Scripture Reading(s)
Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15
32:1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of King Zedekiah of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar.
32:2 At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and the prophet Jeremiah was confined in the court of the guard that was in the palace of the king of Judah,
32:3a where King Zedekiah of Judah had confined him.
32:6 Jeremiah said, The word of the LORD came to me:
32:7 Hanamel son of your uncle Shallum is going to come to you and say, “Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours.”
32:8 Then my cousin Hanamel 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 and redemption is yours; buy it for yourself.” Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.
32:9 And I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel, and weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver.
32:10 I signed the deed, sealed it, got witnesses, and weighed the money on scales.
32:11 Then I took the sealed deed of purchase, containing the terms and conditions, and the open copy;
32:12 and I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel, in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, and in the presence of all the Judeans who were sitting in the court of the guard.
32:13 In their presence I charged Baruch, saying,
32:14 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Take these deeds, both this sealed deed of purchase and this open deed, and put them in an earthenware jar, in order that they may last for a long time.
32:15 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.
Reflections
For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land. (Jeremiah 32:15)
Even as the Babylonians besieged Jerusalem and the deportation of God’s people was imminent, God was already promising the return and renewal of His people. Even though His people had betrayed Him and served other gods, the Lord knew that their punishment would not last forever and that He would soon deliver them. I am sure in the eyes of the people the deportation was then end of Israel/Judah forever but God had other plans. Plans to restore them and put a new covenant in their hearts.
We are on the other side of that new covenant today. We know that God gave everything to cover the sin of the world. We may face trials as the Israelites did and we may even face discipline for straying but we have already been given the promise of eternal life and seen the sacrifice of God’s own son. Knowing such things and being so blessed to be new covenant people let us always rejoice in the grace that God has provided for us. It is nothing to take for granted that God made the final sacrifice for us, even knowing we are sinful and wayward.
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