God Promises to Restore Israel After the Exile

Bible Point: God guides us

Key Verse:
“ ‘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) .

Bible Exploration: Jeremiah 29:4-14

The people of Judah had strayed from God, and as a result Judah fell to the nation of Babylon and the people of Judah were captured and held in exile for many years. We’ll look at Jeremiah 29 and see what God had to say to his wayward children. We’ll discover that despite Judah’s rebellious nature, God still had a loving plan for the people. God always guides his people.

To think about and discuss:

1. What do you think about this promise God made: “I know the plans I have for you” in Jeremiah 29:11? How does it make you feel? Why?
2. Why is it important for people to believe that God really does have plans to give them “hope
and a future”? (See Jeremiah 29:11b.)
3. Would you say that you are seeking God passionately right now? Why or why not?
4. Are there some things in your life that are keeping you from seeking or serving God? If so, what
will you do about them?
5. Have you ever felt as if God had forgotten about you? If so, how did you respond toward him? If not, what kept your eyes focused on him?
6. Is it ever too late for people to draw closer to God and seek his will for their lives? Why or why
not?1. Why do you think God reminded the exiled Jews about his current
and future plans for them?

Family Worship Challenge:

• As a family, decide to go on a special outing—perhaps tothe zoo, the desert, the mountains, or a museum in thecity. Rather than doing much of the preparation workyourself, assign family members specific tasks, such as packing sandwiches, cleaning out the car, planning theroute, and making sure everyone is wearing appropriateclothing. After you return from the outing, discuss why itwas so important to plan your trip, and use that discussion
  to transition into the wonderful plans that God is making for his people. For example, we may not always see whatGod is doing, but we can know for sure that he is making plans for us to spend eternity in heaven with him if wehave invited Jesus into our lives.