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Today we are looking at Jeremiah 32 where Jeremiah is imprisoned in a city that is already being besieged.

 

You could say that he is doubly in isolation.

 

It’s 586BC

The Babylonian army is surrounding Jerusalem

Jeremiah is in prison for prophesying that because of their sins

the Lord will hand Jerusalem over to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon

One day, God tells Jeremiah that his cousin will come and ask him to buy his field at Anathoth.

 

And, sure enough, his cousin comes and Jeremiah buys the field.

He pays 17 shekels of silver, signs and seals the deed,

has it witnessed and weighs out the silver on the scales

He tells Baruch, his scribe:

Take both the sealed and and unsealed copies of the deed of purchase and put them in a clay jar so that they will last a long time because the Lord almighty says that houses fields and vineyards will again be bought in the land

 

Then he prays:

17 “Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.

 

What can we learn from all this?

 

What should we do when events are beyond our control?

 

1.  Remember that God is in complete control

28 Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I am about to hand this city over to the Babylonians and to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who will capture it.

 

2.  Listen for what God is saying to you personally

The word of the Lord came to me (6-7) …

Hanamel … is going to come to you and say, Buy my field…

The word of the Lord was fulfilled (8)

Then, just as the Lord had said, my cousin Hanamel …came…and said, Buy my field…

 

3.  Act in faith

 

Faith involves obedience

He bought the field although to do so seemed pointless

(v9) so I bought the field…

 What’s he doing buying a field?

What sense does it make?

Wasn’t it already under the control of the enemy?

 

Faith does not act irresponsibly

vv.9-10 I weighed out for him seventeen shekels of silver..

I signed and sealed the deed and had it witnessed

 

Faith should be verbally declared – saying what God says

vv 14-15 Take these documents… put them in a clay jar so that they will last a long time. For this is what the Lord Almighty the God of Israel says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.

 

4. Be honest with God about your misgivings

 

v.17 Ah, sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for you!

 But his faith was mingled with doubt – see vv.24-25

esp. 25:

And though the city will be handed over to the Babylonians, You, O Sovereign Lord, say to me, Buy the field with silver and have the transaction witnessed!

NB he told the Lord about his fears, not his cousin!

 

5. Take the long term view

15 For this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.’

 

42 “This is what the LORD says: As I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised them.

43 Once more fields will be bought in this land of which you say, ‘It is a desolate waste, without men or animals, for it has been handed over to the Babylonians.’

 

But of course there was even more in the distant future:

 

“‘The days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah.” (Jeremiah 31:31)

This is quoted in Hebrews 8:8-12 and10:16-17 as being fulfilled with the coming of Christ.

We too must take a long term view. Whatever we’re experiencing right now, remember, CHRIST IS COMING!

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