Imagine that you are in prison, but that you are looking to buy some land for when you get out.
Now imagine that you come across this ad:
“Land for sale. Presently inhabited by a hostile nation. There are no signs that the invading force is leaving. Contact “No-Hope Reality” if interested.”
What do you think? Are you ready to sign the deed?
Do you know that these are the circumstances that surrounded Jeremiah, when God told him to buy land in an area that was occupied by the Chaldeans? Why would God ask this of him? Well, as was often the case with Jeremiah, God was illustrating an important truth through him. And what was it?
Well, the answer can be found in Jeremiah, chapter 32:
32 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord (A)in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, (B)which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. 2 At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet (C)was shut up in (D)the court of the guard that was in the palace of the king of Judah.3 For Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him, saying, “Why do you prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the Lord:(E)Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall capture it; 4 (F)Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, (G)but shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him face to face and see him eye to eye. 5 And (H)he shall take Zedekiah to Babylon, and there he shall remain until I visit him, declares the Lord. (I)Though you fight against the Chaldeans, you shall not succeed’?” 6 Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me: 7 Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you and say, (J)‘Buy my field that is at (K)Anathoth, (L)for the right of redemption by purchase is yours.’ 8 Then Hanamel my cousin came to me in (M)the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the Lord, and said to me, ‘Buy my field that is at (N)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. 9 “And I bought the field at (O)Anathoth from Hanamel my cousin, and (P)weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver. 10 (Q)I signed the deed, (R)sealed it, (S)got witnesses, and (T)weighed the money on scales.11 Then I took the sealed deed of purchase, containing the terms and conditions and the open copy. 12 And I gave the deed of purchase to (U)Baruch the son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my cousin, in the presence of (V)the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, and in the presence of all the Judeans who were sitting in (W)the court of the guard. 13 I charged (X)Baruch in their presence, saying, 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 vessel, that they may last for a long time. 15 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and (Y)fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.’
Did you find the answer? It is in verse fifteen. There we see a promise of God. He is promising His people that one day He will restore the land to them, and they will be able to own fields and vineyards.
So, what was Jeremiah actually being asked to do? He was being asked to trust God, despite the fact that everything that was happening to him and around him indicated that buying the field was foolhardy.
Yet, God’s promise was not just for Jeremiah. He was keeping His promise to His people that he would not abandon them. He was encouraging them that their exile would not be without end. He was showing that His grace was not contingent upon the faithfulness of people, but on the covenants He made with them. He was letting them know that He was sovereign, and in control, and trustworthy. He was demonstrating that His discipline of them was purposeful, measured and limited.
Perhaps you are in a time on your life when you believe that God is asking you to do something that seems to make no sense. So, the question becomes, is He calling you to a Jeremiah-like response of trust? Just know that whatever happens, if you respond to God with faith and trust, He is glorified. Lots of situations in our life change, but God never changes. He will always remain true to Himself, His promises, and you.
For Jesus,
Rob