Greetings. Here is a reflection on how the grace of God offers us opportunities to attain glory (Romans 2:7) – opportunities that not all of us take advantage of, and that is okay. Well, it is okay in the sense that one can seek after it in a way that does not lead to a harsh, judgmental spirit towards those who settle for other things.
In the early 6th century before Christ, 1:16the Babylonian Empire conquered the southern kingdom of Judah, destroyed Jerusalem and its temple, and deported many of the elite (royal family, priests, etc.) from Judah to Babylon. This traumatic event, known as the Babylonian Exile, raised existential questions for the Jewish people: Had God abandoned his chosen people? Could they worship Him outside the land of promise? (In the theology of the ancient world, deities were closely related to a nation’s geographical borders.) Was the covenant that their fathers Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (and David) made with Yahweh still intact?
Into this confusion, the prophet Jeremiah writes a letter recorded in Jeremiah 29, addressed to the exiles now living under Babylonian rule. Rather than encouraging resistance or rebellion, Jeremiah delivers a stunning and countercultural word from God:
“Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce… Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile” (Jer. 29:5-7).
Instead of resisting their new context, the exiles are told to embrace a generations-long living in Babylon—to engage in ordinary, faithful work, to raise families, and even to pray for the welfare of their God-ordained rulers. This message radically reframes the exile, not as a suspension of God’s plan, but as part of it. God’s presence and blessing are not confined to the land of Israel; He remains with His people, even in the heart of Babylon (see Ezekiel 1:28, 11:16, 37:27).
However, this call is not an endorsement of assimilation or spiritual compromise. The exiles are to remain distinct, holding onto their identity and hope. The longing for Zion—their homeland—persists. Their settling is an act of faithful waiting, not resignation. The exile is not the end of the story; it is a season marked by both suffering and an extension of grace, in which God continues to shape and preserve His people for future restoration.
Later, in Jeremiah 32, the prophet buys a field in Anathoth (a Levitical city in the territory belonging to Benjamin, and only about 3 miles from Jerusalem)—even as Jerusalem is under siege and destruction looms. This purchase, which seems irrational in a time of war, is a prophetic sign: “Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land” (Jer. 32:15). While Jeremiah’s earlier message sanctifies life in exile, this act reorients hope toward return. It is a quiet but bold declaration that the story does not end in Babylon. God’s covenantal faithfulness encompasses not only provision in a foreign land but also restoration to the land of promise. The purchase of land is not only a symbolic gesture but also a sacrament- an offering of faith in God’s faithfulness to keep His promises.
After seventy years in exile, Cyrus, king of Persia (astonishingly titled by Yahweh as “His messiah/annointed one”; Isaiah 45:1) decrees that the Jewish people may return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple (Ezra 1:1-4). This moment marked the fulfillment of God’s promise through Jeremiah (Jer. 29:10), and it was a remarkable opportunity: the chance to restore not only the city but the very center of covenantal worship. However, as the narrative of Ezra and Nehemiah makes clear, not all the exiles chose to return. Ezra 2 lists those who made the journey; a small remnant compared to the whole population of Jews living throughout the Persian Empire. Others, while remaining behind in Babylon or other regions, contributed generously to the effort (Ezra 1:6), providing silver, gold, goods, and livestock.
The texts of Ezra and Nehemiah do not portray those who stayed behind in a negative light, but neither do they commend them – their family names are not recorded for posterity, unlike those of the returning individuals. (For those with time to spare, take a look at the passage from 1 Samuel 30: 21-25. Although the themes are not identical to those of the returning exiles from Babylon, the disposition towards the two disparate groups—those who go off to work or battle and those who stay behind—is instructive.)
This contrast reflects a deeper spiritual reality—echoing the distinction Jesus makes when He says, “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Matt. 22:14). Among God’s people, some respond to His call by embracing the discomfort and uncertainty of obedience. In contrast, others, though sincere, prefer stability over the rigours of sacrificial service. The return to Jerusalem was no easy journey; it was filled with risk, rebuilding amidst rubble, and constant opposition. However, for those who went, it was an adventure of faith—a longing for glory rather than ease, a choosing of eternal significance over present security. Without condemning those who stayed in Babylon, the biblical narrative honors those who answered the more strenuous call. They mirror the pattern of Abraham, who left home for a promise yet unseen (Heb. 11:8-10), and of Christ Himself, who “endured the cross, scorning its shame” (Heb. 12:2), for the joy set before Him.
While many exiles in Ezra and Nehemiah’s day chose to remain in Babylon, comfortable under God’s provisional blessing, the deeper invitation was to participate in the costly work of restoration. The same challenge faces the Church today: will we be content to live as blessed exiles in a foreign culture, or will we long for, labor toward, and live by the promise of return? Our hope does not spring from participating in the blessings found amid exile, but in the godly sorrow and lament that stirs the heart hungry to partake in God’s glory, to see “thy kingdom come, thy will be done…”
For some, Jesus’ words are as haunting as ever: “many are called, but few are chosen” (Matthew 22:14). Who do you want to be – a caretaker generation in Babylon or a Spirit-stirred remnant called to restore and reignite the purpose and calling of God’s temple made without hands (Acts 7:48)?
Christ Tribe 