Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 29:1-14
Now these are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem unto the residue of the elders which were carried away captives, and to the priests, and to the prophets, and to all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had carried away captive from Jerusalem to Babylon; (After that Jeconiah the king, and the queen, and the eunuchs, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, and the carpenters, and the smiths, were departed from Jerusalem;) By the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan, and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, (whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent unto Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon) saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, unto all that are carried away captives, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem unto Babylon; Build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them; Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city whither I have caused you to be carried away captives, and pray unto the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace. For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Let not your prophets and your diviners, that be in the midst of you, deceive you, neither hearken to your dreams which ye cause to be dreamed. For they prophesy falsely unto you in my name: I have not sent them, saith the Lord. For thus saith the Lord, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place. 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. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
This portion of scripture is a rare example of personal correspondence during the period of the fall of the Kingdom of Israel, more specially, the fall of Judah. Chapter 29 is actually Jeremiah’s letter to the people who are in Exile. More specifically it is God’s letter to His people and we are His people. The majority of the books of the New Testament are actually letters written to the churches. So we can say that they are personal correspondences written by God seeking to re-establish relationship with us. In 1940, Fred Wood enrolled as a freshman at Union University and attended his first chapel service. The speaker was Dr. Robert Bateman, pastor at that time of the First Baptist Church, Memphis. He said, ‘Young people do you know the difference between religion and Christianity? I can tell you in one sentence.’ He then summarized it this way: ‘Religion is man seeking a god. Christianity is God seeking a man.’ So when you approach Jeremiah 29, you got to have a clear picture of what our God is. God has always been a personal God. There are altogether 4 letters between the Jewish Exiles in Babylon and the Jews in Jerusalem. From secular literature we know that there were internal problems within the Babylonian Empire. Therefore some false teachers give the impression that the Jews in Babylon will be able to return. Contrary to these opinion, the Jewish Exiles in Babylon will remain in exile until the time of 70 years is fulfilled.
70 years has always been considered the normal life span of an individual. So Jeremiah is asking, ‘Are you going to wait foolishly for 70 years, your whole life span, to return. By the time the Nation, as promised by God is ready to return, you would have wasted your whole life and would probably have already died. So what should we do then? That is the title of my sharing this morning. What to do when in Exile?
The word ‘Exile’ means prolonged separation from one’s home voluntary or by force of circumstances.
We found in this passage some very practical instructions for ourselves, None of us have ever been in exile, of course, but we can identify with the feeling. Things have turned sour, and we are buried underneath a load of circumstances that we did not choose. We feel like prisoners of war. You know the feeling, whether it be a health crisis, a problem at home, job stress, a wish or desire unmet or some other situation that just doesn’t seem to get any better and won’t go away. If you are in this exile situation, I want to let you know that God considered the Exiles as good figs. Figs are symbols of people. God considered the Exiles as good people. Actually history tells us that the Exiles thrives and succeeded much better than those not in exile. So to recollect our introduction this morning; you must have a correct perspective of God, understand that you only have one life span, and finally how to handle your exile in one life’s span; what can we do in the meantime? There are some truths we can learn from this portion of Scripture.
1. God’s sovereignty in the actions of history
If you read through this 14 verses of Jeremiah chapter 29, it clearly presents God’s sovereignty in the actions of history. Actually the word ‘LORD’ was used throughout this 14 verses. In Hebrew we know it is the personal name of the God of Israel, which is YHWH, or Jehovah in English translation. Actually it is YHWH personal response to His people, which include not just the children of Israel, but also to those who are His people today. God is a personal God. Notice the string of ‘I have’, ‘I will’ statements made in these 14 verses. The ‘I’ is definitely YHWH. Look at the statement.
1. I have sent into exile, Jer. 29:4, 14,
2. I have not sent them (i.e. the false teachers or prophets in Babylon), Jer. 29:9
3. I will visit you (i.e., in Babylon), Jer. 29:10
4. I will fulfil My good word (i.e., to bring you back to Palestine), Jer. 29:10
5. I have plans for you (two emphatic “I’s”), Jer. 29:11
6. I will listen to you (see note at Jer. 29:11-14), Jer. 29:12
7. I will restore your fortunes, Jer. 29:14
8. I will gather you from all the nations . . . where I have driven you, Jer. 29:14
YHWH, unlike the lifeless idols, is active in the lives of His people for His larger redemptive purposes! God is sovereign over your exile. The phrase ‘whom I have sent into exile” is God’s claims to be in control of history (i.e., Isa. 10:5), including your exile. The exile is His judgment on Judah in order to bring His people back to personal faith in Him (cf. Jer. 29:7). Man is a funny creature. We learn more from exile than from the good life. William F. Buckley says, “As an old man, looking back on one’s life, it’s one of the things that strikes you most forcibly—that the only thing that’s taught one anything is suffering. Not success, not happiness, not anything like that. The only thing that really teaches one what life’s about … is suffering.” He’s right about that. Most of us do not learn very much from good health, happy days, money in the bank, and good fortune. We enjoy those things, but we don’t learn much from them. It seems that we all have to spend some time in the School of Hard Knocks to learn the lessons God has for us.
2. Refuse to give up but plan for the future
29:5-8 says “build houses . . . plant gardens . . . take wives”.
While in exile, Jeremiah’s advice is to settle down and make life as normal as possible. Apparently the Jews were living in makeshift houses and some were even refusing to unpack. Jeremiah advises them to settle down for a long wait. Notice the imperative commands in Jeremiah’s letter:
1. Build houses – imperative. Those who intends to build or own a house, go ahead and make the plan.
2. Live in them – imperative. Once the house is built move in and dwell in as it is your permanent home.
3. Plant gardens – imperative. I like this phrase. Just yesterday, Pastor Carlyn was bringing the 6 friends from Singapore to look at our church compound. When we reached the TKC, Pastor Rosalie was just besides them. And I told them that this is our farmer, our gardener and she has done a tremendous job. She has been planting in this garden of ours and we were just besides the atis is that really growing and fruits are getting bigger and bigger. So I would say that we literally fulfilled this imperative.
4. Eat their produce – imperative. Eat the Chia Seeds, the papaya, the babana, the atis, the vegetables; eat the produce.
5. Take wives – imperative. This is not asking you to take many wives, but rather each grown up male and female should get married.
6. Beget (i.e., have children) – imperative.
7. Take wives for your sons – imperative. See that your sons and daughters also get married.
8. Give your daughters – imperative. Don’t be so protective over your daughters. Just let them get married.
9. Multiply there – imperative. Reproduce or have children.
10. Do not decrease – imperative. It is wrong not to have children
11. Seek the welfare of the city – imperative
12. Pray to the Lord on its behalf – imperative
All these commands are describing the 70 years while in exile. It takes a whole life cycle to be able to fulfil all these commands. The whole point is, YHWH wants you while in exile, to resume as normal as possible, life. You will not be back in Judah until the 70 year prophecy is fulfilled. What God is trying to say is ‘go about life, improve as much as possible, work hard and God will be with you. Why? Because it is God who gives this commands. When God gives you a command and you obey its instruction, God will bless you. Our situation may seem like we are in exile, but don’t just pass the time. We need to stop seeing ourselves as victims, and set about to leave a mark for good. When the exile ends, others should be able to look back and say, “He didn’t let the circumstances of life weigh her down. He was as faithful during adversity as he was before the trouble came.” Therefore in this 70 years – the normal life span of one individual, go ahead and plan for your future – get married and establish homes and plan for the future.
3. Seek the welfare of the City
29:7 “seek the welfare of the city . . . and pray to the Lord on its behalf” In the King James Version it is translated as ‘seek the peace of the city.’ The term ‘peace’ here does not just mean an absence of war. The idea of peace here is “Shalom”, a comprehensive peace, that all things are right. It means bringing about public good…shutting down immoral businesses…helping those in need…bringing God to the people.’ This is the only example in the Old Testament of praying for the city where one is an exile. Some have said that this is the beginning of prayers at the local synagogue, and the establishment of the synagogue itself. We believe that the birth of the Synagogue was during this period. And one of the early institution of the Synagogue is prayer. Also it starts to form the basis for the NT church to pray for the civil government. As a Church, it means we are to pray for the City, for the Civil Government, be good citizens; become involved in making Iloilo City better as a result of your having been there. We are to actively bring down the grace of God into Iloilo City. Seek the welfare of the City and its welfare will come to you.
Make a positive contribution. For the past few months, we have been going to a prayer room that is located at the former Casa building besides Atrium. It is only lately because of circumstances, we were unable to be there as frequent as we like. I notice that many of their prayer folders are for the city which is something that is admirable and biblical. Of course we joined in and prayed for the City of Iloilo. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper. God was saying to them that for as long as you are there, be sure to do your best to contribute something positive. Make your mark for good while you are there. Be the kind of influence those people need. Don’t just pass the time.
The idea here is that Jeremiah is encouraging the people to establish relationships with the people of Babylon (representing the world). In fact, the phrase peace and prosperity includes a wide range of things, among them health, blessing, prosperity, basic needs, and satisfaction. This is the Hebrew word shalom, which most of us recognize as being the word for peace. The whole idea here is that this is to be a genuine attempt at friendship, even affection, for the community where they are put in. The phrase “You’re going to be there for awhile,” says it so clearly. God seems to be saying, “So get about the business of loving your community.” That sounds familiar, doesn’t it? They were to stop thinking of themselves as prisoners of life, prisoner of life’s warfare. Start making an impact to the community. I know that we have been reaching out to the community that is in Tabuc Suba for the past 3 years. Then because of BFEC’s dentist team, Pastor Carlos and I had to personally visit the Principal of the Judith Memorial School. It turned out that the Christian Dental Mission on last Thursday and Friday was positive. We are served snacks, local food by the Principal. She gave us three classroom so that the Dentists could do the Dental Education and Dental Screening. All in all through the effort of the two dentists and the Singaporean team, they were able perform varnishing for 378 students. The Principal has become open to us and I realise that there is so much we could do to the community through the school. When we were in the school, many students called us Pastor because they came to our TKC. Get into the business of loving your community.
In our circumstances, we also need to be working to bring peace to those around us. We may not like the situation we’re in, and we may not particularly like the people we feel are responsible for it. But God’s Word says that we are to go out of our ways to make a positive contribution to their lives.
But that is not all. God also tells them to pray for the city. The reasoning is simple: If the city prospers, they will, too! That sounds a little selfish, but it is in fact only practical and common sense. When we are in our own exile, more than ever do we need to pray for those with whom we are in conflict, because that is when it is most needed.
4. God’s promise
Jeremiah 29:10-14 says “For thus says the Lord, ‘When seventy years have, been completed for Babylon, I will visit you and fulfil My good word to you, to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile.'”
This beautiful passage is an affirmation that the covenant has not been totally revoked. God would fulfil His Deuteronomic agreement with His people after this period of judgment. The emphasis here is that His people must return to Him. When in exile, return to God. For some of you it is time to return to God. Only a spiritually renewed remnant will return and be blessed. God’s dealing with us is one of continual love
Notice the conditions for God’s promise of blessing.
1. You call upon Me
2. Come to Me
3. Pray to Me
4. Seek me
5. Search for Me with all your heart
Also notice how YHWH responds to those in exiles.
Verse 11 ‘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’. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the Lord: and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.
1. I will listen to you
2. You will find Me
3. I will be found by you
4. I will restore your fortunes
5. I will gather you from all the nations
6. I will bring you back (i.e., to Palestine)
Someone had said that Jeremiah 29:11 is the most misused verse in the bible and a student totally agree with it because he learned it the hard way. Upon his college graduation he received Jeremiah 29:11 in a greeting card. Naturally, he knew exactly what God’s future and hope meant for a person in his situation: a job. He had already begun looking for work, and the verse from Jeremiah was a boost to his confidence. Well he spent most of the next year trying to find work. He sent hundreds of emails, revised dozens of resumes and cover letters. He perfected the “just checking to see if you received my application and would like to set up a time to talk” phone call. He had a few good interviews but no offers. In this rather pitiful way, his job-seeking failures evoked a crisis. What was God waiting for? He asked. Where was my future and my hope? And why was God not providing for me? As he waited for answers to these questions, I learned how to read Jeremiah 29:11 differently.
To understand Jeremiah 29, we need to understand the story of Jeremiah, especially chapter 28. In chapter 28, there was a confrontation between prophet Jeremiah and prophet Hananiah. Hananiah makes a bold promise: God is going to restore Israel in two years. (Two years!) All the things that were stolen, all the people forced into slavery, everything will be better in two short years. The tens of thousands of people living in exile will be coming home soon. Jeremiah recognized exactly what kind of promise this was. It sounded good in the short term and would make Hananiah and his supporters very popular. Hananiah may even have believed the promise himself. But it wasn’t true. God had no plans to make everything better in two years. Speaking through Jeremiah, God says to Hananiah, “You have made these people trust in a lie.” Then comes Jeremiah 29. “All of you people are going to be in exile for 70 years. Settle in.” We often read Jeremiah 29 like it is good news, plain and simple. But to the first people who heard those words, they were a tremendous disappointment. God’s people had suffered terribly. They had lost their land, their throne, their temple. Before Jerusalem fell in battle, the people had given in to cannibalism. They were then force-marched 800 miles and paraded (literally) through a pagan city in which they were now considered as the living symbols of the power of that city’s god. It was into this kind of despair that Jeremiah offered God’s promise: “I know the plans I have for you … plans for your welfare and not for your harm, to give you a future and a hope.” They were not easy words to hear. Jeremiah promised that God had a plan that was certain and inevitable. But it would not unfold on Israel’s timetable. It would not simply undo Israel’s hardship. Yet the promise stood: God would fully restore His people and bring them out of their desperate situation, but He would not do it in the way any of them would have planned it. With that in mind, it’s noteworthy that God speaks in Jeremiah 29:13–14 and says, “You will find me, if you seek me with all your heart … and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you.” The blessing (the restoration) is directly tied to being in right relationship with God. And being in right relationship flows from seeking “with all your heart.” All along we had heard Jeremiah 29 like we were listening to Hananiah—as if God would work out everything for my benefit in the near future and in ways that made sense to me. Yet this promise still stand true, the blessing will be as beautiful as it is stated in God’s word because God doesn’t lie, but in God’s time table. Our exiles will prompt us to seek God wholeheartedly. Our future will begin when we turn our heart towards God. “Hope and a future” is a Hebrew form that could be rendered, “a future full of hope. The Lord here places considerable emphasis on His unchangeable plan to bring peace and not evil. A future . . . a hope: God had not terminated His relationship with us; He remembered His covenant promises of restoration; but on His timetable, in His plan that is totally different to what we have imagined, and have made us a much better, more Christ like child of God.
