Jeremiah 32:1-15 Jeremiah’s Purchase
God has told Jeremiah to do several things. This time He has Jeremiah purchase a piece of land, even though he knows the kingdom will fall soon.
This is the first time I’ve seen Jeremiah given a proof of a message he is to give. And this proof carries him through the time of trouble while he is imprisoned in the king’s courtyard. God actually gives him this confirmation while he is imprisoned.
Because we know the timeline of the things that happened, we know that there are two years left before Jerusalem falls to Nebuchadnezzar. He is already attacking the city. Jeremiah has been proclaiming for YEARS that Judah and Jerusalem are going to fall to Nebuchadnezzar. But NOW God tells him to purchase a piece of property! I can hear Jeremiah saying “WHAT? Why? It will just be taken from me.”
Not something a wise person would consider doing. And this isn’t a quiet purchase made between two men. It was a public purchase before everyone in attendance in the king’s courtyard that day. A day when Jeremiah is ALREADY under arrest and will be unable to work or even see the land he purchases. It will be a “faith purchase” in more ways than one.
If you have been on this journey with me for very long, you have probably seen where I compare myself to Gideon when it comes to instructions from God; especially really important ones. Gideon asked God for proof of his calling to lead the men into battle. Gideon laid a fleece for the Lord. Not once, but twice, to make certain it was GOD’S voice he was hearing and not his own. Some of the false prophets in Jeremiah’s time could have taken a page from Gideon’s ‘play book’. Jeremiah would have his proof without requesting it.
We don’t know how many days preceded God’s message to Jeremiah about his cousin’s actions and when they actually took place. From what I can gather from our passage, Jeremiah was already imprisoned when his cousin approached him. I’m curious to know if Jeremiah shared his vision regarding his cousin before the event came to pass. A skeptic could argue that he was just making up the previous vision to make it seem like God had spoken to him. I am NOT that skeptic but I would LOVE to see the look on the faces of those Jeremiah did tell; if he did.
Jeremiah was fulfilling the role of kinsman redeemer when he purchased the piece of property from his cousin. How Jeremiah had enough money for such a transaction while in prison is another question to ponder. Apparently, his imprisonment was not so severe at to deprive him of all he had. Jeremiah took great pains to ensure that this transaction was done in all accordance with the law of the people, including having it recorded properly and being witnessed.
This transaction served as ‘proof’ in three different ways. The first is mentioned outright in our reading. This act was to stand a witness to the people that God would restore them to their land AFTER a time. “For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land” (verse 15). Let those listening in take it for what they would.
The second proof is a witness to the people concerning Jeremiah. When Jeremiah reported his vision of this act before it happened and then the people saw it come to pass, their faith in Jeremiah delivering God’s word grew. NONE of the false prophets had a word come to pass for them as Jeremiah did. So, when Jeremiah said “Thus says the Lord…” again, they would have something to look back on and say, YES, he does speak for the Lord.
The third is when Jeremiah is questioned by King Zedekiah. Zedekiah did NOT like what Jeremiah was prophesying concerning him! God’s words through Jeremiah are the reason Jeremiah was now confined to the courtyard of the king. When confronted by Zedekiah and asked WHY he kept prophesying doom and gloom, Jeremiah had a ready example to back up his reasons for speaking as he did. “God told me what to say and I said it”, and he had the proof offered for the people I just spoke about. “What God told me would happen with the land has already happened. And what He said would happen with the city AND YOU will certainly happen too.”
Jeremiah trusted God and KNEW that the messages he was receiving came directly from Him. Jeremia h didn’t need this event as proof for himself. But he would ask God “WHY?!” in a little bit. We will see the beginning of that tomorrow. For now, let’s stand tall with Jeremiah as he faces the king and doesn’t back down from what the Lord has told him would come to pass. No matter how uncomfortable or unpopular it makes him.
Father God, there are unpopular things ‘just around the corner’ for my world. I don’t know the timeline, but You do. You gave Jeremiah a hint about the timeline he was facing, but that’s him and not me, as well as then and not now. I PRAY that the people around us see how accurate the prophecies of the past are and how they are coming true. I PRAY that they realize that this is a WAKE UP CALL for them before it is too late. ALL that You have promised WILL come to pass. The bad, the terrible, and the magnificent.
I’m also glad that Your stories don’t end in the bad or terrible. They ALWAYS come back to the magnificent in the end. I’m looking forward to the magnificent, no matter what lies between there and now. And I KNOW You will be with me every step of the way.
