#DailyDevotion While We Are In Exile Here, We Should Follow The Example Of The Jews In Babylon
November 14th
Read Jer 29:1–19
Jer 29:4-11 “Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: (5) Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. (6) Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. (7) But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare… (10) “For thus says the LORD: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. (11) For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
Even in exile the Lord was planning on blessing his people. For you see even in the midst of their disobedience and rebellion, the Lord had a plan for them. He had “plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” It would take a while for those plans to come to fulfillment. He had said earlier it would 70 years in exile and he repeats it again in today’s lesson. But that would just till this exile ended. Even then his plans for them would not be fulfilled. It would several hundred years till the messiah, Jesus would come.
But for the sake of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob the Lord had plans for the Jews. So he encourages them to get on with life. He tells them to bless those who ruled over them so they would be blessed through them. Many of them would not see the end of the seventy years or return to Jerusalem. But in his blessing of them in Babylon, their children would see the return and rebuilding of their fair city and temple.
Now we too, who have been baptized into Christ Jesus are the Lord’s holy and chosen people. He has plans for you, for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jesus though like the Jews has us living in exile among a people and a world not our own. He also promises us grace and every blessing as we live in exile in this world. Not that we won’t have our fair share of problems in it. The Jews during the exile and the wait for the messiah, Jesus, certainly had their share of problems as well. He expects to be about our business, marrying, raising kids, working and sharing the good news with those who ask us about it. He expects us to pray for our leaders that we might live quiet and peaceable lives in this world.
We don’t know the day or the hour of our Lord’s return. But we know that when he does return and we leave this time of exile in this world, he promises us a new heavens and new earth where righteousness dwells. We shall see him with our own eyes in our own flesh. God and the Lamb, Jesus, will dwell with us and we with him. We will have the fulfillment of peace, joy and love with our God and with one another. Until then, tarry on!
Lord Jesus Christ, grant us patience as we await our deliverance from the exile of this world and our return to you and the Father at your return for us. Grant us your Spirit and faith that we may lead lives pleasing to you and which give glory to your holy name. Amen.