Taking Action In Faith

INTRO

Yesterday we looked at chapter 31 and the New Covenant. Through Jeremiah, God told the people He would take them out of captivity and put the law on their hearts. God promised to give them hope, and he brought the nations of Israel and Judah together. Chapter 31 is a special picture of the coming of Christ. Transitioning from chapter 31 to 32, it is important to remember the people were told they would be in captivity for 70 years.

TEACHING

Jeremiah 32:1-15: Verses 1–3 set the stage: Zedekiah was the king of Judah, the army of Babylon held a siege around Jerusalem, and Jeremiah was in prison in the palace of the king. Zedekiah had Jeremiah put in prison because he didn’t like Jeremiah’s prophecies that Babylon would defeat Judah, and that Zedekiah would be taken to Babylon as a prisoner (vv. 3–5). Nelson’s Commentary explains the phrase “eye to eye” is a prophecy of “the one-on-one confrontation with Nebuchadnezzar [that] would result in the removal of Zedekiah’s eyes (39:5–7).”¹

Jeremiah responded that his cousin Hanamel would be coming to sell his field in Anathoth. The Lord had told Jeremiah to buy it from his cousin (vv. 6–7). Jeremiah obeyed and purchased the field for 17 shekels of silver, recorded it, and called in witnesses to see the transaction (vv. 8–10). Jeremiah then gave the property to Baruch, son of Neriah, in front of his cousin Hanamel, and the witnesses present (vv. 11–12). Jeremiah instructed Baruch that God wanted him to take the documents and put them in an earthen storage jar so they would last because “houses, fields, and vineyards will again be bought in this land” (vv. 13–15). Jeremiah understood the time would come when he would own land again. Nelson’s Commentary points out that Jeremiah’s “action in purchasing land was a remarkable demonstration of faith in God that the people of Judah would return one day to their land.”²

Jeremiah 32:16–25: Jeremiah then turned to God, praising Him, proclaiming that nothing was too difficult for Him (vv. 16–17). He praised God for His goodness and His power (vv. 18–21). Jeremiah then described the situation the country was in (vv. 22–24). Yet in spite of all this, with the future looking dark, God told Jeremiah to buy land—an act that didn’t seem to be a good business deal (v. 25).

Jeremiah 32:26–44: God responded to Jeremiah, reminding him there was nothing too difficult for Him to do (vv. 26-27). Vernon McGee explains verses 36–40 as, “God is delivering the city over to the Chaldeans, and in His own time He will deliver the city from the Chaldeans.”³

Jeremiah 33:1–9: Nelson’s Commentary outlines chapter 33 in three sections: “(1) restoration and cleansing of Jerusalem (vv. 1–9); (2) the joy in the restoration (vv. 10, 11); and (3) the restoration of Judah (vv. 12, 13).”⁴ One wave of captives had already been taken to Babylon in 586 B.C. and another wave of captives was being sent in 588 B.C. During the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem, Jeremiah was kept in the guard’s courtyard. The Lord spoke to Jeremiah right there. It says in verse 3: “Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and incomprehensible things you do not know.” MacArthur states, “God invited Jeremiah’s prayer, which appeals to Him to fulfill the aspects of His promises which He guarantees to keep.”⁵ God stated that the houses and palaces had been torn down, creating rubble to build greater defenses against the Chaldeans, but those who fought the Chaldeans would be struck down by God’s own wrath and rage (vv. 4–5). God promised three things: (1) to bring health and healing when repentance took place, and they would experience the abundance of peace and truth (v. 6); (2) to restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel and rebuild them to their former glory (v. 7); and (3) to purify (cleanse) them from the wrongs they committed against Him and to forgive all their wrongs and rebellions (v. 8). God also promised the city would have joy, praise, and glory before all other nations of the earth (v. 9).

Jeremiah 33:10–13: Verses 10–11 contain the second section about the restoration of joy in which the city, that would be left in desolation, would then be restored and sounds of joy, gladness, and celebration would again fill the city. In verse 11 the words, “Praise the Lord of Hosts, for the Lord is good; His faithful love endures forever,” were quoted from Psalm 136:1 and “actually were used by the Jews on their return from Babylon.”⁶ Verses 12–13 contain the third section about the desolation throughout Judah and its restoration.

Jeremiah 33:14–20: God would fulfill the promises He made for the houses of Israel and Judah and would cause “a Righteous Branch to sprout up for David, and He will administer justice and righteousness in the land” (vv. 14–15). MacArthur explains, “This is the Messiah King in David’s lineage. He is the King whose reign immediately follows the Second Coming when He appears in power.”⁷ This points to the millennium, and before the millennium comes the period of tribulation. The Branch of Righteousness comes just before the one thousand-year millennium. “In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell securely, and this is what she will be named: Yahweh Our Righteousness”(v. 16). Verses 17-18 tell us that David’s lineage will never fail to have a king sitting on the throne of Israel and Levitical priests will never fail to have a man always before the Lord to make offerings (2 Samuel 7:16.) Constable writes, “In the Millennium there will be a restoration of Levitical priests, though instead of looking forward to the coming of the ultimate Sacrifice, the worshippers will look back to it.”⁸

God continued to speak to Jeremiah, using the creation account to point out that He would no more break His creation than He would break the Davidic covenant (vv. 20–21). MacArthur states, “The promise was as certain as the sure appearance of night and day and the incalculable number of stars or sand grains”⁹ (v. 22). God stated that people say He had rejected the two families He had chosen—some interpret this as the houses of Israel and Judah while others interpret it to be the families of David and Levi (vv. 23–24). MacArthur writes, “Many people, even today believe Israel as a nation has no future. In verses 25, 26 God emphatically denies that notion. God will restore the nation.”¹⁰

CLOSING

God was promising He would never again reject His people. Wiersbe states, “The nation of Israel has a bright and blessed future, and Jeremiah invested in that future.”¹¹