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Sunday, 7 July 2019
Jeremiah 29:11

Question of the day: We like to apply this verse to ourselves, but what is really going on here? Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans that I have in mind for you, declares Adonai, plans for shalom and not calamity—to give you a future and a hope."

Answer: Yes, we love to apply this verse of God's plan for our future to ourselves. And there is nothing wrong with that. However; we should not ignore the context nor the original intent.

Actually, the quote doesn't end with this verse. It goes on to say ... Jeremiah 29:12-14a "Then you will call on Me, and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me, when you will search for Me with all your heart. Then I will be found by you, says Adonai."

Again, we love to apply this to ourselves. We seek God, He listens, we find God and ... Jeremiah 29:14b "and I will return you from exile, and gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says Adonai, and I will bring you back to the place from which I removed you as captives into exile."

This was originally part of a larger prophesy that after 70 years, God would bring His people back to their land. It was this prophesy that Daniel was praying over (recorded in Daniel 9) when he was visited by Gabriel (the archangel in charge of communication).

So this was originally written to a specific people for a specific time in their lives. But if we go back to the spiritual application upon ourselves, what's that all about? What does it mean to spiritually "return from exile?"

Something happened in the Garden of Eden that caused a separation between God and man. Rebellion precipitated the great separation when mankind was separated from God and kicked out of the Garden of Eden. God had to send His only begotten Son, Yeshua to reconcile the world to Himself, and we are the beneficiaries of His grace.

Romans 8:3 "For what was impossible for the Torah - since it was weakened on account of the flesh - God has done. Sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as a sin offering, He condemned sin in the flesh".

1 Corinthians 15:22-24 "For as in Adam all die, so also in Messiah will all be made alive. But each in its own order: Messiah the firstfruits; then, at His coming, those who belong to Messiah; then the end, when He hands over the kingdom to God the Father after He has destroyed all rule and all authority and power."

That's right, Yeshua must destroy "all rule and all authority and power." Let's be sure we are with Him and not against Him in this. We draw near to God as we are brought back into the promised land. May we all walk with God in the cool of the day. May His holy name be blessed. Amen.

Posted By Rabbi Michael Weiner, 10:00am Comment Comments: 0