Jeremiah 48 – 49; Jeremiah 25:15-38; Jeremiah 27:12 – 29:32

Yahweh had called upon the Hebrews to submit to His kingship since He brought them out of Egypt and gave them Canaan. Consistently, they refused and clamored for the reign of a human over them. In the days of the judges, they wanted to be their own kings. In the days of Samuel, they wanted men to reign over them like the nations. Now that He sent them into Babylon while Judah enjoyed a 70-year Sabbath rest, Yahweh commanded them to submit to the Babylonian king. In a twisted irony, they finally refused to submit to the reign of a human over them. In reality, they simply continued to refuse to yield to the sovereignty of Almighty God.

Jeremiah wrote a letter to those captives in Babylon to tell them of Yahweh’s command to settle down and submit to Nebuchadnezzar until Yahweh came and called them home (Jeremiah 29). Yahweh commanded King Zedekiah (Jeremiah 27:12-18) to serve the king of Babylon. False prophets and rebel priests told the people not to do so. Yahweh sent them there for His own purpose and He desired that they obey Him by obeying the rulers over them while they were there. It was a simple submission dilemma.

Like their cousins who descended from Lot through his sons Moab and Ammon, the Hebrews would not accept the kingship of God. The Ammonites worshiped Milcom and the Moabites served Molech, refusing to submit to Yahweh. More closely related were the Edomites, descended from Israel’s own brother, Esau. The Edomites were bitter enemies, attacking constantly. Jeremiah spoke of the judgment coming upon them all as well as Elam, Kedar, Hazor and Damascus, pointing to His judgment upon Jerusalem as a warning.

For behold, I begin to work disaster at the city that is called by my name, and shall you go unpunished? You shall not go unpunished, for I am summoning a sword against all the inhabitants of the earth, declares the LORD of hosts.’ “You, therefore, shall prophesy against them all these words, and say to them: “‘The LORD will roar from on high, and from his holy habitation utter his voice; he will roar mightily against his fold, and shout, like those who tread grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth. The clamor will resound to the ends of the earth, for the LORD has an indictment against the nations; he is entering into judgment with all flesh, and the wicked he will put to the sword, declares the LORD.’

Jeremiah 25:29-31

Why? For the same simple reason as Judah. All of them had rejected Yahweh as their sovereign God and formed images out of wood and metal and worshiped what God had created rather than God Himself. The whole world has a submission problem.

Now, we find ourselves in the Kingdom of God’s Beloved Son (Colossians 1:13-14), citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20) and mere sojourners in the kingdoms of the earth called to submit to ruling authorities.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation. Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme, or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

1 Peter 2:9-17

Christians are in the same situation as the Hebrews in exile. Sojourners and aliens called to submit to earthly kings while in submission to the King of kings. All of this is to glorify God and point the lost to Him. Like the exiles in Babylon, we are called to submit in the place where God has placed us so that we will be blessed and be a blessing.

But seek the welfare (“shalom’) of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare (“shalom”) you will find your welfare (“shalom”).

Jeremiah 29:7

Do you see that? Seek the peaceful welfare (“shalom”) of the city the Divine Sovereign Yahweh has put you. He have planted you there to be a prayerful blessing to the place where His people live (not exclusively Israel or the U.S., but Babylon, China, Iran, Russia and everywhere. We are not here to disrupt, but to bring the peace of God. In so doing, the God of peace will give peace (“shalom”) to His people. If we submit.

Consider His nature.  Consider His ways.  Strive to love Him more!