The Bible & Displaced People – Session 3: Jeremiah

Rebuilding the Ruins: What Jeremiah Teaches Us About Displaced People

In a world that often turns its back on the displaced—refugees, migrants, and people pushed to the edges of society—the Bible tells a different story. A better story. A story where the displaced are central to God’s mission.

In this session, we continue exploring the theme of The Bible and Displaced People, focusing on the life and message of the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah’s voice echoes through history, not just as a prophet, but as a displaced person himself—someone forced to live far from home, yet still called to speak God’s truth and build hope in broken places.

Let’s dive into what we can learn from his life and message.

Displaced People Are Everywhere in the Bible

From Genesis to Revelation, Scripture is full of people on the move—some by calling, others by force. Adam and Eve were displaced from Eden. John received his apocalyptic vision while exiled on Patmos. And Jeremiah? He not only prophesied about exile, he lived it.

The word exile appears more in Jeremiah than any other book in the Bible—about 37 times. That’s almost half the total occurrences in the whole Bible, and 20 more times than even Ezekiel. It tells us something: exile isn’t a side note. It’s a thread running right through the story of God’s people.

Jeremiah prophesied during a time of upheaval. God’s people had been persistently unfaithful, and Babylon—the new superpower—came and carried them off. Later in the book, we find Jeremiah himself forced into exile in Egypt, speaking not just prophetically, but from lived experience.

Displaced People Are Often Heroes

Jeremiah is a remarkable figure. Called by God at a young age, he’s told, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you” (Jeremiah 1:5). That’s not just a beautiful verse—it’s a commissioning. God was saying, “I have work for you. Important work.”

Jeremiah responded with self-doubt: “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.” But God met his weakness with reassurance. And Jeremiah obeyed.

He spoke truth to power. He said things no one wanted to hear. He kept going, even when people ignored him—exactly as God told him they would.

That’s heroic.

But here’s the beauty: the same affirmation God gave Jeremiah—that we are known, formed, and set apart—is true for all of us. Psalm 139 echoes it. We’re not just observers of God’s story; we’re participants. Called. Chosen. Positioned.

Displaced People Are Also Ordinary

We sometimes elevate Bible characters to untouchable heights. But Jeremiah? He was just a guy from Benjamin, the son of a priest named Hilkiah. He lived during a particular stretch of history, under kings we can name.

He had doubts. He protested. He felt inadequate.

Sound familiar?

What makes Jeremiah extraordinary isn’t his background—it’s what God did through him. And the same can be true for us. God delights in working through ordinary people to do extraordinary things. You don’t need a platform or a title. You just need willingness.

We’re not called to compare ourselves to Jeremiah—but to follow the same God who worked through him. Because in God’s kingdom, no one is sidelined. We all have a part to play.

Say it aloud: I have a part to play in God’s kingdom.

How We Treat Displaced People Is How We Treat God

This is where things get uncomfortable. In Jeremiah 7, the prophet stands at the gate of the temple and calls out the hypocrisy of people who perform religion inside but oppress the vulnerable outside.

“If you do not oppress the foreigner, the fatherless or the widow… then I will let you live in this place.”
— Jeremiah 7:6–7

God links justice and worship. You can’t have one without the other.

The people of Judah thought their temple rituals kept them safe. But God saw their treatment of the marginalised. And He was not impressed.

This theme is consistent throughout Scripture. In Matthew 25, Jesus says whatever we do “for the least of these,” we do for Him. It’s not just that God cares about displaced people—He identifies with them.

Faith in Jesus must lead to action on behalf of the marginalised. Anything less is a betrayal of the gospel.

Displaced People Are Invited to Rebuild the Ruins

Jeremiah 29 might be one of the most well-known passages in the Bible—but often we miss its context. God’s people are in exile. They’re not home. They’re living in a foreign land. And what does God say?

“Build houses and settle down… Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile.”
— Jeremiah 29:5–7

Even in exile, God’s people are called to rebuild.

Even when life isn’t going to plan. Even when we feel far from home, emotionally or spiritually—we’re still called to rebuild ruins. Not with our own strength, but by God’s Spirit.

And that includes the places we might see as enemies—those places or systems that seem beyond hope. Because even Babylon has cracks in its foundations. Even the strongest cities have brokenness.

And God calls us to be rebuilders, peacemakers, truth-tellers.

In the UK today, media narratives often dehumanise migrants and refugees. The “Stop Funding Hate” movement reminds us that consumer choices matter. What we read, share, and support financially can help shape public opinion—and policy.

So here’s the challenge: Are we rebuilding the ruins—or reinforcing them? Are we offering hope—or just coasting along with the culture?

God’s invitation is clear: be the kind of people who bring restoration, even in exile.

Conclusion: An Invitation to Act

Jeremiah reminds us that God works through displaced people—not just to survive, but to bring hope, challenge injustice, and rebuild what’s broken.

So ask yourself:

• Where has God placed you?
• Who are the vulnerable around you?
• Are you living a temple-life on Sunday, but ignoring justice Monday through Saturday?

Displacement is not the end of the story. It’s often the beginning of a new calling.

Let’s be people who rebuild ruins—with love, justice, and the boldness of Jeremiah.

Bible Study Questions for Reflection or Group Discussion

1. What does Jeremiah’s calling teach us about how God uses people who feel unqualified or unsure?
2. How does Jeremiah 7 challenge our understanding of what it means to worship God authentically?
3. In what ways does Jeremiah 29 encourage a long-term mindset in places of discomfort or exile?
4. Why do you think God identifies so closely with displaced and marginalised people?
5. What practical steps can we take, individually or as a church, to “rebuild the ruins” in our own communities today?