Jer 29:11 – ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.’

This verse is one of the most beloved in the Bible.  But it has all too often been taken out of context and therefore misapplied.  In other words, too many forget that a Scripture like this, although written for us, is not written to us.

As always, context is king:

’29:10 “For the LORD says, ‘Only when the seventy years of Babylonian rule are over will I again take up consideration for you. Then I will fulfill my gracious promise to you and restore you to your homeland. 29:11 For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the LORD. ‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope. 29:12 When you call out to me and come to me in prayer, I will hear your prayers. 29:13 When you seek me in prayer and worship, you will find me available to you. If you seek me with all your heart and soul, 29:14 I will make myself available to you,’ says the LORD. ‘Then I will reverse your plight and will regather you from all the nations and all the places where I have exiled you,’ says the LORD. ‘I will bring you back to the place from which I exiled you.’ ‘

In context, this wonderful promise was given to his people during their time exile.  Hananiah has preached a gospel of false hope (Jer 28), saying God’s judgement on his people would be relative light, and would last for only two years.  Jeremiah, however stated that it would last seventy years.  But, even for Jeremiah, there was a message of hope.  At the end of the seventy years, God would restore his people.

The fulfilment of the promise to restore Israel’s fortunes would not be seen by the present generation, but rather their children or even their grandchildren (v10).  The promise is framed in terms that demand an earnest seeking and praying to the Lord (v12f).  For these reasons, it would be quite wrong to apply this verse glibly and indiscriminately to ourselves today.

3. What is He speaking of here? He is speaking of a promise involving and regarding them and their situation, v10.
4. When was this written? In the 6th century BC – when Jerusalem was destroyed (586 BC) and the people were captive in Babylon (29:4).
5. Where was it written? It was written and sent to Babylon where the people were, v3.
6. Why was it written? To show that God keeps His promises., 10-14.

(Source)

Eric Stillman  writes:

‘It is a dangerous thing to read a Bible verse out of context. Like Hannaniah telling the people what they want to hear, we can be guilty of making a verse like Jeremiah 29:11 say what we want it to say instead of hearing an actual word from God in context. If you look to Jeremiah 29:11 as a word of hope and encouragement, that is fine. Just be sure that you understand what it really means. It does NOT necessarily mean that your circumstances are going to turn around for the better any time soon. It almost certainly does NOT mean that God is going to give you prosperity and health and all your self-centered heart desires. It DOES, however mean that God is faithful to His people, that evil does not have the final word, and that our job is to be faithful to God in the circumstances in which we find ourselves while we await His deliverance.’

But a commenter on the above post rightly states:

‘True, but while God did not cause Israel’s return from captivity until after 70 years, He sustained them in Babylon. Those who held on to His Word lived a productive life in Babylon and God was glorified through them and many, including Nebuchadnezzar himself, came to acknowledge the God of Israel. Perhaps we need to be reminded of Daniel, Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego, and of Mordecai and Esther.’

Putting these two thoughts together, we can arrive at a conclusion applicable to ourselves: God’ s full restoration may lie many years into the future.  But, in the mean time, we have lives to live, duties to perform, responsibilities to assume; and God will graciously sustain us and provide for us through all of these.

As Chris Green notes, if we wilfully ignore context, how will we know which verses to point people to?  How will we know that Jer 25:27f doesn’t apply? –

25:27 Then the LORD said to me, “Tell them that the LORD God of Israel who rules over all says, ‘Drink this cup until you get drunk and vomit. Drink until you fall down and can’t get up. For I will send wars sweeping through you.’ 25:28 If they refuse to take the cup from your hand and drink it, tell them that the LORD who rules over all says ‘You most certainly must drink it!