Jeremiah 35:1-19 – Be faithful in life

The event recorded in Jeremiah 35 happened in the days of King Jehoiakim, a son of Josiah. Jehoiakim’s other name was Eliakim. After his father’s death, the people chose his brother Jehoahaz as king over Judah. From 2 Chronicles 36, we learned that it was the Egyptian king who had Jehoahaz deposed as king and put Eliakim whose name was changed to Jehoiakim on the throne. It was during his reign that the event recorded in Jeremiah 35 took place. Let’s examine the event and glean the lessons God has for us through it.

The chapter speaks of a tribe of people known as the Rechabites. Who were the Rechabites? They were a nomadic tribe who were the descendants of Rechab, a Kenite hence, they were related to the Midianites. One well-known Midianite was Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law. Therefore, in one sense, they were related to the people of Israel distantly by marriage. In a way, their belief would be akin to the Israelites. From 2 Kings 10:15-17, during the time of King Jehu, Jehonadab (Jonadab) one of the descendants of Rechab helped Jehu to purge Baal worship introduced to Israel by the wicked Ahab and Jezebel. It was this Jehonadab, who had ordered the Rechabites to live a strict lifestyle. They were told not to drink wine, build a house, sow seed, plant a vineyard, or own one. They were to dwell in tents all the days of their life. Hence, they had lived as nomads all their lives. Verse 11 tells us that when Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against the land, the Rechabites said, ‘Come and let us go to Jerusalem before the army of the Chaldeans and before the army of the Arameans.’ And had been there since.

Instructed by the LORD, Prophet Jeremiah was to invite the Rechabites, bring them into one of the chambers in the temple and offer them wine to drink. When Jeremiah did as he was told, the response he had from the Rechabites found in verse 6 was, “We will not drink wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, saying, ‘You shall not drink wine, you or your sons, forever.” What’s amazing about this was that Jehonabab had died 250 years ago, and they were keeping their promise to him. For more than two centuries, they had kept their word.

God then told Jeremiah to use the lives of the Rechabites to instruct His people a lesson on faithfulness. In contrast with the Rechabites, God's people in Judah had been unfaithful to Him persistently. Many times God had sent his servants to His people saying, “Turn now every man from his evil way and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to worship them. Then you will dwell in the land which I have given to you and to your forefathers….” But sadly they had turned a dead ear to Him and had not inclined their ears to listen to Him. Unlike the unfaithful Judean, the Rechabites were faithful, even to the word of their forefathers. Therefore God’s promise was that there would always be a descendant of Jehonadab who would stand before Him.

Here are two lessons on faithfulness. Firstly, like the Rechabites, we must be faithful people to God. We must obey and keep God’s instruction. We must not emulate Zedekiah and the people of Judah who had so quickly reneged on their promises. Zedekiah we are told in Jeremiah 34 went back on his words to Nebuchadnezzar. Later, he and the people went back on the covenant they made before God in the temple. They reverted and violated the covenant and did not free their slaves on the Sabbath Years. Whereas for more than two centuries, the Rechabites had shown themselves to be faithful people. They kept their promise to their forefather for more than two centuries. Even when tested, they turn down the offer to drink wine. We must make it our goal to be God’s faithful people, known for our integrity.

Secondly, we learn that when we remain faithful to God, there will always be a place for us in the presence of God. Isn’t this God’s promise of Psalm 15:1-2:

O LORD, who may abide in Your tent?
Who may dwell on Your holy hill?
He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness,
And speaks truth in his heart.
 

Jeremiah 34:12-22 – Let our words be our bond

We learned from Jeremiah 34:1-11, that in a last-ditch attempt to alleviate the pressure on Judah and Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar and his forces, Zedekiah decreed the release of slaves on the Sabbath Year. This was a command God had given in Exodus 20:2 shortly after he had delivered them from their bondage in Egypt. The king was just rehashing it. The people did as he had decreed. But shortly after, they went back on the words and again violated this law.

What they had done did not escape the eye of God. He saw everything. They obeyed then reneged, and went back to their old habit of not keeping this stipulation. When Zedekiah re-established this ruling, Jeremiah 34:15 said that they all renewed this covenant in the temple. Now by reneging on this law, they had committed two wrongs - lying under oath thus showing contempt for God’s name, and reverting to practice slavery.

Zedekiah had shown himself to be a man of duplicity. He had no qualms about going back on his words. In Ezekiel 17:11-18, we saw how he went back on his words to Nebuchadnezzar on securing the assistance of the Egyptians. Now again he and his fellowmen led by him again went back on their words after doing well in releasing their slaves on the Sabbath Year. From Zedekiah, we learn that going back on one’s promise is a serious thing.

We surmise from these verses that in desperation, Zedekiah made a commitment but when the relief was provided, he reneged on the commitment and went back to the old habit and acted like his past. And the people led by him also failed to keep God’s command. Verse 17 God then said to Zedekiah and the people, “Behold, I am proclaiming a release to you,’ declares the Lord, ‘to the sword, to the pestilence, and to the famine; and I will make you a terror to all the kingdoms of the earth. So God assured them that in failing to keep His covenant everyone from leaders to priests to commoners would be judged for they had become covenant breakers. Since they desired to be released from God’s will, they have chosen to be subject to another will. Hence, God would free them into the hand of their adversaries, to die by their swords. God would bring back the Babylonians who would leave Jerusalem and Judah ravaged and desolate.

The lesson – it is a wicked thing to go back on one’s promise. How often would people make a promise in desperation and then when pressures are relieved, they would go back on their words. This is especially so when we make a promise to God and then renege on our words. We must heed the warning of the preacher in Ecclesiastes 5:4-7. “When you make a vow to God, do not be late in paying it; for He takes no delight in fools. Pay what you vow! It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Do not let your speech cause you to sin and do not say in the presence of the messenger of God that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry on account of your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For in many dreams and in many words, there is emptiness. Rather, fear God.”

Jeremiah 34:1-11 – Living life without guile

Jeremiah 34 started by describing Judah under heavy bombardment. Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar was the dominant force at this point. Together with the Babylonian army and all the forces from the nations under him, Nebuchadnezzar assaulted Jerusalem and all the cities of Judah. Verses 6-7 reveal that only two fortified cities - Lachish and Azekah - were left resisting the forces of Nebuchadnezzar. It was at this point that God’s words came to Jeremiah for Zedekiah.

The king was told that Jerusalem would be given into the hand of the king of Babylon who would burn it down. He himself would be taken captive and had to confront Nebuchadnezzar face to face and be taken to Babylon. However, he would not die a horrible death. He would die peacefully and be given a decent funeral and burial.

 

In verses 8-11 we are told that Zedekiah had preciously enforced God’s stipulation stated in Exodus 21:2.  All the slave owners were allowed to keep their Hebrew slaves to serve them for six years. But on the Sabbath Year, all slaves bought must be set free, and all the debts they be canceled. For a long time, the people had violated this law. So Zedekiah’s enforcement of this stipulation was unusual. From verse 8 we surmise that this was probably the king’s last desperate attempt to save himself and Jerusalem. For it was shortly after Zedekiah had enforced this stipulation that the word of the Lord given in verses 1-7 came to him through Jeremiah. Sadly, the last part of verse 11 tells us that the people did not stay faithful to this command. They were said to have reverted to their wayward ways of not releasing the slaves on the Sabbath Year.

 

What God desires is true repentance, not a cover-up. He can see through our actions to our intention. Let us obey God genuinely not just for the sake of averting some disasters.       

 

 

 

 

Jeremiah 33:19-26 – The faithfulness of God

Jeremiah 33:19-26 was God’s guarantee to His people that whatever He had promised concerning the ultimate king from the line of David would come to pass. This branch of David is prophetically none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah King. God’s words came to Jeremiah as an assurance that whatever He had promised would come to pass.

He said that as certain as the sun would rise in the morning and set in the night so also would this promise be so fixed. God had set in motion the rotating of the earth around the sun to enable day and night on earth at an appointed time each day. This has never stopped since the onset of time.  As sure as this would happen each day that was how sure David’s righteous branch and the priesthood arising from Him would happen. God also promised that from this Messiah King would be multiplied descendants. With the increase of David’s descendants, there  would also be an increase in Levitical service to the Lord.

How numerous would these people that would arise from the Messiah King? This was exactly what God said in verse 22, “As the host of heaven cannot be counted and the sand of the sea cannot be measured, so I will multiply the descendants of David My servant, and the Levites who minister to Me.” To put it simply, as many as there are stars in the sky and sands on the seashore that’s how numerous the descendants of the branch of David would be.   

Apparently, there was a common notion that God had rejected His two chosen two families, meaning Israel and Judah.  They were rejected as a nation and were sneered at. God asked if Jeremiah had not observed that. God wanted to make known that He did not reject nor despise them as His chosen people, despite their waywardness. They were in effect still His people whom He had covenant to multiply for Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. And after He had dealt with them, He would show mercy and restore their fortune.   

As far as faithfulness is concerned God has not and will never change. What He has promised He will bring to pass. That’s the lesson of these verses. He will not go against His own nature. His plan of redemption is now being fulfilled through Christ Jesus, the branch of David. Through Him, God’s New Community has been birth. Today countless men and women of all races, languages, and nations are made His descendants to offer Levitical services in His Kingdom. Many more will be added. We in the church have all become a part of God’s promise. Let us show faithfulness in our service to Him. Let’s follow the exhortation of Psalm 100:1-2:-   

Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful singing.

Jeremiah 33:14-18 – Living as kings and priests in God’s Kingdom

In Jeremiah 33, God made many promises to His people. Of all the promises, the most delightful one would be the promise concerning the coming of a future king. Verse 15 captures the promise this way: “In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth, and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth.” When did God say He would this king come? It would be during the peaceful period that Jeremiah had just described earlier in verses 10-13. When peace would have been restored, weddings would be joyfully celebrated, and thanksgiving be offered in the temple. Besides, it would be a time when shepherds could once again watch their flocks.   

This of course is a prophecy concerning the coming of the Messiah King, Jesus Christ our Lord. He came after the nation was restored to Israel. And during the time of His birth, Luke 2:8-11 tell us that  “…in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ” 

 

Here in Jeremiah 33:14-18, God had promised a king from the Davidic dynasty would rule over Israel once again. Under His rule, Judah would be saved and Jerusalem would dwell securely. The city under His rule would be entitled: The Lord our righteousness.  In verses 17-18, we are told that “David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel; and the Levitical priests shall never lack a man before Me to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to prepare sacrifices continually.” These verses talk about the perpetuity of the reign and the priesthood of Christ. There is no denying that Jesus Christ is the king of all ages, and He will reign forever. Then Hebrews 7:17 said this concerning Christ’s priesthood, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” 

It is not wrong to say that kingship and priestly duty are also perpetuated by the followers of Christ. For He has made us kings and priests to of the Kingdom.  The Apostle John in Revelation 5:10 has this to say of us who are impacted by Christ’s redemptive works. He exclaimed, “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth.” We are made to reign and rule with Christ.

 

If we believers in Christ are kings and priests, how then should we live out our roles in this life? As kings with Christ enthroned in our hearts, we have the resources of heaven to break the dominion of sin in our lives. Romans 5:17 puts it this way “ For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.” Then as priests, Hebrews 13:15 exhorts us to “continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.” Let us fulfill our function as kings and priests of God's Kingdom  

Jeremiah 33:10-13 – Great times await God’s people

A prophetic message contains two key elements. First, it tells of a time of judgment, then it promises a time of hope. The prophet Jeremiah had prophesized the devastation of Judah, it would be a land devoid of man and beast that would make wedding, worshipping, and farming impossible. Now in Jeremiah 33:10-13, he prophesied the restoration of the land that would make those activities possible again.

Firstly, there would be a restoration of wedding activities. People would return to populate the deserted town and once again the first part of verse 11 says there would be wedding ceremonies. “The voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride” would be heard again. They would remember the mercy of the LORD and proclaim, “Give thanks to the LORD of hosts, the LORD is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting.”

Secondly, there would be a restoration of worship activities. The last half of verse 11 says that people would once again be able to go to the temple, the house of God to offer their thanks. For a long while they had no temple to go to rejoice and offer their thanksgiving to God. The time would come when their land would be restored, and they could once again be able to go to the temple and offer thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is proper, right, and befitting of a wonderful God. Three times in Psalm 136:1-3, the Psalmist exhorts the people to give thanks to God who is good; who is the God of gods; and who is the LORD of Lords. The key reason why thanksgiving should be offered is that His steadfast love endures forever.

Thirdly, there would a restoration of farming activities. During wartime in Judah, all farming and agricultural activities would be hampered. Farmers would be put out of business. But with the land restored, farming activities would follow suit. Farmers who were enlisted as soldiers could return to farming. Shepherds would once again be found leading sheep in the pastureland. Once again shepherds would be able to count their flock. God would restore their fortune.

Thinking about discipline and hope, we need to remember Psalm 30:5. The Psalmist here tells us that “For His (God’s) anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.” No doubt that dealing of God will be painful, but when we respond and align, the result will outweigh the pain. It will bring everlasting joy. So we learn to count it all joy…when we meet trials of various kinds, knowing that the testing of our faith will produce steadfastness… and when steadfastness have its full effect, that we will be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:2-4).

Jeremiah 33:4-9 – The effect of sin and the joy of forgiveness

The situation in Jerusalem was looking grim. The Babylonians had built siege ramps all around the wall and were about to break in. Within the city, the people had torn down their houses and  palace to use them as material to fortify the wall. It was a last-ditch attempt in desperation. It was in such a condition that God promised Jeremiah that He would reveal to him divine secrets when he prays. He would know great and mighty things that he was yet to know. It is worth noting that the Bible also tells us that God will make known divine secrets to us when we pray. What a privilege!

Having given Jeremiah the invitation, God went on to reveal the great judgment that was coming upon Jerusalem. There would be great devastation. In His anger, He would deal harshly with the city. Jerusalem would be filled and strewn with corpses of men who died in their battle with the Chaldeans. This was God’s doing, He would slay these people in His anger and wrath because of their wickedness. The first great mighty thing would be the catastrophic judgment at God’s hand. God then went on to reveal to Jeremiah the great restoration plan He had. After the devastation would come a time of healing and restoration to health. The people would once again experience an abundance of everlasting ace and truth.

All that Jeremiah had said here can best be understood when we see it in the light of the coming of Christ. The Apostle Paul calls it a mystery in the book of Ephesians. A mystery is a divine secret. Pauls was given the wisdom to unlock it. The mystery can be defined this way: what was previously unknown had been made known in Christ. God must deal with the sinful nature and the sinful acts that resulted from that nature. True and complete restoration begins with the pardoning of iniquity and then the forgiveness of sins. Christ came to deal with our sinful nature. His suffering and death on the cross dealt with our sinful nature thus facilitating God’s forgiveness of the sinful acts we commit. We did not become sinners because we sin, but we are sinners that’s why we sin. Sin is the root and sinful acts are the fruits. In Christ, God dealt with the root of sin to facilitate the forgiveness of sinful acts. Only when our sinful nature is dealt with can everlasting peace be experienced.  With our sinful nature dealt with at Calvary, every time have committed a wrong, we can confess our sins to find forgiveness. And when we do so we have our everlasting peace restored.  “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will cleanse us our unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).”

Jeremiah 33:1-3 – Divine invitation

God again spoke to Jeremiah as he was imprisoned in the guard house of the palace. Even as God spoke to him the city of Jerusalem was in shambles. For months the city was besieged by the Babylonians. The siege ramps of the attacking army had been built around the city. How do we know? Jeremiah 33:4 hinted that Jerusalem was about to cave in and was at the critical point of being taken. God’s words in this verse started with “…concerning the houses of this city, and concerning the houses of the kings of Judah which are broken down to make a defense against the siege ramps and against the sword….” From this verse, we learn of the condition of Jerusalem when God came to speak to Jeremiah a second time.

In one last desperate attempt to defend the city, the people of Jerusalem tore down their houses and the palace and used them as material to fortify the city walls. Jerusalem was being ruined and piles of rubble and debris had filled the city. It was at such a time that God’s words came to Jeremiah. God told Jeremiah many things but for this reflection, we will dwell on Jeremiah 33:1-3. 

The first thing to take note of was the way Jeremiah refers to God. He was none other than the One who had made and set the earth on its foundation. the Lord is His name, Israel’s covenant God. The point Jeremiah was making was that the God who spoke with him was none other than the Creator God Himself. The same God who had made a covenant with Israel to make them His unique people. What a privilege for God;'s people to have excess to the Creator God. We need to know this is our privilege and every time we come before God in prayer, we are literally engaging in a conversation with the Creator God Himself. This should motivate us and make us no longer reluctant to engage Him in prayer.       

Before giving information concerning the future of Jerusalem and Judah,  This Creator God, the covenant Lord of Israel issued an invitation to Jeremiah. His invitation captured in verse 3 says, “Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” What do we get out of this invitation?

Firstly, God desires us to come and call upon Him. The best source of how to do life can never be clearer than from the Lord God Himself.  Secondly, He promises to tell us when we approach Him. He is willing to reveal to us divine secrets. Quoting Isaiah, Pauls said in 1 Corinthians 2:9, “Things which eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.” God has a plan unique to us and He invites us to ask Him so that He can reveal it to us. Why don’t we learn to ask and seek God’s plan for our lives? He knows best.  We can choose to remain ignorant of God’s plan for us, or we can call on Him and let Him show us His great and mighty plan for our lives. Jesus said, “Ask and you shall be given, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be open to you.” Why don’t we speak to Him about our lives?   

Jeremiah 32:42-44 - Is anything too difficult for the Lord?

God’s clearest assurance to Jeremiah concerning why He told the prophet to buy the land can be found in Jeremiah 32:42-44. As sure as He had brought calamity on Judah by the hand of the Babylonians, He would also restore the land and prosper it. Everything would return to normal. The real estate business would become active again in Judah, the land that Jeremiah lamented and declared would be a desolation and devoid of man and beast. What Jeremiah had been instructed to do will be replicated. Many would be doing exactly as he had asked the prophet to do. God's clearest assertion of His promise can be seen in verse 44. He said, “Men will buy fields for money, sign and seal deeds, and call in witnesses in the land of Benjamin, in the environs of Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland and in the cities of the Negev; for I will restore their fortunes.”  

Like what He expected of Jeremiah, God also expects each one of us to take Him and His words. Remember that as these words were being declared to Jeremiah, the latter was held in custody and languishing in the guard house in the palace. What's confronting Jeremiah was whether he would trust what God had declared in His rhetorical question in verse 26. “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” 

This is the same question God is asking us today. Whatever our personal struggles in life may be, God's question is: “Is anything too difficult for Me?” Failing marriage? Financial crisis? Relationship struggles? These and all other issues in life the question God ask of you is “Is anything too difficult for Me?” In Isaiah 40:28-31, God puts His assurance this way:                    
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired.
His understanding is inscrutable.
He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power.
Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
Yet those who wait for the Lord
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.

Therefore, as the Apostle Paul urged us to do in Philippians 4:6-7, we must “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let our requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus." As we see the chaos surrounding the nations, this is what we 

 

Jeremiah 32:36-41 – Be God’s faithful people

Whatever God was doing with Judah could only be understood from the perspective of grace. Why should an incorrigible people who failed Him so miserably and repeatedly, whose only just dessert was judgment, yet find favor with Him again and again. God had every justification to finish off His people in one swift move, yet He did not. Why not? All because of His grace. His judgment was demonstrated in His patience. It was His grace in action. We need to know that His chastenings are opportunities for us to align and make right their wrongs. God was more gracious than Jeremiah’s estimation of Him.

In response to Jeremiah’s  dilemma, God responded. There are four promises God made in Jeremiah 32:36-44. Firstly,  in verse 37 He promised to bring them home to Judah. He said, “I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath, and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety.” There would be an end to their Babylonian exile. Wherever they were scattered God would gather them to Himself.

Secondly, in verse 38 God promised to make them His people. He said, “They shall be My people, and I will be their God.” All along God wanted them to be HIs unique people. He said that in the Mosaic covenant, and He is rehashing them here, once again. They would once again have all the privileges stipulated in the covenant.

Thirdly, in verse 39, God promised to give them a new heart. God's promise to them was, “I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them.” This clearly is an indication of the new birth that Jesus came to bring about in His believers. Repentance, confession, faith, conversion, and regeneration are all part of the processes that would give us a new heart.

Fourthly, God promised in verses 40-41 that the covenant would be an everlasting covenant. He said, “I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me. I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.”  God’s covenant with them would be forever. We know that this New Covenant has been sealed and ratified by the precious blood of Christ, hence it is the everlasting covenant.   

We are  God’s New Covenant people. We must stay focused, single-minded, and faithful. Learning from the examples of Israel and Judah, we must not be double-minded. We cannot profess to love God and then go flirting with the world.  James 4:4 reminds us that friendship with the world is hostility toward God. “Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God,” He added. Let us make faithfulness to God our priority. Don’t let it be an option!     

Jeremiah 32:26-35 – It’s time to seek the Lord

Jeremiah obeyed God and acted precisely as he was instructed. Though he prayed he still needed to understand what seem to him illogical. At this point, Judah and Jerusalem were teetering. The Babylonians had surrounded the city and the siege ramps surrounding Jerusalem were obvious. Jeremiah was held in custody, yet God's instruction was to buy the land his cousin had offered him. Puzzled, Jeremiah 32:24-25 wondered. He said to God, “Behold, the siege ramps have reached the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword, the famine, and the pestilence; and what You have spoken has come to pass; and behold, You see it. You have said to me, O Lord God, ‘Buy for yourself the field with money and call in witnesses”—although the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.’” Here is Jeremiah’s implication: It sounds like a bad time to invest in a land, are you sure this is a good move, Lord?  

It is critical for us to accept that God knows best whatever He instructs us to do. His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts than our thoughts. As Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:25, gave us the perfect reason why we should always trust God. It is  “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” And God does have reasons for what he has instructed us to do, and He will provide the answer. This was what He did in Jeremiah 32:26-35.

God’s answer to Jeremiah was in the form of a question. In verse 27, He rhetorically asked the prophet, “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh; is anything too difficult for Me?” Truly is anything too hard for God. This was the same response God gave to Sarah when the latter doubted her capacity to conceive at 90. “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” The crux of what God was saying to Jeremiah as well as to us is this: Nothing is impossible with Him, and all things are possible to him who believes.

God’s answer to Jeremiah in these verses tells us that He had to deal with His people's sins before He could bless them. Sin has always been an affront to Him.  From Israel's inception as a nation and at this point Judah, the nation had chosen to disregard Him and His Word repeatedly. Sin was found at every level and in every generation. From kings to commoners, from priests to prophets, and from leaders to followers, all have turned their back on God. Their involvement with Baal and the pagan idols had reached epic proportions and the point of intolerance. Time and again, they were disciplined but they would not change. The people had refused to heed the warning of God. And nothing is too hard for God to do, even initiating a foreign nation to punish His people. The judgment at the hand of Babylon was a needful purge of their sin of idolatry.

Another key lesson to take away: don’t turn our backs on God instead turn our faces toward  Him. When circumstances are hard and chips are down, it is time to seek the Lord and not harden our hearts.  Psalm 14:2 says that “The Lord has looked down from heaven upon the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.” God is seeking for us all the time will we seek Him?  Let’s act on the admonition of Isaiah 55:6, “Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near.” Act now!

Jeremiah 32:21-25 – Trusting God absolutely

We are still reflecting on a page of Jeremiah’s prayer which began in verse 16 of chapter 32 of his book. His prayer to God started with, “Ah Lord God” an exclamation of bewilderment before moving on to praise God for His power in creation. Throughout his prayer, he brought up many of God’s wonderful attributes. God’s mercy, lovingkindness, wisdom, and justice were all highlighted. He also showed God’s immutable qualities such as His omniscience, saying in verse 19 that God’s “…eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men….” And he also underscored God’s omnipotence, His great power in delivering with signs and wonders. He did it in Egypt to deliver Israel, His people, and had continued to do so to this day among mankind. What Jeremiah said of God in his prayer was authenticated through the history of His dealings both with His covenant people and mankind. They were not merely ideas that he conjured up without basis. His prayer rested objectively on what God had done.

God’s mighty deliverance of Israel from the hand of Egypt described in verses 21-22 reveals God’s faithfulness. He kept his promise and mightily delivered His people and brought them into a land flowing with milk and honey, the promise that he swore to their forefathers. As Jeremiah praise God for all His wonderful and loving overtures, he could not get away from the people’s unfaithfulness. They did not obey God. This was an honest confession. God fulfilled His part He gave them the land, but they chose to disobey His clear instructions. Their successive blatant disregard for God had led to all the present calamity that they were experiencing at the hand of Babylon.

In verses 24-25, Jeremiah went on to have a frank conversation with God. He could see that in a short while Jerusalem would be taken by the Chaldeans. Their siege of the city was obvious. Their ramps surrounding the city were visible. All the while, God could see what was happening. God saw the sword, the pestilence, and famine. Yet God instructed him to buy the land from his cousin. Here Jeremiah was pondering the instruction and wondered what God’s reason for the instruction could be. This is an indication of true obedience. Though Jeremiah did not fully know the why, he unconditionally acted on the instruction.

Firstly, we learn that true prayer often includes times of confession. There won’t be smoke if there’s no fire. If we don’t deal with the fire, we will have to live with the smoke. Confession is identifying the cause of the fire. And the common cause of fire in our lives is disobedience. It is not taking God at His Word and acting upon it. Here we sense the call of God for us to take Him at His word and act on it. As Hebrews 4:12-13 says, “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”

Secondly, we learn to obey God absolutely, even when we cannot yet see the reason behind it all. When we obey do so with gladness. It is not alright to obey and then live grudgingly all the rest of our life. It is perfectly okay to seek answers when in doubt. God will not fault us for asking questions to clear our doubts. Always remember that our revelation in life is progressive. Whatever God has revealed obey immediately. Whatever we don’t understand seek God and continue to trust. True faith in God is to trust Him when we can see the reason and trust Him even when we can’t yet see the reason. While faith seeks understanding, trusting God must be absolute. We will understand it at the right time.

 

Jeremiah 32:17b-20 – It is a good thing to give thanks and praise God

From bewilderment, Jeremiah was led to praise. From being confused he was moved to give credit to God for His mighty acts. He started by focusing on God’s mighty act in creation. Jeremiah recognized that creation came about through God’s mighty power and outstretched hands. Here he is asserting that God made the entire universe. The Bible, in Genesis, clearly states that God brought the entire universe into being out of nothing but, by His creative words. His “let there be…” brought the world and everything into existence. It’s hard to believe that the universe came into being by accident. Yet we have naturalists propounding that ludicrous worldview. This truth that God created everything is an essential and critical belief. If the Bible is true, and it certainly is, then God created mankind. If we don’t acknowledge this truth, then the obvious conclusion would be that mankind has created God. True worship can only begin when we see and recognize that God is the Creator and rightful owner of the universe and return Him to where He is due. He deserves our praise and worship. God is indeed our Creator, and we are creatures of His mighty acts.  

In these verses, Jeremiah continued to praise God for His mercy, lovingkindness, and justice. He had shown mercy to countless who had acknowledged Him and dealt justly with equally many who had spurned His loving overtures. The wonderful truth is that God had not changed. He is still the wise and just sovereign Lord, whose eyes are scrutinizing mankind. Our ways are still under His watchful eyes, and He will reward or deal with everyone according to their decisions and actions.     

Jeremiah also praised God for His mighty redemption.  Here he alluded to the signs and wonders God did to redeem the people of Israel and made them His covenant people. The prophet here also asserted that God is still performing signs and wonders among mankind both in Israel and in the world. In doing so, God has made Himself and His renown undeniably known.   

In Psalm 92:1-2, the psalmist in conversation with God says, “It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night….” Ever wonder why it is a good thing to give thanks and praises to the Lord Most High? In doing so, we will turn our minds to God and become more mindful of who He is and how much we owe our lives to Him. Let us list all the things He has done for us and pause daily to give thanks and praise Him!   

 

Jeremiah 32:16-17a – When life puzzles you, turn to God

When people are bewildered, their tendency is to go searching for answers everywhere except God. But this was not so for Jeremiah. He beelined for God and engaged Him in prayer.  In Jeremiah 32:6-25, we see Jeremiah praying.  We are literally taking a peep into a page of his prayer journal. Let’s take time to reflect on the prayer he prayed in these verses unhurriedly and glean the lessons God has for us. 

 

To begin with, let us consider the opening words of this prayer. Jeremiah opened his prayer in verse 17a with three words - “Ah, Lord God!” They may be just three short words, but they carry a deep sense of his bewilderment. Jeremiah had been prophesying for years that God would be destroying Jerusalem. And just when what he had been preaching was about to happen, God told him to buy a piece of land from his cousin. Though he was puzzled by God’s instruction, he obeyed his instruction absolutely. And after he had handed the title deed of the land to Baruch, he took his bewilderment to God in prayer.

 

This exclamation ‘Ah Lord God” cannot be interpreted other than a deep sigh from his bewildered soul. He had been through much. He had to deal with unbelieving kings. Then he had to encounter false prophets who were opposing him and claiming that what he was saying was false. And the people of Judah would not take him at his word even when facing the looming destruction of both Judah and Jerusalem. People would divest and invest when they sense a crisis coming, yet he was told to buy a piece of land. What would the people think? If troubles were brewing as he had proclaimed why then did God instruct him to invest in a piece of land. This is not only confusing but mystifying. What better way in a moment like this than to turn to God?

 

How do we deal with our confusion in life? The best thing to do in life when we have doubts and are confused is to bring them to the Lord in prayer. Paul guarantees in Romans 8:26 that the Holy Spirit is the best source of help when we are in such a predicament. He said, “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words….” When we are at our wit's end, the Holy Spirit can help us to turn our perplexity into praying. For “He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

 

Hear the encouraging words of Joseph M. Scriven who wrote a poem to encourage her mother.

 
What a friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and f griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer!
 
Have we trials and temptation? Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful Who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; take it to the Lord in prayer!
 
Are we weak and heavy laden, cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge – take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do your friends despise, forsake you? Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll shield you; you will find a solace there.

   

Jeremiah 32:6-15 – Faith in action

In Jeremiah 32:6-15, God revealed to the prophet Jeremiah that his cousin, Hanamel would offer to sell him a piece of land in Anathoth. And what was made known to him came to pass. His cousin came and offered him to buy his land. In those days property could only be sold to the nearest kin. They called it “the right of redemption.” An example of such a transaction could be seen in the book of Ruth. Boaz was offered to redeem the land belonging to the family of Ruth’s dead father-in-law because he was the nearest kinsman and had the right to redeem the property. Here in these verses, we are not told why Hanamel wanted to liquidate his asset. But in a time of turmoil, converting one’s assets to cash could be expected.

But why did God want Jeremiah to buy the land was also not made known. A good conclusion would be that He wanted Jeremiah this transaction as an object lesson. It was to authenticate his prophecy. Buying the land was a practical demonstration of his faith in what he was saying, that God was going to restore Judah’s future.   

Being confident of God’s promise he bought the land for seventeen shekels of silver. Verse 9 describes how the sale of the land was legally transacted, and verses 10-12 then show us that the transaction was carried out before witnesses in public. For safe-keeping verses 13-15 said that Jeremiah put the title deed into an earthenware. In doing, Jeremiah was signaling that the future would be restored and a future generation would have the right to inherit the land. What Jeremiah had done was God’s assurance to the people of Israel that their “Houses and fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.”

In what Jeremiah had done we see faith in action. Like him, our faith in God must result in obedience. We must take God at His Word even when what He had promised is not fully visible. Hebrews 11 had a list of such people of faith. They acted on the word of God even before the result was seen. Their faith in God leaves an example for us in our faith journey with God. So let us embrace this truth that “faith is the substance of things hope for and the conviction of things yet unseen.” We must have faith in God and put our hope in Him.     

 

 

 

Jeremiah 32:1-5 – In crisis strength is forged

Zedekiah, another son of King Josiah was put on the throne in Judah in the place of Jehoiachin, his nephew. When the latter placed him on the throne, he also changed his former name Mattaniah to Zedekiah. Second Kings 24:18 said that he was 21 years old when he became king and reigned for 11 years. In 2 Kings 25, we are told that Nebuchadnezzar’s siege of Jerusalem started in the 9^th year until the 11^th year of Zedekiah’s reign. Jeremiah 32:1 tells us that it was in the 10^th year of Zedekiah’s reign that the events narrated in Jeremiah 30-33 took place. This would put the timing around 586 B.C.

We are told in Jeremiah 32:2-3, that Zedekiah had the prophet retained under the court of the guard that was in the palace. Verse 4 then provides the reason why Jeremiah was held in custody. It was because he was prophesying the overthrow of Jerusalem by the Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonians. He declared that the Lord had given Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon. For rebelling against Babylon, Jeremiah told Zedekiah that he would have to confront Nebuchadnezzar face to face and eyeball to eyeball. The latter would then take him captive to Babylon. And there he would be held until God’s visitation. The Lord wanted Zedekiah to know the futility of resisting the Babylonians and that he would not succeed in his resistance.

There is a need to discern God’s direction for our life. God’s plan for us does entail tough circumstances. And it is precisely in those times that He builds and strengthens us. That’s the reason we should not try to bill out HIs dealings. Apart from toughening and strengthening us, God also uses the circumstances to reveal our character and the substance we are made of.   Remember tough times don’t last but tough people will.    

Jeremiah 31:38-40 - The Church - the New Jerusalem

Jeremiah 31:31-34 describe the New Covenant, while verses 35-37 talk about the everlasting nature of the covenant. This was God’s commitment to His people to save and keep them. In verses 38-40 is God's promise of rebuilding the city of Jerusalem. After dealing with His people in Babylon, God promised that the ruin of Jerusalem would be rebuilt. The landmarks and boundaries of the new city are laid out and described in these three verses.

According to verses 38b-40, the city would stretch from “…the Tower of Hananel to the Corner Gate. The measuring line will go out farther straight ahead to the hill Gareb; then it will turn to Goah. And the whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes, and all the fields as far as the brook Kidron, to the corner of the Horse Gate toward the east, shall be holy to the Lord.” Here we see the formerly defiled places such as the “whole valley of the dead bodies and of the ashes’ purified. And Jerusalem would once again become the set apart city of the Lord and not be destroyed or overthrown forever.

Physically, Nehemiah and those who returned from the Babylonian captivity rebuilt Jerusalem. More detail can be seen in Nehemiah 3. However, more than the physical Jerusalem, we know that there would be a spiritual fulfillment of this promise.

In Hebrew 12:18-24, we see a reference to the heavenly Jerusalem. It is called the City of the Living God. We cannot get away from the idea that the author was referring to the church, the assembly of God’s people. It’s here that the promise of the presence of God can be experienced. The believers of Christ, the firstborns of God, have come to this city already. This suggests that everyone wanting to enter this new city must acknowledge God as Father, for He has no grandchildren. Everyone who joins the church must come through Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant. Jesus Himself promised that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church. She will stand forever. Let us live responsibly as members of this rebuilt Jerusalem. Let us sink our roots deeply here and live for the praise of His glory.

Jeremiah 31:35-37 - A commitment worthy of our emulation

We saw the three clear-cut characters of the New Covenant God made with His people in Jeremiah 31:31-34. It guaranteed reconciliation, regeneration, and possession. The people of God would be His redeemed, reconciled, regenerated, and renewed people.  There would be a mutual love relationship between Him and them. He would be their God and they, His forgiven people. The New Covenant described in these three verses found its fulfillment in Christ Jesus.

Having made the promise of the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31:31-34, God went on to talk about the everlasting nature of this covenant in verses 35-37.  Unlike usual contracts that would be made null and void, when one party fails to keep his part of the stipulation, this New Covenant will never be made null and void. It is an everlasting covenant. God guarantees it. While men may fail to keep their part of the bargain, God will never fail to keep His. This is His commitment. He promises that as much as the earth will never grind to a halt, so neither will His commitment to His redeemed people stop. As sure as the sun will rise every morning and set every evening that is how committed God will be to His covenant.

 

In verse 37, God plainly declares that he will never discard his people. Just as it is impossible to measure the infinite length of heaven or know the depth of the foundation of the earth, so neither will God's love for His people be fully fathomed. His commitment to His people will never fade even when His fickle-minded people fail to keep their end of the stipulation.

 

How can this covenant be so permanent? Hebrews 9 give us some clues to its durability. This New Covenant had cut with a better sacrifice, Jesus Christ the lamb of God, and inaugurated His precious Blood. Just as the blood of animals was applied to the Old Covenant beneficiaries, the Israelites, and the Tabernacle, this New Covenant went into effect when Christ's shed blood was applied to its beneficiaries, we the believers. This is a covenant between God, our Heavenly Father, and His Son Jesus Christ on our behalf. God had made His commitment to save and keep us. What about us? Will we be committed and stay faithful to Him till the end?  

 

Jeremiah 31:31-34 – We are New Covenant people.

The covenant God made with Israel through Moses ended with a curse. It was not that covenant was bad, but that man’s sin had made it look bad. The Old Covenant was ruined by the sinfulness of man because of the inability to obey the stipulation of the covenant.  The people of Israel were unable to enjoy the close relationship God intended to have with them because of their unfaithfulness. So in Jeremiah 31:31-34, God declared that He was going to make a new covenant with them.  

This New Covenant, God said, would be unlike the old one made at Mount Sinai. How would this one be different from the old one? There are three key elements in this new one. Firstly, God promised that there will be reconciliation.  Whether from Israel or Judah, the people will be reconciled with Him. They would be one people belonging to God. There would only be one new covenant people of God. This is ultimately brought about by Christ. In Him Paul asserted in Galatians 3:28 that  “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” Paul went on to say that if we belong to Christ, then we are Abraham’s descendants and heirs according to the promise. So the New Covenant in Christ ensures that all believers in Him become the redeemed, reconciled people of God.

 

Secondly, in the New Covenant God promised regeneration.  Unlike the old, this new covenant would not be carved on stone but engraved on the mind and written on the heart. God would bring about the transformation of every one of His people from within each one. Now we understand why Romans 12:2 urged us to yield and allow God to transform us from within. Because New Covenant people are people whom God wants to transform from the inside out.

 

Thirdly, the New Covenant  promised possession.  God said, “I will be their God, and they shall be My people.” God wants a mutual relationship. We each belong to Him and He is to us. In Christ, our sins are forgiven and our relationship with God is restored What a privilege! Remember what Christ said in John 15:15? “No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.”. And as friends, God brings us directly into fellowship with Himself.

 

Therefore, we must live as the restored, reconciled, and renewed people of God. No longer should we stay conformed to this world but instead be transformed by the renewal of our mind so that we can live the perfect will of God. 

Jeremiah 31:27-30 – The truth of individual and personal responsibility

God had already made known that He was the source of all the suffering of His people in Israel and Judah. He did it to judge them for their sin and waywardness. He did not do it to destroy them but to align them. Those who would repent, and change could attest to His lovingkindness. He promised to restore them. Here in Jeremiah 31:27-30, God said he would restore their fortune in days to come. There will be a multiplication of both men and beasts. Productivity would be the order of the day when they have learned from their experiences in captivity.

At the onset of his call, Jeremiah was told by God that included in his assignment was the task “to pluck up, to break down, to overthrow, to destroy as well as to build and to plant.” Saying almost the same words as Jeremiah 1:10, God here in Jeremiah 31:28 reiterates that He was behind Jeremiah’s commission watching over them to fulfill it. The first part of plucking, breaking, overthrowing, and bringing disaster was initiated. And now the time of building and planting was nearing, God would be bringing about its fulfillment.  

Verse 29 is a quote of a common byword that the Prophet Ezekiel had also spoken about in Ezekiel 18:2. The people were saying that ‘The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge.’ By this proverb, they were implying that the Lord was unjust. And that He had punished the children for the sins of their forefathers. However, through God’s dealing, the exiles soon realized that they couldn’t blame God anymore. In fact, God had not laid and would not lay the father's guilt on the children. The guilt of every person’s sin was squarely on his or her own shoulder. Everyone would be responsible for their own sin. God declares that “the soul that sins shall die.”  And we shall see that in the New Covenant God would enact with them, He would be dealing with every person individually.

Every covenant God made with men was good. It was the sin of fallen men that had made the covenant look bad. In fact, before the people received the Old Covenant, they had already broken it. Remember what they did at the foot of Mount Sinai? While Moses was on the way down with the Ten Commandments, the Old Covenant, they were already  dancing before the golden calf that Aaron was forced to make for them. Even with the re-dispense set of the Ten Commandments later, the people of God still did not keep their side of the bargain. The problem had never been about the covenant of God, it had been the sin of a fallen people.

God had been and will always be just. We should never blame God no matter how hard life presents itself. Instead, we must stay confident in God knowing that He will never be unjust in His dealing. Let’s hold fast to the admonition of Hebrews 10 35-36. It says “…do  not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God (that includes times of tearing down hindrances), you may receive what was promised. Beloved, God wants us to collaborate with Him so that we can experience the joy of the abundant life He had promised in Christ. Let’s make up our minds and collaborate with Him.   

Jeremiah 31:23-26 – Faith makes congruent our reality and hope

Jeremiah 31:15 said that Rachael’s refused to be comforted. It must have been hard for the people of Judah who had gone through so intensive a suffering at the hands of their enemies to be able to rejoice again. Yet here in Jeremiah 31:23-26, God’s promise to the people of Judah was that their exile and suffering would not last forever. He assured them that a great future was coming for them after His dealings. Regardless of how they felt, God’s assurance was that what they were going through would end.

And in the place of their suffering, God assured them that days of pleasantry were installed for them. In those days, with their restored fortune, once again, they would be able to boldly declare, ‘The Lord bless you, O abode of righteousness, O holy hill!’ In the place of pain and sorrow, they would have joy and dancing.  The assuring words of God in verses 24-25 state, “Judah and all its cities will dwell together in it, the farmer and they who go about with flocks. ‘For I  satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes.’” 

Verse 26 suggests to us that the messages of hope and all its pleasantries were what Jeremiah received in his dream while asleep.  That accounted for why he said, when he awoke and saw the real situation, his conclusion was that his sleep was more pleasant. The reality when he saw when awake was that Judah and Jerusalem were still in shambles and he was still very likely in chains and shackles. Bear in mind that when these series of hope messages were given, they were only words of promises and not yet realities. The people were still very much experiencing the pain and suffering of the exile. Hence what Jeremiah had spoken, he had spoken in faith. And to appropriate them, they the recipients must also have faith. 

This is an important lesson for us. It is only with a posture of faith that the promises of God will become substance and realities. It is only through the eye of faith that God’s future for our lives is realized. Whatever pain and hardship we now endure, God’s light awaits us on the other side. By faith, we learn to lift up our eyes to God and look beyond our pain to the brighter side of things. Hebrews 11:1 says. “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” And it was through this kind of faith that the saints of old gained God’s approval and so must we.