Theological Oddities 2
Jeremiah 24:11 (Until Then)

(Well maybe not as “odd” as not interpreted in the best way. Sometimes the “obvious” meaning is not really obvious when we look at the whole passage. Ed.)

“Every promise in the Book is mine, every chapter, every verse, every line,” goes an old chorus. I agree that all of the Bible is true, but not everything in the Bible is applicable to me. For instance both Isaiah and Jeremiah predicted that God’s people would go into Babylon for 70 years, then return to Jerusalem. That does not apply to me, and frankly, I am not too disappointed that I will not spend any time in that territory. So we need to read the Scripture with an understanding of who it is addressing, what it says, and how it applies. And if it applies to me and how.

We read and hear Bible verses that seem to be made just for my circumstances. And often they are. But there are other times when the clear meaning of the passage does not exactly mean  what that “little cherry” that we picked out says. Revelation 3:20 is an example.
Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me.

This is often used as an invitation to salvation verse, saying, “Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart and wants to come in.” Jesus is seeking to enter our lives, but that particular verse has a different intent. There are others that are more appropriate.

1 John 1:9 is another example.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

This confession is not for salvation. John was writing to believers and this entire epistle was addressing the question of fellowship. It is the same as the Revelation 3 passage. The church in Laodicea and the people to whom John was writing needed to be reminded that their sins separated between them and God. (Isaiah 59:2) This is not a salvation issue; it is a relationship issue.

For both, the Israelites and us, the mover is us. God has not moved. So we need to “move” by confessing, to get back close or in fellowship. With all this introduction, let’s look at Jeremiah 29:11:
“For I know the plans that I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.”

We have heard and quoted this as a comfort for people to look forward to some good end. And that is not wrong, exactly, but look at the context. Jeremiah warns the people not to believe the prophets who claim that the people will be delivered from Babylon and returned to their land quickly. God’s real message is to build houses, marry and have families, and pray for the welfare of the “city” to which He had sent them.

“Do not believe the lying prophets who say that you will escape quickly. It will be 70 years.” (V. 10) “When that time is up, and incidentally, all of you are dead and gone, I (the Lord) will return the people to their land.” Then comes the great promise. God says that He knows the plans and ultimately they will be for good. But for the time being, make the most of the opportunity that is before you. Or, “Occupy til I come.”

This is not a promise of a quick and expeditious release from trouble. It is the Romans 8:28 of the Old Testament. “I have plans. I am working. And I am doing it in My time.” (Which will be best for you too.)

Does this destroy our joy and peace? Actually, not. Remember the times when the Lord compared Himself to a potter and his people to clay in Isaiah and Jeremiah? (Isaiah 29:16; Isaiah 41:25; Isaiah 45:9; Isaiah 64:8 ) A more contemporary example might be a cook making chocolate chip cookies. Imagine what the dough is saying.

“We are all nice an comfortable here in this comfy bowl. Look, a sweet, sticky mixture being gently stirred by the master chef. Oops! Look out! Incoming! What are those black things? Oh, chocolate chips. Okay, the master is adding to our appeal. This is great.

“Now what? He is rolling me into a little ball. At least I am around all my buddy balls. Uh, what now? I am on a metal plate–aaahhh! That hurts. I am smashed flat. Now it is dark...and hot. What is happening to me?”

When the cookie emerges from the oven, the result is totally and completely different from what went in. A chemical change has occurred and the cookie is now a new entity. It cannot be separated back into the old ingredients. The baker knew what he was doing, even if the dough did not understand. The dough’s job was to change with the conditions. Chef Elf knew what he was doing all along. (Or maybe it was Lil Debbie.)

When we are in the oven, the crucible, the testing that our Maker has designed, we may not now, or ever know what is going on. But He does. He has a plan. Regardless of whether it is a minute, a month, a year, or a life time, He is following His recipe for us.

And the ultimate result is far superior to any short term concoction that I, we, can produce. So, yes, God does have plans for us. But He does not always tell us the time. And sometimes, like with the Jews, it is longer than we want. But, as a cookie or cake taken from the oven prematurely is pretty disgusting, so my recipe for life would end up a soggy, sodden mass.

We are given the promises, not to succor us in the short term, but to sustain us in the long run and for eternity. I love that old song, “Until Then.”

My heart can sing when I pause to remember A heartache here is but a stepping stone Along a trail that's winding always upward, This troubled world is not my final home.

Chorus: But until then, heart will go on singing, Until then with joy I'll carry on.
Until the day my eyes behold the city, Until the day God calls me home.

This second verse sums up everything we need to know.
The things of earth will dim and lose their value If we recall they're borrowed for a while;
And things of earth that cause the heart to tremble, Remembered there will only bring a smile.

God has a plan. Until then, I’m gettin’ ready to smile.