Bible Passage: Jeremiah 29:3–14
The Jews are sent into exile when Nebuchadnezzar takes Jehoiachin captive to Babylon (2 Kings 24:15). It was a time when the Babylonian army had ruined and destroyed Jerusalem completely. The people have lost everything- their livelihood, their jobs, their freedom and separated from family and relatives. They were trapped in a hopeless situation! Meanwhile false prophets had arisen among them and were confusing them. So God chose prophet Jeremiah to write His message to the exiles. With the true heart of a shepherd, he tries to encourage the exiles by enlightening and encouraging them and brings them a message from God, reaffirming them that GOD IS IN CONTROL! GOD KNOWS WHAT HE IS DOING!
Quick look into the situation of exiles –
• The exiles must be prepared to stay in Babylon until the period of 70 years is complete.
• They should try to live normal lives and work and pray for the prosperity of the country of their exile.
• They must reject the lies of the false prophets, who are predicting a speedy end to the exile and to the Babylonian empire.
• The Jews are thinking that God has landed them into this calamity/captivity.
• In the midst of this utterly depressing and hopeless situation, prophet Jeremiah exhorts and reminds that God’s plans are never to harm but to prosper us. The end of His plans always has a good ending.
• Unlike the false prophets, he doesn’t guarantee a speedy release, but gives them a hope and encourages them to move ahead with their lives.
• The message of God summarized in this passage reveals His loving concern for His people as He gives them practical instructions of how we can draw comfort and confidence from His word.
• God knows the future and wants us to trust him for the journey ahead, while promising His presence. When we tire of waiting for distant dreams, He promises strength.
What to learn from this sermon:
In times of suffering, it is very important to know and remind ourselves of who our God is as He is a promise-keeping God.
• Irrespective of the circumstances / experiences that we go through, the safest place for a person is to be in the will of God, under the Hand of God. Always remember that God alone knows to how much and how long His child can bear the suffering.
• When God puts a person in the heat of a furnace (an unpredicted situation), He always puts an eye on the thermometer and His hand on the switch, so as to control how much and how long we can take the heat. He alone knows to what extent we can withstand the same. He is an unchanging God and never does any mistake.
• In the midst of Jeremiah’s exhortation, he tells the Jews how they ought to live in a pagan land and how to handle such uncertain times.
• While we are going through unpredicted times (such as the current COVID situation), we as believers have a set of biblical gifts, skills and privileges that are readily available at our disposal, which will help us to deal with uncertain times and sail smoothly.
• Broadly, these biblical skills/ privileges may be categorized as follows –
1. Discerning Spirit 2. Discerning Voices 3. Devotional Life
Come, let us learn from Jeremiah 29 and explore the hidden privileges that are at our disposal. As we consider the above mentioned aspects, let us mediate in tandem with the current unforeseen situation.
1. Discerning / Understanding Spirit (Jeremiah 29: 4 - 7)
As God’s children, we are given a discerning spirit to have an insight into the situations we face.
The Jewish people are convinced that their current situation is for a brief time. They were told that it is a brief time and therefore, they need not set up their homes/families as they are going back home thereafter. But the message of the Lord through prophet Jeremiah clearly exhorts them in a powerful way that their captivity is going to last for 70 long years.
Now this period gives them plenty of time to set up their homes, their families, cultivate their land, earn their break and live a normal life. On the flip side, the false prophets were confusing them that they need not live a normal and regular life. Jeremiah is telling them to understand and discern their present circumstances in a spiritual perspective.
From Jeremiah’s message, we can clearly see that the Jews are holding the great plan God in their hands and they are about to witness how it unfolds in a time period of 70 years. By the time they will go back to their homeland as a great nation, they will be unfolding God’s great plan of Salvation.
Therefore Jeremiah exhorts them to take consensus of the surrounding situations and discern the same under the spiritual lens.
Personal Application:
While you are sensitive to what’s happening around you, it is important that you have a discerning and understanding spirit and that is – • To know God’s will • To understand God’s will • To accept God’s will
You need to ponder and reflect upon – • What is the situation you are in? • Why you are facing it? • Who has sent? • What message is it bringing?
Knowing God’s will and understanding and discerning the same will enable and equip you and will keep you from being carried away with the flow of things that are coming your way through various sources.
God’s people are equipped with a sensitive heart and a spiritual life that is in touch with God. This heavenly connect with God enables us to discern and understand the following -
• What’s happening in your life? • Why did God send it? • What is the reason?
This knowledge and discernment will help us face and handle situations head-on and steer clear of confusions and overcome them.
Let’s look at a group of people from the Bible who knew exactly how to make use of the biblical skill of having a discerning spirit.
Example – SONS OF ISSACHAR (1 Chronicles 12:32)
• Sons of Issachar had a unique ability to know and understand God’s mind. They had an exceptional skill to understand their current times and align themselves as per their revelation
• Out of the 11 tribes of Israel, Issachar was a small tribe of people had the ability to advise what the nation of Israel is supposed to do. All the 11 tribes had to consult the sons of Issachar to interpret the current times and counsel them accordingly
• For instance, the tribe of Benjamin was known for fighting battles as they were courageous. But when it came to the question of the timing and God’s will, they had to depend on the tribe of Issachar
• They understood the moves of God in the nation of Israel – when God is raising a leader or vice versa. They are consequently supporting their respective leaders as they sensed God’s moves.
• One such occasion was when Israel had no ruler/no king/no prophet. It was during this dark time that God raised a female leader – DEBORAH, a highly respected and responsible woman.
• She had become God’s mouthpiece and a powerful instrument in God’s hand.
• After having sensed God’s presence with Deborah, the sons of Issachar rallied behind her to become the leader of Israel (Read Judges 5 to know more).
• During the same times, the tribe of Reuben was unable to decide whether or not to support Deborah (Judges 5:15)
• Another example was when the sons of Issachar had the divine discernment even before David was made the king. They rallied behind David when they sensed in their heart and spirit that he was the future of Israel.
Personal Application:
• One of the distinct differences between the Old Testament and New Testament believers is something to do with the work of the Holy Spirit.
• In the Old Testament, God has moved the people with His Spirit in a peculiar way and for a specific reason and purpose. Eg: David, Samson, Zechariah, Jephtha. God did this to accomplish His purposes and plans.
• In the New Testament, through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, God has promised every believer about the Spirit’s indwelling in our lives.
Introspection: • Where are the sons of Issachar in our church/ society/ families/ fellowships/ ministries? • Where are those people who can sense what God is doing and how we can align ourselves • The more we exercise this gift, the more we will proceed and mature in our spiritual life.
2. Discerning Voices (Jeremiah 29: 7-9)
As God’s children, we are also given the ability to discern the voices by being blessed with a meditative mind – by meditating on God’s word. During the times of uncertainties, we are surrounded by so many voices. Which voice are you hearing? The word of God says in John 10:27, “My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.” The most dependable source is the Word of God, which holds the key to unlock any kind of questions you may be facing today.
Here’s a biblical example of those who exercised this gift –
Example – BERIAN PEOPLE (Acts 17:11)
• These people were a special/ unique breed of people, who were nobler than the Thessalonians. • They had 3 unique traits – • They received the word • They searched the word with great eagerness • They examined the scriptures daily
Personal Application:
• Develop the habit of searching the scriptures and meditating on it to find the hidden treasures of God. • Surface reading in a hurry or as a practice will not help, rather it is only when you search will you find it. • In order to listen to the Shepherd’s voice, God has given us a meditative mind to search and meditate on His word.
Introspection:
• How are you handling the word of God? • How is your Quiet Time? Is it only based on surface reading or meditative reading? • Are you being consistent? Are you organized enough? • Do you have a fixed/appointed time, a private place to have your quiet time? • What extra biblical resources are you using to better understand the scripture? • Do you have any mentors to discuss your learning/clarifications?
3. Devotional Life (Jeremiah 29: 12-14)
It is imperative that a believer has a powerful life of prayer to be able to handle any kind of situations in life. Who do we run to who is our ever-present helper in times of need? It is our responsibility to place our current circumstances and all our needs in prayer before God.
Read Philippians 4:6 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
It is God who reveals His plans and He only fulfills His purposes in our life. He is asking us to pray.
Here’s a perfect example of a man who practiced a consistent prayer life and studying of God’s word.
Example: DANIEL (Chapter 9:23)
If Daniel was to be defined by a title, it was his devotional life. There was an instance when he was waiting on the Lord and God reveals to him about the 70 years exile. The moment he received the revelation, he responded to the same by thanking the Lord and spending time in prayer with fasting, sackcloth and ashes. He immediately humbled himself and spent time in prayer.
Prayer is the most dependable resource in times of uncertainty, which makes us strong and wise.
Introspection:
• How is your prayer life? • How are you handling your present circumstances? • How are you responding to what God has been revealing you? • Are you anxious and entertaining fear or are your exercising the God-given skills to handle the same?
Conclusion:
The sets of people discussed in the above three points are of those who lived in tough and challenging times. But, they showed commitment to knowing God’s mind and making sense of their respective situations. They utilized their inner spiritual gifts to align themselves as per God’s will.
1. Sons of Issachar – discerned the voice of God 2. Berian People – meditated and searched God’s word 3. Daniel – utilized the power of prayer
In conclusion, as we are living in perilous and highly troubled times, it is high time that we scale up our spiritual lives and use the God-given skills that are readily available at our disposal to face these circumstances head-on with a hope and comfort that our God has plans to prosper us and NEVER to harm us.
God Bless!
Team EHOW Begumpet.
Jeremiah 29:11 - For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
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