Jeremiah 29:1-14 God’s Plans And My Life

Jeremiah 29:1-14 God’s Plans and My Life

Jeremiah 29:1-14 God’s Plans And My Life is a sermon about the way that God directs my life. This sermon encourages Christians to not listen to others, but to God for His plans for them.

Garth Brooks – “The River”

You know a dream is like a river
Ever changin’ as it flows
And a dreamer’s just a vessel
That must follow where it goes
Trying to learn from what’s behind you
And never knowing what’s in store
Makes each day a constant battle
Just to stay between the shores…

And, I will sail my vessel
‘Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I’ll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
‘Til the river runs dry

Too many times we stand aside
And let the waters slip away
‘Til what we put off ’til tomorrow
Has now become today
So don’t you sit upon the shoreline
And say you’re satisfied
Choose to chance the rapids
And dare to dance the tide…

Yes, I will sail my vessel
‘Til the river runs dry
Like a bird upon the wind
These waters are my sky
I’ll never reach my destination
If I never try
So I will sail my vessel
‘Til the river runs dry

There’s bound to be rough waters
And I know I’ll take some falls
But with the good Lord as my captain
I can make it through them all…

Yes, I will sail my vessel
‘Til the river runs dry
‘Til the river runs dry1

Just like this song says, sometimes life is like a river. At times, you don’t know where it goes. Have you been in a situation and wondered what the purpose was? Did you get yourself into trouble and wondered why you were being punished? What is going to happen to me? This was the question which the Israelites asked after they were deported to Babylon in this text.

“This is the text of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the rest of the elders of the exiles, the priests, the prophets, and all the people Nebuchadnezzar had deported from Jerusalem to Babylon.” (Jeremiah 29:1, HCSB)

“This was after King Jeconiah, the queen mother, the court officials, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metalsmiths had left Jerusalem.” (Jeremiah 29:2, HCSB)

“The letter was sent by Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah whom Zedekiah king of Judah had sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. The letter stated:” (Jeremiah 29:3, HCSB)

“This is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says to all the exiles I deported from Jerusalem to Babylon:” (Jeremiah 29:4, HCSB)

A little context is in order. The people were not listening to God. They were not following God. So sent them off to exile. There were three reasons God sent them into captivity:

THREE REASONS FOR THE CAPTIVITY

To eradicate idolatry

The Jews had a tendency to persist in the worship of idols and all that went along with it, including the offering of their children as sacrifices. Therefore, because of their fascination with idolatry, the Lord allowed them to be carried away to Babylon, where they would worship idols day and night until they got sick of them.2
In allowing His people to go to Babylon, the Lord was, in effect, saying, “If this is what it takes for you to get your fill of idols, go to Babylon for seventy years in order that you might come back and love Me with your whole heart” (Jeremiah 24:7). And guess what. Upon their return from Babylon, the Jews never again felt a pull toward idolatry.

To evangelize effectively

God blessed a specific group of people in a specific corner of the world because He wanted the rest of the world to see that if people would walk with God, He would bless them. The Jews were to be a witness to the world of what God will do for those who walk with Him. But what happened? The Jews became selfish and actually put down those whom they should have been reaching. So, as the Lord often has done throughout history, He had them scattered. They were taken to Babylon—a land to which they would never have gone otherwise.
Were the Jews a witness there? Refusing to bow down to the statue Nebuchadnezzar built, three young Jewish men named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego were thrown into a fiery furnace. Do you think they were witnesses to Nebuchadnezzar as he watched them standing with Jesus in the fire (Daniel 3:25)? Do you think Belshazzar was blown away when a Jewish captive named Daniel interpreted the writing on the wall that had been inscribed by a mysterious hand? (Daniel 5:14). Do you think the Babylonian officials were shocked when, after spending a night in the lions’ den, Daniel emerged unharmed (Daniel 6:22)? The entire Book of Daniel is the story of how God used His people in captivity to witness to the Babylonians in order that they might see His reality.3

To restore the land physically

In the Mosaic Law, there was a provision called the Sabbath, which they were supposed to keep. It is in Leviticus 25. It says this:

“But there will be a Sabbath of complete rest for the land in the seventh year, a Sabbath to the Lord: you are not to sow your field or prune your vineyard.” (Leviticus 25:4, HCSB)

The problem was that they stopped giving the land a rest. Instead, they kept producing on the land for 490 years. You take 490 years and divide it by 7 and you get 70 years. This was the years of Sabbath rest which the Israelites did not give the land.

“This fulfilled the word of the Lord through Jeremiah and the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolation until 70 years were fulfilled.” (2 Chronicles 36:21, HCSB)

But all the while God was noticing. “You robbed this land and you robbed Me of seventy years,” He said (see 2 Chronicles 36:21). “Consequently, while you are in Babylon, I will refresh the land physically and balance the books on you nationally.” So it was that, as the Jews were carried away to Babylon, their land basically sat idle and replenished itself during their seventy-year absence.4
What did God expect them to do? Settle down. Get married and have children. Build houses and live in them. Get involved in the city and pray for its peace. Be peaceful people who don’t complain about their situation.

““Build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat their produce.” (Jeremiah 29:5, HCSB)

“Take wives and have sons and daughters. Take wives for your sons and give your daughters to men in marriage so that they may bear sons and daughters. Multiply there; do not decrease.” (Jeremiah 29:6, HCSB)

“Seek the welfare of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the Lord on its behalf, for when it has prosperity, you will prosper.”” (Jeremiah 29:7, HCSB)

There is a reason which God said that they should be engaged in the local city which they were sent. God would allow them to live there in peace. Yes, they would captive to Babylon, and eventually Persia. However, God was going to allow them to thrive even in captivity.
This is similar to what happened in Egypt. The people of Israel went to Egypt because of a famine. When they arrived there, they thrived in a foreign land. Unlike Egypt, God used Cyrus, the leader of the Medo-Persian empire to bring the people back to Israel.

Don’t listen to what other people say about my life.

“For this is what the Lord of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: “Don’t let your prophets who are among you and your diviners deceive you, and don’t listen to the dreams you elicit from them, for they are prophesying falsely to you in My name. I have not sent them.” This is the Lord’s declaration.” (Jeremiah 29:8–9, HCSB)

“For this is what the Lord says: “When 70 years for Babylon are complete, I will attend to you and will confirm My promise concerning you to restore you to this place.” (Jeremiah 29:10, HCSB)

You know, there are going to be people around you who will try to tell you how to live your life. They will say things which they think are best, but in no way are they helpful to you. You have to be careful who you listen to.
You know you go to a car salesman and he knows you are looking for a car. He will try to have you buy a car. But just because he suggests a car, that doesn’t mean that is the right car for you. It takes discernment. What is true in purchasing is even more true in our life’s plans. There are some people you don’t need to listen to for advice. As you get older, you can figure out that some people just have an agenda and you have to stay focused and do what you are supposed to do. Otherwise you will waste your life doing what other people want you to do, instead of what God wants you to do.
It is somewhat incidental to his purpose, but Jeremiah specifies precisely the seventy-year captivity. In fact, when Daniel was in Babylon reading the prophecies of Jeremiah, he noticed the seventy years were almost over. (When people in the Bible read the Bible, they read it literally.)5 This leads us to the next part:

Take time to listen to what God says about my life.

God has plans for me.

“For I know the plans I have for you” —this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11, HCSB)

“We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28, HCSB)

God does not have a plan for your life. He has many plans for your life. Everyone asks me about God’s plan for my life. There is no one plan. There is God’s will and then there are God’s plans. There are things that God wants you to do. You follow what God wants you to do, and He will reveal His plans. God’s plans for me may be very different than God’s plans for you. They can be as unique as your personality. However, they all get fulfilled when you and I decide to follow God and do His will. It is like a river. You don’t know how it flows.

“Indeed, the Lord God does nothing without revealing His counsel to His servants the prophets.” (Amos 3:7, HCSB)

God is going to tell you what He will do. You don’t ask what you want to do. You ask what He is going to do. This is why you come to Him first. This leads us to the following point:

God expects me to pray and seek Him.

“You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:12-13, HCSB)

God has the plans. You have to ask. You have to talk to Him to find them out. You have to come and pray. He will listen. You have to seek and search Him. You don’t just say a prayer just as a ritual up to God. You have to honestly take time to listen and speak to God.

“You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13, HCSB)

Jesus said it this way:

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you.” (Matthew 6:33, HCSB)

When we put God first, He provides all that you need. We have to put prayer first, and then God reveals the plans. The cart is the prayer. The plans are the horse. Get this in the right order and things go well.

“I will be found by you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and places where I banished you”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “I will restore you to the place I deported you from.”” (Jeremiah 29:14, HCSB)

In context, this is actually a fulfilled prophecy for the nation of Israel. They were exiled to Babylon for 70 years as God told Jeremiah. Then Daniel picks up this scroll and realizes this. Then God gives Daniel another prophecy that tells us that Jesus will come and afterward the nation of Israel will be scattered. That scattering will end. Jeremiah was told this. That happened on May 14, 1948.

On a personal level though, God is ready to restore your life. He is ready to take what kept you captive and start to help you.

“Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, double-minded people!” (James 4:8, HCSB)

If you would take the time to come to God, He will take the time to come to you. God wants us to interact with Him. He wants us to come with pure hearts and open minds about the plans He has for you and me.

GETTING PAST YOUR PAST

Consider Charles Colson, the aide to Richard Nixon who was sent to jail for Watergate. As as a result of his experience as a convicted felon, Colson founded Prison Fellowship, now the world’s largest Christian outreach to prisoners and their families. Prison Fellowship has more than 50,000 volunteers working in hundreds of prisons in 88 countries around the world. A ministry that has blessed millions of people got started because Charles Colson committed a crime. God’s eternal purposes for that man included even the sin that sent him to prison. It was a part of God’s plan from the very beginning.
But the story that matters most to you isn’t Peter’s, or Paul’s, or even Charles Colson’s. It’s yours. And what I want to say to you this morning is that the story of your life has not been ruined, not by your sin or anyone else’s. God’s good plans for your life is not buried under the mistakes of the past. He is working these plans out in your life right now, today. Will you believe that? And will you renew your commitment this morning to seeking God, and following Him, and serving Him with your whole heart; free of the past, no longer weighed down by regret?6

Footnotes

1 Garth Brooks, “The River,” http://www.cowboylyrics.com/lyrics/brooks-garth/the-river-5011.html. Accessed on 14 July 2013.

2 Jon Courson, Jon Courson’s Application Commentary: Volume Two: Psalms-Malachi (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2006), 534.

3 Ibid., 535.

4 Ibid., 535–536.

5 Chuck Missler, Learn the Bible in 24 Hours® (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2002).

6 Alan Perkins in “Getting Past Your Past.”
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