Psalm 100; Jeremiah 50:1–7; Hebrews 13:17–25

Babylon was the enemy of Jerusalem and Jews at the time of Jeremiah. It makes sense, as Babylon had destroyed much of Jerusalem, and taken a majority of the population into exile. It was the big nation with the biggest might. For the Jews, there was no bigger enemy.

While God had allowed Jerusalem to fall as part of the consequence of the Jews’ turning their back on God, this didn’t spare Babylon from the consequences of its own actions. It’s not as if the Jews were the only ones that Babylon conquered. God was not going to leave them be.

This is where Jeremiah’s oracle comes in. Babylon indeed would receive punishment for its actions. This must have provided some comfort to the Jews, at the same time they were still dealing with their own pains. They heard that God would bring consequences upon Babylon, yet they were still dealing with the consequences of their own actions.

The Scriptures are filled with places where people were promised that there would be a deliverer. All too often, the deliverer was in the future. So, people still had to deal with oppression, slavery, exile, and other issues. This can be much like our lives. As we are dealing with troubles, pains, losses, it can seem that such a promise is only a bittersweet wish. Yet, God is faithful and will fulfill all the promises made.

※Prayer※

Lord, help us to have the faith, the trust, do know that you watch over us and care for us. See us through the trials. Amen.