When the temple fell, Israel lost the visible symbol of God’s presence—but not His presence itself. In exile, they learned to gather around Scripture, prayer, and community. That’s actually where the early roots of the synagogue began.

Sometimes God removes what’s familiar so He can rebuild something enduring. Without Babylon, Israel may never have become a people of the Book—and without that, there would be no foundation for Jesus, the Word made flesh.

“Seek the peace and prosperity of the city…” came before “I know the plans I have for you.” God’s plan for their future depended on their faithfulness in the present.

That means hope isn’t passive waiting—it’s active witness. God’s people were told to plant gardens, build homes, and pray for their captors. Faith doesn’t flourish by escaping Babylon—it grows by being faithful in Babylon.

In Jerusalem, worship had become routine. In Babylon, it became real. Cut off from the temple, they rediscovered personal and communal prayer—the kind that wrestles and weeps.

Sometimes it takes a season of dislocation to bring us back to conversation with God instead of consumption of religion.