I KNOW THE THOUGHTS THAT I THINK TOWARD YOU

 

Jeremiah was a Jewish prophet who lived around 600 years before Christ.  He is credited with writing two books of the Bible: Jeremiah and Lamentations.  He is referred to by many as “the weeping prophet” because of the difficult judgments that he spoke against his nation, and the burden of grief that he carried for them. 

During his ministry, God sent Jeremiah to the leaders of Judah to tell them that the King of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, was coming against them to make war, and would defeat them in battle.  As a result, many of them would be carried into captivity and dispersed among the cities of Babylon.  All of this would happen because the Jews were no longer listening to God, but had, instead, turned to worshipping idols.  Jeremiah told them that God was bringing judgment on them and that they were not to resist Nebuchadnezzar or they would be resisting God.  The priests and so-called prophets of the time were outraged and rejected Jeremiah’s prophecies, and had him imprisoned.  They spoke comforting words to the people, telling them that God would bless and deliver them from any trouble.  Eventually, Jeremiah’s words proved true, and the city of Jerusalem was besieged, taken, and ransacked.  Many of the Jews were placed into captivity and carried away to Babylon.

There’s a lesson in this story for us today.  There is nothing new under the sun, and God’s Word is always relevant to our modern world and man’s current condition.  God does not wink at sin.  As He judged and chastened His people in ancient times, He judges His people today as well.  Sin will eventually bring judgment upon those who follow it.  If we allow them to persist, our sins and disobedience to the Lord will ultimately lead us into captivity of one sort or another.  Our habits and addictions make slaves of us, and breed spiritual death in us.  Out of His great love for us, however, God will use any means to get our attention, and lead us to repentance. 

When Nebuchadnezzar’s forces withdrew from Jerusalem, they took some 10,000 Jews with them back to Babylon.  They left the rest of the Jews in Judea and Nebuchadnezzar became their overlord.  Jeremiah was among those who were allowed to stay. 

Sometime after the remnant of the Jews were taken away, Jeremiah sent a letter to them containing the words of the Lord to the people of the captivity.  In that letter, God told the Jews that were in Babylon not to rebel against their captors as the false prophets who were among them were encouraging them to do.  Instead, they were to build houses and live in them, plant gardens and eat of them, and marry and have children.  He instructed them to pray for the cities that they were now a part of, and seek the peace of those cities: “…for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.” (Jeremiah 29:7).

 

Through Jeremiah’s letter, God then revealed to the Jews that they would remain in Babylon for 70 years and then be released to return to their own land.  God also told them something very astounding.  He said, “I know the thoughts that I think toward you...thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (Jeremiah 29:11).  God knew exactly what He had in mind for His people, and what it would take to realize His plan for them.  He didn’t delight in bringing judgment upon them.  His intention was to bring them peace, not evil, because He had a specific end in mind for them. 

God also has a specific end, an expected end, intended for you and me.  Even when we have failed God miserably, He still reaches out to us with a promise to change our vile nature, and shape us into His glorious image.  The Jews in Jeremiah’s time had fallen far away from God, and they had reaped the consequences of their actions in full measure.  Nevertheless, God extended His mercy to them with words of comfort to draw them to Him once more.  He does the same with His children today.

Jeremiah’s letter went on to say, “Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you.  And ye shall seek Me, and find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart.  And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.” (Jeremiah 29:12-14). 

God’s ear is always open to the soul who humbles himself before his Creator.  When we have had our fill of sin, and turn to seek God with all our heart, we will always find Him.  Like the father of the prodigal son, our heavenly Father is always watching, and always waiting, for His errant children to turn from their own ways and return to Him again.  The Bible invites us to, “Come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16).  Our heavenly Father loves His children and will always do what is in their best interest.  Sometimes that involves showers of blessings; sometimes that means the rod of correction!  Either way, it is with one end in mind: that we be transformed into the image of His Son Jesus Christ. 

The other thing that God promises to His children is that if they will repent and turn from their sins, He will “turn away their captivity.”  Whatever habit or addiction that we have become entangled in, God will deliver us.  It doesn’t matter how many times one has tried and failed; God will make the difference.  Whether it is something “big” like alcohol, drugs, pornography, or sex, or something less apparent like cigarettes, gluttony, lying, shoplifting, cursing, or gossip - God will set the captive free!  He will not only give the grace to walk away from the sin, but He will also give the power to live an overcoming life!  “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36).

There is a time of great trouble coming on the world, and I think that it is not too far off.  There will also be a time of revival that the Bible refers to as the “latter rain.” God will judge His Church, and it will be purged of the false prophets, the faithless pastors, and those who have sold out to their idols.  Those, however, who hear God’s voice and turn from their wicked ways will be healed and delivered.  God will pour out His Spirit on this remnant and they will do exploits in the name of Jesus Christ.  How much better it is for us to learn to walk with God every day as Enoch did in the Old Testament.  Because of this one simple act, God translated Him so that he never experienced death in the same way that everyone else does (Genesis 5:24; Hebrews 11:5).  We, too, can learn to walk with God every day!  Doing so will require that we walk away from many things that would hinder or prevent us from doing so, but the rewards will greatly outweigh the cost!  This is the secret to a victorious and overcoming life. 

“Seek ye the LORD while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near: let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and He will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for He will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:6, 7).