Jerimiah 29:11 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.
To understand this verse in its biblical, historical and cultural context, we must be familiar with the role of Jerimiah in the History of the Nation of Judah. God had already sent the Northern Kingdom of Israel into captivity by the Assyrians. The Southern Kingdom of Judah, consisting of the Tribe of Judah and Benjamin, were deep in sin and idol worship, so God had repeatedly warned them. Jeremiah was the last Prophet sent to Judah to deliver the final warning before sending them into Babylonian captivity (Jerimiah 26:7).
In verse 10 of this chapter, we see: This is what
the LORD says: "When seventy years come and go for Babylon, I will come to
you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place (Jerimiah
29:10).
God meant seventy years of captivity to bring the
people to repentance and return to the one true God. This captivity was not
meant for evil towards them by God; it was for their good. God loved them and
promised an end to their confinement after seventy years, unlike the Ten Tribes
in the Northern Nation of Israel that would not return to their homeland. Verse
11 declares that God had a plan for them to return to their land; He gave them hope and a future.
Sometimes when God sends us through specific trials
or tribulations, Satan will try to convince us that God has turned His back on
us. As we find in James 1:2, we should consider it all joy when God sends these
trials or tribulations our way. Just like the Children of Israel that God sent
to Babylon for seventy years, He has a time set aside for our
"captivity" in these times of trouble and suffering. So often, people
see these times as something from Satan and do not want to go through the time
allotted by God. Just like the people of the Nation of Judah, God loves us and
desires our hope and future, basking in His glory and victory.
God wants to use our trials or tribulations for our
good so that we might grow spiritually and be able to help others as they go
through some similar firestorm. And most importantly, so the honor and glory of
coming out of the rocky road will go to where it rightfully belongs, our Lord
and Savior Christ Jesus. These times of distress and difficulty are meant for
our good, to allow us to grow in our Christian walk, to teach us the importance
of faith in God, and to realize that we cannot fix our problems, but God can.
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