Jeremiah 29:11-13

[Guest]

ESV

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart...

Throughout my life in Christian churches, I've heard this verse applied as a personal promise to modern day Christians. However, the context seems to apply this promise to the believing remnant of Jews who were to return to Palestine after the Babylonian captivity.

Even though verses in the NT support this concept for Christians today (i.e. Romans 8:28,29), is it appropriate to apply this promise to Christians today?
Am I being hypersensitive?

Thoughts?

ps. Also, it seems ironic to me that I've heard the above application from those that state that we cannot apply the promises of Isreal to the Church.

[Guest]

I think that many of the promises that God made to Israel at various times can legitimately be taken over by the church, because of their generic information about God's relationship to His people. In teaching about the passages that contain them, I would first apply them to their original context, but when they contain a general principle about God's attitudes, I think it is not out of line to see them as applicable to ourselves as well.

"For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope." (Romans 15:4)

"For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us." (2 Corinthians 1:20)

However, I would agree with you that it is ironic to hear a dispensationalist make such applications.