The Expected End

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11

It was in dealing with His disciple, Philip, to make of him a man of faith, that the Lord asked him, with over five thousand men around them, “Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat.?” (Jn. 6:5) Scripture then tells us the reason for which Jesus asked Philip this question. John writes: “And this He said to prove (or test) him: for He Himself knew what he would do.” (6:6) What is the great teaching here that Jesus would have us also to grasp?  First of all, it is imperative that we, as individuals, believers in Christ, defer to Him for who He is.  In the book of the Revelation, the glorified Christ declares Himself to be the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the Ending.  This is borne out in the Old Testament also, as the Lord reveals that there is but one God, and He is the Creator of all and the only Redeemer of men.  He alone can deal with sin, forgiving the wages of death concerning it, but also, can give true, Everlasting Life to the sinner, His very Life by the Spirit. The second thing to grasp is that God is determined to make individuals of faith of us.  To do this, He puts before us that which is impossible to men, but possible with God. He then, with the revelation of Himself before us, calls us to “step out of the boat,” “stretch forth the hand,” “go forward,” even in the face of difficulty and impossibility.  In other words, the Lord is always seeking to bring us to a trusting, resting, but obedient faith.

What then concerns the “expected end” of faith?  In Jeremiah’s writings concerning Israel, the Lord, even in the face of the Babylonian captivity that was to last seventy years, calls Israel to trust Him implicitly.  Even being IN Babylon, He is there to provide for them, to care for them, from a human standpoint, on a long-term basis as the captivity will be long.  However, He gives through the prophet Jeremiah, which Daniel would later read and become convinced of, promises concerning “an expected end,” a moment when God will return to Jerusalem with mercies, the city will prosper, His temple will be built, and the wall around the city will again be restored.  There is much more to the promises of God than the rebuilding of the city, the temple, and the wall.  He promise is to every individual who will hear His words, and believe Him, is that if he or she will seek Him with all their heart, He will be found of them.  What does this mean?  It means that there is a certainty of true, profound communion with God, and an experience of His presence, His peace and joy.  It means a certainty concerning His provision, protection, and power revealed to the heart and life of the individual, as he walks with Christ.  It also means that there will be difficulty, trials, and challenges along the way, as there are very real spiritual enemies in this world who oppose God in Christ, and those who would follow Him.  However, though there will be opposition to the advancement of Christ’s kingdom, there is the promised “expected end” of certain victory in Christ.  And lastly, though not conclusively, the “expected end” is that certainty of being with Christ forever, saved forever from sin and death, Satan, and this fallen world, to know God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, in the fullness that only a new, glorified body can receive. That “expected end,” which begins on earth according to the promise and work of God, will extend into eternity into the blessed bliss of knowing fully the One who is perfectly worthy, pure, holy, and good.

Israel, even in captivity was promised a land, a city, and a temple. The greater promise was the true, perpetual knowledge of God.

Dear Father, Fill our entire vision. In Jesus’ name, Amen.