For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith
the
Lord
The purposes and resolutions of his heart concerning their
welfare, particularly the restoration of them to their own land;
these were within him, and known to him, and him only; they were
remembered by him, and continued with him, as the "thoughts of
his heart are to all generations"; and so would not fail of being
performed; men think and forget what they have thought of, and so
it comes to nothing; but thus it is not with God; he has taken up
many thoughts in a way of love, grace, and mercy, concerning
sinful men; about their election in Christ; a provision of all
spiritual blessings for them; redemption and salvation by Christ;
their effectual calling, adoption, and eternal life:
thoughts of peace, and not of evil:
or "for evil" F20; these thoughts were concerning the
temporal peace and prosperity of the Jews in Babylon, and not of
anything to their hurt; yea, even their captivity was for their
good, ( Jeremiah
24:5 ) ; and thoughts concerning his spiritual Israel, their
peace and reconciliation with God, and the manner of bringing it
about, by the blood, sufferings, and death of his Son in human
nature, with whom he consulted and agreed about this matter; and
concerning their inward spiritual peace of mind and conscience
now, and their eternal peace hereafter: nor does he ever think of
evil for them; whatever evil he thinks towards others, angels or
men, he thinks none towards them; and whatever evil befalls them,
he means it for good, and it does work for good unto them; he
cannot think otherwise concerning them, consistent with his
everlasting and unchangeable love to them; since he has designed
so much good for them, does so much to them, and has so much to
bestow upon them. The issue of all which is, to give you an
expected end;
a very desirable one; such as they wished and hoped to have, and
expected; such as would put an end to all their troubles, and put
them into the enjoyment of all good things promised and waited
for. This, in the mystical sense, may have reference to the
Messiah, in whom all God's thoughts of peace, concerning his
special people, issue; he is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning
and the end, of all things, ( Revelation
1:8 ) ; of all things in creation; of the Scriptures,
promises and prophecies of it: "the end of the law for
righteousness", ( Romans 10:4 ) : the
fulfilling end of it, by his obedience, and sufferings, and
death; and who was to come, and did come, at the end of the
Jewish world, at the end of their civil and ecclesiastical state:
he was long promised and prophesied of and was much waited for
and expected, by the saints before the flood; from thence to
Moses; from Moses to David; from David to the Babylonian
captivity; from thence to the times of his coming, when there was
a general expectation of him; and expected end was then given, as
an instance of grace and good will to men. It may also be applied
to salvation by Christ; the end of all God's gracious purposes
and designs; the end of the covenant of grace, the provisions,
blessings, and promises of it; the end of Christ's coming into
the world, and of his obedience and death; the end of his prayers
and preparations now in heaven; and the end of the faith of the
saints on earth: this is an end hoped, waited for, and expected
by faith; and for which there is good reason; since it is wrought
out, prepared, and promised; saints are heirs of it; and now it
is nearer than when they believed; and will be bestowed as a free
grace gift, through Jesus Christ our Lord; and will be enjoyed as
the issue and result of God's eternal thoughts of peace
concerning them. Some render it, "an expected reward" F21; which
is given at the end of the work: others, "posterity and hope"
F23; a numerous posterity, and hope and
expectation of good things from the Lord, promised in the days of
the Messiah.