While current political and social developments surrounding Israel are cause for concern, Dr. Tobias Krämer explains in his interpretation of Isaiah 29:11 why the people of Israel may nevertheless have reason for hope and confidence. The text printed below is a summary of his closing sermon at the Israel Congress, which took place in September at Schönblick under the title "Land of the Future – Land of Hope".
By Dr. Tobias Krämer
God speaks to Israel: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Jeremiah was a powerful prophet. He foretold the exile—the absolute nadir of the Jewish people—and experienced it firsthand. According to Jeremiah, exile was a punishment, a judgment from God for his people's disobedience. Jeremiah saw this punishment coming and warned of it. False prophets rose up against him and proclaimed the opposite. Jeremiah fought this battle—and lost. The catastrophe followed: The Babylonians overran Judah, and Jeremiah was proven right. Instead of rejoicing, Jeremiah burst into tears and lamented this terrible calamity (Lamentations). His solidarity remained with his people.
No sooner were the Jews in exile than Jeremiah changed his mind. God gave him the greatest messages of salvation, and Jeremiah passed them on to his people. He spoke of the return from exile, even of an eschatological and eternal restoration of Israel (Jeremiah 30-33). How pure Jeremiah's heart must have been that he was able to speak these words of grace and salvation—after all he had experienced.
The verse quoted at the beginning, from Jeremiah 29, comes from a letter Jeremiah sent to his people in exile (Jeremiah 29:5-8). In it, the Jews are first told to settle in Babylonia, for they will spend decades there. This makes it clear: none of the exiles will ever return to their homeland. The false prophets want to escape the effects of God's judgment: return quickly, rectify the damage, don't be among the losers – that is their motto. But it doesn't work that way. You will remain, says God, for a full 70 years. After 70 years, the return took place.
This is where our text is situated, which I will now discuss: God's thoughts of peace for his people; plans full of hope and peace.
End-times restoration
The promises made by Jeremiah extend far beyond the historical situation and reach into the end times. This makes the ultimate goal clear: the final restoration of Israel, which will last forever. This is already hinted at in Jeremiah 29:11. For here, God speaks of a general attitude of heart, of his innermost thoughts about his people. These can be summarized in three key words: peace, future, and hope. This is what God has for Israel!
God's heart is expressed even more clearly in Jeremiah 32:37-41. One must take the time to consider, and ideally read, what God promises his people here: their return from all corners of the earth, the healing of the relationship between God and Israel, an inner renewal of hearts, and an "everlasting covenant" in which God will joyfully do good to Israel. The text concludes with the moving words that God will "plant" his people again in their land, "with all his heart and with all his soul." Bringing Israel back and restoring it is God's deepest desire. It is, in a sense, his life's purpose!
Jeremiah 31:31-34 goes a step further. Here we are dealing with the heart of the end-time restoration: the prediction of a “new covenant.” What does this new covenant consist of? It consists of God’s announcement: “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” New hearts for Israel, freed from sin, made obedient from the ground up—this is what God promises his people. And this will be solely God’s work.
This is announced even more emphatically in Ezekiel 36:25, where God says to Israel: “I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.” In the end, it will no longer be about Israel being called to repentance—that has rarely been successful—in the end, it will be God himself who cleanses his people. Only then and only in this way will Israel truly become pure, and that will be forever.
Then, however, Israel's reunification within its own land will also endure. It is easy to see that we are not there yet. While Jews have been returning to their land for decades, that inner renewal is still pending. Today's Israel is a largely secular state, where sin exists just as it does in any other country on earth. This should not be glossed over. Therefore, Israel is not yet fully master of its own destiny. Israel is attacked, challenged, and contested. And yet: all the promises that lead to an eschatological and final restoration rest upon Israel.
Israel in danger
Back to the present. Israel is in danger. This was true even at the time of its founding in 1948 (the War of Independence), and it will be even more so after October 7, 2023. What might happen to Israel? Let's consider the scenarios.
For the West, the key to the Middle East lies in the two-state solution: divide the land and everything, they believe, will be fine. For Israel, this solution is an existential threat because, in a crisis, the State of Israel would be virtually indefensible. What if two states were to emerge nonetheless? This solution would be temporary. For when the Messiah comes, he will establish God's order, and that will be different (compare Ezekiel 47:21-23).
Some Christians believe that the Gog-Magog War (Ezekiel 38 and 39) is imminent and will therefore bring about Israel's end. This, however, is not true. That war can only occur when Israel lives in peace and security (Ezekiel 38:8-11), which has never been the case since 1948 and certainly isn't today. And it ends in the annihilation of the enemies, not in the destruction of Israel—that is the key point of this passage. Some interpreters even see this war coming only after the Millennium (compare Revelation 20:7-10). That, too, is a possibility.
Other Christians believe the time has come for a large part of the Jewish population to be annihilated (compare Zechariah 13:7-12). Aside from the difficulties inherent in interpreting and contextualizing highly apocalyptic texts, this doesn't fit. Willem Glashouwer, the president of our international ministry, is likely correct when he says that this passage refers to the history of the annihilation of the Jews, culminating in the Holocaust. Indeed, it would be strange if the Holocaust were not prophesied, but a second one of similar magnitude were, which is still pending.
More critical is the question of whether we are even dealing with the biblical restoration of Israel in the present-day state of Israel. From a distance, one might ask this question. But if one lives with the texts of promise, if one expects their fulfillment and God then actually accomplishes it through great miracles, one no longer doubts. One sees that what was promised is happening. However, should this not be the case—we are considering this hypothesis—then it could be that Israel perishes once more and God begins again later. This would not change our mission, however. On the contrary: The Jewish people would need us more than ever before.
Prayer for Israel
For us Christians, this means that in the current situation we should specifically pray for Israel's victory. An Israeli victory is the only way for things to truly change for the better in the Middle East. The following scriptures form the basis of our prayers:
- “God, deliver Israel from all its troubles!” (Psalm 25:22)
- “Horses are trained for the day of battle, but victory comes from the Lord.” (Proverbs 21:31)
- “The right hand of the Lord is exalted; the right hand of the Lord has victory!” (Psalm 118:16)
- “Israel will possess the gates of its enemies.” (Genesis 24:60)
The current state of affairs
If we look at the entire body of biblical promises, we can roughly say where we currently stand.
What has already been achieved?
- The return and gathering of Israel (in full swing since Theodor Herzl).
- The founding of the State of Israel in 1948 (proposed by the United Nations).
- The reunification of Jerusalem in 1967 (with the exception of the Temple Mount).
- A growing Messianic movement in Israel and worldwide.
What else is missing?
- Internal peace (conflict with the Palestinians / internal Jewish disunity).
- External peace (most neighboring Muslim countries are still hostile).
- The breakthrough into the new covenant for the entire Jewish people.
- The return of the Messiah (it is what is most missed).
So, is there a future and hope for Israel, as Jeremiah 29:11 says? Can we assume so? Of course! For God fulfills his promises. He brings his people to their goal. That is certain.
This article first appeared in our newspaper "Israelaktuell," issue 139. You can order the newspaper here . We would also be happy to send you several copies for distribution.
