What I Noticed Today (Jeremiah 32-34)
Jeremiah 32
In verses 1-2, Jeremiah records the time of the events as the tenth year of Zedekiah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar (sometime between April 23 and October 17, 587 B.C.). King Nebuchadnezzar was besieging the city of Jerusalem, and Jeremiah was being held prisoner by Zedekiah in the palace.
In verses 3-5, Jeremiah states Zedekiah had imprisoned him because of his prophesies against the king and the city of Jerusalem.
In verses 6-9, Jeremiah describes a word from the Lord that came to him saying his cousin, Hanamel, son of Shallum, would come to Jeremiah and ask him to purchase a field. So Jeremiah measures out 17 shekels of silver and pays his cousin (that was about 1-1/2 year’s wages for a laborer).
Note: This follows the kinsman-redeemer principle (Leviticus 25:25-28). However, the field was in Anathoth, which was already under Babylonian control so it would be foolish for Jeremiah to purchase it except for the fact that God had told him to do it.
In verses 10-12, Jeremiah describes signing two copies of the deed that had been witnessed. One copy was sealed, and the other copy left unsealed. Jeremiah gave both copies to Jeremiah’s scribe Baruch.
In verses 13-15, Jeremiah instructed Baruch to place both copies of the deed in a clay pot to preserve them for a long time. The reason to preserve the deeds, said Jeremiah, was that the land would someday be bought and sold again (after the Babylonians were expelled and the land was returned to the Judeans).
In verses 16-25, Jeremiah prays to the Lord describing the Lord’s majesty in creating the heavens and earth, in loving the people, delivering them out of Egypt, bringing them to the Promised Land, all despite the fact that the people rejected Him and did not walk according to His Law. Jeremiah didn’t understand why the Lord wanted him to buy this field that was under Babylonian control. Yet because the Lord had commanded Jeremiah to buy this field from Hanamel in front of witnesses, he did as the Lord commanded.
In verses 26-35, the Lord assured Jeremiah nothing was too hard for Him. He would indeed give the city of Jerusalem into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar who would destroy it because the people of Israel and Judah had done evil and provoked the Lord by rejecting Him and worshipping false gods.
In verses 36-41, the Lord continues saying the city will be given to the king of Babylon by the sword, famine, and pestilence. However, the Lord also promised that He would eventually gather the people from all the lands where they had been dispersed and bring them back to the city where they would live once again. In this time, the people will worship the Lord as their God, and they will be His people.
In verses 42-44, the Lord concludes His response to Jeremiah, saying even though He was bringing this judgment upon the nation of Israel because of their sin, He would restore them and fields will once again be bought and sold, and the Lord will restore their fortunes.
Jeremiah 33
Jeremiah 33 concludes “The Book of Consolations” and is a continuation of Jeremiah 32.
In verses 1-3, the word of the Lord comes to Jeremiah a second time while he is being held captive in the palace of King Zedekiah. The Lord tells Jeremiah to call on Him, and He will reveal things about the future previously hidden from Jeremiah.
In verses 4-5, the Lord describes the futility of the inhabitants in tearing down their house to fortify the city walls against the Babylonian siege. The Lord will not deliver the people from the Babylonians because of their evil.
In verses 6-9, the Lord promises to restore the people and the city after the time of judgment. He will bring health and healing, prosperity and security, and restore the fortunes of the people. The city will become a place of joy, and praise to God as the people’s sins are forgiven, and surrounding nations will fear and tremble at all the prosperity the Lord brings to the people of Jerusalem.
In verses 10-13, the Lord uses two metaphors to describe the contrast between the current judgment and future blessings to Judah. Even though the siege is underway, the Lord describes the situation as though the siege has ended and Jerusalem is already destroyed. In each of the metaphors, Jerusalem is described as a desolate wasteland devoid of man or animals. In the first metaphor, the Lord uses a description of a joyful bride and groom to describe how the people will bring thank offerings to the Lord. In the second metaphor, the Lord uses shepherds and sheep as a metaphor for the return of the leaders and the people of Judah.
In verses 14-16, the Lord describes a future time (the Millennium) in which Israel and Judah will be reunited, and a righteous Branch (Jesus Christ) will rise up in the land. Judah will be saved, and Jerusalem will be secure. Jerusalem will be known as “The Lord is our righteousness.”
In verses 17-18, the Lord emphasizes in this future time; the covenant includes the royal line of David and the Levitical priests. The Lord promised David would never fail to have a man sit on Israel’s throne (2 Samuel 7:8-16). Likewise, the Levitical priests would always have a man to offer sacrifices before the Lord (Numbers 25:12-13).
In verses 19-22, the Lord assures Jeremiah that His promises in this covenant would stand, and could only be broken if a man could break God’s covenant with the day and the night.
In verses 23-26, the Lord assures Jeremiah a second time since some people doubted that the Lord would indeed restore the people. Only if the Lord’s covenant with the day and night were broken would his promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob be broken.
So, only if the laws of nature ended and the earth stopped spinning around the sun, would this covenant end. The Lord again promised to restore their fortunes and have mercy on them.
Jeremiah 34-36
Jeremiah spoke of the future hope of Judah in Jeremiah 30-33. He now returns to focus on their present judgment in Jeremiah 34-36.
Jeremiah 34
In verses 1-3, Jeremiah speaks of Nebuchadnezzar’s army conquering Jerusalem, burning it with fire, capturing King Zedekiah, and taking him to Babylon.
In verses 4-5, the Lord said Zedekiah would not be executed but live in peace and be honored in his death.
In verses 6-7, Jeremiah delivered this message to Zedekiah while Nebuchadnezzar was attacking Jerusalem. Only two other fortified cities in Judah, Lachish, and Azekah had not been conquered.
In verses 8-11, we see that King Zedekiah had issued a proclamation that the enslavement of their own people should stop and the slaves should be set free.
Note: Hebrews having other Hebrew slaves and keeping them beyond seven years was a violation of God’s Law (Exodus 21:2-11).
However, the people took their slaves back after releasing them.
Note: We’ll see the reason for this change of heart in Jeremiah 34:21-22.
In verses 12-16, the Lord reminded the people of the covenant, He made with them when He brought them out of Egypt and the requirement that the slaves be released every seven years. They had done well to repent and release the slaves, but they profaned the name of God when they took the slaves back because the promise was made before God in the temple.
In verses 17-20, the Lord condemns all those who revoked their covenant to release the slaves. They will die by the sword, pestilence, or famine at the hand of the Babylonians.
Note: The covenant between the people and God involved splitting a calf in two and walking between it before God in the temple to signify their agreement to the covenant.
In verses 21-22, the army of Babylon had withdrawn from Jerusalem, but because the leaders and the people had broken their covenant with God, God would bring the Babylonians back to Jerusalem, and they would burn the city with fire.
Tomorrow: Jeremiah 35-37
What did you notice in your study today? Feel free to visit the website and leave a question or a comment.
