Many of us have seen Jeremiah 29:11 on a plaque on a wall, or in other prominent places. The verse states, “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.”  It is a very encouraging verse stated from God Himself. The question should arise, “What context is it from and by that to whom is the Lord addressing, and under what circumstances?” The context is the weeping prophet Jeremiah who saw Jerusalem destroyed and Judah taken into captivity in Babylon. This came about because Judah had repeatedly disobeyed God, and rejected the warnings of Jeremiah, a true prophet. Instead, Judah had believed the false prophets of the day who led them into all manner of sin and idolatry. After literally losing everything, and when by appearance all hope was lost, Jeremiah makes this powerful statement of encouragement to those who are in exile in Babylon. He informs them that God is not through with them but has, “Plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.” Why would God say this to the exiled populace of Judah?

The answer lies in God choosing Israel as the people He would use to give us His Son, our Redeemer and His Gospel. Even though Israel vacillated in sin and failed God repeatedly, God did not change His ultimate promises to them. God said through Moses, “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. For the Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers” (Deut. 7:6-8). However, the fact that God had loving plans for Israel did not prevent the Lord from chastening them and bringing harsh circumstances into their life. We must also understand as Paul would later state in Romans 9:6, “They are not all Israel who descended from Israel.” He means by this that the promises of eternal blessedness did not belong to every Jew, but to those who exercise the same kind of faith as their father Abraham. God was expressing His faithfulness if they would turn to Him. The situation of this promise is also a reminder of the serious nature of sin whose wages are always disastrous and ultimately lead only to death. Additionally, it reminds us that just because a person has a loving relationship with the Lord does not exempt the person from trials and troubles.

We must be careful how we apply this verse. It was directly intended for exiled Jews who under God’s covenants had a unique relationship with Yahweh. Even though we are not Jews, there is still a principle in this verse that holds true for anyone who has a relationship with God by faith. We can know that if our faith is real, and our relationship to God is true to Scripture, we belong to God and that nothing can separate us from His love and our ultimate destination of glory. This promise of God therefore can be applied in principle to all who truly love Him. On the other hand, this verse should never bring comfort to an unconverted sinner. It did not apply when it was written for Jews continuing in their rebellion against God, and it does not apply today to the person without a true new birth relation upon Christ.

This verse is explaining the heart of God. He could have justly left all mankind without any possibility of a future hope. Instead, He reminds and promises welfare to those who will trust Him and do His will. Today we see Israel in a similar situation as there was in Jeremiah’s day. They are in constant trouble and are being threatened beyond measure. Yet, God continues to promise the same reality. We know there will be a strong remnant from Israel that will recognize their Messiah and turn to God. These will fulfill what has been expressed by God through Jeremiah more than 2500 years ago.  They will ultimately enter into an eternal kingdom of glory. And we, His children who by faith belong to His Church have the same future, and the same true hope.

As we view ourselves and others around us undergoing significant times of difficulty, and extreme trials, we must keep our mind focused on God’s heart. These difficulties and this time will pass. But our future, if we are His by faith, will not pass. It is real and will ultimately move us into eternal bliss where the present circumstances will be a faint memory. This is not only the promise of God, but also the expressed heart of God. In so many ways a verse like Jeremiah 29:11 is a promise to guide us through the times of deep water. It is a verse that deals with our faith. It reminds us that this temporary life we now live is like a vapor, but our destination in Christ is glorious. How precious are these words of God, “To give you a future and a hope.”