LIVING IN EXILE DEVOTIONAL

WHAT IS EXILE?

Day 1 Exile Defined
Read Jeremiah 29:5-7

The definition of exile in the dictionary is the state of being barred from one’s native country, typically for political or punitive reasons. The Israelites were captured and many were taken to Babylon, away from their home that God had promised them. As a Christian, our true home is in Heaven and not here on earth. So, if our true home is in Heaven, anywhere other than Heaven is exile for us.

What does exile look like? For some it may look like a happy family, fulfilling job, close friends, active church life, and any other positive and encouraging things you can think of. For others it may look like the loss of a loved one, a job that they hate, a spouse they don’t get along with, forced labor, and any other bad or uncomfortable things you can think of. For the Israelites it was being conquered by Babylon. 2 Kings 24:14 says that they took all the fighting men, skilled laborers and artisans into exile. Only the poorest were left in their homeland.

Throughout the time of the prophets, God continually warned the Israelites and her kings to turn back to following God and His ways. They didn’t obey, so God acted as He promised. They were conquered and taken into captivity, but God wasn’t done. Jeremiah 29:5-7 lists out instructions to the Israelites in Babylonian exile.
Why would God tell the exiles to “Live long and Prosper” as Spock would say?

If they are prospering and growing as a people, they will become stronger as a people.
If they are working with the Babylonians, they will not be seen as adversaries and be trusted more.
If they are growing in number and trusted more, there is not a need for the Babylonians to fear the Israelites.

Then when God is ready to call them home, they are strong and prepared to live in and defend their City. He also instructs them to pray to the Lord thus keeping their devotion to the true God and not bowing to the Babylonian gods. He was already showing His grace and mercy on them by providing a plan for them, even in captivity. They just needed to follow it. God wants us to do the same. Keep praying to God and seeking Him. Then when he is ready for us to come home, He will bring us home.

Prayer
Lord, help me as I seek You and Your will for my life while I am here on Earth. May I be an example of Your grace and mercy to anyone I meet.

Day 2 Why Was Israel in Exile?
Read Isaiah 1, Jeremiah 2

All throughout the Old Testament, the Israelites flip flopped between trusting God then abandoning their faith and turning away from God. This starts in Exodus as they are leaving Egypt and continues through the reigns of Saul, David, Solomon and the kings after. A regular cycle of trust God, gain their own confidence, think they can do it on their own, and turn away from God. Lather, rinse, repeat…

All throughout the lives of the prophets mentioned in the Bible, the Israelites are warned of what would happen if they continued. Isaiah Chapter 1 describes what the Israelites are doing and what God thinks of it. He didn’t hold back. He was not happy with how they were living. They had abandoned the instructions given to them. God had given them specific instructions for every aspect of their lives. When they followed those instructions, they lived prosperously and were not defeated in battles.

Jeremiah 2 shares God’s displeasure with the Israelites. It feels like God lamenting toward the Israelites. He fondly remembers them in their infancy and how he protected them, but the Israelites acted like spoiled brats and rebelled against Him. They didn’t even think about asking God for help. As you read more of the prophets, He continually warned them.

Unfortunately, they continued to rebel against those instructions, and God warned them over and over and over and over. He finally had to act to get their attention. He led them into exile in Babylon by allowing them to be defeated by the Babylonians.
Does this sound familiar? Does your life mimic the Israelites? What are some things you can change in your life today?

Prayer
Lord, reveal in my life how I am like the Israelites and help me turn to You in repentance and move forward in Your grace and mercy. Amen

Day 3 How Are We Like the Israelites?
Read 1 Corinthians 10: 31-33

A question from yesterday was: “How does your life mimic the Israelites?”” Some of you reading this have probably never thought about how your life was similar to the Israelites story. Others reading this will probably say, “Well, let me count the ways…”

As I have been reading the Old Testament, I see my own life in the life of the Israelites. My own rebellion. My own pride. My own denial of the truth. I am no different than the Israelites. Really, we all are no different than the Israelites. The purpose of this devotion is to bring that realization to light.

Going back to the question from yesterday, do you remember what you thought about in your own life? How did that feel to acknowledge your own turning against God at times? Or did that question slip by and now you are pondering it?

We live the same cycle of dependance on God, obedience to God, reliance on self, turning away from God’s path, suffering, then turning back to God. When, in reality, we still need God’s guidance to keep us moving on the right path.

God calls us to seek Him continually. Not just when things are going wrong, or going right, but ALL the time. When we are seeking God, He is taking care of our needs and guiding us along the right path.
What specifically do you need to confess to God and ask Him to return you to the right path?

Prayer
Lord, You are working in my life in ways I do not know or understand. Help me to stay the course and allow you to mold me. Amen.

Day 4 Why Would the Christian Life be Considered the Same as Living in Exile?
Read 1 Corinthians 10 1-5, John 17:13-19

When we consider where our ultimate home is, Heaven, then we recognize that we are not at home here on Earth. We are not where God has intended us to live in eternity. Paul regularly describes to the early churches things they should be doing to stay on the path that God has prepared for them.

In effect, we are in exile. We are not home or where we are intended to reside eternally. Yes, we are eternal beings. We are not temporal, even though our bodies fail us and this is all we have known to date. We were created to live eternally and commune with God. Is this a new concept to you or have you known this for a while? Either way, does that fact change how you view where you live and what you look like? Does it change the importance of the things of Earth?

If we are eternal beings then what we do here doesn’t matter, right? Wrong. What we do here impacts how we will live eternally. I like how 1 Timothy 6: 17-19 in the NIV puts it. ‘Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.’

While you may not consider yourself rich, most of us are blessed beyond what we need. How we use what God has gifted us with shows how much we trust and rely on Him and how we store up treasures in heaven as Matthew 6:19-20 says. Tomorrow we will discuss how we are to live in exile.

Prayer
Lord, show me what my eternal life looks like. Help me to live for that kingdom and not of this world. Show me where I need to change my behavior and focus. I want to live like you intended, Amen.

Day 5 How Should We Live in Exile?
Read 1 Corinthians 10:14-32, Jeremiah 29:5-7

So far, we have learned what exile is, how the Israelites ended up in exile, how we are like the Israelites, and that we are also living in exile. What do we do with that? How should we be living here on Earth? Romans 12:2 puts it this way: ‘Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.’

The prophet Jeremiah instructed the Israelites to build houses, plant gardens, marry and have sons and daughters, increase in number, seek peace and prosperity and pray for the prosperity of the land you are living in. Why? Jeremiah 29: 10-14 says: ‘This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord , “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord , “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”

God had bigger plans for the Israelites and He has bigger plans for us. So how should we be living? Paul gives us some guidance in 1 Corinthians 10:14 – flee from idolatry. What are we putting above or is more important than God? Verses 23-30 describes that everything is permissible, but not everything is beneficial. Just because we can, doesn’t mean we should. We are to be setting an example to those around us and those whom we encounter. We should be eating with our neighbors, regularly mingling with those around us, and showing God’s hospitality. For each of us that looks different, so follow God’s leading and it will come to you.

As the Israelites were set apart and God gave them rules to help them stand out, we too are set apart. The difference is we have only 2 rules. Love the Lord our God with all of our strength and love our neighbor as ourself. If we do those two things, we will live here on earth in ways that is storing up treasures in Heaven.

Prayer
Lord help me to love you with all of my strength and to love my neighbor. You know my shortcomings and my challenges. You have accounted for them in what you have asked me to do. Help me find the courage to follow You and be obedient. Amen.