Faith to Go or Remain

After the LORD led David and his men to recover their families and goods from an Amalekite raiding party, David established a statue in Israel that the spoil would be split evenly between those who fought on the field of battle and those who remained behind with the stuff.  Those who went were not to be rewarded more than those who served by staying.  Both played vital roles to the same victorious end, whether they pursued the enemy or protected their position.

God told Abraham to leave his family and country and go to the land God would show him.  He demonstrated faith in God through his obedience to God's command.  It can also be a demonstration of faith to stay and settle when you would rather be elsewhere.  The Jews were taken into captivity in Babylon and God told them it would be for 70 years.  The temptation was to hope the time would be shortened so they could return to the land of their inheritance in Israel, to resist putting down roots in Babylon because they wanted to move on.  What was the point of the drudgery of moving rocks, digging wells, laying foundations, tilling the ground and building fences on property that wasn't your own?  Well, by faith in God is a simple answer.

God spoke through Elasah and Gemariah to His people in Jeremiah 29:4-7:  "Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all who were carried away captive, whom I have caused to be carried away from Jerusalem to Babylon: ⁵ build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit.⁶ Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters--that you may be increased there, and not diminished. ⁷ And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace."  It is important to point out these weren't the only voices God's people heard, for there were many false prophets and diviners who were spouting forth the opposite.  They claimed to have revelations from God in dreams and prophesied in God's name, but He did not send them.  The message preached by Elasah and Gemariah required faith in God to receive and submit to, to stay and send down roots in a foreign land when their preference was to go home.

Knowing the LORD God had sovereignly caused the captivity of His people helped them to walk in obedience to Him.  By faith in God they were enabled to accept the fact they may not live to see the day they would return to Israel, but in seeking the peace of the city where God brought them practically and in prayer they would find peace in the LORD's presence.  Those who trusted and obeyed God, who spent their money and made the effort to put down permanent roots in Babylon, would be fruitful and blessed by God's grace.  Paul's exhortation to servants is fitting for us in Colossians 3:22-24:  "Bondservants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh, not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but in sincerity of heart, fearing God. ²³ And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, ²⁴ knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ."  I expect many who were slaves could think of little else but obtaining freedom, yet they could stay in that role and be made fruitful by faith in God Who grants the "reward of the inheritance."  There is no one more free than those set free by faith in Jesus Christ.