Waiting in Exile
“And if you call on Him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”
—1 Peter 1:17-19
If Christianity were a movie, it would be the sequel after the first installment entitled “Judaism.” Christianity explains all of the questions left open at the end of Judaism and features Jesus as the hero. There is a great deal within Christianity that finds its root in Judaism—including the concept of exile. Exile is a term a bit unfamiliar to contemporary minds, but for those in the ancient world, exile was a term all too familiar.
Because of their idolatry, God sent the nation of Israel into exile in Babylon for seventy years (Jeremiah 25:1-12). While they were in Babylon, the nation of Israel was instructed to seek the peace and prosperity of the city because their blessing was intimately tied to Babylon’s (Jeremiah 29:7). After seventy years passed, God would bring forth the nation, blessing them in fantastic ways (Jeremiah 29:10-14). However, until that time, they were to continually seek the blessing of Babylon.
In the New Testament, Peter employs similar language for those whom he calls “elect exiles” who have been dispersed throughout the ancient world. But their exile is not in the same sense as ancient ethnic Israel’s—their exile is of a different sort entirely. Peter is referring to believers in Christ, who have been ransomed by the “precious blood of Christ.” In other words, those who have trusted in Christ have been transformed—sins forgiven, Holy Spirit indwelling, and longing for the day when we will see Christ face to face in heaven (1 John 3:2). They are called exiles because they are not of this world; this world is not the believer's home. Believers know that this world is passing away (1 John 2:17) and therefore look to the day when all wrongs will be righted and all tears will be wiped away, when God will manifestly rule and transform the world (see Revelation 21:1-4).
As believers in Christ, we now have heaven as a home (Ephesians 2:19), are ambassadors on His behalf (2 Corinthians 5:20), waiting for our exile in this world to be over, setting our hope on the heavenly city just as Abraham did, “For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”—Hebrews 11:10.
Therefore, since we believe these things will occur in God’s own time, we are to order our lives in light of our heavenly citizenship, waiting for the day when we will be freed from our exile and we will be able to delightfully worship Jesus in everlasting joy forever. May God empower us to use this time fruitfully as we model Christ and faithfully point our families, friends and colleagues to Him so that they too might trust in the one true King of Kings to the joy, honor, and praise of His glorious name, both now and forevermore. Amen.
—1 Peter 1:17-19
If Christianity were a movie, it would be the sequel after the first installment entitled “Judaism.” Christianity explains all of the questions left open at the end of Judaism and features Jesus as the hero. There is a great deal within Christianity that finds its root in Judaism—including the concept of exile. Exile is a term a bit unfamiliar to contemporary minds, but for those in the ancient world, exile was a term all too familiar.
Because of their idolatry, God sent the nation of Israel into exile in Babylon for seventy years (Jeremiah 25:1-12). While they were in Babylon, the nation of Israel was instructed to seek the peace and prosperity of the city because their blessing was intimately tied to Babylon’s (Jeremiah 29:7). After seventy years passed, God would bring forth the nation, blessing them in fantastic ways (Jeremiah 29:10-14). However, until that time, they were to continually seek the blessing of Babylon.
In the New Testament, Peter employs similar language for those whom he calls “elect exiles” who have been dispersed throughout the ancient world. But their exile is not in the same sense as ancient ethnic Israel’s—their exile is of a different sort entirely. Peter is referring to believers in Christ, who have been ransomed by the “precious blood of Christ.” In other words, those who have trusted in Christ have been transformed—sins forgiven, Holy Spirit indwelling, and longing for the day when we will see Christ face to face in heaven (1 John 3:2). They are called exiles because they are not of this world; this world is not the believer's home. Believers know that this world is passing away (1 John 2:17) and therefore look to the day when all wrongs will be righted and all tears will be wiped away, when God will manifestly rule and transform the world (see Revelation 21:1-4).
As believers in Christ, we now have heaven as a home (Ephesians 2:19), are ambassadors on His behalf (2 Corinthians 5:20), waiting for our exile in this world to be over, setting our hope on the heavenly city just as Abraham did, “For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God.”—Hebrews 11:10.
Therefore, since we believe these things will occur in God’s own time, we are to order our lives in light of our heavenly citizenship, waiting for the day when we will be freed from our exile and we will be able to delightfully worship Jesus in everlasting joy forever. May God empower us to use this time fruitfully as we model Christ and faithfully point our families, friends and colleagues to Him so that they too might trust in the one true King of Kings to the joy, honor, and praise of His glorious name, both now and forevermore. Amen.
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