"'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 29:11

This is a verse that has been abused by many false, and unfortunately, even true Gospel preachers. They will say "This proves that God has a wonderful plan for your life! God wants to prosper you if you just believe in Him!"

But does this verse really help the prosperity Gospel movement? Lets look at some context:

This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:“Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord.

This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.” ~Jeremiah 29:4-14

In the context what we see is quite the opposite.  The Lord, through Jeremiah, known as the weeping prophet, is saying in verses 4-9 that Israel, who is currently in exile to Babylon to settle down and endure this trial.  Verse 10 sets up the Lords message perfectly, "This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place."  God tells these people that the exile will be seventy years, for many of these people this is the remainder of there lives.  For the rest of there lives they will face great pain, suffering and tribulation.  But, He says that through seventy years He will begin the process of restoring the remnant, through the Covenant- which is the Blood of Jesus. (Matt. 26:28).

The promise, which is laid in the next four chapters, is the new covenant.  In Jeremiah 31:31-37, we are given the promises of the New Covenant- the promise of being able to keep his covenant (32-33), the promise of forgiveness of sins (34) and the eternal keeping power of God (36).

So, we know that this promise in Jeremiah 29:11 is not a prosperity Gospel.  It is actually quite the opposite.

It is a promise that even through the pain, suffering and exile of this life, that one day we will have hope, joy, and an everlasting relationship with our God.  It can start today through trust in the blood of Christ.  There is no true blessing in the prosperity "Gospel".  It is not good news.  But the shed blood of Christ to redeem a sinful people for Himself and His Glory, now that is good news. I think the words of John to the church of Ephesus are appropriate.

"Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." ~Revelation 2:7