Jeremiah 32:1-15. We are still in those chapters about hope. Yesterday we learned of the hope Israel had for their future. The promises of the old contract or agreement that God had with them about their city and a king and land were all still good in spite of the fact that they never held up their end of the deal. The reason is because God had a new deal in mind all along. The first deal was just temporary to teach them and us a lesson. The lesson is “we need help”. The new agreement is all about God helping us; Jesus taking our penalty and the Holy Spirit living in us to constantly remind us how to really live for God. Today’s reading begins with the word of God coming again to Jeremiah, this time during the reign of Zedekiah (597-586 BC). He was the last of three brothers, sons of Josiah, to set as king of Judah. Zedekiah was placed in power by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar had removed Zedekiah’s nephew, Jehoiachin, from the throne and taken him as a captive to Babylon. This prophecy is at the very end of Zedekiah’s reign; the tenth year of Zedekiah (588 BC). Nebuchadnezzar was back for his third go at Jerusalem. Zedekiah had been loyal to Nebuchadnezzar for many years in spite of constant pressure from the people for him to revolt. False prophets were also telling him to revolt. Jeremiah was one of the few who encouraged Zedekiah to remain under Babylonian control (Remember the “yoke” in chapters 27-28?). Sometime about 590 Zedekiah caved into pressure and made a pact with Egypt. Now Nebuchadnezzar was back (589).
In verse 2 we learn that Jerusalem was surrounded and being attacked. We also find out that Jeremiah was being held as a captive by the king. In verses 3-5 we see that Zedekiah had him locked up because he was predicting the fall of Jerusalem and deportation of Zedekiah to Babylon.
In verses 6-11 we see a message to Jeremiah. God told him one of his cousins was going to come to him and ask him to “redeem” a piece of land that was in the family. Remember our discussion of “goel” a couple of days ago? Here Jeremiah is being asked to get his uncle out of trouble by buying back a piece of land. The story contains a lot of detail about the price of the land and the legal process including a lot of paperwork and witnesses.
In verses 12-15 Jeremiah gives the paperwork to his secretary, Baruch, and tells him to put it all in a good pottery jar that will last a long time. This is clearly a symbolic act designed to teach something. It seems strange to go through so much legal stuff when the kingdom is literally being torn apart. In verse 15 we learn that houses and fields will be rebuilt and bought and sold. The point of the good jar is that it is going to be a long time before the rebuilding happens. This would be an additional jab at Zedekiah because it is implied that there will be a long time where the city is in ruins.
A couple of things to know. In verse 4 it talks about Chaldeans. Chaldeans were a people group from the region. Nebuchadnezzar was a Chaldean. His capital was in Babylon and his empire was named for the city (the empire was actually reestablished by his father Nabopolassar, the empire had existed before and was taken over by the Assyrians for a while). Eventually Jerusalem falls to Nebuchadnezzar. Zedekiah is captured and his sons are killed while he is forced to watch then his eyes are poked out. The last think he ever sees are his dead sons, then he is taken captive to Babylon, pretty tough consequences for going up against Nebuchadnezzar. He should have listened to Jeremiah. We need to be careful as we live our live to listen to God. He has put a lot of effort into making a restored relationship with him available to us. He has given us his words in the Bible, he has given us his life as a substitute for our own (in Jesus), he has removed the penalty for our disobedience and rebellion and opened up our lives to the Holy Spirit. But we still need to listen and respond. We need to decide if we are going to give our lives to God, we need to decide if we are going to allow Jesus to be our savior and redeemer, we need to decide each day if we are going to listen to the Holy Spirit’s little mental nudges, and we need to then act on them. God is a loving giving God but he give his people room to go their own way too. The consequences here and now can be awful (like they were for Zedekiah) and the consequences for eternity certainly will be. I hope you will choose wisely and give your life to God if you already haven’t.
God thank you for the hope and promise of a rebuilt world. I know you have a kingdom coming with houses and fields and vineyards and flocks. But most important it will be filled with people; people that you have drawn to yourself. Thank you for drawing me to you. I know you are not willing for any to perish and want every one to turn back to you (2 Peter 3:9) but a day is coming when you will vanquish all those who do not turn back to you (2 Peter 3:10, Revelation 20). In that day you will make a new heavens and a new earth where they will be only joy and peace and an eternity enjoying our renewed relationship with you (Revelation 21-22). God bring many into that new world. Thank you for loving us.