The resources God has given us to live a thriving life are His Word, Spirit, and People.
Read God’s Word:
Jeremiah 51, Psalm 137
Act 2: God’s Covenant People
Scene 8: Exile: God Disciplines His People
Background Information: Jeremiah 51, Psalm 137
Why does Jeremiah go on and on in such great detail about the fall of Babylon? As you read, you might think, “I get it! Move on!” But these words were originally for a doomed nation. This chapter is not too long when you consider that it was read to the King of Babylon to give details of the fall of his country. Each detail would sting and cause alarm or anger as it was read. Jeremiah had spent years prophesying about the fall of Judah at the hands of Babylon. Now his prophetic judgment focus has shifted to Babylon. You read these words sitting in your home, perhaps sipping coffee. In your setting ,they seem overly dramatic and redundant. Now put yourself into the original setting as much as you can. Jeremiah spoke these words from God. A written copy of them was taken by Baruch’s brother, Seraiah, with him into Babylon. Seraiah was the quartermaster, which meant he was in charge of logistics for the supplies of the exiles as they were taken into Babylonian captivity. When he arrived in Babylon, he read Jeremiah’s words aloud to the Babylonian officials, and then he performed an acted parable: he threw the scroll into the river. In under fifty years, the Babylonians, who had crushed nations, were crushed by the Persians. Some who heard these words were likely still alive at that time. A copy of these words survived, which is how we are reading it today. Maybe copies were distributed among the exiles in Babylon and read to their Babylonian neighbors. Only God knows how many Babylonians were impacted by the words of this chapter and turned to him in faith as they saw their nation destroyed, just as had been prophesied. Additionally, this is just a part of what God was doing in Babylon. Daniel and his friends in forced exile would be used by God to impact the entire nation and to turn many Babylonians towards faith in him. Don’t read this chapter as an exercise in poetic redundancy; read it remembering that God was, and is, at work among the nations. This is a historical document marking the rise and fall of nations. Those nations were made of people, just like you. People who mattered to God, just as you matter to him. Just as the people you will encounter today, many living far from God, matter to him.
Pray:
Praise God for…
Thank God for…
Confess your sins to God
Ask God to encourage and instruct River leaders during the small group training today.
Ask God for… (what else concerns you?)
Reflect:
Write down one passage of scripture that stood out to you today.
Write down why this passage stood out to you.
Engage Community:
Text or call someone now and tell them…
– What you are praying for.
– What stood out from God’s word today.