March 4, Jeremiah 32
"Then Hanamel my cousin came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the Lord, and said to me, 'Buy my field that is at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for the right of possession is yours, buy it for yourself.' Then I knew that it was the word of the Lord."
- Jeremiah 32:8
Several years ago, the government closed a military base located near my hometown. The closing dealt a severe blow to the local economy. Property values plummeted in the area communities for years after the fort closed. We know that real estate values fluctuate higher or lower in response to certain economic situations, locations and other variables. Sometimes it's a "sellers' market," when prices are higher because demand is high and available properties are scarce. At other times, prices fall when demand is low and many properties have been on the market for a long time. A bad economy or a bad location can drive the price lower than it would be under other circumstances in such a "buyer's market."
When the LORD told Jeremiah about the field he was to buy, the Chaldeans had already laid siege to Jerusalem. The siege and its effects (famine, starvation and disease) along with the threat of an imminent invasion made it a hard time to sell and an unwise time to buy any property in the area.
King Zedekiah of Judah imprisoned Jeremiah, at first in the dungeon and later in the guard's court of the palace. He questioned Jeremiah about why he would prophesy about the fall of Jerusalem and Zedekiah being taken to Babylon. Jeremiah's answer was pointed: "The word of the Lord came to me." He went on to tell about the real estate transaction, and gave a detailed description of the whole process, including filing the deed in a jar where it would be safe for a long time. (That's the same storage technique that gave us the Dead Sea Scrolls.). The purchase of land in the doomed country would not make sense, and Jeremiah might never see the property he bought again after the captivity. But the record of the deal would be a testimony to the faithfulness of God's promise to return the scattered Israelites and Judeans to the land.
Jeremiah was obedient, but perplexed about the purchase. So he prayed to God. He acknowledged God's power and control, and reviewed God's blessings on the nation throughout its history. But none of that made sense of the command to buy a piece of property that would never benefit him.
God replied to his prophet's prayer. He asked Jeremiah if anything was too hard for the Lord. He was using Babylon to punish his disobedient people who persisted in flagrant sin after repeated warnings. But the transaction and the deed were testimony that God would bring the people back to the land, and again gather the people who had been scattered. The promise of future blessing was secure because of his faithful covenant love for the people. That promise was as sure as the promise of the disaster that was coming to them because of their idolatry.
It's too bad that most of what God offered the Israelites and Judeans never happened because it was conditional on the people's repentance and obedience. But the people did not remain faithful and forfeited the covenant blessings they could have enjoyed.
Let's remember that wicked people do not like to hear messages from God and they will persecute the messengers who speak unwanted truth. Like Jeremiah, we can pray to God about things we do not understand. But lack of understanding is not an excuse for disobedience. Also, we can have full confidence that God's word is faithful and trustworthy. He will do what he says. The promises and the warnings are equally sure. If we trust him and surrender to his will for us, we will enjoy all the blessings that he has promised. But we can also forfeit those blessings if we stubbornly refuse to obey him. There's mercy and grace for those who turn back to God. But disaster and ruin will come to people who despise God's gracious covenant.
Copyright © 2024 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Today in God's Word—March 2024
East Tallassee Church of Christ
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