This verse contains comforting words, to be sure. But what does Jeremiah mean? Some have taken this verse and applied it to themselves and others in an unqualified way. “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life,” they say. “He has mapped out the course of your life, and you only have to be obedient to Him to step into His blessing.”
Jeremiah 29:11 contains a precious promise held dear by Christians the world over. It is also likely one of the most misapplied verses in all of Scripture. In this verse, Jeremiah affirms that God is in control, and moreover, He has good things in store: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Comforting words, to be sure. But what does Jeremiah mean? Some have taken this verse and applied it to themselves and others in an unqualified way. “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life,” they say. “He has mapped out the course of your life, and you only have to be obedient to Him to step into His blessing.”
Some go further and say that this verse promises earthly prosperity. Health and wealth are the lot of Christians. We are not to settle for second best, for we are children of the King. In this view, suffering and deprivation signal a lack of faith.
They say that the three most important factors when it comes to buying real estate are “location, location, location.” Similarly, the three most important factors when it comes to understanding a given passage in the Bible are “context, context, context.” When texts are isolated, they can be made to mean almost anything. But when they are read in context, their intended meaning becomes clear.
The context of Jeremiah 29:11 indicates that it is not meant as a blanket promise of worldly blessing. Jeremiah the prophet ministered before and during the Babylonian exile, when the southern kingdom of Judah suffered the covenant curse of expulsion from the promised land for its continued unfaithfulness to the Lord (Deut. 28:36; 2 Chron. 36:15–21). Jeremiah had warned the Judahites that punishment was coming, and he pleaded with them to repent of their idolatry and evildoing. When they did not, he prophesied that Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, would conquer Judah and Jerusalem and carry off the people into exile (Jer. 25:1–11).
Subscribe to Free “Top 10 Stories” Email
Get the top 10 stories from The Aquila Report in your inbox every Tuesday morning.