When the new horror movie, ‘Us,’ opened in theaters last week, it included references to the Bible verse Jeremiah 11:11, although the verse is never quoted. Moviegoers had to find out what it says for themselves. In the days since opening night, that hunt has resulted in a 3,828% increase in search results for the verse on Bible Gateway over what it normally is.
On opening night alone, the verse ranked number 12 on Google Trends with more than 200,000 searches, according to news reports.
In the King James Version (KJV) Bible translation, the verse reads, “Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon them, which they shall not be able to escape; and though they shall cry unto me, I will not hearken unto them.”
According to the NIV Quest Study Bible (available through membership in Bible Gateway Plus), the prophet Jeremiah’s grim prophecies in his book, “in both poetry and prose, continually warned the people of Judah about God’s approaching judgment because of the people’s constant, willful disobedience. Yet intermingled with all the dark messages were words of hope about Judah’s future redemption. Jeremiah’s encouragement—prophecies are still being fulfilled today whenever sinful hearts are transformed by God.”
While Jeremiah 11:11 speaks of harsh judgment, remember what the prophet says 18 chapters later:
“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 also writes prophetically about the coming of Christ.
“The days are coming,” declares the Lord,
“when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch,
a King who will reign wisely
and do what is just and right in the land.In his days Judah will be saved
and Israel will live in safety.
This is the name by which he will be called:
The Lord Our Righteous Savior. Jeremiah 23:5-6
The NKJV Lucado Life Lessons Study Bible on Bible Gateway Plus explains a life application from the book of Jeremiah that’s appropriate for today: “Though you can’t live a completely sinless life, are there parts of your lifestyle that do not conform to God’s standards of holiness and separation? Ask God to show you his desire for your life. Confess and turn from any thoughts or behaviors that would keep you from living a life set apart for God.”
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