A hope and a future (Jer.29:1-14)
The prophet Jeremiah wrote 3-letters in this chapter viz.
- A letter to exiles in Babylon (29:1-14).
- A letter as a reply to false prophets in Babylon (29:15-23).
- A letter to exiles concerning Shemaiah, the false prophet (29:30-32).
It was the time of King Zedekiah ruling Judah (he was a puppet king placed by Babylonians). Many Jews were taken into exile in Babylon, the chief among them were Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The deportation occurred in (586 BC). Jeremiah had friends in high positions in Babylon.
An encouragement to exiles: This was a letter of encouragement and pleaded the exiles to live loyal to the Babylon king. It was the plan of God to send them on exile for 70-years, a chastisement from God for their waywardness. It was the hand of God to remove them from their land for 70-years because they have failed to fulfill the obligation of Sabbath-year for the land for 490-years. Babylonians were God’s chosen instruments to carry out God’s discipline upon Judah. Although they were in exile in Babylon, they were not being treated cruelly, like Egyptians treated Israelites during Moses days. These people had considerable amount of freedom to live good lives. Though they find difficult to adjust to pagan culture, the prophet Jeremiah was encouraging them to live a witnessing life and multiply in this alien country.
A hope for hopeless people: (29:4-6):
The exiles once living a prosperous life, are now in foreign country. They have lost all their property, their friends, their relatives etc. Some of them would have perished on the way to Babylon. Although there was not much freedom the situation could be leading to depressing, the prophet calls them to set aside the difficulties to lead godly lives. Jeremiah the prophet said: “live good life, be fruitful and multiply. Have sons and daughters, live a prosperous lives.”
This is true with us too. God is calling to live a life of purity, a life of witnessing in the midst of persecution and difficulties. It was the hand of God which lead the people of Israel into the bondage, He will know when to bring them back to their own country. If the situation is depressing, full of failures in your life, do not worry, just depend upon God. God knows who you are! He has a wonderful plan for you. Submit yourself to God and have His way in your life. One of the first steps in turning tragedy into triumph is to accept the situation courageously and submitting into the hands of God. When all the doors are closed, God will open another. Take a right decision in your life. If there are failures in your academic lives, your social lives, your spiritual lives, your ministry lives, press on. Just as Paul said: “Forgetting what is behind, I press on”. (Phil.3:14). Now Look at the example of Ruth.
Ex: When things became very bad, Naomi decided to go back to Bethlehem, it was too much to bear for Orpah and Ruth. In this world we see 3-kinds of people when they face tough situations in their lives:
- I can’t go any further. Such people live in a disgusted and depressed life.
- I give up. I can’t bear any more. Such people think they have nothing in this world and even commit suicides.
- I will face whatsoever it may be. Such people keep moving on to higher levels successfully.
Ruth chose third kind, to face the situation boldly and submitted herself to God despite being a Moabite. She takes a very tough decision and says to her mother:
“Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me” (Ruth 1:16-17)
Do not go after false prophets: (29:6-9):
There were many false prophets in those day who incited the people, that the exile would be for a very short period of 2-3 years. Babylon would fall apart, therefore there was no need to settle down in Babylon. But Jeremiah said exactly opposite. Seventy-years was long period, so the prophet asks people to settle down and lead a normal life. He further said: build your own houses, set up homes. It was necessary for them to multiply in proportions and come back to Judea when the 70-years are over.
These days there are many false teachers giving instant blessings including good health, fame and name and money and social strata. But God says: live in your own situation and do God’s work. Jesus said: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Matt.16:24; Lk.9:23).
This small Jewish remnant was living in Babylon which would become God’s great plan of salvation in the future and they must obey Him, be fruitful, and multiply. The Jews could live in a disobedience and rebellion against the Gentile Babylonians, but Jeremiah instructed them to get along with them and be peace makers but not trouble makers. They have to love them, pray for them just as the Lord said: “pray for your enemies” (Matt.5:44). If we reject the wooden yoke of submission, we end up wearing only an iron yoke of subjugation. Therefore it is important for Jews to yield to the Lord and to those who are over them , no matter how badly they were treating them. To indulge in false hopes is to miss what God has planned for us.