By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. We hung our harps upon the willows in the midst of it. For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, and those who plundered us requested mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!” How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? Isaiah 137:1-4
I remember this song well when I was growing up as it was one of the favorite tunes of the radio disc jockeys. I never knew it was a Psalm until many, many years later. Whether it was Bob Marley or Boney-M singing this song, I was captivated, not realizing this was a Psalm about the Israelite’s captivity. I thought probably this was a song of the African slaves lamenting their plight as they were brought from their land to the Americas to work on the farms and live a harsh life. But this was the song of a people many centuries before, who God brought into captivity because of their rebellion against Him, but still He had made them a promise.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. Isaiah 43:2
Barnes Notes on the Bible has this commentary on Isaiah 43:2:
When thou passest through the waters - This is a general promise, and means that whenever and wherever they should pass through water or fire, he would protect them. It had been true in their past history as a people; and the assurance is here given in order that they might be comforted in view of the calamities which they were then suffering in Babylon. Fire and water are often used in the Scriptures to denote calamity - the latter because it overwhelms; the former because it consumes.
The three Hebrew young men literally went through the fire and they were not consumed. They didn’t even come out smelling of smoke while the men who who took them into the furnace were killed by the fire. King Nebuchadnezzar who ordered the fiery furnace to be turned up seven times more saw a fourth Man in the fire with them walking around and they were loose in the exceedingly hot flames. God had kept His promise, and He was with them in the fire as they would not worship idols, but only Him. After, the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon and they prospered. God wanted His people to prosper, but this came with a condition to obey Him.
Jeremiah the prophet who was still in Jerusalem wrote a letter to the elders who were carried away captive, along with the priests, the prophets, and all others whom Nebuchadnezzar captured and brought to Babylon. In this letter, Jeremiah gave the captive Jews instructions from the Lord.
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: Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. 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. 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. Jeremiah 29:4-7
It amazes me that God was telling them to do all this in captivity. The Israelites were to be fruitful and multiply during this time of exile from their homeland, and they were instructed to pray for the peace of the city in which God had allowed them to be held captive so that they too would have peace. God had a great plan for them in exile. A great example of a Jew who succeeded in exile is Daniel who obeyed the Lord even when he was thrown into the lions’ den and faced other threats. He was promoted governor of the whole province of Babylon and head of all the nation’s wise advisers. Now, this is what I call thriving in captivity. When the Jews repented and obeyed the Lord in their captive land, they would flourish.
When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, we were like those who dream. Then our mouth was filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad. Psalm 126:1-3
The Israelites had a new song when they came out of captivity. The Lord had kept His promises and had done great things for them while they were in exile and when He brought them back to their homeland. Israel’s story is not much different from our own. So many of us are facing various difficulties and we feel captive by health issues, financial crises, political turmoil, relationship conflicts and so much more. But God is with us through all these challenges, and we can sing a new song to Him in whatever situation we feel captive in. And because of His presence we can prosper in the seemingly impossible situations because He is the God who makes the impossible possible.
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