I Wonder if Jeremiah 29:11 is Really True?

We are in a series called “I Wonder...”

and you all submitted questions and concerns that you wonder about...

and we got about 110, and I would say about 10% of those questions will in some way be addressed today in this one category...

Here’s how some of the questions go:

Why do good people get sick? (cancer, alzheimers, covid)

why does God allow so much hatred and war in the world?

another person says why do bad things happen to children, particularly immigrant children?

and then the questions get very personal:

Two different questions anonymously say I am struggling as to why some of my family cannot have children and that it seems like other people, having been blessed with children, harm them or even kill them. (that doesn’t seem fair—why would God allow that?)

One person even says, and I love the honesty, “I don’t like Jeremiah 29:11—If God has plans to prosper us and bring us hope and a future..why do bad things happen to people? Why do young people die? This verse was given me to comfort when I lost a close friend…when we were young. It made me mad because that person did not get a future. The person was harmed. It truly makes me feel like the verse isn’t true.

What does Jeremiah 29:11 say?

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

that is on every graduation card—graduates...

but if that is true…why is there so much suffering and evil?

Is Jeremiah 29:11 really true?

Let’s try to answer that with some statements.

We will look at Jeremiah 29 passage in a second.

but step back and consider this statement—this is from the world of philosophy.

Title: Is Jeremiah 29:11 true?

Statement #1: The problem of suffering and evil is a problem for EVERYONE. (In other words, it is a problem for everyone, not just Christians—but non-Christians, non-believers)

one thing I appreciate about the Bible is it is honest that suffering and evil exist. it is honest about the hard things we go through—murder, floods, rape, polygamy, family drama, difficulty, disease…war, famine, the Bible is honest about it.

but this reality of suffering does present a problem. the problem of evil and suffering is usually stated like this as Christians—if God is all powerful (fist) and all-loving (fist) yet suffering and evil exist…then maybe he is all-loving but not all powerful—because he can’t end suffering…or maybe he is all-powerful but he just doesn’t care…must not be all loving.

yes the problem of suffering and evil is a problem…but it’s also a problem for non-believers. what do I mean?

if you don’t believe in God—or the God of the Bible—you often still believe that suffering and evil exist. and you believe, and our culture strongly believers in the concept of justice, fairness, equality, giving people their fair due. we are all about RIGHTS today.

but the question is this—if you don’t believe in God—what are you basing your sense of justice on? how do you know something is right or wrong? what if you disagree with someone else about that—whose to say that you are right and they are wrong?

Christians at least can say—we get our sense of right and wrong from God—His Word and Law—that is our basis—but what’s yours?

if you say “well it is obvious—from nature...” nature is not always nice. nature is filled with the strong eating the weak…National Geographic—when a male lion takes over a pride of lions, he will often kill the cubs so he can start a family with his genes.

For the longest time I personally struggled with this—but CS Lewis’ Mere Christianity helped me—he has a quote that says this:

“My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of "just" and "unjust"? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has an idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe to when I called it "unjust"? If the whole show was bad and senseless from A to Z, so to speak, why did I, who was supposed to be part of the show, find myself in such violent reaction against it?”

A man feels wet when he falls into water, because man is not a water animal: a fish would not feel wet. Of course I could have given up my idea of justice by saying it was nothing but a private idea of my own. But if I did that my argument against God collapsed too - for the argument depended on saying that the world was really unjust, not simply that it did not happen to place my fancies.

Thus in the very act of trying to prove that God did not exist - in other words, that the whole of reality was senseless - I found that I was forced to assume one part of reality - namely the idea of Justice - was full of sense. Consequently, atheism turns out to be too simple. If the whole universe has no meaning, we should never have found out that it has no meaning: just as, if there was no light in the universe and therefore no creatures with eyes, we should never know it was dark. Dark would be a word without meaning.”

so this is a problem for EVERYONE—CHRISTIAN AND NON-CHRISTIANS.

STAND

let’s now look at Jeremiah 29:1

Jeremiah 29:1 NIV

1 This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.

do you see what is going on here? The prophet Jeremiah who ministered about 600 years before Christ came—wrote a letter to the Israelites’—God’s people in the OT—who had been taken as slaves and into exile and captivity by the mighty Babylonians.

THESE are people undergoing massive suffering.

Look at Jeremiah 29:4

Jeremiah 29:4 NIV

4 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:

Now what would you expect God to say?

Jeremiah 29:5–14 NIV

5 “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” 8 Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. 9 They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord. 10 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

so is Jeremiah 29:11 really true? How do I make sense of suffering and evil?

3 more statements...

Statement #2: Remember God is in control of the diverse causes of suffering. (vs. 4, 7, 14)

that is a big statement. What do I mean?

the causes of suffering are diverse in Scripture and our lives.

Why do you and I experience suffering?

because we live in a Fallen world—ever since Adam and Eve ate of the—that God told them not to—it introduced decay, disease, and death. so sometimes we experience suffering simply b/c we live in this fallen world. not because we have done anything wrong at all.

John 9:1–3 NIV

1 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.

but sometimes we experience suffering as a natural consequence to sin in our lives. what do I mean? this passage in Jeremiah 29—the reason the Israelites were led into captivity—is God had warned them. If you obey me, you will stay in the land, but if you do not, I will bring in a foreign nation…who will take you captive…these consequences will happen. in other words, sometimes we reap what we sow (Lev. , Deut., Galatians).

but I want to be careful here—not all suffering in your life is because you messed up. there is a lot of mystery in suffering. think of Job—Job suffered not because he was evil or immoral but because God allowed it.

if you look back at Jeremiah 29—Yes the Israelites were experiencing the consequences for their sin—by going into captivity—but God was still in control of all of it.

Jeremiah 29:4 NIV

4 This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:

Jeremiah 29:14 NIV

14 I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

now that may be a little troubling to you, and I wrestle with that—but it is meant to be encouraging—b/c even though they messed up—it wasn’t the mighty Babylonians in control—it was God. He carried them into exile.

and even in our suffering, horrible suffering—we are to look to the one who is mightily in control, even when we don’t understand it.

and He is the one who can do something—He will bring them out of it. even though the Israelites got themselves into that mess—He will bring them out of it—eventually. and He would use it.

that’s how much He cares—but it would take some time—70 years...

even if you have screwed your life up majorly—God is still in control

one of the amazing things that God is doing here, and he does it with all suffering—even though it doesn’t feel amazing—even in this passage—though God is allowing them to go into captivity—His purpose for this is ultimately to restore them. It is ultimately to show them that they are not the center of the universe—but God is—it is to drive them deeper and closer to God. to show them that they need God—and only in God is there life.

so even if you have made a big mess of your life—even if you are one of the ones who recognize that some of your suffering is b/c you made some bad choices—God can still use it—He is still in control of it—and He can do something about it.

Is Jeremiah 29:11—true? Yes—b/c God is still in control…that may cause problems...

in the meantime—what do we do...

Statement #3: (Wait on the Lord and work to the glory of God.) In the meantime, we are to wait on God patiently and work for God’s glory wherever God has planted us (Jeremiah 29:1-14)

God gives the suffering Israelites some tough instructions:

part of his instruction is “wait...” Jeremiah 29:10

Jeremiah 29:10 NIV

10 This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place.

70 years until I intervene like you would like. 70 years until your prayers are answered! waiting is hard…but there is a pattern of that as Christians now in the NT—that we also wait—eagerly, hopefully, looking forward to what God is going to do—but we have to wait.

we don’t always get the answer that we want right away. I even think of the story of Lazarus. In John 11, Jesus’ friend Lazarus died. they sent messengers to Jesus—before Lazarus died—saying come quickly—your friend is sick, but Jesus waited 2 more days until He left. He waited…and He calls us to wait....why?

b/c He…is…God....that is hard… the book of Romans 8 describes us that even though we are saved, and been given new life in Christ, and forgiveness of sins—we are still waiting for the day when God will renew the entire created order.

Romans 8:23 NIV

23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.

and in the meantime, in this waiting—we are to work, service, wherever God has planted…even if it is in a pagan land—among the Babylonians—even if we are away from home.

Jeremiah 29:5–7 NIV

5 “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

though that command was given specifically to the Israelites as exiles.

we too now live as exiles…1 Peter 1:1

1 Peter 1:1 NIV

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia,

it is hard when you are suffering…to wait.

it is hard when you are suffering to work to the glory of God...

but wherever you find yourself—even if it not where you have chosen—wait, work, to the glory of God—even in exile in Babylon.

and this takes me to my last statement and then communion.

(and if you need communion elements—you can raise your hand?)

Statement #4: The cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ are the ultimate answer to our suffering.

Is Jeremiah 29:11 really true? even when bad things happen to me.

I would say yes…b/c God is in control…even when we don’t understand it.

but the biggest reason we have…and the advantage we have today over the Israelites in Jeremiah’s time—is Jesus. He came. God came and entered our suffering. and he did something about it.

Let me back up for a moment and this will take us into communion.

The theme of EXILE.

Jeremiah is writing to God’s people in exile, living in a foreign land—to people not home.

this theme of exile, not being home, is from beginning to end in the Scripture.

We read in the book of Genesis that God made us, Adam and Eve, to dwell with Him. Home is dwelling with God.

but Adam and Eve broke their relationship with God, and as a consequence, God cast them out of the Garden—into exile, away from home, away from God’s presence. and he put an angel with a flaming sword guarding the way to the tree of life.

and so we all now live in exile—away from Gods presence—longing to be home with him.

the rest of the OT is God gathering a people, beginning with Abraham to the Israelites to dwell with Him—to bring them back home to dwell with Him.

and God does this even though we don’t deserve it, starting with Abraham—Isaac—Jacob—and the Israelites.

In fact, we see the Israelites in slavery in Egypt—they are in captivity—and God miraculously delivers them captivity, and begins the process of bringing them home to the Promised Land. and He makes a commitment to them, that if they are going to dwell with God, they have to do it his way—with a tabernacle or temple, with animal sacrifices, with priests.

God keeps his covenant—but the Israelites don’t.

and consequently, b/c Israel doesn’t—they experience sin’s consequences—exile.

2x!

first, Assyria comes and invades the north—and takes them into exile.

and second Babylon comes and invades the south and Jerusalem destroying it—and takes them into exile.

(which is our letter now — where Jeremiah wrote to them—they are in exile)

and 70 years later, God brings them back to Jerusalem—and they start to re-settle and rebuild there. but coming home wasn’t the same as it was before. the prophets had envisioned a greater restoration—but it didn’t feel like it matched what they said.

so the whole OT—is this longing for home with God—yet because of sin—we constantly experience exile—driven from the presence of God.

We get to the NT—and Jesus Christ, the Son of God comes.

He lives the life we failed to live—perfectly.

and he dies for us. On the cross, Jesus Christ experienced the worst exile—he was cast from the Father’s presence. He cried, My God My God why have you forsaken me. If exile is being away from God’s presence—that is what Jesus the Son of God experienced for us—so He took on our exile—he experienced the worst exile so we could be forgiven.

so—when you and I put our trust in Jesus, when we come to our senses and confess our sin, turn from it—and trust King Jesus to save us—we are now home with God—because of the body of Jesus broken and blood of Jesus.

and we now live as spiritual exiles—our citizenship is in heaven. we are in the world but not of it. we are never to be too comfortable or attracted to this world. and one day—God will bring us truly home—in the new heaven and new earth—no more exile.

how do we that God has plans to prosper us and not harm us?

b/d Jesus Christ was harmed on out behalf....so we could prosper.

b/c God entered our suffering.

Our God knows what suffering is like.

and he entered it, experienced it, and took the worst suffering on our behalf.

We may not know why God allows it—but we can’t say that He doesn’t care—He does—b/c Jesus died for us and suffered for us.

and we can cry out to him when we suffer—just like Jesus did for His Father—we can pour out all our emotions and soul to the Lord, and He can take it, and help us.

and the resurrection is proof that the kingdom of God has come—in power—that Jesus has already started to change this world, beginning with us, and he will change it—when He comes back....

is Jeremiah 29:11 true—yes b/c of the cross and resurrection of Jesus.

so the bread and cup---

Mark 14:22–24 NIV

22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them.

would you take a moment and thank God for sending His Son--

(communion)