God thinks of us according to Jeremiah 29:11 in the Bible, but what does that mean? Well, in this post I will explain God’s thoughts of us.
The phrase Jeremiah 29:11 is a reference to the Bible and here is the corresponding Bible quotation: “For I [God] know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD [God], thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11.
Bible Notation
Now you may be asking, What does the phrase “Jeremiah 29:11” mean exactly? The actual phrase Jeremiah 29:11 is an example of what is known as Bible notation and it is a reference to a Bible quotation as we have seen.
For as it is, the Bible is a collection of books. And each book in the Bible consists of one or more chapters, and each chapter has numbered sections called verses. So, the Bible notation “Jeremiah 29:11” refers to the book of Jeremiah, the 29th chapter, and the 11th verse of Chapter 29.
Who is God?
In Jeremiah 29:11, God Himself is speaking to the human race, but you may ask, Who is God? Well, on reading the Bible, you will find that “God” (Genesis 1:1) and “the Godhead” (Acts 17:29) are interchangeable names in the Bible for a divine Family made up of three Persons. So, God is indeed a Person or, rather, Persons, and not a thing or things.
And God describes Himself in the Bible by saying that He is “God, that cannot lie” (Titus 1:2) and “God is love.” 1 John 4:8. That is to say, each of the three members of the Godhead has a character of love that is identical to the character of the others. In fact, the love in God’s heart is the only definition of true love in the universe.
And, No, there are not three Gods! Why? Because the members of the Godhead never contradict each other at any time, that is, we can say that they speak with one voice. For there has never been nor ever will be any disagreement or contention among them. Therefore, we can say, “there is one God.” Mark 12:32.
Furthermore, each Person in the Godhead, the divine Family, is “without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life.” Hebrews 7:3.
And the names of these three Persons in the Godhead are “the Father” (Matthew 11:27), “the Son” (Psalm 2:12) also called Christ (Matthew 1:1), and “the Holy Spirit.” Psalm 51:11.
Therefore, with this understanding of who God is, a related question is, Who is Jesus? The name Jesus was given to Christ when He was born as a baby boy on earth over 2,023 years ago.
So then, as we should now have a good grasp of who God is, I will move on to explain the meaning of Jeremiah 29:11.
Jeremiah 29:11 Has More than One Meaning
You should know that often a Bible verse or, more than one consecutive verses taken together which is a Bible passage, often have more than one meaning as we will see. So, Jeremiah 29:11 is no exception.
Why does God do this? Actually, this is how God condenses million of His thoughts in the few pages of the Bible.
Therefore, the Bible is such that the reader of the Bible who has been taught by God “bringeth forth out of his [God’s] treasure [which is God’s words, the Bible, never-ending] things new and old.” Matthew 13:52.
In this post then I will explain what Jeremiah 29:11 meant to the audience to whom Jeremiah spoke, as well as the meaning of Jeremiah 29:11 when applied to humanity, to the Christian church, and to every human being, respectively.
What Jeremiah 29:11 Meant to the People Who Heard Jeremiah Speak
God’s words in Jeremiah 29:11 were spoken by the prophet Jeremiah to the nation of the Jews, namely, the southern kingdom of Judah. This kingdom was all that remained of the nation of Israel at the time.
Why is God speaking to the Jews in Jeremiah 29:11? The reason is that God had made a covenant (contract) with a godly man named Abraham and his descendants, namely, Abraham’s son Isaac, his grandson Jacob, and Jacob’s descendants, the nation of Israel.
The Context of Jeremiah 29:11
So, the context of Jeremiah 29:11 is that God had said to the Jews, “Now therefore, if ye [the Jews] will obey my [God’s] voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye [the Jews] shall be a peculiar treasure unto me [God] above all people: for all the earth is mine.” Exodus 19:5.
In response, the Jews replied to God in this manner: “Thou [the Jews] hast avouched [declared to] the LORD this day to be thy God, and to walk in his [God’s] ways, and to keep his statutes, and his commandments, and his judgments, and to hearken unto [to obey] his voice.” Deuteronomy 26:17.
What is the significance then of this context for Jeremiah 29:11? I will give just three of many ways in which the covenant between God and the Jews is significant in the context of Jeremiah 29:11.
- If you, the Jews, “keep therefore and do them [do God’s commandments]…this…[will be] your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations [of the earth], which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation [of the Jews] is a wise and understanding people.” Deuteronomy 4:6. Thus, the significance regarding Jeremiah 29:11 was that the nations of the world would take note of the wisdom and understanding that the Jews had received from God.
- Further, another significance regarding Jeremiah 29:11, was that the nations of the earth would acknowledge what the Jews could say of themselves in truth, “What nation [such as the Jews] is there so great, who hath God so nigh [so near] unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we [the Jews] call upon him for?” Deuteronomy 4:7. Thus, they would come to know that God is near to, and God hears, His people.
- In addition, another significance regarding Jeremiah 29:11, is that the whole world would say of the Jews, “And what nation [such as the Jews] is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law [of love], which I [God] set before you [the Jews] this day?” Deuteronomy 4:8.
Therefore, the Jews would be a light in the world revealing to the nations of the world God’s wisdom, understanding, loving care, approachability, righteousness, such that the whole earth would be attracted to God and His ways of love.
“I Know the Thoughts That I Think Toward You” Jeremiah 29:11
However, the Jews, just like all the other nations of the earth, rebelled against God. Therefore, God sent a message regarding His thoughts towards the Jews which was spoken by God’s prophet, Jeremiah, prior to God’s words given in Jeremiah 29:11.
And God said, “Yea, thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel [of the Jews], concerning the vessels that remain in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah and of Jerusalem; They shall be carried to Babylon, and there shall they be until the day that I visit [punish] them [the Babylonians], saith the LORD [God]; then will I bring them up, and restore them to this place [Jerusalem].” Jeremiah 27:21, 22.
“Then Hananiah the [false] prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah’s neck, and brake [broke] it. And Hananiah spake [spoke] in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus saith the LORD [God]; Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years. And the prophet Jeremiah went his way.” Jeremiah 28:11.
After God had spoken to Jeremiah, “then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the [false] prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD [God] hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people [the Jews] to trust in a lie. Therefore thus saith the LORD [God]; Behold, I [God] will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the LORD [God]. So Hananiah the [false] prophet died the same year in the seventh month.” Jeremiah 28:15-17.
“Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem…to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar [king of Babylon] had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon…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.” Jeremiah 29:1-6.
“And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the LORD [God] for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace…For thus saith the LORD [God], 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 [Jerusalem].” Jeremiah 29:1-10.
So, we see then that though God had to punish the Jews for their evil and wrongdoing, which is sin, God planned to grant favour to a new generation of Jews after 70 years of captivity of the Jews in Babylon, in causing the Jews to return to their homeland.
Thus, God said to the Jews, “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD [God].” Jeremiah 29:11.
“Thoughts of Peace, and Not of Evil” Jeremiah 29:11
God’s thoughts towards the Jews were “thoughts of peace, and not of evil.” Jeremiah 29:11. How was this so?
Well, God said, “Therefore fear thou not, O my servant Jacob [Israel], saith the LORD [God]; neither be dismayed, O Israel: for, lo, I will save thee from afar, and thy seed [your descendants of a new generation] from the land of their captivity [in Babylon]; and Jacob [Israel] shall return [to their homeland], and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and none shall make him afraid.” Jeremiah 30:10.
“For I am with thee, saith the LORD [God], to save thee [from eternal death which is to be annihilated by God because of your sins and instead to give you eternal life]: though I [God] make a full end of all nations whither [to which] I have scattered thee, yet will I not make a full end of thee [Israel]: but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished.” Jeremiah 30:11.
We see then that Jeremiah 29:11 does not promise that there is no punishment for sins from God.
Notwithstanding this, Jeremiah 29:11 was a promise to the Jews that “Therefore all they that devour thee [Israel] shall be devoured; and all thine adversaries, every one of them, shall go into captivity; and they that spoil [plunder] thee shall be a spoil [be plundered], and all that prey upon thee will I give for a prey.” Jeremiah 30:16.
“Thus saith the LORD [God]; Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Jacob’s [Israel’s] tents, and have mercy on his dwellingplaces; and the city shall be builded upon her own heap [of ruins], and the palace shall remain after the manner thereof.” Jeremiah 30:18.
“And out of them [the Jews] shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small [not be few].” Jeremiah 30:19.
This then was the peace and not evil that Jeremiah 29:11 promised the Jews.
“To Give You an Expected End” Jeremiah 29:11
Ultimately too Jeremiah 29:11 promised the Jews “to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11.
And so, God said, “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD [God], that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake [broke], although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD [God].” Jeremiah 31:31, 32.
“But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD [God], I will put my law [of love] in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD [God]: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD [God]: for I will forgive their iniquity [their evil ways which is sin], and I will remember their sin no more.” Jeremiah 31:33, 34.
That is, the expected end that Jeremiah 29:11 promises is eternal life with God! How is this so? The reason is that “he [God] hath made him [Jesus Christ] to be sin for us [for all humanity], [Christ] who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him [Jesus Christ].” 2 Corinthians 5:21.
In other words, the reality that Jeremiah 29:11 points to is that those who allow God to put His law of love in their hearts will be forgiven of their sins by God and enabled by God to stop sinning. This is because Christ died for the sins of the whole world after living a life on earth according to God’s law of love. Thus, those whom God has transformed by His law of love benefit, in that, Christ’s death for sins is accepted on their behalf and they therefore receive eternal life from God.
Isn’t Jeremiah 29:11 then wonderful news? And we can be sure that “the counsel of the LORD [God] standeth for ever, the thoughts of his [God’s] heart to all generations.” Psalm 33:11.
Application of Jeremiah 29:11 to Humanity
According to Jeremiah 29:11, God says to all humanity, “I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD [God].” Jeremiah 29:11. What are these thoughts?
Well, these thoughts are that God is He “who will have all men [all humanity] to be saved [from eternal death (annihilation)], and to come unto the knowledge of the truth [from God].” 1 Timothy 2:4.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son [Christ], that whosoever believeth in him [in Christ] should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son [Christ] into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him [Christ] might be saved [from eternal death (annihilation)].” John 3:16, 17.
We see then that God’s thoughts towards the human race are “thoughts of peace, and not of evil.” Jeremiah 29:11. Further, God’s thoughts are “to give you [the human race] an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11) which is eternal life with God.
Note though that Jeremiah 29:11 does not mean that God will not punish sins. That is, “The Lord [God] is not slack [not negligent or slow to act] concerning his promise [to punish sins], as some men [some people] count slackness [reckon God to be negligent]; but is longsuffering to us-ward [to us the human race], not willing that any should perish [that any should be annihilated by God], but that all should come to repentance [to godly sorrow for their sins].” 2 Peter 3:9.
Thus, God says, “This is the condemnation [of all humanity], that [the] light [of the love of God] is come into the world [through Jesus Christ], and men [people] loved [the] darkness [of sin] rather than [the] light [of love], because their deeds were evil.” John 3:19.
In other words, Jeremiah 29:11 does not imply that God will grant to the wicked eternal life with Him because God hates evil.
“For every one [every human being] that doeth evil hateth the light [of love from God], neither cometh to the light [of love], lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth [does what is in accordance with God’s ways of love] cometh to the light [of love], that his deeds may be made manifest [be evident], that they are wrought in [done through] God [who puts love in human hearts].” John 3:19, 20.
We see then that God’s promise in Jeremiah 29:11 of everlasting life is conditional.
Application of Jeremiah 29:11 to the Christian Church
We come now to the application of Jeremiah 29:11 to the Christian church which was established by Jesus Christ Himself when He was on earth.
What is the Christian church? It is “the house [the family] of God [on earth], which is [known as] the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth [from God].” 1 Timothy 3:15.
That is, the Christian church is intended to be made up of all those people who have allowed God to put His love in their hearts so that they live in accordance with the truth of God’s ways of love. And the work given to the church by Christ is to “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel [God’s plan to save humanity from eternal death (annihilation) and instead give them eternal life] to every creature [to every human being].” Mark 16:15.
So, the work of the church is to make every human being a disciple of Christ and, therefore, a member of the church. But there are many sinners in the church itself, in other words, there are many in the church who are not themselves disciples of Christ.
Hence, in accordance with Jeremiah 29:11, “Christ…loved the [Christian] church, and gave himself [gave His life] for it [for the Christian church]; that he [Christ] might sanctify [make it holy] and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word [of God, the Bible], that he [Christ] might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing [in the way of sin]; but that it [the Christian church] should be holy and without blemish.” Ephesians 5:25-27.
Again, as was said before, Jeremiah 29:11 does not mean that the sinners in the church will be granted eternal life by God. Rather, “God [will] shake out every man [every person] from his house [from His church who has become permanently fixed in their sinful ways of evil].” Nehemiah 5:13.
For God “He preserveth not the life of the [permanently] wicked [those who are fixed in their evil says]” (Job 36:6), in that, they shall be annihilated by God as punishment for their sins.
Application of Jeremiah 29:11 to the Individual
Lastly, in this post, we come to the application of Jeremiah 29:11 to the individual.
In accordance with Jeremiah 29:11, God’s thoughts towards every human being is “Grace [God’s unmerited favour] be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 1:2.
All of this, as Jeremiah 29:11 says, is “to give you [the individual] an expected end” (Jeremiah 29:11) of eternal life with God.
Therefore, God’s desire is that every human being should be able of themselves in truth, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: According as he [God] hath chosen us in him [Christ] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him [God] in love” (Ephesians 1:3, 4) and, hence, qualified to receive everlasting life from God.
Related Blog Posts
What is the Bible? Who Wrote the Bible?
Looking At the World Through the Eyes of God
Your Spiritual Journey with God
Jesus Saves: The Legal Case
The Work of a Christian
For Further Study
- Bible Study Principles
- Victory in Christian Warfare
- Know Your Bible in 50 Days: A Guide to All 66 Books
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