God’s timeout occurred when He exiled the Southern Kingdom of Judah to Babylon 900 years after they entered the promised land. A timeout is an interruption of activity as punishment for misbehavior. Like a good parent, the Lord told the Israelites there were blessings and curses based on their behavior as they entered the promised land. Deuteronomy 28:1If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully keep all his commands that I am giving you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the world.[1]
The Lord gave His people the consequences of rebelling against Him. Deuteronomy 18:15 “But if you refuse to listen to the Lord your God and do not obey all the commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come and overwhelm you. [2] The Lord’s warning was clear, but spiritual erosion occurred over time. Erosion is subtle, and that is why it is so dangerous. Jeremiah, the prophet, warned the people of Judah of exile, but their hearts were so hard they did not repent.
Exile
Exile is when a person or group is displaced from where they want to be. Adam and Eve were exiled from the Garden of Eden when they sinned. Their exile was because of their sin but also for their protection so they would not eat from the tree of life and live forever in a sinful condition.
The early church was persecuted and scattered. When we are exiled, we may feel a sense of loss, abandonment, loneliness, and fear. Sometimes, life changes suddenly, and we may have to relocate far from our home surroundings. Although these times can be challenging, there are many things the Lord can teach us through exile, especially when we look up to Him.
Learning from Exile
As the Israelites rebelled against God, they were looking down and away from God. God would get their attention when they went into exile and called them to look up to Him. Often, during these traumatic times, God removes scales from our eyes. People or nations usually come to the end of themselves in a valley and not on a mountain.
The Lord gave Israel a very insightful assignment. Jeremiah 29:7 And work for the peace and prosperity of the city where I sent you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, for its welfare will determine your welfare.”[3] God wanted them to humble themselves and pray for those around them. In doing so, God would teach them how to follow Him, which was more important than where they lived.
Inviting God into their situation would teach them the importance of depending on God. Seventy years later, God brought Israel out of exile and will do the same for us. Life may not unfold as we want, but we can trust God if we find ourselves in a place we don’t want to be. He will walk with us through the valley. Look up to God because He has good plans for us.
To learn about God’s timeout, listen here:
https://podpoint.com/light-of-christ-church-podcast/exile
[1-3] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Tyndale House Publishers.