Jeremiah 29 Hope!

The words of Jeremiah have come true, those in Jerusalem would be taken captive and escorted thousands of mile across the sands and waters between Jerusalem to Babylon. As Jeremiah witnessed this taking place, his heart was being torn apart for the very ones God had called,had turned against Him. Yet, in the midst of this, God spoke and reminded Jeremiah to tell the captives: “have plans to prosper you, not to harm you. I have plans to give you a future filled with hope,” God so loved His people that His plan was to restore them to wholeness after 70 yrs. In the meantime, they were to build houses, plant gardens, marry and give in marriage, have babies and lastly pray for the success of Babylon. 

Thinking back to this scene and then the Holocaust, what were the thoughts of the Jews? Did they see this captivity as a reflection of that verse or were they in denial? It is said that Corrie Ten Boom had secretly hidden a Bible and read it to the Jews in those barracks while they waited for the call to the crematoriums or to the work brigades. How many heard those words and clung to them as promises of God? How many heard but chose to deny that promise of God? How about you?