God Never Abandoned His People

This seemed to be the end. For the Jews, it must have felt like the darkest of times. Jerusalem and the temple of God had been destroyed. Their king and many of their people had been taken into exile. Their treasure was gone. Nothing of any value or importance seemed to remain. Their position could have seemed hopeless.

But the Bible tells us that God never abandoned His people. Through their disobedience, idolatry, defiance, and rejection of His laws, they had brought this exile and destruction on themselves.

However, as the prophet Jeremiah (who lived at this time) realized, God’s mercies are new every morning. The Lord’s faithfulness is great, even when we are unfaithful (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Through the time of exile, there continued to be people who sought to follow and obey God. Men like Daniel rose up to be witnesses for Him in the midst of the foreign land.

In many ways, this time of exile served to purify the Jews. It helped them put their lives in perspective and realize what they had done. It forced them to recognize that kingdoms could rise and fall, but God would remain sovereign over every nation and all people. He could and would accomplish His purposes, even if they failed Him and fell short.

Today, remember that these truths apply to you. No matter what you are going through, God has not abandoned you. You can trust your life to Him.