Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Jeremiah 29:12

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Letters to the captives in Babylon (29:1-32)

In 597 BC several thousand of Jerusalem’s most capable people were taken captive to Babylon. Among them were some false prophets who began to predict, as Hananiah had done, that Babylon was about to fall and that the Judean captives were about to return to Jerusalem. Jeremiah, on hearing of this, wrote a letter to the community of captives (29:1-3).

The advice Jeremiah gives to the exiles is that they settle down to a more or less permanent way of life, as they will not be returning to Judah in the near future. They should try also to increase their numbers, for this would help them build towards a strong future (4-6). They should work for the good of the nation under whose government they live, and should not believe the predictions of the false prophets (7-9). The people will be in captivity for seventy years, but these will be years of discipline, during which God will prepare them for a better future (10-11). After this time of discipline, they will be in a better condition to enjoy true fellowship with God in their homeland again (12-14).
Turning from the exiles who were deceived by false prophets, Jeremiah has a few words concerning those still in Jerusalem who were similarly deceived (15-16). The Jerusalemites had made no attempt to reform in spite of God’s warnings, and therefore they too will be punished. Some will die at the hand of the enemy, and others will be taken to join their fellow Judeans in captivity (17-19). The two false prophets, who by their deceptive announcements and immoral behaviour have been leading the exiles astray, will be publicly executed by the Babylonian rulers (20-23).
On hearing Jeremiah’s letter read in Babylon, another of the false prophets among the exiles, Shemaiah, was furious. He wrote a letter to the priests in Jerusalem, accusing Jeremiah of being a madman and demanding that he be arrested and imprisoned (24-28).
Jeremiah then sent a letter back to the exiles, accusing Shemaiah of being a self-appointed prophet and a deceiver. As punishment, neither he nor any of his offspring would live to see the fulfilment of God’s promise in the people’s return to their homeland (29-32).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"For thus saith Jehovah, After seventy years are accomplished for Babylon, I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end. And ye shall call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith Jehovah, and I will gather you from all the nations, and I will return again your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith Jehovah; and I will bring you again unto the place whence I cause you to be carried away captive."

"After seventy years… for Babylon" Yes, the captivity would end, but not until the seventy years were accomplished. Notice also that there are overtones here that reach unto the end of time. The gathering of God's people from "all the nations" is at the present time taking place in the preaching of the gospel all over the world. There is far more in these verses than the mere return of a few Jews to Jerusalem.

"The accomplishment of the seventy years for Babylon" "These words indicate that `the seventy years' are primarily the length of the Babylonian empire, and only in a secondary sense, the length of the Jewish exile."Scribner's Bible Commentary (New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1898), p. 466. The actual duration of the Babylonian domination was from, "The fall of Nineveh in 612 B.C. to the fall of Babylon in 539 B.C."J. A. Thompson, The Bible and Archeology (Grand Rapid, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1972) p. 547 (footnote). a period of 73 years. Counting from the accession of Nebuchadnezzar in 606 (Jewish method of reckoning) to the fall of Babylon to Cyrus, there was a period of 67 years. As far as we are concerned, there is no need to talk about "round numbers" in a prophecy as exact as this one.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

Jeremiah pursues the same subject, even that the Jews, after having undergone the punishment allotted to them by God, would at length return to their own country and find God merciful, and hence learn that their chastisement in exile would prove useful to them. He had indeed in the last verse explained this with sufficient clearness, but he now expresses the manner; and that would be by calling on God. he uses two words, Ye shall call on me, he says, and pray. The verb put between these two הלכתם, elcatem, is regarded almost by all as referring to a right course of life, as though the Prophet had said, that those who before wandered after their own lusts would now walk in the way of God, that is, in his Law; but this seems to me to be too forced an explanation. I doubt not then, but that the Prophet here indirectly reproves the indifference of the people in not immediately acknowledging that they were chastised by God’s hand, that they ought in due time to repent. To go then or to walk is the same thing, in my judgment, as though he had said, “After having suffered the exile, not of one year, but of seventy years, ye shall then begin to be wise.”

It was not only sloth but stupidity, that they were not subdued by God’s scourges so as to call on him; but as they were of a disposition so rude and refractory the Prophet here briefly reminds them that many years had been necessary to subdue them, as twenty or thirty years were not sufficient. We now then understand the design of the word הלק, elek, to walk. ⁽²¹⁶⁾ The meaning then is, that after having profited under the scourges of God, they would become humble so as to deprecate his wrath.

But there is added a promise, that God would hear them. It may however appear, that God promised conversion even in the first clause; and, no doubt, prayer is the fruit of repentance, for it proceeds from faith; and repentance is the gift of God. And further, we cannot call on God rightly and sincerely except by the guidance and teaching of the Holy Spirit; for he it is who not only dictates our words, but also creates groanings in our hearts. And thus Augustin, writing against the Pelagians, understands the passage, and proves that it is not in the power of man either to convert himself or to pray; “for God,” he says, “would in vain promise what is in the power of man to do; and this is the promise, ye shall pray; it then follows, that we do not pray through the impulse of our own flesh, but when the Holy Spirit directs our hearts, and in a manner prays in us.” I do not, however, know whether the Prophet intended to speak in so refined a manner. From other passages of Scripture it is easy to prove, that we cannot pray to God, except he anticipates us by his own Spirit. But as to this passage, I prefer to take a simpler meaning, that God would hear, when they began to pray; but yet he shews that it would not be after a short space of time, because they were almost untameable, and would not repent until after many years. It follows, —

(216) The two first verbs are wanting in the Sept. and the Targ., and the second in the Syr. The Vulg. is according to our version, which is literally the Hebrew: and there are no various readings. It is difficult to understand the meaning here of the second verb, go, or proceed. Some give this meaning, “And ye shall call upon me and shall go to your country; and ye shall pray to me, and I will hearken to you.” But the sense most suitable appears to be the following, — “And ye shall call on me, and ye shall go on and intercede with me, and I will hearken to you.” The verb הלך is used in the sense of advancing or of going on in a course that is begun. See Genesis 26:13; Exodus 19:19. To “intercede for themselves and others, was more than to call upon God. From calling they would go on to intercede, earnestly to plead for themselves and others, and then the promise is that God would hear them. — Ed

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 29

Now Jeremiah sent this letter, chapter 29, to those Jews that were in Babylon. And, of course, this letter was sent to them and one of the chief of the princes that was in Babylon was Daniel. So Daniel was the one, no doubt, that received this letter from Jeremiah. Daniel was a captive in Babylon at the time, and this letter was sent by the prophet Jeremiah to those captives. Now, of course, Jeremiah is an older man at this point whereas Daniel is quite a young man at this point.

Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon; (After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah [the princes of Judah would have included Daniel], and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;) By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan ( Jeremiah 29:1-3 ),

This was the guy who carried the letter to Babylon, saying,

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon; Build houses, and dwell in them; plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; Take wives, and have children sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that you might be increased there in the land, and not diminished ( Jeremiah 29:4-6 ).

Now rather than your coming back in two years as the false prophets were holding up a hope to them, Jeremiah's saying, "Hey, look, settle down, build your houses, plant your gardens, you know, start having children. You're going to be there a while and no sense of the population being diminished while you're there."

Seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captives ( Jeremiah 29:7 ),

In other words, don't rebel, but live peaceably with them. Seek their peace.

and pray unto the LORD for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace ( Jeremiah 29:7 ).

As long as Babylon has peace, you will have peace.

For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that are in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD. For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place ( Jeremiah 29:8-10 ).

Now in the ninth chapter of the book of Daniel we read, "In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of the seed of the Medes, which was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans; in the first year of his reign, I Daniel understood by books the number of the years, whereof the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem" ( Daniel 9:1-2 ). So Daniel's making a reference now to this letter that have been placed in the book form of the prophecies of Jeremiah. And having read them and understood by the prophecy of Jeremiah that the seventy years that were predicted of their Babylonian captivity were just about over, he began to seek the Lord. But here is interesting to me how the Bible ties together. Here's the letter that Jeremiah is sending to those in Babylon; among them, of course, one of the chiefs being Daniel. And Daniel was there when the letter arrived. And Daniel was there seventy years later. So at that point, Daniel was probably in his nineties when he realized, "Hey, the seventy years are about over. It's about time to go home." And he's probably in his late eighties or early nineties.

We had a beautiful lady here this morning, ninety-seven years old. She said, "The Lord first spoke to me when I was fifteen years old and I've been walking with Him for eighty-two years." Oh, envy, envy, envy. Walking with the Lord. I said, "Oh, just talk to me. I want to gain from your experience of walking with the Lord." Beautiful. She showed it on her face, just a beautiful countenance.

David said, "Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law does he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, bringing forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither" ( Psalms 1:1-3 ). I saw an unwithered ninety-seven year old leaf today. It's beautiful, just beautiful. Sorry, honey, but I fell in love with her.

"For thus saith the Lord, that after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform My good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place," after seventy years.

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, they are thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end ( Jeremiah 29:11 ).

Or to bring you to a good end.

Now if you follow your own thoughts, if you rebel against the king of Babylon, then you're going to have a disastrous end. If you will obey Me and follow My words, I'm thinking about you. I haven't forgotten you. I'm thinking about you. And My thoughts concerning you are those of peace. I'm desiring your peace. I'm not desiring evil for you. Now I haven't forgotten you.

So many times we're in captivity or we're having great problems, we think, "Oh, God's forgotten me. God's not thinking of me anymore." Oh, that's not so. God is thinking of you. But God is always looking down at the end of the road. Our common mistake is that we are always looking for immediate advantage, immediate fulfillment. And we don't consider the end result or the consequences of the things that we are doing. How many times we jump into things not considering what the end result is. Oh, but it looks exciting. It looks fun. Let's jump in. And God is warning and He is saying, "No, the end of that path is destruction. Now I'm thinking about you. Don't think I've forgotten you. I am thinking about you. And My thoughts concerning you are for your peace to bring to you this expected end."

Then shall ye call upon me, and then shall ye go pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you ( Jeremiah 29:12 ).

Now if you'll go back to Daniel when you have a chance, I'm not going to tonight, but when you have the chance, go back to Daniel the ninth chapter when he understood from the prophecy of Jeremiah that the seventy years were about over, what did he do? He began to fast and pray because the Lord said, "Then shall ye call upon Me." When? After the seventy years. "And ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you." So here is Daniel following the word of the Lord.

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart ( Jeremiah 29:13 ).

I think that one of our problems is that we oftentimes have a half-hearted attitude towards God. We're not really seeking God with all of our heart. "Well, God, if You want to, I'm here. And You can do it for me if You desire. I won't stop You, Lord." And we oftentimes take a very passive attitude towards God, towards the things of God. Rather than really seeking God with all of our hearts. Now, there have been a few times in my life when I have really gotten desperate before God. But I'm amazed at how much it takes to make me really desperate before God. I'm sort of a kickback individual and I sort of take things in stride. Learn to just sort of roll with the punches and oh, well, it will work out. But there have been occasions where God really brought me to a place of real desperation where I can say I really sought God with all my heart.

One was in the sickness of our youngest daughter who was the light of our life. God gave her as a special gift to us. Well, all of our children are special gifts. They are just beautiful. We thank God for each one of them. But this youngest one, we were older, more mature, able to enjoy her more because we just had a little more maturity. We didn't know what we were doing when we had our first kids. All of a sudden by biological process you're parents, but no one trained us or taught us in how to parent. And so the fact that our kids have turned out good is only the grace of God, not our wisdom. We didn't know what we were doing. But by the time you have your fourth, you know a little bit. And you're a little older, more mature, more experienced. She was a joy, the light of our life. But she was running a high fever. Have been running this fever for a couple of days. Sat up all night holding her, just praying unto the Lord to heal her. And the fever kept high, and as I was holding her she went into convulsions and I thought I was losing her. Her little body stiffened up and the whole thing and I thought, "Oh, this is it." And I tell you, I began to seek God with all my heart. I was desperate before God. And I said, "God, you know that I treasure this little gal so highly. I would gladly lay down my life for her, Lord. I would much rather be sick than to see her sick. I would gladly, Lord, lay down my life for her. I love her so much. But yet, God, if it is Your will and Your purpose to take her to be with You, I give her to You, Lord. She's Your child. But please, God, I would love to have her still." But I mean, I was seeking God with all my heart. My wife had called the doctor. We bundled her up and started rushing off to the doctor with her. But before we ever got to the doctor, she was completely healed. Fever was gone. She was smiling, laughing and back to her beautiful, cute little self again. We got her to the doctor, "Well, looks fine to me." He said to Kay, "How long since you've had a tetanus shot?" She said, "I don't know." He said no use wasting time, give you a tetanus shot while you're here, you know. Kay got the shot. "In the day," the Lord said, "you seek Me with all of your heart."

The Bible says, "The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much" ( James 5:16 ). How many times are we really fervent? How many times are we really desperate before God? How many times do we really seek God with all of our hearts? God said, "In that day I'll be found of you." He doesn't really like us to come with a half-hearted attitude but with a total commitment.

And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places where I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive. Because you have said, The LORD hath raised us up prophets in Babylon; Know that thus saith the LORD the king that sits on the throne of David, and of all the people that dwell in this city, and of your brothers that have not gone forth with you into captivity; Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Behold, I will send upon them the sword, and the famine, and the pestilence, and will make them like vile figs, that cannot be eaten, they are so evil ( Jeremiah 29:14-17 ).

A reference back to the message there in the courts of Zedekiah where God said those that were carried away were good figs but those that were left were going to be like rotten figs and be destroyed. Nothing left. No value to them.

And I will persecute them with the sword, and with the famine, and with the pestilence, and will deliver them to be removed to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be a curse, and an astonishment, a hissing, a reproach, among all the nations whither I have driven them: Because they have not hearkened to my words, saith the LORD, which I sent unto them by my servants the prophets, rising up early and sending them; but you would not hear, saith the LORD. Hear ye therefore the word of the LORD, all ye of the captivity, whom I have sent from Jerusalem to Babylon: Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, of Ahab ( Jeremiah 29:18-21 )

And God is speaking of Ahab.

the son of Kolaiah, and of Zedekiah ( Jeremiah 29:21 )

Now who these two guys are, we don't know. They're not mentioned any place else in scripture, but they were a couple of the false prophets. They were prophesying lies in the name of the Lord. So God speaks out against Ahab and Zedekiah, whoever they may be. Not the Ahab the king; nor Zedekiah the prophet of the future, but these are just two guys.

Behold, I will deliver them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon; and he shall slay them before your eyes ( Jeremiah 29:21 );

These two false prophets.

And of them shall be taken up a curse by all the captivity of Judah which are in Babylon, saying, The LORD make thee like Zedekiah and like Ahab ( Jeremiah 29:22 ),

So you want to curse somebody, you'll say, "The Lord make you like Ahab."

whom [he said, Nebuchadnezzar] burned in the fire ( Jeremiah 29:22 );

So Nebuchadnezzar evidently had a... the burning fiery furnace was his way of publicly getting rid of those who would rebel against him. And it is interesting that here in Jeremiah there's a reference to his old burning fiery furnace. It consumed Ahab and Zedekiah, but it could not consume Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. And so here is another reference to that old burning fiery furnace. "Whom he burned, he roasted in the fire." So you want to really curse someone, "Well, the Lord make you like Zedekiah, you know. May He roast you with fire." And it became a curse, the way people cursed someone else. It's interesting they don't have curse words in Hebrew. If the Hebrews want to curse, they have to use English. Isn't that interesting? They don't have any swear words in Hebrew. We were told that and we were sort of surprised by that.

We went to the Hadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus one night. And we were standing there in the room and there was this Jewish doctor there and he was cursing in English. And I turned to Kay and I said, "Hey, I guess it's true. They don't have any swear words in Hebrew; he has to use English." And he looked up and he was quite embarrassed, you know. But they don't have any swear words in Hebrew, which I think is rather beautiful. And so they have to use English to swear. Or some other language, but they can't swear in Hebrew. They just don't have it. But they could say, "The Lord make you like Zedekiah," and that's about the worst thing you can say to a guy. "God roast you with fire."

Because they have committed villainy in Israel, and have committed adultery with their neighbors' wives ( Jeremiah 29:23 ),

So here he's telling the sins of these two guys.

and have spoken lying words in my name ( Jeremiah 29:23 ),

God's just revealing the cause against these guys. They're villainous, they're adulterers, and they're speaking lies in God's name.

which I have not commanded them; even I know, and am a witness, saith the LORD ( Jeremiah 29:23 ).

Wow, that's heavy duty. God says, "Hey, I'm witnessing. I know. I know what they're doing." Jesus said over and over to the churches, "I know thy works. I know what's going on." When God starts bearing witness against you, you're in big trouble.

Thus shalt thou also speak to Shemaiah the Nehelamite, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying, The LORD hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the LORD, for every man that is mad, and makes himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks ( Jeremiah 29:24-26 ).

Now when they got this letter in Babylon, then this guy sent back a letter to the priests and he said, "You ought to put Jeremiah in prison. Put him in the stocks."

Why have you not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which makes himself a prophet to you? For he sent to us in Babylon, saying, This captivity is going to be a long time: build houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them. And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet. Then came the word of the LORD to Jeremiah, saying, Send to all them of the captivity, saying, Thus saith the LORD concerning Shemaiah ( Jeremiah 29:27-31 )

The guy who wrote this letter.

Because that Shemaiah hath prophesied unto you, and I sent him not, and he caused you to trust in a lie: Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the LORD; because he hath taught rebellion against the LORD ( Jeremiah 29:31-32 ).

So Shemaiah and all of his children are going to be wiped out. He won't have any progeny following him.

"

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Jeremiah’s first letter to the exiles 29:1-23

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

At the end of the Exile, God’s people would call out to Him in prayer (cf. Daniel 9; Ezra 9; Nehemiah 9). Yahweh promised to listen to them. They would find Him when they sought Him wholeheartedly.

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Then shall ye call upon me,.... When the expected end is about to be given; when God intends and is about to bestow a mercy, he gives his people a spirit of prayer to ask for it; and even the promise of it is a considerable argument to encourage and engage more to pray for it:

and ye shall go and pray unto me: walk in my ways; so Jarchi, Kimchi, and Ben Melech; or rather ye shall go into your private closets, or into those public places where prayer was wont to be made, and there put up your petitions; or it may be the meaning is, that they should continue praying unto him; should pray without ceasing, until they enjoyed the blessing, and had the expected end given them:

and I will hearken unto you: God is a God hearing prayer; he listens to the requests of his people, and answers them in his own time and way; which is no small encouragement to pray unto him.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      8 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed.   9 For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.   10 For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.   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.   14 And I will be found of you, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the LORD; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.

      To make the people quiet and easy in their captivity,

      I. God takes them off from building upon the false foundation which their pretended prophets laid, Jeremiah 29:8; Jeremiah 29:9. They told them that their captivity should be short, and therefore that they must not think of taking root in Babylon, but be upon the wing to go back: "Now herein they deceive you," says God; "they prophesy a lie to you, though they prophesy in my name. But let them not deceive you, suffer not yourselves to be deluded by them." As long as we have the word of truth to try the spirits by it is our own fault if we be deceived; for by it we may be undeceived. Hearken not to your dreams, which you cause to be dreamed. He means either the dreams or fancies which the people pleased themselves with, and with which they filled their own heads (by thinking and speaking of nothing else but a speedy enlargement when they were awake they caused themselves to dream of it when they were asleep, and then took that for a good omen, and with it strengthened themselves in their vain expectations), or the dreams which the prophets dreamed and grounded their prophecies upon. God tells the people, They are your dreams, because they pleased them, were the dreams that they desired and wished for. They caused them to be dreamed; for they hearkened to them, and encouraged the prophets to put such deceits upon them, desiring them to prophesy nothing but smooth things,Isaiah 30:10. They were dreams of their own bespeaking. False prophets would not flatter people in their sins, but that they love to be flattered, and speak smoothly to their prophets that their prophets may speak smoothly to them.

      II. He gives them a good foundation to build their hopes upon. We would not persuade people to pull down the house they have built upon the sand, but that there is a rock ready for them to rebuild upon. God here promises them that, though they should not return quickly, they should return at length, after seventy years be accomplished. By this it appears that the seventy years of the captivity are not to be reckoned from the last captivity, but the first. Note, Though the deliverance of the church do not come in our time, it is sufficient that it will come in God's time, and we are sure that that is the best time. The promise is that God will visit them in mercy; though he had long seemed to be strange to them, he will come among them, and appear for them, and put honour upon them, as great men do upon their inferiors by coming to visit them. He will put an end to their captivity, and turn away all the calamities of it. Though they are dispersed, some in one country and some in another, he will gather them from all the places whither they are driven, will set up a standard for them all to resort to, and incorporate them again in one body. And though they are at a great distance they shall be brought again to their own land, to the place whence they were carried captive,Jeremiah 29:14; Jeremiah 29:14. Now, 1. This shall be the performance of God's promise to them (Jeremiah 29:10; Jeremiah 29:10): I will perform my good word towards you. Let not the failing of those predictions which are delivered as from God lessen the reputation of those that really are from him. That which is indeed God's word is a good word, and therefore it will be made good, and not one iota or tittle of it shall fall to the ground. Hath he said, and shall he not do it? This will make their return out of captivity very comfortable, that it will be the performance of God's good word to them, the product of a gracious promise. 2. This shall be in pursuance of God's purposes concerning them (Jeremiah 29:11; Jeremiah 29:11): I know the thoughts that I think towards you. Known unto God are all his works, for known unto him are all his thoughts (Acts 15:18) and his works agree exactly with his thoughts; he does all according to the counsel of his will. We often do not know our own thoughts, nor know our own mind, but God is never at any uncertainty within himself. We are sometimes ready to fear that God's designs concerning us are all against us; but he knows the contrary concerning his own people, that they are thoughts of good and not of evil; even that which seems evil is designed for good. His thoughts are all working towards the expected end, which he will give in due time. The end they expect will come, though perhaps not when they expect it. Let them have patience till the fruit is ripe, and then they shall have it. He will give them an end, and expectation, so it is in the original. (1.) He will give them to see the end (the comfortable termination) of their trouble; though it last long, it shall not last always. The time to favour Zion, yea, the set time, will come. When things are at the worst they will begin to mend; and he will give them to see the glorious perfection of their deliverance; for, as for God, his work is perfect. He that in the beginning finished the heavens and the earth, and all the hosts of both, will finish all the blessings of both to his people. When he begins in ways of mercy he will make an end. God does nothing by halves. (2.) He will give them to see the expectation, that end which they desire and hope for, and have been long waiting for. He will give them, not the expectations of their fears, nor the expectations of their fancies, but the expectations of their faith, the end which he has promised and which will turn for the best to them. 3. This shall be in answer to their prayers and supplications to God, Jeremiah 29:12-15; Jeremiah 29:12-15. (1.) God will stir them up to pray: Then shall you call upon me, and you shall go, and pray unto me. Note, When God is about to give his people the expected good he pours out a spirit of prayer, and it is a good sign that he is coming towards them in mercy. Then, when you see the expected end approaching, then you shall call upon me. Note, Promises are given, not to supersede, but to quicken and encourage prayer: and when deliverance is coming we must by prayer go forth to meet it. When Daniel understood that the 70 years were near expiring, then he set his face with more fervency than ever to seek the Lord,Daniel 9:2; Daniel 9:3. (2.) He will then stir up himself to come and save them (Psalms 80:2): I will hearken unto you, and I will be found of you. God has said it, and we may depend upon it, Seek and you shall find. We have a general rule laid down (Jeremiah 29:13; Jeremiah 29:13): You shall find me when you shall search for me with all your heart. In seeking God we must search for him, accomplish a diligent search, search for directions in seeking him and encouragements to our faith and hope. We must continue seeking, and take pains in seeking, as those that search; and this we must do with our heart (that is, in sincerity and uprightness), and with our whole heart (that is, with vigour and fervency, putting forth all that is within us in prayer), and those who thus seek God shall find him, and shall find him their bountiful rewarder, Hebrews 11:6. He never said to such, Seek you me in vain.