Taken to Babylon

Let’s set the scene for the above verses: It’s around 600 BC, and you’re living in Judea, in Jerusalem, under the reign of King Jehoiakim. Your city is surrounded on all sides and under siege by the absolutely massive heathen army of Babylon, who are unmatched in power, ferociousness, barbarism, and cruelty. What would your natural desires and inclination be? Would you pray to remain in Jerusalem and escape being taken away as a captive to Babylon? I don’t know about you, but that would very likely be my prayer and wishes. I could only imagine the horror and atrocities of being carried away as a slave of the heathen army who did not know God or practice anything remotely like treating people (let alone slaves) with compassion or humanity. I also would likely have prayed to be allowed to escape to somewhere else that I thought would be safe.

But again, our ways are not the Lord’s ways, and our thoughts are not His thoughts (Isa 55:8–9; Rev 15:3; Psa 25:4; Pro 3:5; Rom 11:33)—we must rely on the instructions God gives us in Scripture.[1] It is the only way we know for sure what is right or wrong, good or bad, and also what the will of God is. We read in Jeremiah 24 that God viewed those who would be taken away into captivity as “good figs” and those who stayed behind (who expected to escape the hardships of slavery) as “bad figs.”

Even further, the Lord pronounced a curse and a woe against those who remained in the land and against those who fled to Egypt, where they thought (using human reasoning and logic) that they would be safe instead of being taken to Babylon as captives. The Lord’s instructions, in this case, go completely contrary to our natural, fleshly thoughts, inclinations, and instincts!

This demonstrates that what we think is best is not always what the Lord knows is best for us. And it demonstrates that His ways and thoughts are higher and different than ours (Isa 55:8–9). This example can serve to remind us to place our complete faith and trust in the Lord (and the Word of God), even when we don’t understand what is happening to or around us or why it is happening. Simply obeying the Lord by following the instructions (commandments) we have in Scripture can remove a big source of anxiety (Jer 42:6).

CHAPTER PRAYER

Almighty Lord of Hosts, thank You for Your love, mercy, and grace! Thank You for helping me understand Your Word. Help me remember that You are God and I am not, that Your ways are higher than our ways, and that Your thoughts are higher than our thoughts. Help me trust You when I don’t see how You are working in and through me or the things that happen around me. Help me rely on You for guidance and wisdom and be obedient to Your commandments even when I am faced with evil and corrupt men all around me. Help me fully understand that You came so we can have life and have it abundantly. Help me follow You even when it looks like Your way is difficult. May Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.