Jeremiah 32: A Promise of Restoration Amidst Judgment
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar.
For then the king of Babylon’s army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah’s house.
For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;
And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes;
And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the Lord: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper.
And Jeremiah said, The word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee, saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for the right of redemption is thine to buy it.
So Hanameel mine uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the Lord, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine; buy it for thyself. Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.
And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle’s son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver.
And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.
So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open:
And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison.
And I charged Baruch before them, saying,
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days.
For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.
Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the Lord, saying,
Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:
Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the Lord of hosts, is his name,
Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:
Which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this day, and in Israel, and among other men; and hast made thee a name, as at this day;
And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror;
And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey;
And they came in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law; they have done nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do: therefore thou hast caused all this evil to come upon them:
Behold the mounts, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest it.
And thou hast said unto me, O Lord God, Buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses; for the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.
Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,
Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?
Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it:
And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.
For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the Lord.
For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face,
Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.
But they set their abominations in the house, which is called by my name, to defile it.
And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.
And now therefore thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence;
Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:
And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:
And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:
And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.
Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.
For thus saith the Lord; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.
And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.
Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the Lord.
Jeremiah 32 offers a powerful message of hope and restoration amidst the grim reality of judgment and exile. It reveals God's unwavering commitment to His people, even when they face the consequences of their disobedience. This chapter unfolds against the backdrop of Jerusalem under siege by the Babylonian army, a time of immense despair and uncertainty.
Jeremiah's Imprisonment and Zedekiah's Doubt (Jeremiah 32:1-5)
The chapter opens by grounding us in a specific historical moment: the tenth year of King Zedekiah of Judah, and the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign (Jeremiah 32:1), approximately a year before Jerusalem's fall. The situation is dire. Jerusalem is encircled by the Babylonian army, and Jeremiah finds himself imprisoned by Zedekiah. His crime? Prophesying that God would hand over the city and its king to Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 32:2-5). Zedekiah, in his disbelief and perhaps desperation, questions Jeremiah's motives, unable to comprehend why the prophet would seemingly predict disaster for his own people. He viewed Jeremiah as a traitor rather than recognizing him as a true prophet speaking on behalf of the Lord. This highlights a critical tension: the conflict between those who deliver God's difficult message and those who resist hearing it.
A Symbolic Act of Redemption (Jeremiah 32:6-15)
In the midst of this bleak scenario, God orchestrates a remarkable event. He instructs Jeremiah to redeem a plot of land in his hometown of Anathoth from his cousin Hanamel (Jeremiah 32:6-12). This might seem utterly illogical. Why purchase land in a territory soon to be under Babylonian control? It's like buying a car that's already been stolen! God knew Jeremiah wouldn't initiate such a transaction on his own. Therefore, He revealed beforehand that Hanamel would approach him (Jeremiah 32:8).
Jeremiah, obedient to God's command, buys the field, weighs out the silver, and meticulously records the transaction. He even instructs Baruch to place the deeds in an earthenware jar for safekeeping (Jeremiah 32:14). This seemingly absurd act becomes a powerful symbol of hope. For God declares, "Houses, fields, and vineyards will again be bought in this land" (Jeremiah 32:15). This is a promise of future restoration, a tangible assurance that God has not abandoned His people and that they will one day return to their homeland. The meticulous recording of the deed emphasizes the certainty of this future restoration.
Jeremiah's Prayer: Faith and Bewilderment (Jeremiah 32:16-25)
Following this unusual purchase, Jeremiah offers a prayer that reveals both his deep faith and his human perplexity. He acknowledges God's greatness and power, recalling the Lord's mighty acts in delivering Israel from slavery in Egypt and bringing them into the Promised Land (Jeremiah 32:16-19, 32:20-23). Jeremiah recognizes God's sovereignty and understands that Jerusalem is being handed over to the Babylonians because of Judah's sins (Jeremiah 32:24).
However, Jeremiah struggles to reconcile God's judgment with the command to buy the land. He questions the logic of investing in a future that seems impossible (Jeremiah 32:25). This prayer reflects the tension between trusting God's promises and grappling with the difficult realities of the present. It's a reminder that faith doesn't always equate to complete understanding.
God's Assurance: Nothing is Too Difficult (Jeremiah 32:26-44)
God responds to Jeremiah's prayer with a powerful declaration of His omnipotence: "I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" (Jeremiah 32:27). This isn't a rhetorical question; Jeremiah himself had already affirmed that nothing is too difficult for the Lord (Jeremiah 32:17). God reaffirms His power to accomplish His purposes, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
God then reiterates that Judah's punishment is a consequence of their wickedness (Jeremiah 32:28-35). However, He also promises a future restoration: He will gather His people from all the countries where He has scattered them, bring them back to their land, and establish a new covenant with them (Jeremiah 32:36-44). They will be His people, and He will be their God. This promise of a restored relationship and a return to prosperity underscores God's enduring love and faithfulness.
Jeremiah's act of redeeming the field serves as a tangible symbol of this future hope, a promise that God has not forsaken His people. The phrase "This is the LORD's declaration" (Jeremiah 32:44) reinforces the absolute certainty of this promise.
Jeremiah 32 offers a powerful message for believers today. Even when facing difficult circumstances and uncertain futures, we can cling to the assurance of God's faithfulness and His power to bring about restoration. Like Jeremiah, we may not always understand God's plans, but we can trust in His character and His unwavering commitment to His people. The chapter reminds us that God's promises transcend our present realities and that He is always working towards a future filled with hope and blessing.
The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar.
For then the king of Babylon’s army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah’s house.
For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;
And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes;
And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the Lord: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper.
And Jeremiah said, The word of the Lord came unto me, saying,
Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee, saying, Buy thee my field that is in Anathoth: for the right of redemption is thine to buy it.
So Hanameel mine uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the Lord, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance is thine, and the redemption is thine; buy it for thyself. Then I knew that this was the word of the Lord.
And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle’s son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver.
And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances.
So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open:
And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle’s son, and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison.
And I charged Baruch before them, saying,
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days.
For thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land.
Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the Lord, saying,
Ah Lord God! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:
Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the Lord of hosts, is his name,
Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:
Which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this day, and in Israel, and among other men; and hast made thee a name, as at this day;
And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror;
And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey;
And they came in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law; they have done nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do: therefore thou hast caused all this evil to come upon them:
Behold the mounts, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest it.
And thou hast said unto me, O Lord God, Buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses; for the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.
Then came the word of the Lord unto Jeremiah, saying,
Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?
Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it:
And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.
For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the Lord.
For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face,
Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.
But they set their abominations in the house, which is called by my name, to defile it.
And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.
And now therefore thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence;
Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:
And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:
And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:
And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.
Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.
For thus saith the Lord; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.
And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.
Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the Lord.
Jeremiah 32 offers a powerful message of hope and restoration amidst the grim reality of judgment and exile. It reveals God's unwavering commitment to His people, even when they face the consequences of their disobedience. This chapter unfolds against the backdrop of Jerusalem under siege by the Babylonian army, a time of immense despair and uncertainty.
Jeremiah's Imprisonment and Zedekiah's Doubt (Jeremiah 32:1-5)
The chapter opens by grounding us in a specific historical moment: the tenth year of King Zedekiah of Judah, and the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar's reign (Jeremiah 32:1), approximately a year before Jerusalem's fall. The situation is dire. Jerusalem is encircled by the Babylonian army, and Jeremiah finds himself imprisoned by Zedekiah. His crime? Prophesying that God would hand over the city and its king to Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 32:2-5). Zedekiah, in his disbelief and perhaps desperation, questions Jeremiah's motives, unable to comprehend why the prophet would seemingly predict disaster for his own people. He viewed Jeremiah as a traitor rather than recognizing him as a true prophet speaking on behalf of the Lord. This highlights a critical tension: the conflict between those who deliver God's difficult message and those who resist hearing it.
A Symbolic Act of Redemption (Jeremiah 32:6-15)
In the midst of this bleak scenario, God orchestrates a remarkable event. He instructs Jeremiah to redeem a plot of land in his hometown of Anathoth from his cousin Hanamel (Jeremiah 32:6-12). This might seem utterly illogical. Why purchase land in a territory soon to be under Babylonian control? It's like buying a car that's already been stolen! God knew Jeremiah wouldn't initiate such a transaction on his own. Therefore, He revealed beforehand that Hanamel would approach him (Jeremiah 32:8).
Jeremiah, obedient to God's command, buys the field, weighs out the silver, and meticulously records the transaction. He even instructs Baruch to place the deeds in an earthenware jar for safekeeping (Jeremiah 32:14). This seemingly absurd act becomes a powerful symbol of hope. For God declares, "Houses, fields, and vineyards will again be bought in this land" (Jeremiah 32:15). This is a promise of future restoration, a tangible assurance that God has not abandoned His people and that they will one day return to their homeland. The meticulous recording of the deed emphasizes the certainty of this future restoration.
Jeremiah's Prayer: Faith and Bewilderment (Jeremiah 32:16-25)
Following this unusual purchase, Jeremiah offers a prayer that reveals both his deep faith and his human perplexity. He acknowledges God's greatness and power, recalling the Lord's mighty acts in delivering Israel from slavery in Egypt and bringing them into the Promised Land (Jeremiah 32:16-19, 32:20-23). Jeremiah recognizes God's sovereignty and understands that Jerusalem is being handed over to the Babylonians because of Judah's sins (Jeremiah 32:24).
However, Jeremiah struggles to reconcile God's judgment with the command to buy the land. He questions the logic of investing in a future that seems impossible (Jeremiah 32:25). This prayer reflects the tension between trusting God's promises and grappling with the difficult realities of the present. It's a reminder that faith doesn't always equate to complete understanding.
God's Assurance: Nothing is Too Difficult (Jeremiah 32:26-44)
God responds to Jeremiah's prayer with a powerful declaration of His omnipotence: "I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?" (Jeremiah 32:27). This isn't a rhetorical question; Jeremiah himself had already affirmed that nothing is too difficult for the Lord (Jeremiah 32:17). God reaffirms His power to accomplish His purposes, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
God then reiterates that Judah's punishment is a consequence of their wickedness (Jeremiah 32:28-35). However, He also promises a future restoration: He will gather His people from all the countries where He has scattered them, bring them back to their land, and establish a new covenant with them (Jeremiah 32:36-44). They will be His people, and He will be their God. This promise of a restored relationship and a return to prosperity underscores God's enduring love and faithfulness.
Jeremiah's act of redeeming the field serves as a tangible symbol of this future hope, a promise that God has not forsaken His people. The phrase "This is the LORD's declaration" (Jeremiah 32:44) reinforces the absolute certainty of this promise.
Jeremiah 32 offers a powerful message for believers today. Even when facing difficult circumstances and uncertain futures, we can cling to the assurance of God's faithfulness and His power to bring about restoration. Like Jeremiah, we may not always understand God's plans, but we can trust in His character and His unwavering commitment to His people. The chapter reminds us that God's promises transcend our present realities and that He is always working towards a future filled with hope and blessing.