Learning From the Babylonian Exile
But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power Christ may rest upon me. (2 Corinthians 12:9)
A primary Biblical theme is "the last will be first, and the first will be last." "The meek shall inherit the earth." God's embrace of the underdog extends to God's chosen people. In Why the Bible Began, Jacob L. Wright reminds us that God "enabled a small and obscure community located on the periphery of leading civilizations and empires not just to come back from the brink, but ultimately to shape the world's destiny." Instead of lamenting a lack of power, wealth, and control, recognize that God seeks out the weak first.
Jacob Wright reminds us of the devastation of the Jewish exile. "After a long and brutal siege, Babylon's armies finally conquered Jerusalem in the summer of 586 BCE-some 2,600 years ago. The famine had become unbearable." The tiny, former nation of Israel should have become extinct. Any rational observer would have shoveled dirt on the former nation's grave. Yet, God had a surprise for the world and its powerbrokers. While the Babylonians crumbled at the hands of the Persians, the chosen people built a new Temple and, according to Wright, "repaired Jerusalem's ramparts, restoring some semblance of their pride." With larger armies surrounding their valuable land along the trade route, the people survived against all odds.
Instead of wallowing in their loss and shame, the people of Israel, as Wright describes, chose to extol the golden ages of the past. This is a powerful example of how survival begins with a decision to move forward. But it doesn't stop there. Survival transforms into productive success when we nurture human values and believe in a renewed future. In sacred loving care, God guides human memory, helping us see not only our faults but, equally, our value, worth, and the dignity found through our relationship with the Almighty One.
As you read this, take a moment to reflect on your own spiritual journey, as exemplified in your church experiences. Like all groups of people, congregations have their examples of loss and shame, but also joys and reasons for celebration. Like the exiled people of Israel, the Christian Church is in the process of redefining its identity. Pray for the wisdom to name past struggles while embracing the promised future of God's glory. Step forward in the light of God's promise of new life, individual life, and new life in God's Church.