Jeremiah 29: Living Faithfully in Exile
Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;
(After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;)
By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;
Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;
Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.
And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.
For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.
For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the Lord.
For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
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.
Because ye have said, The Lord hath raised us up prophets in Babylon;
Know that thus saith the Lord of the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth in this city, and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.
And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them:
Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the Lord, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith the Lord.
Hear ye therefore the word of the Lord, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon:
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy a lie unto you in my name; Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes;
And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon, saying, The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;
Because they have committed villany in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbours’ wives, and have spoken lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witness, saith the Lord.
Thus shalt thou also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying,
Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,
The Lord hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the Lord, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks.
Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which maketh himself a prophet to you?
For therefore he sent unto us in Babylon, saying, This captivity is long: build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.
Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,
Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the Lord concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite; Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie:
Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the Lord; because he hath taught rebellion against the Lord.
Jeremiah 29 provides a powerful and relevant message, not only for the Jewish exiles in Babylon but also for believers today. This chapter contains the text of a letter Jeremiah sent to those who had been deported from Jerusalem to Babylon (Jeremiah 29:1), offering guidance and hope amidst their challenging circumstances. This letter addresses the damaging lies spread by false prophets who encouraged passivity, falsely promising a quick return to Jerusalem (Jeremiah 29:8-9). Instead, Jeremiah delivers God's strategy for thriving even in a pagan land, a message that resonates deeply with Christians navigating a world that often feels foreign to our faith.
God's Sovereign Hand in Exile (Jeremiah 29:4)
The exiles needed to understand a crucial truth: their captivity wasn't merely the result of Babylonian aggression. Ultimately, God had deported them. Nebuchadnezzar was simply the instrument God used to bring judgment for their sins. The core message was, "You're in this mess because I sent you there...because you forgot me." Their failure to be God's distinct people, worshipping Him alone, led to His judgment. Recognizing God's sovereignty, even in difficult circumstances, is the first step towards finding His purpose within them.
Building a Life in Babylon (Jeremiah 29:5-6)
Contrary to the false prophets' claims of an imminent return, God instructed the exiles to settle down and build a life in Babylon. "Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease" (Jeremiah 29:5-6). This wasn't a call to complacency, but a command to establish a kingdom presence in exile. Building houses and planting gardens implies ownership, a key element of a kingdom economic strategy. God wanted His people to be industrious, investing in their new community while waiting for a better tomorrow.
This principle applies directly to Christians today. We should prepare to do life, recognizing that we might be here for a while. Earth is not merely a place to wait for a ride to heaven. It’s where we live out God’s kingdom agenda in history.
Seeking the Welfare of the City (Jeremiah 29:7-9)
God's instructions went beyond personal prosperity. He commanded them to "seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare" (Jeremiah 29:7). God didn’t want the Jews to build walls around their homes and create a Jewish subculture within Babylon to shield themselves from the pagans. This means engaging with the culture, not necessarily embracing its values, but actively pursuing its social and spiritual well-being. This pursuit of good will result in improved lives for us.
One reason the wheels are coming off of our culture morally is that for too many years, Christians have secluded themselves within their churches. We have abandoned the culture to Satan. We are to pursue the social and spiritual wellbeing of the community where we live, work, and raise families, which will result in improved lives for us.
A Promise of Restoration and a Call to Seek God (Jeremiah 29:10-14)
God promised to restore His people after seventy years of captivity (Jeremiah 29:10, 14). This is where we find the familiar and comforting words of Jeremiah 29:11: "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." This promise takes on even greater significance when understood within the context of exile and apparent hopelessness.
However, this promise was conditioned on seeking God wholeheartedly: "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13). True blessing requires more than superficial religious observance. It demands a 24/7 commitment to worshipping and obeying the Lord in our daily lives. When we seek Him wholeheartedly, He is ready to communicate with us and even reverse our circumstances.
The Consequences of False Prophecy (Jeremiah 29:15-32)
Jeremiah's letter exposed the lies of the false prophets who had deceived the exiles, leading them to believe they would soon return to Jerusalem. The Lord reveals through Jeremiah what awaits those in Jerusalem—from the king sitting on David’s throne to all the people in the city (Jeremiah 29:16). They will meet with sword, famine, and plague (Jeremiah 29:17-18). God even called out specific false prophets by name, such as Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah (Jeremiah 29:21), who were not only speaking lies but also engaging in immoral behavior (Jeremiah 29:23). Their punishment was severe (Jeremiah 29:22). Shemaiah, another false prophet who opposed Jeremiah, was also condemned (Jeremiah 29:24-26, 32). This serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of false teaching and the importance of discerning truth.
Jeremiah 29 is a call to faithful living, even in the midst of challenging circumstances. It reminds us that God is sovereign, that He has a purpose for us even in exile, and that He calls us to seek His welfare and the welfare of the communities in which we live. It’s a reminder that true hope is found not in quick fixes or easy solutions, but in seeking God with all our hearts and living out His kingdom agenda in the present.
Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon;
(After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;)
By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying,
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon;
Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;
Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished.
And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace.
For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.
For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the Lord.
For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
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.
Because ye have said, The Lord hath raised us up prophets in Babylon;
Know that thus saith the Lord of the king that sitteth upon the throne of David, and of all the people that dwelleth in this city, and of your brethren that are not gone forth with you into captivity;
Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil.
And I will persecute them with the sword, with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, and an hissing, and a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them:
Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the Lord, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but ye would not hear, saith the Lord.
Hear ye therefore the word of the Lord, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon:
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, which prophesy a lie unto you in my name; Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes;
And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon, saying, The Lord make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;
Because they have committed villany in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbours’ wives, and have spoken lying words in my name, which I have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witness, saith the Lord.
Thus shalt thou also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying,
Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying,
The Lord hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the Lord, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks.
Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which maketh himself a prophet to you?
For therefore he sent unto us in Babylon, saying, This captivity is long: build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet.
Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,
Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the Lord concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite; Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie:
Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the Lord; because he hath taught rebellion against the Lord.
Jeremiah 29 provides a powerful and relevant message, not only for the Jewish exiles in Babylon but also for believers today. This chapter contains the text of a letter Jeremiah sent to those who had been deported from Jerusalem to Babylon (Jeremiah 29:1), offering guidance and hope amidst their challenging circumstances. This letter addresses the damaging lies spread by false prophets who encouraged passivity, falsely promising a quick return to Jerusalem (Jeremiah 29:8-9). Instead, Jeremiah delivers God's strategy for thriving even in a pagan land, a message that resonates deeply with Christians navigating a world that often feels foreign to our faith.
God's Sovereign Hand in Exile (Jeremiah 29:4)
The exiles needed to understand a crucial truth: their captivity wasn't merely the result of Babylonian aggression. Ultimately, God had deported them. Nebuchadnezzar was simply the instrument God used to bring judgment for their sins. The core message was, "You're in this mess because I sent you there...because you forgot me." Their failure to be God's distinct people, worshipping Him alone, led to His judgment. Recognizing God's sovereignty, even in difficult circumstances, is the first step towards finding His purpose within them.
Building a Life in Babylon (Jeremiah 29:5-6)
Contrary to the false prophets' claims of an imminent return, God instructed the exiles to settle down and build a life in Babylon. "Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease" (Jeremiah 29:5-6). This wasn't a call to complacency, but a command to establish a kingdom presence in exile. Building houses and planting gardens implies ownership, a key element of a kingdom economic strategy. God wanted His people to be industrious, investing in their new community while waiting for a better tomorrow.
This principle applies directly to Christians today. We should prepare to do life, recognizing that we might be here for a while. Earth is not merely a place to wait for a ride to heaven. It’s where we live out God’s kingdom agenda in history.
Seeking the Welfare of the City (Jeremiah 29:7-9)
God's instructions went beyond personal prosperity. He commanded them to "seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare" (Jeremiah 29:7). God didn’t want the Jews to build walls around their homes and create a Jewish subculture within Babylon to shield themselves from the pagans. This means engaging with the culture, not necessarily embracing its values, but actively pursuing its social and spiritual well-being. This pursuit of good will result in improved lives for us.
One reason the wheels are coming off of our culture morally is that for too many years, Christians have secluded themselves within their churches. We have abandoned the culture to Satan. We are to pursue the social and spiritual wellbeing of the community where we live, work, and raise families, which will result in improved lives for us.
A Promise of Restoration and a Call to Seek God (Jeremiah 29:10-14)
God promised to restore His people after seventy years of captivity (Jeremiah 29:10, 14). This is where we find the familiar and comforting words of Jeremiah 29:11: "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." This promise takes on even greater significance when understood within the context of exile and apparent hopelessness.
However, this promise was conditioned on seeking God wholeheartedly: "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart" (Jeremiah 29:13). True blessing requires more than superficial religious observance. It demands a 24/7 commitment to worshipping and obeying the Lord in our daily lives. When we seek Him wholeheartedly, He is ready to communicate with us and even reverse our circumstances.
The Consequences of False Prophecy (Jeremiah 29:15-32)
Jeremiah's letter exposed the lies of the false prophets who had deceived the exiles, leading them to believe they would soon return to Jerusalem. The Lord reveals through Jeremiah what awaits those in Jerusalem—from the king sitting on David’s throne to all the people in the city (Jeremiah 29:16). They will meet with sword, famine, and plague (Jeremiah 29:17-18). God even called out specific false prophets by name, such as Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah (Jeremiah 29:21), who were not only speaking lies but also engaging in immoral behavior (Jeremiah 29:23). Their punishment was severe (Jeremiah 29:22). Shemaiah, another false prophet who opposed Jeremiah, was also condemned (Jeremiah 29:24-26, 32). This serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of false teaching and the importance of discerning truth.
Jeremiah 29 is a call to faithful living, even in the midst of challenging circumstances. It reminds us that God is sovereign, that He has a purpose for us even in exile, and that He calls us to seek His welfare and the welfare of the communities in which we live. It’s a reminder that true hope is found not in quick fixes or easy solutions, but in seeking God with all our hearts and living out His kingdom agenda in the present.