STOP!!

Written by cycleguy on June 2nd, 2013

I am away on vacation this week. (See here) I called on some friends to help.  Each day a different blogger will share their thoughts with you.  Today’s guest is Jason who blogs here.  We have followed each other for close to four years.  He is also very passionate about Human Trafficking.  His site is here.    Here’s Jason:

Please, for the love of our Father in heaven, STOP TAKING JEREMIAH 29:11 OUT OF CONTEXT.

Stop printing it on T-shirts.

Stop putting it on coffee mugs.

And PLEASE stop quoting it to those of us whose lives are little more than a pile of rubble heaped on top of us.

Why?  Because that verse is not for us today.

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)

The “you” in the verse is not an individual “you.”  It’s a collective “you” as in the nation of Israel.  That verse is part of a passage where God is talking to the nation of Israel and is telling them that after 70 years of exile in Babylon He will restore them.  (See verse 10 if you don’t believe me.)

The promise was then…and now…ONLY for the nation of Israel.

Not for the teenager struggling to figure out what to do after high school.

Not for the woman whose husband just ran off with a flight attendant from Sweden named Inga.

Not for the guy who lost his job and can’t find a way to support his family.

It’s for none of them.

And every single time we quote that verse to someone completely out of the context in which GOD HIMSELF spoke the words, we’re not only doing a disservice to those we’re speaking to but we’re also being false teachers of the Word of God.

The church, especially in America, has become little more than a place to tickle the ears of those who attend Sunday mornings and then disappear until the following Sunday.  The idea of “joy” equates only to “happiness” and thus we try to put a Pollyanna spin on verses and situations to try and provide the “joy juice” that will make someone feel better in hard times.

I know that we want to comfort one another in times of hardship.  I’m someone who wants nothing more than for God to put me in a place to help someone in need.  But if I’m to be the hands and feet of Christ to those people, I can’t then choose not to be the mouth of Jesus as well.  We’re called to be Christ…the whole Christ…to those we minister to on this planet.  We’re to reflect him (as best we can, of course, being imperfect beings who need Him.)

We can’t reflect Him if we’re intentionally distorting Him.

Now, can we say the same God who promised Israel he would redeem them is still a God who loves to redeem those who are his people?  Sure.

Can we say that the same God who loved the nation of Israel then is the same God who loves us today?  Indeed.

Can we point to that verse as a time that God made a promise and then kept it showing that He does not have His word return void?  You know it.

But that’s not the same as telling your son/daughter/mother/father/husband/wife/neighbor/yoga instructor that God has a plan to prosper them.

And it’s time that we stepped up and stopped distorting the Word.

Feel free to share your comments with Jason and others. 

 

20 Comments so far ↓

  1. Amen!!! It’s kind of like 2 Chronicles 7:14. The people he is tlalking about is Israel. The land is Israel. Not America. Good word today.

    • Zee says:

      Larry – well, then we can treat the entire Bible (or, at least, Old Testament) as something that was only targeted at Israel.

  2. Daniel says:

    There is some great wisdom here. In truth there are lots of verses that are taken out of context, although most often not with intent to distort or deceive.

  3. Betty Draper says:

    Thanks for the exhortation Jason, one we all need to hear a lot. One of the things that sickened us after years on the mission field was those distortion of the Word. When a person living in the remote jungle of the world gets saved, their way of living stay the same. They still have to make a garden, fish the rivers, live in huts, struggle daily for their food. But what changes is their hearts and they become thankful for fish and sweet potatoes every day. Unless they can get to a town they do not have sugar, rice, batteries for a flash light let alone a flash light. Which is why the NT missionary learns their language and culture so they will understand the dispensations of the Bible. Good post.

  4. Rick Dawson says:

    A simple “thanks!” for a job well done. Keep ’em coming!

  5. Zee says:

    Sorry, I respectfully disagree. While I agree that we cannot simply use that as a band-aid solution to all the world’s problems, I still believe that God’s got a plan for my life as well as the rest of people.

    Although, now that I am thinking about it, I might have misunderstood your point…

    Are you talking about welfare as in “wealth / health / whatever theology”?

    In Russian (which is my native language, even though I speak English) the verse reads “I have a good plan for you.” I believe that God does have a plan – if anything, if not here, then after the physical death…

    • I agree that God has a plan. I think even Jason agrees with that. i think the point, though, is that this verse isn’t proof of this and that it’s a promise to Israel, not individual Christians later.

      • Zee says:

        I am still confused… and I guess it all has to do with the definition of “plan.” What plan are we talking about? Plan to prosper as in be healthy / wealthy? Or a plan for a good life in God’s sense of the word, i.e. “right” one (even though it might be tough in the meantime)?

      • Jason says:

        That’s exactly it, Larry. You can spin all you want about other potential meanings but the verse itself…the actual Scripture…is only aimed at the nation of Israel.

        I know a lot of people don’t like that idea because so many have been conditioned otherwise…but that’s just the way it is. 🙂

        And I even said you could use the verse to talk about the same God who did that being the same God today who could have a plan…but apparently some people didn’t bother to read that part. 😉

        • Zee says:

          Jason – well… that’s true about the entire Bible (with, probably, the exception of Revelation). When it was written, I doubt the authors were even dreaming of their letters reaching us few thousand years after their time (because we weren’t the target audience at all).

          But taking into account your comment’s last paragraph, why then can’t we quote Jeremiah 29:11 (or any other passage that reminds us of what God is like, for that matter)? I am not pulling your leg, I am honestly trying to understand…

  6. Kari Scare says:

    I have to agree with Zee. I think that the verse has a general truth that can apply to all Christians, Israelites and those adopted into God’s family. While the details given in this portion of scripture may not specifically apply, doesn’t the general truth still apply? I mean, God’s character is reflected here, and His character holds true for all of us. The trouble comes with defining “plan” and even what I means to “prosper.” Our idea of a “plan” and what it means to “prosper” are often not God’s idea. This life can be horrible, but His plans for us to prosper still apply but in more of an eternal sense.

    • Kari Scare says:

      As I think about this more, I realize I partially agree. I think the specific promise has been taken WAY out of context and made into a prosperity message for here and now. But, I also still believe the general truth holds true for all in God’s family, including those of us who were adopted by Him. The truth remains true into eternity and not necessarily for life this side of Heaven.

      • Zee says:

        Kari – I hear you about the prosperity message – that’s WAY out of context and it sickens me that people think that it’s God’s plan to make us wealthy money-wise or that we shall never be sick ever again once we are “truly” Christians. (Way too many people I care about were seriously hurt by that thinking…)

      • Jason says:

        Kari, I think you’ve got it now. The actual verse itself is not for us. The idea of it can be expounded upon like I wrote at the end of the posting to other parts of God’s nature but that actual verse isn’t a promise that we’re getting the goodies from up above. 🙂

  7. Yes, this promise was made to Israel… However, I believe that while the specifics of the passage apply to the particular situation of Israel, the theological principle is applicable to all of God’s people at all times. I know that when I crawled out from my pile of rubble, this verse spoke to me of His promise to restore me.

    Just my two-cents worth! God Bless!

  8. floyd says:

    I like the KJV translation of that verse, it seems to be a more accurate translation and uses the word “peace.” Over all this verse and verse 12 is telling the same age old story that was applicable for the Israelites as well as all other children of God that turn their backs on Him. A repentent heart and confession brings peace.

  9. Nancy says:

    I, too, respectfully disagree. I do agree that the passage was meant for Israel at that time but everything in the Bible reveals what His intentions are. Christians do know that prosper does not mean $$$ and easy street and that we won’t face any hardships.. “Pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe…” Ephesians 1:18,19 God does have plans for us, plans to prosper us, not to harm us, plans to give us hope and a future. He tells us that many times, in many ways. ” if you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer” Matt 21:22 Commit to The Lord whatever er you do and your plans will succeed Proverbs16:3 I have come that they may have life and have it to the full , John 10:10 Some go through many hardships and trials to prepare them for what God has planned for them, example Job. I believe all The Word is for us because it is His Love Story for us. Nothing can be taken out of context because it comes full circle to His Love for us. As with all the Bible, you have to go deeper to grasp the full meaning.

  10. I wouldn’t try to dissuade you because you seem very confident, but I’m with you on the context of speaking to a group of exiles (not an individual) and that it was specific to a time period; however, I don’t see how that means it holds no meaning for us today. I immediately thought of 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” What if someone was trapped in the consequences of their actions and “exiled” as Israel was and God gave them this promise of restoration? Why would it be any less real? It’s still His word. We can still understand the context and study it out to gain greater insight. I think more what you’re opposing is people who mean well but throw out bumper sticker Christianity and cliches because they sound nice and not because they care about people or God. That’s certainly not helping anyone. Thanks for the discussion, Jason (and Bill)!

  11. tcavey says:

    I don’t think people really mean to distort God’s word (well, some do, but that’s not who I’m talking about). I think they do it out of ignorance.
    It’s the same as those who quoted Isaiah 9:10 after 9/11. They meant it to be encouraging but they had no clue what they were saying! One only has to read the verses around that one to realize God was NOT happy about their attitude and it didn’t end well for them.
    Ignorance is slowly killing the church!
    Good and passionate points here.

    • Zee says:

      It’s one thing to quote something just as a quote (like we’d quote Hamlet’s famous “to be or not to be”), but wholly different thing to quote Scripture as something with prophetic meaning.

      Quoting Isaiah 9:10 would be okay because people did [somewhat] recover from the tragedy, yet that passage is NOT a prophecy about the Twin Towers, ergo cannot be quoted as such.