The Books of the Jeremiah and Lamentations are two of the hardest books to read in the Bible. They were both written by the Prophet of God, Jeremiah. Jeremiah has earned the nickname “The Weeping Prophet” because he spoke prophetic words regarding the impending judgment that was coming toward the Jewish people for their wicked and unrepentant lifestyles.
Jeremiah's writings are dated before 600 B.C. and into 500 B.C. as well. His writings are particularly poignant and melancholy mixed with a rare boldness and bravado toward the Kings he prophesied to. His particular prophecy involved the total destruction of Judah by the Babylonians. His words came to pass beginning around 602 B.C. and several years thereafter as the Babylonian Empire totally destroyed Judah and removed the Israelites from their homeland and placed them in camps in Babylonia. The once greatly feared nation of Israel had been completely demolished and destroyed.
In all of the gloom, doom and destruction that was written and had come to fruition about Judah, Jeremiah Chapter 29 contains some of the most unexpected sources of hope written in the Word of God.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 states “11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. 12 Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. 13 And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.”
In the midst of the judgment that God was pouring out He was also pouring out peace and hope.
Today I see the news, and there are terrible catastrophic events happening around the globe. Some in our own backyard and other's worlds away. We have witnessed hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and so many other natural disasters.
I am not saying they are punishment from God as we read in Jeremiah. But Jeremiah 29:11-13 does still offer hope to us all. Words we can live by is to not keep our focus ONLY on our own back yard. There are billions of people that need our prayer, our finances, our love, but most importantly, Our God. Let the town you live in know, let the county you live in know, let the state you live in know, let the country you live in know and let the world know you care, in the name of Jesus Christ.
