You asked

how does this apply when the 'city' represents a systemic issue or oppressive structure?

Adds the setting and its conversation across both testaments.

Jeremiah 29:7

“Seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to Yahweh for it; for in its peace you will have peace.”

This verse comes from a letter sent by the prophet Jeremiah to the exiles from Judah who had been deported to Babylon. This letter was written after the first wave of exiles in the early 6th century BCE, urging them to settle down and contribute to the well-being of their captor city, rather than hoping for an immediate return home.

What does it mean to seek the peace or 'shalom' of a system or structure that also holds you captive?

Then — the setting

Jeremiah delivered this message to the Judean exiles in Babylon around 597 BCE, during a period of deep national trauma. The people had lost their land, temple, and monarchy. Many false prophets were promising a swift return to Judah, feeding unrealistic hopes. Jeremiah's letter was a radical call to long-term engagement and investment in the very foreign city that had conquered them, asserting that their well-being was intertwined with that of their captors. This was a challenging message for people who felt abandoned and yearned for liberation.

Across the Testaments

In the Old Testament, Jeremiah's call to seek the peace of Babylon challenges the typical prophetic denouncement of foreign empires. While other prophets foresee the downfall of oppressive nations, Jeremiah asks the exiles to contribute to Babylon's flourishing. This prefigures New Testament themes of engaging with the wider world. The New Testament similarly calls believers to live faithfully within established societal structures, even when they are imperfect or oppressive (e.g., Romans 13, 1 Peter 2). While the Old Testament often focuses on the identity of Israel as distinct, Jeremiah bridges this by showing how Israel's flourishing can be linked to the well-being of others, expanding the scope of God's concern. This also connects to the New Testament's universal mission and its emphasis on loving one's neighbor, even those considered 'enemies' or 'outsiders'.

Keep thinking

Read alongside it

Daniel 2:1-49
Daniel and his friends served faithfully in the Babylonian court, demonstrating how to 'seek the peace' of the empire.
Romans 13:1-7
Paul instructs believers to be subject to governing authorities, a principle that can be challenging when those authorities are oppressive.
Amos 5:24
Amos calls for justice and righteousness to roll down like waters, challenging corrupt societal structures from within.

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