Jer. 29:11 NOT THAT KIND OF HOPE

The YouTube Speaker said misuse of Jer. 29:11 sometimes "gets to him", and I wanted to hear what he had to say. I knew God's purpose and plan was held out for the Christian...but what's wrong with that, I wondered.

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD: thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." (Jer. 29:11)

We need to see when and to whom those words were spoken, it was explained. We went back with Jeremiah to chapter 29 verse 11. God was speaking to the Israelites, whom He had to reassure He would not forget, because He had just told them in verse 10 THEY WOULD BE GOING INTO CAPTIVITY FOR 70 YEARS!

(Illustration: Old man showing grandchild Century Plant: its flowers bloom every 70 years!)

Jer. 29:11 was not meant to be a "bright, positive-minded" verse for a promising future! No--it was meant to give STEADFAST LOVE TO CLING TO THRU' FUTURE DARKNESS!

But that's not the way we usually hear it presented.

What kind of promise do I want to claim/share? Maybe I better think twice the next time I quote this passage.

As that pastor said, God does promise bright blessings for closer tomorrows...through other scripture; that's NOT what this one was intended to say.