âJeremiah 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 Zedekiahâs ambassadors to Nebuchadnezzar. This is what Jeremiahâs letter said: This is what the Lord of Heavenâs Armies, the God of Israel, says to all the captives he has exiled to Babylon from Jerusalem: âBuild 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.â This is what the Lord of Heavenâs Armies, the God of Israel, says: âDo not let your prophets and fortune-tellers who are with you in the land of Babylon trick you. Do not listen to their dreams, because they are telling you lies in my name. I have not sent them,â says the Lord. This is what the Lord says: âYou will be in Babylon for seventy years. But then I will come and do for you all the good things I have promised, and I will bring you home again. For I know the plans I have for you,â says the Lord. âThey are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,â says the Lord. âI will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.â You claim that the Lord has raised up prophets for you in Babylon. But this is what the Lord says about the king who sits on Davidâs throne and all those still living here in Jerusalemâyour relatives who were not exiled to Babylon. This is what the Lord of Heavenâs Armies says: âI will send war, famine, and disease upon them and make them like bad figs, too rotten to eat. Yes, I will pursue them with war, famine, and disease, and I will scatter them around the world. In every nation where I send them, I will make them an object of damnation, horror, contempt, and mockery. For they refuse to listen to me, though I have spoken to them repeatedly through the prophets I sent. And you who are in exile have not listened either,â says the Lord. Therefore, listen to this message from the Lord, all you captives there in Babylon. This is what the Lord of Heavenâs Armies, the God of Israel, says about your prophetsâAhab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiahâwho are telling you lies in my name: âI will turn them over to Nebuchadnezzar for execution before your eyes. Their terrible fate will become proverbial, so that the Judean exiles will curse someone by saying, âMay the Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon burned alive!â For these men have done terrible things among my people. They have committed adultery with their neighborsâ wives and have lied in my name, saying things I did not command. I am a witness to this. I, the Lord, have spoken.ââ
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Strategic way to live in exile
1. Settle down : be productive; engage with the world with your faith. But never losing sight of your relationship with God. Live your life with in Godâs laws.
2. Pray: Pray for those that have authority over you. President, senators, congressmen, governors, mayors, law officers etc. Even if they worship other gods (Pagans) or have no belief in God (Heathen). Pray for the so that we may live peaceful lives.