Today, I am reading and commenting on  Jeremiah 28-30 .

Every year when I read this passage I find myself focusing on Jeremiah’s letter to those who were already in exile in Babylon.  This year will be no different.  Today, I think of the message in the context of the fuss over the use of the term “Christian nationalism”.   Jeremiah tells those already exiled to pray for the peace and prosperity of the land in which they find themselves, because the prosperity of that land will be their prosperity.  But Jeremiah also tells them that the land is not their home, their first loyalty lies elsewhere.  In His time, God will bring them to His land and His Kingdom.  So, we should seek peace and prosperity for the land in which God has placed us, but that land is not God’s country.

In that same letter to those in exile, Jeremiah speaks about those still living in Jerusalem.  Jeremiah tells them that God has sent prophets to the King and the rest of those living in Jerusalem, but that they have refused to listen to them.  Further, those in exile are also refusing to listen to the prophets whom God is sending, instead choosing to listen to those who tell them what they want to hear.  I conclude from this that while some of those who use the term “Christian Nationalism” may use it in ways that are consistent with God’s will for His people, we should not use that term because too many will interpret it to mean that our nation is God’s nation and that serving its interests is the same as serving God’s interest.  No earthly nation is God’s nation and we cannot determine what God’s interests are by looking at the interests of any specific nation.  So, seek peace and prosperity for the land and people among whom you reside, but never forget that it is not your home.

I use the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.