Wrongly Familiar

You are probably really familiar with Jeremiah 29:11 – 14.  Verse 11 has been cross stitched on a lot of pillows.

You may not be as familiar with Jeremiah 1:1 – 29:10.  Israel has been taken into captivity by Assyria.  Babylon is coming after Judah and Nebuchadnezzar has already taken some of Judah into captivity.  This is a direct result of the leaders, prophets, priests, and people continually refusing to follow God’s Word.  Instead they follow the personal dreams of their prophets.  When that causes problems for them, as God promised it would, rather than repent and follow God, they go out and find a rock or a piece of wood, carve it up, and ask it to bail them out of the situation.  When that doesn’t work they make alliances with the pagan nations around them, hoping that will deliver them from the result of their disobedience.

In Jeremiah 29:10 the prophet is telling them that the captivity in Babylon will last for 70 years.  Later in the chapter the people reject that message as well, opting instead to believe those who tell them that it is not going to be that bad.

In Jeremiah 29 – 33, God is telling the people that He is going to fix it.  He outlines for them a new covenant.  A covenant where God will enable their obedience.  That covenant has its fulfillment in the life, death, resurrection, ascension, and rule of His Son.

So we are familiar with the passage, but not so much the context.  But, it is much easier to put the one verse on the pillow, the greeting card, or bumper sticker.