One of the consistent messages that Jeremiah has been proclaiming that has been recorded for us in our recent studies of Jeremiah is that the people who have been captured by the Babylonians are not returning soon. False prophets have been proclaiming that the captured people as well as the captured articles of the temple would return in two years (cf. Jeremiah 27:16; 28:3-4). Instead of a quick reversal, God has proclaimed that the nations will serve Babylon through many of Babylon’s kings (cf. Jeremiah 27:6-7). So what should the people who have been exiled in Babylon do while they live there? What should be their attitude toward living away from their homeland, longing to return? In particular, what should they do in Babylon and what should be their attitude toward Babylon while in exile? We are going to look at what they are told to do while in Babylon because we live in similar circumstances in this way: we are told that our citizenship is in heaven while we wait here for our Savior to return (cf. Philippians 3:20-21). But what should we do while we wait for Jesus’ return and what should be our attitude toward the world and toward the city while we wait?
Settle In The City (Jeremiah 29:1-6)
Jeremiah 29 opens with Jeremiah sending a letter to the exiles who were living in Babylon. In fact, we read in Daniel 9:1-2 that Daniel had read this letter that Jeremiah sent. So what is God’s message to everyone who was now living in Babylonian exile? The first message is to settle in the city (Jeremiah 29:4-6). Jeremiah’s letter tells the exiles to build houses and live in them. Plant gardens and eat the produce. Get married and have children. You will notice that God’s first message is to simply live life while in Babylon. Be in the city. Build houses. Have jobs. Get married. Have children. Live life.
What I want us to notice is that God did not tell his people to isolate themselves. He does not tell them to hide themselves or insulate themselves. There could have been a temptation to think that they needed to avoid the city altogether. But God’s message was to settle in the city. I want us to think about how Jesus taught us to do the same thing while we wait for his return.
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. 14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 5:13-16 ESV)
Salt does not work in isolation. Salt does not work if it stays in the salt shaker. You will notice that Jesus even directly makes this point when he talks about light. Light is not hidden under a basket. In other words, light is not kept in isolation, hidden away from everyone else. Rather, light is placed in a way for all to see. Notice the point Jesus makes about this in Matthew 5:16. “Let your light shine before others.” The light has to be in the room to affect the darkness. Have you ever accidentally done this with a flashlight? If you turn on a flashlight and stand it face down, it has absolutely no effect. The light is on but it is not doing anything. A light that is not shining for all to see is not doing anything. Salt that stays in the shaker is not doing anything.
Friends, we are also called to settle in the city. We are not called to isolate ourselves from the world. We are not called to hide ourselves away in fear of the world. Rather, we are called to live in this world as salt and as light. The apostle Paul directly taught this point:
I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. (1 Corinthians 5:9-10 ESV)
The apostle Paul notes that you are not to isolate yourself from the world so that you have no interaction with unbelievers. You are not to insulate yourself so that you are never around the darkness. You have to live in the city. You are called to be salt and light in the city. Do not act like the world, but you must live in the world with the purpose of being salt and light so that people will be affected by you and glorify God (cf. Matthew 5:16). We are to be the light in the city, not run away from the city. Friends, we need to teach our families how to handle living in the city. We need to teach our kids how to be salt and light in the schools and on the job. We need to teach them what the city is so that we can prepare our families to shine as light in the city. Don’t hide from the city. Settle in the city.
Seek The Welfare of the City (Jeremiah 29:7)
Notice what else God tells the people to do in the city through Jeremiah’s letter. Look at Jeremiah 29:7. “Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile.” Now I want us to appreciate what God just told his people to do while they are in Babylon. Babylon is a worldly city. Babylon is the city that has invaded their home nation and captured them, exiling them there. Babylon would be everything that you did not like. You would want Babylon to go away. You would want Babylon to not exist so that you could be back at your home and back in your land. But God’s directions to the people is not to overthrow the city. God’s directions are not to attack the city. God’s directions are not to fight the city. Rather, seek the good of the city. Seek the peace of the city. Seek the welfare of the city in which you are exiled.
Do we see any examples of this in the scriptures? We see many examples of this teaching. When Joseph was in Egypt, he did not try to destroy Egypt but was the reason Egypt was rescued. God not only revealed the interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream but also gave him the wisdom to know how to administer the seven years of plenty and the seven years of famine so that Egypt would survive the terrible time that was coming. Consider a person of faith like Daniel who served first as a ruler over Babylon (cf. Daniel 2:48) and in one of the highest positions under King Darius for Persia (cf. Daniel 6:1-3). Daniel was seeking the welfare of two world empires during his lifetime. Think about a man of faith like Nehemiah. Nehemiah was a cupbearer for King Artaxerxes of Persia (cf. Nehemiah 2:1). This means it was Nehemiah’s job to protect the king from being poisoned. Nehemiah’s job was to seek the welfare of the king and the city. Nehemiah’s light was shining so strongly in Persia that when Nehemiah was downcast because of the condition of Jerusalem, King Artaxerxes took notice and helped Nehemiah go rebuild the walls of the city. If Nehemiah had not been seeking the welfare of the city, this opportunity would have never come to him. We see that we can be faithful to God and seek the welfare of the city. We sometimes skip over the lengthy greetings that Paul gives at the end of his letters. But I want you to pay attention to one of the names of a person we do not know and consider what is said about him.
Erastus, the city treasurer, and our brother Quartus, greet you. (Romans 16:23 ESV)
Paul is writing to the Christians in Rome. We are not specifically told which city in the Roman Empire in which Erastus is the city treasurer. It is generally believed that Paul wrote the book of Romans from Corinth. But Erastus, if he lived in Corinth or whatever other city in the Roman Empire, did not isolate himself from the city. He settled in the city and was seeking the welfare of the city so that he could be the salt and light where he lived.
I want to remind us about the the island of Crete in which Paul sent Titus to work preaching the gospel. We are told that the reputation for Crete is not good. The reputation is that they are always liars, evil beasts, and lazy gluttons (cf. Titus 1:12). Paul does not refute this reputation but says that it is true (cf. Titus 1:13). So what should Titus and the Christians who live in Crete do while living on this vile island?
Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. (Titus 3:1-2 ESV)
Paul does not tell these Christians to rebel against their wicked rulers and authorities. Rather, please listen to what Paul tells them to do. Be submissive. Be obedient. Be ready for every good work. Speak evil of no one. Avoid quarreling and fighting. Be gentle. Show perfect courtesy and gentleness to all people. Don’t fight the city. Seek the welfare of the city. Do good in the city. Show Christ in the city. Be God’s people in the city. Don’t act like the city.
Pray For the City (Jeremiah 29:7)
What is the final instruction in verse 7? Not only were the people in Babylon supposed to seek the welfare of the city, but they were also to pray for the city. Pray to the Lord on behalf of the city. Think about how it changes your outlook when you pray for those who have harmed you. Babylon has taken these people from their homes and placed them in Babylon. Clearly they were not to pray for Babylon’s destruction because they were to seek the welfare of the city. This is further underscored by what the letter says at the end of verse 7. Pray for the city because it will go well for you when it goes well for the city. If the city has peace and prosperity, then you also will have peace and prosperity. So pray for the welfare of the city. This is also a repeated teaching in the New Testament. Jesus directly commanded for us to love and pray for our enemies (cf. Matthew 5:44). But listen to what Paul commanded Christians to do:
First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:1-4 ESV)
The apostle Paul also taught to pray for the welfare of the city. Paul says to pray for all people. Notice who this includes. This prayer includes kings, rulers, and all who are in high positions. Pray that we can lead peaceful and quiet lives. Pray that we can live godly, honorable, and reverent lives. So we pray that God will bless America but we understand that America needs to turn and worship the Lord. Our prayer for the welfare of the city and the welfare of this country is that our city and our country would seek the Lord. We are praying for people to realize they need their Lord and Savior Jesus. We are praying that people will see the confusion, the pain, the emptiness, and the anger of our culture and realize that these things are the result of removing the Lord from our culture. We pray for all who are in any position of authority that we can continue to live quiet lives, sharing the gospel and showing Jesus everywhere we go each day.
Friends, we are called to have a heart for the city. We are to care for the people in this city and in this nation. We are not to run away and hide from the city. We are to show Jesus to the city. We are to seek the welfare of the city, doing good to others while we live the gospel and teach the gospel. We are to pray for the city. Pray for its repentance. Pray for the city to turn their eyes toward the Lord. Pray that our leaders will allow us to live quiet lives proclaiming the gospel. Even if the city is evil, we are a people who do not resist the city but do good, live right, not speaking evil, being gentle, and working to save every soul because God loves and wants every person to be saved in the city. Have a heart for the city and do your part to be salt and light.