This week, Benjamin Chua discusses what it means to live as exiles in a foreign empire. The Israelites found themselves defeated and taken captive into Babylon, where the prophet, Jeremiah, instructed them to plant their lives and seek the well-being of their neighbors. But, these neighbors have been enemies to Israel. They worship false and foreign gods and practice all kinds of idolatry. Why wouldn’t Jeremiah instruct the Israelites to build their own communities within Babylon and to only care for one another? Why would God want His people, even in the midst of a foreign land and a godless people, to care for their neighbors as they c are for themselves? Especially when it’s going to be filled with hardship, challenge, and the ever present frustration of knowing they’re exiles. What does it mean for God’s people, whether in the Old Testament or today, to live as a hopeful presence inside an empire that is not their true home?