RTW 2024

Jeremiah wrote a letter from Jerusalem to the elders, priests, prophets, and all the people who had been exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. This was after King Jehoiachin, the queen mother, the court officials, the other officials of Judah, and all the craftsmen and artisans had been deported from Jerusalem. He sent the letter with Elasah son of Shaphan and Gemariah son of Hilkiah when they went to Babylon as King Zedekiah’s ambassadors to Nebuchadnezzar. This is what Jeremiah’s letter said:

This is what the LORD of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: “Build homes, and plan to stay. Plant gardens, and eat the food they produce. Marry and have children. Then find spouses for them so that you may have many grandchildren. Multiply! Do not dwindle away! And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”

Jeremiah 29:1-7

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.
Jeremiah 29:11

• Jeremiah is about God’s judgment on His people. 
• They are judged for their apostasy. 
• They are judged for their false assurance. 
• They are judged for their ungodliness. 
• Judgment took the form of exile. 
• Jeremiah is also about a future hope. 
• Judgment and exile are not the end. 
• Jeremiah is about the battle between the truth of God and the false messages of the world. 
• But most of all, Jeremiah is an explanation of the purpose of the exile. 
• God did it. 
• God put His people in Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar did not. 
• God has purpose in the exile.
• God wants His people to return to Him. 
• God wants His people to seek Him. 
• God wants His people to pray to Him. 
• The exiles’ hope is in their return…to God and to Jerusalem. 
• God tells the exiles to seek the welfare of the city for their own good. 
• He wants His people to be strong in seventy years. 
• He has covenant promises to keep….they need to be ready. 
• We live as exiles, but not in judgment. 
• We live in Babylon, but our home is the Kingdom. 
• We do not know when our exile will end. 
• It could end today. 
• We need to remember the reason for our hope…and share!

Remember that we are exiles. Don’t get too comfortable here.