Sunday School Lesson on Trust God

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Sunday School Lesson on Trust God

Introduction

A. Desperate Living

I saw her again the other day. She was in thefrozen-food section at the supermarket. This timeshe was tall and very thin. She had dark hair anda light complexion. At first I thought her facewas dirty. Then I realized that even her heavymakeup could not hide the bruises. Her eyeswere downcast, her expression blank.

But our eyes met for just an instant as our shop-ping carts passed, and I was stunned by her look

of fear and pain. Who had beaten her? Boyfriend?Husband? Father? I realized that I had seen hertoo many times. Sometimes she had been shortand blond. Other times her skin had been dark.She was the woman betrayed by a man whoshould have protected her, and she sass no wayout of her wretched situation. She finished hershopping and returned to her world of horror.Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) wrote,"The mass of men lead lives of quiet despera-tion." This is still true. We drag ourselvesthrough each day, overwhelmed by commit-ments, bills, and worries. We live vicariouslythrough pop celebrities, sports heroes, or othermedia creations. When we are asked how we aredoing, we automatically say, "Fine." But wearen't "fine." In our heart of hearts, many of ashave given up hope and see nothing in the futurebut playing out a life of drudgery.

This is not what God intends for us, though.God wants us to be people of hope, not fear. Godcreated us to live with confident assurance, notdaily desperation and aimless distraction.Today's lesson gives a clear new of the ir-refutable fact that God intends the very best forHis people. He asks that we trust Him and obeyHim. He will give us full, rich lives.

B. Lesson Background

It is difficult to imagine a more desperate timein history than the Jerusalem of Jeremiah's day.Religious and moral confusion reigned in thecity and the surrounding countryside (Jeremiah5:1; 11:13). The city was under constant dangerfrom foreign invaders (1:15; 6:1). The threat ofGod's wrath was against the city (4:4); the LordAlmighty promised to lay the city in ruins (6:8;9:11). Jeremiah constantly preached that the fu-ture for Jerusalem was dismal (see 13:16).In spite of these dire warnings from Jeremiahand other prophets such as Zephaniah and Ha-bakkuk, the leaders of the nation did not re-spond. Instead, they continued in ways of rankwickedness (see Jeremiah 22:17; 29:19). The fewwho understood the implications of Jeremiah'scondemnation must have felt powerless, help-less, and without hope. National disaster woulddestroy them too even if, individually, theyheeded Jeremiah's call to repent.

The Babylonians controlled Judah for manyyears before the destruction of Jerusalem in 586BC. This control began about 605 Bc, after theBabylonians defeated the Egyptians at the epicBattle of Carchemish (Jeremiah 46:2). After that,the Babylonians were the masters of the ancientworld, including Jerusalem and Judah.

Three distinct groups of citizens from Judahwere transported to Babylon (Jeremiah 52:28-30).Daniel was likely a member of the first group,taken about 605 BC. Ezekiel was a member of agroup that was transported after the capture ofJerusalem in about 597 BC. The largest group wastaken after Jerusalem's destruction in 586 sc. Jer-emiah himself was not taken to Babylon butended up in Egypt after the city was destroyed.Jeremiah is often portrayed as a prophet ofdoom. Yet his book also offers hope for the fu-ture. Although Judah would be devastated, virtu-ally ceasing to exist, God planned to gather aremnant of faithful people to rebuild the city (Jer-emiah 23:3). This would be the cause of great re-joicing (31:7-14). This ray of hope shines brightlyin Jeremiah 29, the focus of today's lesson.

I. Communication in Captivity(Jeremiah 29:1-3)

In the tense periods between Nebuchadnez-zar's initial deportation of hostages and exiles(605 tic), the capture of Jerusalem (597 sc.), andthe city's destruction (586 ac), Jeremiah worksactively as a spokesman for God. In that role heinterprets these judgmental events for the nation.His ministry even involves communication withthe leaders in exile, those who had been trans-ported to Babylon in 597 BC or earlier.

A. Judah Is Uprooted (vv. 1, 2)

1. Now these are the words of the letter thatJeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem untothe residue of the elders which were carriedaway captives, and to the priests, and to theprophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchad-nezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalemto Babylon.

If you were to travel straight across the desertfrom Jerusalem to ancient Babylon, the distancewould be about 500 miles. But following thenorthern route, through the Babylonian adminis-trative center of Riblah and down the EuphratesRiver valley, would make the distance more like880 miles.

This is a well-traveled road in Jeremiah's day,and it takes six to eight weeks to make the jour-ney. In the period between Jerusalem's captureand its destruction, those left in the city seem tocommunicate regularly with their exiled brothersand sisters in Babylon. Jeremiah's ability to sendthe exiles a letter is a confirmation of this.

2.(After that Jeconiah the king, and thequeen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judahand Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and thesmiths, were departed from Jerusalem.)Jeconiah was the son of Jehoiakim. His surren-der of Jerusalem in 597 BC allowed Nebuchad-nezzar to sack the city and loot the temple (see2 Kings 24:11-15). This verse thus dates theprophecy we are studying between 597 and 586BC, during the reign of King Zedekiah in Jeru-salem. Daniel and Ezekiel, who are in Babylon,are among the possible recipients of this letter.(See Daniel 9:2, which shows his acquaintancewith the writings of Jeremiah.)

B. Judah Is Not Forgotten (v. 3)

3.By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan,and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zede-kiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebu-chadnezzar king of Babylon) saying.

King Zedekiah uses two emissaries to commu-nicate with his master, King Nebuchadnezzar.These men, Elasah and Gemariah, also serve thepurpose of carrying Jeremiah's letter to the proper

recipients in exile. [See question it I. pant? 414.1The people in Jeremiah's target audience havebeen displaced. But he has not forgotten them.

II. Waiting in Captivity(Jeremiah 29:4-9)

The actual content of the letter begins withJeremiah 29:4.

A. Build Lives While Waiting (vv. 4-6)

4. Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God ofIsrael, unto all that are carried away captives,whom I have caused to be carried away fromJerusalem unto Babylon.

The letter begins with two titles for God. First,He is the Lord of hosts. Another way of saying thisis Lord Sabaoth (compare Romans 9:29), meaning

"master of the hosts of heavenly armies." It is aII. Seek Peace While Waiting iv. 7)

strong affirmation of the power of God. 7. And seek the peace of the city whither ISecoml, He is the God 01 Israel. The capture of have caused you to be carried away captives.Jerusalem and exile of its leaders do not mean and pray unto the Wen for it: for in the peacethat God has ceased to be Israel's God. He is still thereof shall ye have peace.

in control and has even caused the captivity ac-Peace is a loaded term in the Old Testament

cording to His plan.Coming from the word shalom, it means much

5, 6. Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and more than simple absence of warfare. It has theplant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; take ye added sense of prosperity and welfare.

wives, and beget sons and daughters; and takeGod's message for the exiles is that theywives fár your SYMS, and give your daug6ters to should desire and pmv for the peace and pros-

pertly of their new community (Babylon], eventhough they have been brought there againsttheir will. As Babylon prospers, so they willprosper. When Jeremiah writes, the prosperity ofthe exiled Jews is dependent upon the peace ofthis city, not the peace of Jerusalem.

Even alter tragedy, life goes on. After disaster,you must recover, pick up the pieces, and keepliving. God is telling Israel not to wait for somekind of quick solution and a return to Jerusalem.They need to understand that they are there for C. Reject Deception While Waiting (vv. 8, 9)many years, so they should make the best of it. 8. For thus saith the Loin, of hosts, the God ofGod still cares for them. His will is that their lives Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners,improve (be increased) and that they have oppor- that he in the midst of you, deceive you, neithertunities to flourish. He is still their God and hearken to your dreams which ye cause to bewants to bless them. [ See q ,I I, )11 #2. paw 414.1 dreamed.

There are prophets among the exiles who aretelling them that freedom is just around the cor-ner. Their dreams and longings are focused ongoing home. The mighty God of Israel warnsagainst this deception. This can be either self-deception (your dreams) or an attempt to de-ceive the exiles by false prophecy.

9. For they prophesy falsely unto you in myname: I have not sent them, saith the LORD.The false prophet is a long-standing problemin the nation of Israel. Such people have con-tributed to circumstances leading to the captureof Jerusalem. The false prophets blamed the cap-tivity in Babylon on the wrong reasons; theyfailed to pronounce that God was punishingJudah for its iniquity (Lamentations 2:14). Eze-kiel, who prophesies in Babylon at about thesame time Jeremiah is working in Jerusalem, seesthe core problem when he says these prophetsinvoke the name of the Lord "when the Lordbath not spoken" (Ezekiel 22:28).

A true prophet speaks for God, with God's au-thority. The nature of this position makes it eas-ily susceptible to abuse and fakery. Even today,we should be careful whenever we encountersomeone claiming to speak directly for God as aprophet. God has given us His Scripture to mea-sure such words. The biblical pattern is that trueprophets usually point out sin and call for repen-tance rather than tell people that prosperity isjust around the comer (Jeremiah 6:13, 14). [Seequestion #3. page 414.!

III Promised

A. Promise

10.For thus saith tyears be accomplishyou, and perform mycausing you to return 1Jeremiah begins wiJerusalem. This is a dmessage. The good ne,forever. The bad newswill not live to see itgenerations down the rThe prophecy of 70rate. The first group cowas taken to Babyloncame the king, about 61pire falls to King Cyrusserves as God's battle,the Babylonians (see Jogrants permission forsalem and rebuild the!in about 536 BC (see Da

B. Promise of

11.For I know lbtoward you, saith theand not of evil, to giveWe should undersplans that God has forexiles will see peace, Irather than new devasexpected end. meaningThis will be a return tlance (Judah), to theThere they will rebus!(the temple). This ispromise of future prosyAlthough this promiof ancient Judah. it intoday. God's desire isis not a vengeful, cruelishing us. He waits hoso that He may blessquestion #4, page 4141

TIMING

Timing is everything may be a bit of an over-statement but not by much! Often knowing whento do something is at least as important—if notmore so—than knowing how to do it. During theAmerican Civil War, Union General George B.McClellan was a genius when it came to organi-zation and discipline but a failure at tinting.McClellan had overwhelming superiority dur-ing the Peninsular Campaign of 1862. But he washesitant to attack. Ultimately, Confederate Gen-eral Robert E. Lee took the initiative and forcedMcClellan out of Virginia. Later at Antietam, Mc-Clellan had a copy of Lee's battle plan. But stillMcClellan hesitated. He never threw all hisforces into the battle. There is a time to be cau-tious, but there is also a time to attack. McClel-lan never seemed to know the difference.When Grant faced Lee two years later, he knewit was time to attack. So he moved his armysouth. Even after the bloody battles of the Wilder-ness and Spotsylvania, Grant moved south. Whenit was time for movement, he moved. Wheit itwas time for trench warfare at Petersburg, he dugin. When the Confederate line cracked and Leepulled out, Grant followed hint and forced hissurrender. Grant understood timing.

The Jews hungered for a return to Jerusalem,but Jeremiah knew that that was premature: re-turn would occur decades later. Jeremiah wassensitive to God's timetable. Are we?

III. Promised Freedom from Captivity(Jeremiah 29:10-14)

Having warned against the false prophets andhaving given strategies for the survival of theexile, Jeremiah now lays out a set of four promisesfrom the Lord for the future of His people.

A. Promise of Return (v. 10)

10.For thus saith the 1ARD, That after seventyyears be accomplished at Babylon I will visityou, and perform my good word toward you, incausing you to return to this place.

Jeremiah begins with a promise of return toJerusalem. This is a classic good news/bad newsmessage. The good news? The exile will not lastforever. The bad news? Most adults hearing thiswill not live to see it, for it will be two or threegenerations down the road.

The prophecy of 70 years proves to be accu-rate. The first group of exiles (including Daniel)was taken to Babylon when Nebuchadnezzar be-came the king, about 605 BC. The Babylonian em-pire falls to King Cyrus of Persia in 538 BC. Cyrusserves as God's battle-axe to break the power ofthe Babylonians (see Jeremiah 51:20). Cyrus thengrants permission for the Jews to return to Jeru-salem and rebuild the temple. That return beginsin about 536 et: (see Daniel 9:2).

B. Promise of Prosperity (v. 11)

11.For I know the thoughts that I thinktoward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace,and not of evil, to give you an expected end.We should understand thoughts as futureplans that God has for Israel. God plans that theexiles will see peace, meaning future prosperityrather than new devastation. They will gain anexpected end, meaning the future they hope for.This will be a return to the land of their inheri-tance (Judah), to their holy city (Jerusalem).There they will rebuild the house of the Lordthe temple). This is the second promise, thepromise of future prosperity for Israel.

Although this promise was made to the exilesof ancient Judah, it still has application for ustoday. God's desire is that we prosper. Our Lordis not a vengeful, cruel God who delights in pun-ishing us. He waits for our trust and obedienceso that He may bless us with His bounty.

CAPTIVES

Captives. The word itself has a quite negativering to it. The immediate word-picture is that ofpeople confined and held against their will.

probably herded off to some distant place theydon't want to go.

History is filled with stories of captives. TheRomans took many captives from their con-quered lands, using their muscle power as thefuel to drive the empire. People from Africawere captured, sold into slavery, and trans-ported to the New World. One of my ancestorswas a 7-year-old running the streets of Londonin 1750. He woke up one morning on a shipbound for America. He had been kidnapped andwas then sold as an indentured servant in colo-nial Virginia.

Many people are "captives" of their jobs, eco-nomically dependent on their employment butdisliking every moment spent at work. We arecaptives of our culture, the values of our genera-tion rather than those of previous or future gener-ations. The fact is, we are all captives in one wayor another. That's why the words of hope andcomfort that Jeremiah speaks to those held cap-tive centuries ago can apply to us today. —J. B. N.

C. Promise of Accessibility (vv. 12-14a)

12-14a. Then shall ye call upon me, and yeshall go and pray unto me, and I will hearkenunto 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 the LORD.To call upon the Lord is Bible language forearnest prayer. It particularly refers to callingupon God for assistance in the time of need.This practice began in the book of Genesis (Gen-esis 4:26). The psalmist taught that God wasnear to those who called upon Him, but only ifthey did so in truth (Psalm 145:18). Another principle taught in Psalms is that God turns adeaf ear to our pleas if we cherish sin in ourhearts (Psalm 66:18).

After the time of Jeremiah, the prophet Zech-ariah will tracts that God refused to hear thepleas of Israel during the Babylonian period be-cause of their hard hearts (Zechariah 7:13). Is-rael's restoration needs to involve more thantemple reconstruction. It needs to include a re-stored relationship with God, a time of renewedprayer and worship. This is the third promise,the promise of renewed accessibility to God inprayer (compare Zephaniah 3:9).

D. Promise of Restoration (v. 14b)14b.

And I will turn away your captivity, and Iwill gather you from all the nations, and from allthe places whither I have driven you, saith theLam; and I will bring you again into the placewhence I caused you to be carried away captive.God ends this section by reminding the exilesof His sovereignty. It was God who scattered theIsraelites, first by the Assyrians and then by theBabylonians (see Jeremiah 50:17). It is only God,then, who can restore Israel (see 27:22). This isthe fourth promise, a promise of restoration.In the big picture of the Bible, Israel is to berestored for more than simply rebuilding the cityof Jerusalem and its temple. Restored Israel is tobe the nation that produces God's Messiah. Thiswill bring "salvation unto the end of the earth"(Isaiah 49:6).

The nation of Israel, whether in exile or re-stored, is not an end unto itself It is intended byGod to be the vehicle that allows for His Messiahto come and restore humanity to Him. This isGod's ultimate plan to give peace and well-being.

The message of the New Testament is that wecan be at peace with God through Jesus Christ(Romans 5:1).

Conclusion

A. Hardship and Hope

Reading Jeremiah allows us to take "the longview." We can see beyond temporary adversity toa time of restoration and blessing. We can getthrough tragedy without doubting God's love forus. We can pray to God in our times of need,knowing that He is listening and gives us hope.The horror of Jerusalem's destruction is almostincomprehensible to us today. The survivors ofthis catastrophe wept uncontrollably when theyarrived in Babylon (Psalm 137:1). Most of ushave faced personal tragedy that left us feelingthe same way. Think of a time when you en-dured great pain and sorrow. Maybe some are inthis state now, this week.

In this dark night of the soul, it is easy to thinkthat we will never be happy again. This is partic-ularly true when misfortunes come at us inwaves. Will this never stop? Why is this happen-ing to me? What did I do wrong?

We should be careful not to see every badthing in our lives as God's punishment for sin.Bad things sometimes happen to good people be-cause our world is full of sin, and this sin affectsus directly and indirectly. We can, however, seethat every tragedy will be followed eventually byGod's blessings and peace. We are, after all, chil-dren of the light (1 Thessalonians 5:5).

Even after the horrific events of Jerusalem'sdestruction in 586 BC, Jeremiah saw hope in thefuture (see Lamentations 3:21-24; written by Jere-miah). His hope was based on eternal promises.First, God's compassion and mercy are inex-haustible; His fountain of blessings never runsdry. Second, God's faithfulness is great and con-tinually renewed. We can depend on God, for Henever betrays our trust. This is our antidote forthe sickness of hopelessness. These promises areours too. [See question #5. page 4141

B. Prayer

God of hope, God of truth, we trust You withour futures. We trust You when our lives arechallenging, for in You we have hope. May Yougive us the strength always to depend on You.We pray this in the name of Your instrument ofhope and peace. Jesus Christ, amen.

C. Thought to Remember

When feeling defeated, look up!

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