Coffee Cups and Bumper Stickers

When it comes to Bible verses, Jeremiah 29:11 is one of the “popular kids.” “Popular” in the sense that it’s a verse easily found on t-shirts, coffee mugs, wall decor, and graduation cards. But this popularity comes with a cost; it means that the verse is rarely read from the actual pages of Scripture. The verse in isolation can still communicate truth, however, the depth and richness of meaning is found in the pages where it originates. 

The Historical Context

Jeremiah was the last of the many prophets in the land of Israel. For 400 years, God had been pursuing his people’s hearts through his prophets; calling them to covenant faithfulness and calling out idolatry and injustice. Jeremiah's 30-year ministry was marked by the rejection of both the people and Kings. Eventually, he watched thousands of Jews and their king be taken into exile in Babylon.

Hopeless, captive people were then confronted with the reality that their exile was the consequence of their own rebellion against God. They were left wondering “what’s next?”

At that same time, a group of false prophets began to preach a message to the Jews that promised God would “break the yoke” of Babylon. They assured them that they’d be returning to their homeland within two years (Jeremiah 28:2-4). “Keep your bags packed, no need to submit to Babylon because God’s going to fix all this real quick!” As you can imagine, this was the message everyone was willing to embrace!

Jeremiah Chapter 29 was a letter addressed to the same audience to which the false prophets were speaking. But, instead of two years, Jeremiah told them that their exile would last 70 years. Instead of “keep your bags packed” Jeremiah told them to build homes, plant gardens, grow families, and seek the welfare of the city in which they were exiled. It was a different message, and as one could easily guess, a little less popular. A message’s popularity doesn’t, however, dictate it’s truth.

How to Apply Jeremiah 20:11 in our Lives?

God knew that although people love the idea of a “quick-fix” to problems and shortcuts to prosperity, what they truly needed wasn’t a geographical relocation but heart transformation. Which is why Jeremiah 29:12-13 followed the “popular kid” verse with “Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” They wanted to return to the land. God wanted them to return to HIM. He knew that without reconciliation with Him, their hearts would be exiles from home no matter where they lived.

Jeremiah 29:11 isn’t a verse to guarantee a job promotion, a degree, or the purchase of a new home. It wasn’t written to provide a short term hope in circumstantial change. This is a verse for our own exilic experiences of suffering, disappointment, opposition, and discouragement. It directs our eyes to look beyond present circumstances towards the promises of God. It was and is a call to the greatest of all hopes:  That the God who is with me in my exile has promised me an eternal future. It is this hope that produces a faithful life in the present, that patiently waits upon the God who pursues our hearts. 

If you want to better understand the Prophets in their original context, consider applying for our School of Biblical Studies. Looking to dig into another popular verse from the prophets, check out our blog on Micah 6:8.