Back in 930 BC, after King Solomon died, there was an acrimonious split in the nation of Israel. It wasn’t a 50-50 split. Two kingdoms emerged. The northern kingdom of Israel (later known as Samaria) which comprised ten tribes, and the southern kingdom of Judah comprising the other two tribes (Judah and Benjamin), of which Jerusalem became the capital. Israel was conquered by the Assyrians in 722 BC and exiled - the ten tribes were lost.
In 586 BC the kingdom of Judah was conquered by the Babylonians – God allowed it after repeatedly warning them through the prophets to turn away from their offensive idol worship and the evil horrors that went with it. The city, and the temple Solomon had built, were destroyed. Most of the population was carried off into slavery to the city of Babylon.
The prophet Jeremiah was in prison at the time, starving to death, but the conquering Babylonians released him and showed him great kindness. He was permitted to stay behind and settled in Mizpah in the territory of Benjamin.
Jeremiah’s prophecies were focused messages to the Jews in exile in Babylon, explaining the disaster of exile as God's response to Israel's pagan worship. The people, said Jeremiah, were like an unfaithful wife and rebellious children, their infidelity and rebelliousness made judgment inevitable, which is why they ended up in Babylon. Jeremiah reminded the exiles that they were not coming home any time soon. They were going to be kept in exile where they would learn a total dependence upon God in their powerlessness and learn to be the blessing they were called into existence to be (i.e. Genesis 12). This was a terrifying ordeal for them. But Jeremiah, although outlining in very stark terms the reasons for their hared predicament, also added a compassionate encouragement in his writings when he prophesied …
Jeremiah 29:4-11 This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. 6 Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. 7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." ... When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. 11 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.
In short, God was saying to the exiled Israelites, “You aren’t getting out of this until you learn to become the people I called you to be. But there will come a time, when I have refined you and you have sincerely turned back to me, when I will do a new thing in you, and it will be a wonderful thing.” Jeremiah prophesied restoration and a new covenant coming.
COVID 19 is not God’s punishment on the world, or His church. But in some ways we are in a difficult place with many circumstances beyond our control during this COVID 19 ‘exile’, and I believe God is teaching the church to depend upon Him more and more – and not its own resources or expertise. Just as Israel had to learn to be God’s people in a difficult place and “seek the shalom of the city” and not focus on itself, or its rights and so on, so the church must focus on seeking the shalom of the city, too, and do all it can to be a blessing to it. The church is called to bring God’s shalom down on the cities of the world … not protest its rights.
In the process, as frustrating and as painful as it may feel for us of late, and as costly as that is, we are the salt and light – and more! We make a difference, and become a beacon of hope in the darkness, when we stay with those of the world and seek the shalom of God for all.
I know the ancient scenario is not the same as we’re experiencing right now, but there are lessons here for us. We need to settle down, and get on about the tasks of life as best we can in the difficult circumstances as if working “unto the Lord” (Col. 3:23), and trust that He is doing a new thing in us – and preparing the new future for us. A really good future. He has planned it.
“For I know the plans I have for you! Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Be encouraged!
Seek the shalom of the city, and let’s be well and truly ready for the new future God is planning.
Selah!
Ps Milton