Slices
Prepare
Consider what you think you should be doing as you wait for Jesus to return.
Bible passage
A letter to the exiles
29 This is the text of the letter that the prophet Jeremiah sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders among the exiles and to the priests, the prophets and all the other people Nebuchadnezzar had carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 (This was after King Jehoiachin and the queen mother, the court officials and the leaders of Judah and Jerusalem, the skilled workers and the craftsmen had gone into exile from Jerusalem.) 3 He entrusted the letter to Elasah son of Shaphan and to Gemariah son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon. It said:
4 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.’ 8 Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. 9 They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,’ declares the Lord.
10 This is what the Lord says: ‘When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfil 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. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,’ declares the Lord, ‘and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.’
Explore
In 597 bc, King Jehoiachin and other key leaders were exiled by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon (2 Kings 24:8–17). Another (more devastating) exile occurred later in his reign. Jeremiah writes to these first exiles before the subsequent ones. His message is very different from what he’s been saying to Judah up until then. He tells the exiles to settle in Babylon, live normal lives there, seeking the well-being of the Babylonians, and it will go well with them (vs 4–9). God then promises to gather them back to Judah (vs 10–14). As before, we have two horizons here. There is the return to Judah some decades later (see Ezra and Nehemiah) and then there is the new creation, so this is a pattern for us today as we wait for Jesus to return.
How does this passage help in waiting for Jesus to return and bring about his promised new creation? How does it affect your work, relationships, family and church life?
Note the famous verse that God has ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’ (v 11) is part of his promise to bring people back to the land (in our case the new creation). It can’t be used as a straightforward promise for material comfort in this life.
Respond
Dwell on the promise of the new creation then reflect on what that knowledge means for your life and work in your community today.
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: 2 Samuel 21,22; 1 Corinthians 9
Pray for Scripture Union
HR Assistant Nicola Kinkaid asks us to pray that she will fulfil her role with wisdom and compassion, and will have discernment in supporting staff, especially in sensitive or complex situations. Pray that she will help to foster a healthy, encouraging and Christ-centred workplace culture.
Because a strong start begins with smart preparation
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