Hope and a Future

False prophets falsely informed the exiles that their stay in Babylon would be short. Hananiah said two years. God inspired Jeremiah to write and tell them the truth.

I am so glad that our Abba Father is a communicator. There are numerous examples in the Bible of Him asking writers to write for Him. He asked Moses to write for Him in Exodus 17:14. He inspired King David to write for Him according to Psalm 45:1. In Isaiah 8:1, He asked Isaiah to “take a large scroll and write on it with a man’s pen...” In 1 Corinthians 14:37, the Apostle Paul wrote, “If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.” Our Lord Jesus spoke to the Apostle John and said to him in Revelation 1:11, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea.”

When I was a missionary serving in the Orient, the Lord led me to write monthly letters to friends and family. Two pages of the letters involved writing to them what the Lord revealed to me from the Bible, and two pages involved testimonies of what Jesus had done, some family updates and some prayer requests.

As buckets are able to hold water and make water portable, so words are to thoughts and make them portable. John 1:1 refers to Jesus as the Word of God. John 1:18 refers to Jesus as the One who declares (Greek – exegetes) the Father. To exegete is to make understandable. Neither I, nor anyone else can rightly declare the Bible apart from Jesus. Hebrews 4:12 says that His Word is living. It lives because Jesus lives in it and through it.

“Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the remainder of the elders who were carried away captive—to the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon. (This happened after Jeconiah the king, the queen mother, the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem.) The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon, to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, saying...” Jeremiah 29:1-3

“To the priests, the prophets, and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon.” These people needed a sure word from the Lord. Jeremiah wrote and Elasah and Gemariah delivered his letter to them.

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon: build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace, you will have peace.” Jeremiah 29:4-7

The exiles did not want to be exiles. They wanted out. But alas, that was not going to happen for 70 years. I can understand some aspects of their experience because I lived in foreign country for over ten years. They might have been thinking to themselves, “Is this for a season or for the rest of my life? Should I learn the local language or depend on interpreters? Should I adopt local clothing styles? Eat what they eat? Live among them?

Some expatriates experience culture shock after a month. They become terribly home sick. The first month in a foreign land may seem like a year to one who doesn’t want to be there.

God wanted the Jews to accept the fact that they would be living in Babylon for a long time. Some, due to their ages, would never see their homeland again. God knew that the exiles would do better and be happier in the long run if they accepted their new normal. Nest! Make a home! Plant gardens! Have babies! Grow in numbers! Raise children there!

The Lord also advised the exiles to “seek the peace of the city,” and “pray to the Lord for it.” If the locals felt peaceful with them, they too would feel peaceful. Missionaries do well when they become like the people they serve. While in foreign prison, Paul wrote to his friends and encouraged them to meditate on things that are noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy and the God of peace would be with them. (Philippians 4:8-9)

During my ten years in a foreign land, the Lord purged things from my life that needed to be purged. He also added to me the blessings of friendships with outstanding Christians. I praise God for the harmony that I enjoy in Christ with them.

The Lord urged the exiles not to be deceived by the writers who urged them to escape.

“For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are in your midst deceive you, nor listen to your dreams which you cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely to you in My Name; I have not sent them, says the Lord. For thus says the Lord: After 70 years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good Word toward you and cause you to return to this place.” Jeremiah 29:8-10

God told them the end from the beginning. They would be distant from their homeland for 70 years. Those who listened to false prophets and believed false dreams would live in limbo. Those who believed God’s Word would settle down and make the best of their time in Babylon. When the 70 years were complete, God would bring them back to their homeland.

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11

Some had mocked Jeremiah, but after his first words came to pass, they became despondent. The Lord told them that His thoughts toward them were good. He wanted them to enjoy a peace that passes all understanding. A peace not based on geography, language, cuisine, type of housing or work career! A peace based on relational closeness with God! As Paul wrote in Philippians 4:11-13, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”

God gives to us a future and a hope. In 2 Corinthians 4:18, Paul wrote, “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” In Revelation 2-3, Jesus promised wonderful rewards to overcomers. Imagine a happily ever after in paradise with God! You will never lack again! No dangers, just love!

Jeremiah’s example was to be a yoke fellow with God. To seek God’s kingdom first and His righteousness and let God take care of the rest.

“Instead of hoping for and desiring a speedy return to Jerusalem, the exiles had every reason to thank God that they were spared the horrors of the last days of Jerusalem. Surely, God had thoughts of good concerning them, and not evil!” [2]

“Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.” Jeremiah 29:12

When peace replaced hostility, they began to talk with God. God heard them. Their prayer life developed. Daniel was an exile. Daniel 6:10 says, “Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God.”

The Holy Spirit developed my prayer life as I served Jesus in China. The more I prayed to Him, the more He worked in and through me. After a while, my fellowship with Jesus became more precious to me than my homeland.

“And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back from your captivity; I will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you to the place from which I cause you to be carried away captive.” Jeremiah 29:13-14

In 2 Chronicles 15:1-2, Azariah the prophet said to King Asa, “The Lord is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you.” 2 Chronicles 15:8-15 says that Asa “took courage and removed the abominable idols from all the land...” He and his people sought the Lord and “the Lord was found by them, and the Lord gave them rest all around.” 2 Chronicles 16:9 says that “the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him.”

“Because you have said, ‘The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon’—therefore thus says the Lord concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, concerning all the people who dwell in this city, and concerning your brethren who have not gone out with you into captivity –thus says the Lord of hosts: behold, I will send on them the sword, the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like rotten figs that cannot be eaten, they are so bad. And I will pursue them with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence; and I will deliver them to trouble among all the kingdoms of the earth—to be a curse, an astonishment, a hissing, and a reproach among all the nations where I have driven them, because they have not heeded My words, says the Lord, which I sent to them by My servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; neither would you heed, says the Lord.” Jeremiah 29:15-19

Previously, the Lord had said that the wooden yoke which Hananiah broke, would become an iron yoke (Jeremiah 28). An iron yoke symbolized the sword, famine, pestilence and curse that would pursue the rotten figs (people) that remained in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 24). The good figs were they in Babylon. God urged them not to turn back at this time, but to wait.

“Therefore hear the Word of the Lord, all you of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab the son of Kolaiah, and Zedekiah the son of Maaseiah, who prophesy a lie to you in My Name: Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall slay them before your eyes. And because of them a curse shall be taken up by all the captivity of Judah who are in Babylon, saying, ‘The Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire;’ because they have done disgraceful things in Israel, have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and have spoken lying words in My Name, which I have not commanded them. Indeed, I know, and am a witness, says the Lord.” Jeremiah 29:20-23

God singled out two false prophets for fire. Before the exile began, some of Israel’s kings and religious leaders adopted the pagan practice of sacrificing children by fire to idols. Perhaps, these men were a part of that. The Lord told Jeremiah that in the place where the people had slaughtered their children they would be slaughtered (Jeremiah 7). We do know that these men were prophesying lies in God’s Name and committing adultery. They were roasted in fire.

Jesus warned us in Matthew 7:15-17, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” Sexual immorality, which Zedekiah and Ahab committed, is listed in Galatians 5:19 as sin, not as fruit of the Spirit.

“You shall also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying, thus speaks the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying: you have sent letters in your name to all the people who are at Jerusalem, to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying, ‘The Lord has made you priest instead of Jehoiada the priest, so that there should be officers in the house of the Lord over every man who is demented and considers himself a prophet, that you should put him in prison and in the stocks. Now therefore, why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who makes himself a prophet to you? For he has sent to us in Babylon, saying, this captivity is long; build houses and dwell in them, and plant gardens and eat their fruit.’” Jeremiah 29:24-28

Shemaiah wanted Jeremiah silenced and removed from sight. Shemaiah told the priests in Jerusalem that he was now in Jehoiada’s position. Shemaiah wanted demented prophets (namely Jeremiah) arrested, imprisoned and placed in wooden stocks. Jeremiah was the son of Hilkiah the high priest, but to Shemaiah, he was an insurrectionist because he had told the people in Babylon to build houses, plant gardens and eat their fruit.

Jesus was also falsely accused by irreligious leaders. In John 10:20, “Many of them said, ‘He is demon-possessed and raving mad. Why listen to him?’” In 2 Corinthians 2:15-16, Paul told the Corinthians, “We are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life.”

Have you experienced this? Those who love Jesus love you, but those who don’t – don’t?

“Now Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the hearing of Jeremiah the prophet. Then the Word of the Lord came to Jeremiah, saying: ‘Send to all those in captivity, saying, thus says the Lord concerning Shemaiah the Nehelamite: because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, and I have not sent him, and he has caused you to trust in a lie—therefore thus says the Lord: behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite and his family: he shall not have anyone to dwell among this people, nor shall he see the good that I will do for My people, says the Lord, because he has taught rebellion against the Lord.’” Jeremiah 29:29-32

Hebrews 10:31 says, “It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.” Hananiah, Ahab, Zedekiah and Shemaiah were four men who wanted nothing to do with taking God’s Word to foreign nations. They tried to persuade those who did to quit. A big mistake!

Before we left for China, people tried to dissuade me from going. They gave me numerous reasons not to go. Thankfully, a Christian singer named Keith Green wrote a track in 1982 that was entitled, “Why YOU should go to the Mission Field.” Keith said unless God has called you to America, He has already called you to the mission field. He said that Jesus was speaking to all His followers when He said, “Go into the all the world and preach the Gospel.” (Mark 16:15)

Keith backed up his message with statistics (1982): Only 9% of the world's population speaks English. 94% of ordained preachers in the world minister to the 9% who speak English. 96% of Christian finances are spent in the USA on 6% of the world's population. 4% of Christian money is spent on missionary efforts to reach the other 94% of the world’s population! There are over a million full-time Christian workers in the USA. Chinese, Indians and Arabs with a total of 2.3 billion people in 1982 have 2,417 full-time Christian workers. While we in America have about 1 harvester per 230 souls, those who have never heard the Gospel even once have about 1 per 450,000 souls!

I am so thankful that God called me to take the Gospel to China. I look back fondly on those years. I enjoyed serving Jesus there so much that my heart broke to return to America.

God said to the Jews in Babylon that His plans for them were good plans. They would enjoy their service if they settled down and submitted to His will. In due time, they would have peace. In due time, their presence among the Babylonians would make a positive difference.

The Lord greatly used Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in Babylon. God moved King Nebuchadnezzar to promote Daniel and his three friends above others in Babylon.

When King Nebuchadnezzar tried to execute Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego for refusing to bow to his idol, the Lord intervened. They walked out of the fire unharmed. Not so, the false prophets Zedekiah and Ahab. They roasted in his fire. The Lord was with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. After seeing this miracle, Nebuchadnezzar made a decree saying “that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon.” (Daniel 3:29-30)

King Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged that the Spirit of the Holy God was in Daniel because by the Spirit of the Lord, Daniel was able to tell him what he dreamed and what his dream meant. After losing his mind for a season, Nebuchadnezzar looked up to heaven and his understanding returned to him. Then, he blessed, praised and honored God. (Daniel 4)

Some of God’s people in Babylon might have viewed their time there as unacceptable, but that is not how those who walked with God saw it. God had said, ‘Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have sent you.’ “Nebuchadnezzar did not take them to Babylon. God sent them there. The exiles were not captives – they were missionaries.” [3]

May the Lord Jesus grant to you and me the grace to be like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. May we bloom wherever we are planted by the Lord! In a little while, we will be together with the Father in paradise. Praise the Lord!



[1] Dr. Theo Laetsch, Bible Commentary Jeremiah, Concordia Paperback Edition, 1965, ©, page 231; Bible references: 2 Kings 22:2, 12; 2 Chronicles 34-35; Jeremiah 26:24

[2] Dr. Theo Laetsch, Bible Commentary Jeremiah, Concordia Paperback Edition, 1965, ©, page 234, 236

[3] Dr. Phillip Graham Ryken, Jeremiah and Lamentations from Sorrow to Hope, Crossway Books, Wheaton, IL, © 2001, p. 414-415