God's Judgement

Jeremiah 29:11 is one of the most quoted passages of the Bible. "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" We take comfort knowing that God has plans for us, for hope and a future.

I definitely haven't heard Jeremiah 21:10 as much. In it, God says, "I have determined to do this city harm and not good, declares the Lord, 'It will be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and he will destroy it with fire." It doesn't seem to carry the same level of encouragement for some reason. Yet the same God spoke both of these statements through the same prophet to the same nation.

God's judgement on Judah was not good in the short term, it would have been horrible living in Jerusalem at that time. Yet allowing Judah to continue in its ways forever would have been equally horrific. In everything that we have read about what these kings were like, the injustices they allowed, and the terrible things that were done under their rule, we can start to imagine how awful things might have become if left unchecked. God's judgement brought Judah back to attention and brought all these things to an end.

Even after the exile they still didn't have things quite right, but God already had a plan to redeem them. This time His judgement would not be applied to Judah but would be borne by His only Son.

Thought Point

How do you read Jeremiah 29:11? What hope does God give you through it?

Prayer Point

Thank God for His judgement and discipline. Thank Him for the gift of His Son who took the weight of all God's judgement upon Himself.