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.”

Jeremiah wrote his book during a time when the nation of Israel was in a state of falling away from God.  At that point in history, they had departed from God’s perfect plan.  God had warned them many times of the consequences He could already see.  On this occasion, the Lord was using the prophet Jeremiah to speak this warning – yet they persisted in unbelief.  Because of their disobedience, a foreign empire, the Babylonians, oppressed them.  They could have avoided this affliction if they had simply listened to and obeyed the voice of the Lord.   

continue