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Introduction/ Background (Jeremiah 29:1-3): Sometimes

things are not as we want them to be. Despite our best


efforts, our circumstances arent user friendly. In this
passage, Jeremiah was trapped in the city of Jerusalem which
was being dissembled by the Babylonians. False prophets
were telling the people, Dont give up; theres still hope. God
will surely send a miracle of deliverance as He has in the
past. But Jeremiahs message was, Theres no last minute
miracle on the way. The judgment of God is falling. In
chapter 29, he wrote to exiles who had already been deported
to Babylon, giving the same message, but in the middle of it
we find this remarkable verse of comfort and hope (v. 11). In
looking this chapter, we can learn something about
responding to negative surroundings. When we are not
where we want to be, how should we respond?

1. Make the Best of Things (vv. 4-6): This is what the Lord
Almighty, the God of Israel, says to those I carried into exile
from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and settle down;
plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have
sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your
daughters in marriage, so they too may have sons and
daughters. Increase in number there; do not
decrease. Jeremiahs point is: There isnt going to be a last-
minute miracle or any sudden solutions to the problem. All
you can do for now is make the most of it, do the best you
can, rejoice in the Lord, and keep on going.

2. Pray Where You Are (v. 7): Seek the peace and
prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into
exile. Ask God to bless your surroundings. If they prosper,
you will prosper. Jeremiah was telling the people to pray for
the shalom of the nation where they had been exiled.
3. Beware the Wrong Voices (vv. 8-9): Jeremiah warned
the exiles not to listen wrong voices. There has never been
so much deviant propaganda directed at so many unthinking
people through so many mesmerizing media.

4. Take the Long View (v. 10): This verse contains a


remarkable prophecy. The removal of King Jehoiachin
occurred in 597 B.C. The complete collapse and fall of Judah
and the destruction of Jerusalem happened eleven years later
in 586 B.C. On several specific occasions, Jeremiah
predicted that the nation of Judah would be destroyed, its
capital city burned, its people deported, and the entire nation
would be wiped off the face of the earth, but that within 70
years, Judah would be back. The nation would be
reestablished. Compare Jeremiah 25:8ff; Daniel 9:1ff; Ezra
1:1ff. We live in a day in which everyone wants immediate
gratification, but Christians are looking forward to Gods long-
term faithfulness (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

5. Get Hopeful about Gods Plans (v. 11): Remember that


these words were spoken to a displaced, defeated, depressed
group of exiles. They had hung their harps on the willow trees
and had lost their song. But with the Lord, things are never
hopeless. For I know the plans I have for you

6. Seek the Lord Above All (v. 13-14): Then you will call
upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to
you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all
your heart. Whatever our circumstances, we can make Him
Lord of our lives and seek first His Kingdom and His
righteousness.
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