Saturday, 27 May 2023

Jeremiah 29:1-9 – Be exemplary witnesses of God

The inevitable had happened. As God had warned, Nebuchadnezzar took the priest the prophets, and the people into captivity in Babylon. And there they were in exile. In the previous chapter, we saw how Hananiah the false prophet prophesied that within two years they would be released. His message contradicted that of Jeremiah, and he was proven to be false. So he died in the same year and Judah was still in exile. 

A mixture of people was to be expected among the captives. There were priests, prophets, and even some false prophets like Hananiah who continued to propagate lies. Then there were the ordinary Jews, some were still hopeful and a whole of others despairing hopelessly. It was in a time when the people needed to be enlightened and encouraged. So we see Jeremiah writing to them with those purposes to keep their hope in the Lord alive. 

The letter was written shortly “after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the court officials, the princes of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen and the smiths had departed from Jerusalem.” The two people who carried the letter were Elasah and Gemariah. They delivered it to Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon to be read to the people.

The letter he wrote began by reminding them that it was the Lord who had sent them into exile. Hence, they were encouraged in verses to accept their present situation. They were advised firstly to live life as normal as possible.  Firstly, they were to “Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease.” They were urged to continue to grow their population even though they were in captivity and not to allow their number to dwindle. They must build toward a strong future.

Secondly, they were to seek the welfare of Babylon, be peacemakers and not trouble-makers. Jeremiah urged that they remember to pray to the Lord for them.  The well-being of Babylon would also be beneficial for them. Babylon’s welfare was also their welfare.  And thirdly, they were told not to listen to the false prophets and diviners who were prophesying lies in the Lord’s name. God assured them that He did not send or speak through them.

The message: Be good and exemplary citizens even though our world is by and large secular in orientation. We must live lives in such a way that would make our set-apart community strong. As God’s redemptive agents and must keep witnessing and bearing to the Good News of Jesus Christ and expand the Kingdom of God. Put Paul's urging in 1 Timothy 2:1-4 into action. “First of all,  (let)… entreaties and prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,  who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” We must intercede for our government and our nation. And as we do our best to be exemplary citizens, don’t be influenced by false teaching and indulge in their errors. Stay faithful to God all the way.

 

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