S – ¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Jeremiah 29:11 ESV

O – Commentary:

The Lord’s plans for good, to prosper the exiled people and to return them to the land of Judah, gave them a future and a hope. This promise was specific to the exiles in Babylon, but it has given hope to millions of God’s people in various difficult circumstances.

 New Living Translation Study Bible (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2008), Je 29:11.

A – This is a popular verse that gets quoted in response  when someone is in a difficult situation.  The irony is that in its context it was God encouraging before he directed them into a challenging time.  Both apply today – God’s word promises us there will be trouble and we get into often.  In those times, God has a plan for each of us and it is good, establishes our future and is founded in expectation that attaches us to God.

R – Heavenly Father, you are the Hope of glory.  Each of us are facing challenges.  Thank you for your assurance that you are with us and have a plan.  We invite you Holy Spirit to work in us so we can be faithful to you in our words, thoughts and actions even when challenged.

S – The prophets who preceded you and me from ancient times prophesied war, famine, and pestilence against many countries and great kingdoms. ⁹ As for the prophet who prophesies peace, when the word of that prophet comes to pass, then it will be known that the Lord has truly sent the prophet.

Jeremiah 28:8–9 ESV

O – Commentary:

Two prophets had made conflicting claims, each one attributing his message to God. Though Jeremiah could have wished that the Lord would fulfill the words of Hananiah, nevertheless Hananiah’s prophecy was false. The ultimate test for prophets was whether their prophecies were fulfilled. A prophet was known to be sent by God only if his prediction came true (cf. Deut. 18:20–22). Time would tell whether Jeremiah or Hananiah was the false prophet.

Charles H. Dyer, “Jeremiah,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1165.

A – When two Christian leaders had conflicting claims, the fruit of each will tell you which was from God.  With so many opinions available today, a great principle to follow is look at the fruit.  And that doesn’t always mean the audience’s response.  Look to see how it aligns with God’s heart, character and the Bible.  Look for lasting transformation from the people responding.  Finally, does it set a new way of living and relationship with God. 

R – Heavenly Father, we worship and surrender to you.  Thank you God that you are speaking and moving today.  Help us to see you genuinely and authentically.  Give us the ability to see the real “fruit” of your Word and actions in our lives.

S – Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, “This man does not deserve the sentence of death, for he has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God

Jeremiah 26:16 ESV

O – Commentary:

This man does not deserve a sentence of death The royal officials bring an acquittal in opposition to the wishes of the religious leaders. Since their reasoning is that Jeremiah spoke in the name of Yahweh, the conflict emphasizes the difficulty in recognizing true and false prophecy when both sides are claiming to speak on behalf of the same God

 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Je 26:16.

A – When both sides of a disagreement represent “God’s voice,” it can be challenging.  We see this with arguments about interpretations of the Bible.  There are number of topics that actually divide Christians because they see it their way.  When those come up, it is important to go back to what is the foundational truths of the Bible that are absolute and non arguable.  The most foundational is that God loves all people and wants to be in relationship with them through accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

R – Heavenly Father, you are absolute Truth.  Forgive us when we make our disagreements about you larger than our desire to know you.  Help us to grow in our understanding and love of you and your character.

S – Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. ⁶ In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness

Jeremiah 23:5–6 ESV

O – Commentary:

A righteous descendant (literally a righteous branch) of King David’s line, whose ruling power had temporarily come to an end, would be a King. In stark contrast to the three kings the Lord had just rebuked (ch 22), this King would have wisdom and act in a way that is just and right (33:15; Isa 11:1–5; 53:2; Zech 3:8; Luke 1:32–33).

23:6 This ruler would have the name The Lord Is Our Righteousness (Hebrew Yahweh Tsidqenu), an interesting reversal of Zedekiah’s Hebrew name (Tsidqiyyahu), which means “Righteous is the Lord.” Zedekiah’s character and the chaos of his reign were the opposite of the future King’s character and the salvation and safety that his reign would offer.

23:7–8 Cp. 16:14.

 New Living Translation Study Bible (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2008), Je 23:5–8.

A – Jeremiah prophesied of the coming Messiah that would bring righteousness back to the kingship of Israel.  The qualities of wisdom, justice and righteousness all align with the character of God as we know it today.  They bring salvation and security to all those who accept Christ as their Savior.

R – Heavenly Father, you are Yahweh Tsidqenu.  You are Righteous and wise.  Thank you for the salvation and security that comes in knowing you.  We walk in relationship with you and ask that our character grow to be more like your character.

S – I will hurl you and the mother who bore you into another country, where you were not born, and there you shall die. ²⁷ But to the land to which they will long to return, there they shall not return.” 

Jeremiah 22:26–27 ESV

O –  Commentary:

another country where you were not born Jehoiachin’s punishment is exile in Babylon.

22:27 they will not return Jeremiah addresses the hopes of people who still considered Jehoiachin the rightful king of Judah and looked for his return. Jehoiachin’s exile to Babylon is permanent; there will be no restoration.

 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Je 22:26–27.

A –  When going through a hard time, do we think of better times and places?  Do we ask “Why can’t it be like that?”  We cannot live live looking in the past.  We should use the past to gain insight and wisdom into the future.  

R – Heavenly Father, you are righteous and just.  Thank you God that your actions are compassionate and merciful.  We have the opportunity to come into a right relationship with you when we obey your word.  Help us to learn from our mistakes and move forward aligned with your will and purpose.

S – For thus says the Lord: Behold, I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends. They shall fall by the sword of their enemies while you look on. And I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon. He shall carry them captive to Babylon, and shall strike them down with the sword. ⁵ Moreover, I will give all the wealth of the city, all its gains, all its prized belongings, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah into the hand of their enemies, who shall plunder them and seize them and carry them to Babylon.

 Jeremiah 20:4–5 ESV

O – Commentary:

This is the first instance in which Babylon is named as the country whose armies would invade Judah and take the people into exile. The invaders would take the precious jewels and gold and silver, leaving Judah without resources

 New Living Translation Study Bible (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2008), Je 20:4–5.

A – Jeremiah prophesied the opponent and the results of Judah’s disobedience to God.  We have the same warning throughout the Bible when we are told to repent of our sin and have a relationship with God.  The difference is we have a choice in the outcome.  It is our choice to accept Christ and have a relationship with God or reject Christ and have distance and separation.

R – Heavenly Father, you are righteous and Holy.  You give us a choice today to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior or go our own way.  Help us to choose you.  We cannot overcome sin without Christ’s work on the cross.  Help us to walk out our relationship with you today.

S – The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? ¹⁰  “I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” 

Jeremiah 17:9–10 ESV

O – Commentary:

The heart is deceitful more than anything else Refers to human thoughts and feelings. The Hebrew term for the heart metaphorically refers to a person’s inner life—the will, thoughts, motivations, and emotions. This is a different understanding than “heart” in modern Western thinking, which primarily indicates the seat of emotions.

Who can understand it? Only Yahweh understands the thoughts and motivations of His creation (Jer 17:10)

 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Je 17:9.

A – Combining both understandings of the heart is a good foundation to reference.  The will, thoughts, motivations and emotions are the things the Lord will examine and test.  As we align with God’s character, all of these have us growing more like God in a relationship.  Mechanical obedience would not test any of these because it would be indifferent.  True heart connection allows for the person to become more like God while remaining true to the unique qualities that God created in us.

R – Heavenly Father, you see and know all things.  We invite your searching and testing of our hearts today.  Not because we are one hundred percent.  We know we fall short.  Yet, we want to grow more like you and the searching will reveal the areas of growth we need today.

S – And when you tell this people all these words, and they say to you, ‘Why has the Lord pronounced all this great evil against us? What is our iniquity? What is the sin that we have committed against the Lord our God?’ ¹¹ then you shall say to them: ‘Because your fathers have forsaken me, declares the Lord, and have gone after other gods and have served and worshiped them, and have forsaken me and have not kept my law

Jeremiah 16:10–11 ESV

O – Commentary:

Naively they asked what sin they had committed to deserve such judgment. God’s answer to these questions underscored the root problem throughout Israel’s history. Though the previous generations (fathers) had abandoned the true God to follow other gods, the present generation behaved even more wickedly. Instead of profiting from their ancestors’ errors, the current generation was going further astray. Each person was following the stubbornness within his evil heart rather than obeying God.

 Charles H. Dyer, “Jeremiah,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 1150.

A – We have every opportunity to learn from those who go before us.  There is more information and resources to tap into their thoughts and actions.  What keeps us from doing that?  Stubbornness in our our ways and the belief that we are better than them.  We can be better if we humbly use the past as a place of honor and learning.  Then, apply those principles and apply them to our walk with God and others today.

R – Heavenly Father, you are omnipresent.  Nothing escapes your presence.  Help us to learn from those who have gone before us.  Instead, let us capture the wisdom and insights and apply to our walk with you and others today.

S – O you hope of Israel, its savior in time of trouble, why should you be like a stranger in the land, 

like a traveler who turns aside to tarry for a night? ⁹  Why should you be like a man confused, like a mighty warrior who cannot save? Yet you, O Lord, are in the midst of us, and we are called by your name; do not leave us.” 

Jeremiah 14:8–9 ESV

O – Commentary:

its savior in time of distress Under the terms of the covenant, Yahweh should save. The implicit criticism in this appeal ignores the fact that the covenant was broken by the people when they disobeyed Yahweh and turned to other gods (see 11:14 and note).

14:9 like a warrior who is not able to help The standard explanation for defeat in the ancient Near East was that the local deity was not strong enough to save his people. Compare Ezek 8:12 and note. In this regard, the prophets’ assertions that Yahweh had allowed the Israelites’ defeat and even orchestrated it to judge them was an unorthodox concept (see Isa 59:1).

your name is called Appeals to Yahweh’s reputation and reminds Him that He will look weak for not saving His people

 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Je 14:8–9.

A – We cannot manipulate God into acting for us.  When we pray, it is expressing our relationship with God and inviting God to act.  We cannot “negotiate” our will with God.  We need to surrender our will to Him and allow his will and purpose to be accomplished.

R – Heavenly Father, we worship and surrender to you.  Forgive us for trying to manipulate you with our words and actions to have you do something for us.  You gave us our greatest gift in Christ’s death on the cross so we can have relationship with you.  We invite you to accomplish your will in us today.

S – Righteous are you, O Lord, when I complain to you; yet I would plead my case before you. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are treacherous thrive? ²  You plant them, and they take root; they grow and produce fruit; you are near in their mouth and far from their heart. 

Jeremiah 12:1–2 ESV

O – Commentary:

Jeremiah affirmed the Lord’s justice when dealing with him in the past. However, since he was obedient, he could not understand why his life was being threatened. By contrast, those who were wicked and evil seemed to be prosperous and happy.

12:2 Jeremiah was irked that the Lord allowed evil people to become established and enjoy prosperity and happiness.

 New Living Translation Study Bible (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2008), Je 12:1–2.

A – Like Jeremiah, many ask why “wicked people” prosper while believers struggle or face challenges.  God has a plan and purpose in everything but it is tough to go through some intense challenges when others who are not living for God seem to have “it all together.”  Each of us must decide where we will put our faith and trust in those seasons.  Putting our faith in God and surrendering the future to him allows us to live today confident that his plan will be accomplished in the right time.

R – Heavenly Father, you hold all time and things.  We invite you to work your purpose and will in our lives today no matter what we face.  We know that your desires for us are good.