In a recent article I mentioned how Christians can so often be quite selective in which Bible verses, chapters or books they prefer and gravitate to. They may avoid some passages or books altogether, while staying with those that they feel good about.
I did however point out in my piece that part of this might be attributable to one’s personality or temperament. I admitted for example that I tend to especially like reading the Old Testament prophets. Yes, I read the entire Bible through every year, but I find myself resonating with folks like Jeremiah. The ministry that I have sort of reflects that. See the article here: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2025/08/20/christian-differences-and-the-body-of-christ/
Now there is a time and a place for cafeteria-style consumption. And that is when you are at a cafeteria! Then it is fine to pick and choose. Then it is quite alright to grab what you like while ignoring what you don’t like. But that is NOT how we should approach the Word of God.
As Paul reminded us in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is breathed out by God is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”
And sometimes we have a faulty use of Scripture not just due to what sort of passages we prefer, but also because of bad or faulty biblical interpretation. One key hermeneutical principle is to always read every passage in its context. And a related rule of thumb is to always compare Scripture with Scripture.
God’s plans for you
A clear case in point of how both these key principles are routinely violated or ignored is the way so many Christians latch onto a passage like Jeremiah 29:11. We all know it because it is used (and abused) all the time. It says this: “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.”
Hey, that is a neat verse. Very encouraging. No wonder so many believers want to name it and claim it as their own. But not so fast…
The problem is, this text has a very clear context that we must be aware of and understand. Moreover, it is surrounded by similar sorts of passages that give a very different viewpoint. As to context, Jeremiah 29 is all about a letter the prophet living in Jerusalem sent to the Jewish exiles in Babylon.
Because of their sin and disobedience, God had judged them and let the Babylonians destroy their land and take them captive. Jeremiah tells them they will be in it for the long haul, so they should build houses, form families, and plant gardens. But he says this captivity will end after 70 years, and if the people seek God with all their heart, they will find him. That is the immediate context of verse 11.
And consider all the passages both before and after this passage which use quite similar language, yet offer a rather different view of things. Here are three passages that precede it:
Jer. 18:8 if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned.
Jer. 18:11 Now therefore say to the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem, ‘This is what the Lord says: Look! I am preparing a disaster for you and devising a plan against you. So turn from your evil ways, each one of you, and reform your ways and your actions.’
Jer. 21:10 I have determined to do this city harm and not good, declares the LORD.
And here are four texts that follow it:
Jer. 35:17 I am going to bring on Judah and on everyone living in Jerusalem every disaster I pronounced against them.
Jer. 36:3 Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about every disaster I plan to inflict on them, they will each turn from their wicked ways.
Jer. 39:16 Go, and say to Ebed-melech the Ethiopian, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Behold, I will fulfill my words against this city for harm and not for good, and they shall be accomplished before you on that day.
Jer. 44:27 For I am watching over them for harm, not for good; the Jews in Egypt will perish by sword and famine until they are all destroyed.
Hmm, very similar wording, but quite different outcomes. Now why is it that only Jer. 29:11 is quoted by Christians and turned into bumper stickers, but not these other verses? They too speak of God’s plans and purposes. But because it is not such good news, we tend to skip right over these texts.
They do not fit into our ‘good news’ mentality where we must simply dwell on the positive and ignore the negative. But ignoring God’s word is always a recipe for disaster. We need all of the Bible, and we need it as it was written and as it is meant to be understood.
For much more on the use and misuse of this passage, see my two earlier pieces I wrote on it:
The Message of Jeremiah: Grace in the End (The Bible Speaks Today Series)by Wright, Christopher J. H. (Author)
In the second one I quoted some commentary on the text by Old Testament scholar Christopher Wright. It is well worth sharing again:
Jeremiah 29:11 probably ranks as one of the most quoted and most claimed promises of the Bible. It is found in countless text calendars, pretty pictures and sacred ornaments. It is rightly trusted as a very precious word of assurance from God. But do we take note of its context? This is a surprising word of hope to a people who stood under God’s judgment. It is not a glib happy feeling: ‘God’s going to be nice to us all, me especially’ (we should note that the ‘you’ is plural, not individual – this is primarily a promise to the people as a whole). It is rather the robust affirmation that even in and through the fires of judgment there can be hope in the grace and goodness of God. That is God’s ultimate plan and purpose. The promise stands firm, but it does not preclude or neutralise judgment. Rather it presupposes but transcends judgment.
What then should be the response to such a surprising word of amazing grace? Not gleeful celebration. Not mere relief: ‘Well that’s all right then; everything will turn out fine. Let’s have a party!’ Rather, the people are called to respond to the restoring grace of God with renewed prayer and seeking him (12-14).
Glibly throwing around promises of God, but stripped of their important context, helps no one. In fact, it can actually harm others. We need to read and study all of Scripture, and we need to share it properly with others. And bumper sticker Christianity is not how this should be done.
