downer, however I do need to level out how we are sometimes responsible of misusing verses like this.
The very first thing I need to level out is that this verse was written particularly to the nation of Israel. For theologians who say that the church has spiritually assumed the position of nationwide Israel this isn’t a problem. Many covenant theologians, for instance, see full continuity between Outdated Testomony Israel and the New Testomony church. Due to this fact, since Israel and the church are the identical, there could be a direct importing of this precept to our every day lives (or so it’s argued).
But when we acknowledge that the Outdated Testomony nation of Israel is a definite entity from the church, then we’ve got to suppose a bit of extra fastidiously about how we are able to apply this verse. For instance, though it could be tempting to need to apply Jeremiah 29:11 in a selected method to our lives, are we allowed to choose and select which guarantees to use? Why would we not use the identical precept to use 2 Kings 21:14, “And I’ll forsake the remnant of my heritage and provides them into the hand of their enemies, and so they shall turn into a prey and a spoil to all their enemies”? Jeremiah 29 guarantees blessing and a couple of Kings 21 guarantees exile. Why would we assume the blessings of Jeremiah 29 apply to us, however the promised exile of two Kings 21 doesn’t?
As Normal, Context is King
As ordinary, applicable biblical utility is derived from a contextual understanding of a passage. Or to place it one other manner, which means results in significance. It is very important perceive texts of their context.
In regards to the passage in query, the promise in Jeremiah 29:11 will not be about solely blessing. The speedy context of verse 10 gives an necessary setting for this verse. Verse 10 guarantees that the folks of Israel should bear 70 years of captivity earlier than the Lord will carry them again to their land. Thus the promise of blessing in Jeremiah 29:11 is particularly associated to the return from exile and the renewal of God’s blessing on Israel. Actually, just a few verses later (29:13) is mainly a direct quote of Deuteronomy 4:29, which was Moses’s prophecy about Israel’s future repentance and return to God, and God’s restoration of the folks to their land. Jeremiah 29:14 emphasizes that very same actuality, “I will probably be discovered by you, declares the LORD, and I’ll restore your fortunes and collect you from all of the nations and all of the locations the place I’ve pushed you, declares the LORD, and I’ll carry you again to the place from which I despatched you into exile.”
In sum, the context of Jeremiah 29:11 is particularly a promise that God won’t overlook Israel of their exile, however that they are going to be restored to their land and have God’s blessing positioned upon them. Is {that a} promise a Gentile can declare? No. However that isn’t the tip of the story.
A Approach Ahead in Making use of Jeremiah 29:11
If one is a Gentile, how can she or he derive utility from Jeremiah 29:11? First, it’s at all times applicable to grasp private utility will not be the final word objective. There’s a actual sense through which texts that glorify God for His grand plan of world redemption are price learning for their very own proper. For instance, though the long run plans of Israel’s restoration could appear indirectly relevant to us, God himself says it’s, “It isn’t to your sake that I’ll act, declares the Lord God; let that be identified to you… Then the nations which can be left throughout you shall know that I’m the LORD” (Ezek 36:32-36). The purpose is that God typically acts and divulges His plan merely in order that His identify will probably be glorified and never profaned (cf. Ezek 39:7).
There’s one other applicable utility of Jeremiah 29:11. Jeremiah 29 provides a template for understanding the faithfulness of God on behalf of these He loves. Though we aren’t the folks of Israel, God’s faithfulness does lengthen past the folks of Israel to the church. We will learn Jeremiah 29:11 and meditate on the truth that God is a God who’s trustworthy to His guarantees. Yahweh is a God who’s outlined by compassion and a need for his folks to expertise good (cf. Rom 8:29-30). Thus, we all know that God (as an unchanging individual) continues to train these traits of His persona. On this manner, it’s proper to derive consolation from meditating on the truth that God does need good for His folks. We even have used correct technique of biblical interpretation with out forcing a passage into our personal lives. As at all times, the means matter as a lot because the ends.
Is it Price Quibbling Over the Particulars?
What’s the level of a publish like this? Wouldn’t it’s higher to assault liberals or one thing as an alternative of gently problem the best way many Christians deal with this dearly held verse?
The purpose I need to make is that how we learn the Phrase of God issues. We have now no proper to make God’s Phrase imply no matter we wish it to imply. Scripture was written in a selected time, in a selected place, to a selected folks. Every passage has one supposed which means, and that which means is impressed by God’s authority. We should watch out in how we use God’s Phrase, as a result of we don’t need to put a which means in God’s Phrase that He didn’t intend! We’re underneath obligation to use Scripture, however that doesn’t at all times imply inserting ourselves into the traditional viewers. There are different methods Scripture should be utilized. And I imagine this passage is a good illustration of how we are able to suppose via the best way we interpret and apply Scripture.
Picture by Tim Wildsmith on Unsplash
