Newsletter May 2020 Part 2
End of lockdown
For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:10-11)
These verses form part of Jeremiah’s letter to the captives in Babylon. The second one (29:11) has, over recent years, become one of the most quoted and printed verses of the entire Bible. It tells us that God cares for us and His desire is that we know His peace and hope for the future – rare commodities in this present crisis. What better time to turn to such an encouraging passage than now? Where else can we find such comfort?
During their time in captivity, the people of Judah needed encouragement, just as we do today. They were becoming discouraged by their ongoing affliction and their focus was turning towards a time when all would be back to normal, when they could return to Jerusalem and rebuild their lives, their homes and their place of worship. Naturally they would embrace any prophetic word that promised them that this time would soon come. Yet God sent Jeremiah with quite a different message – one of delay and endurance in the midst of sorrow and restriction.
Currently much is being said about lifting the lockdown, as many people worry about their future – their jobs, their careers, their personal plans and travel arrangements. If only we could quickly get back to normal! On the other hand, however, we are being warned about the consequences of a premature lifting of restrictions; moving too quickly and extensively could lead to another spike in infections and consequently another, even longer lockdown.
In his letter to the captives, Jeremiah instructs his readers by the Word of the LORD (29:5-6) to build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters—that you may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the Lord for it; for in its peace you will have peace.
Jeremiah’s highly unpopular message captives is to get used to the situation and make the most of it. God would take care of them as they accepted their present limitations and would bless and multiply them even in their captivity. Instead of complaining they were to seek the peace of the city of their captors. They were not to believe the promises of the many prophets and diviners who prophesied falsely in the LORD’s name, promising a quick end to the captivity. God had determined 70 years and His sovereign will could not be changed. The promise of a return to Jerusalem was for a time that they themselves would not live to see.
We pray and trust that this pandemic and the resulting lockdown will come to an end soon. However, God still says, Seek the peace of the city and pray for the world. In due course, when His time is fulfilled, we will return – not to normality, but to a new and better reality. God’s plan is always to bless His people, but we must seek Him and His purpose. It is when we search for Him with all our hearts (29:13) that God can do a new thing. He will allow us to rebuild His house, but it will not be as we knew it, for ‘The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts.” (Haggai 2:9) God is currently shaking the world which He created (v. 7). Things we have trusted in and depended on are crumbling before us.
Let us therefore look to the unchanging God who rules the universe, and let us welcome those who are drawn to His spiritual temple – the Desire of the Nations. He does not dwell in manmade structures but in the hearts of those whom He has redeemed and delivered.