Buy The Field

Take just a moment to read the following passage from the Book of Jeremiah. 

Jeremiah 32:1-27 (KJV) 

"1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which [was] the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar. 2 For then the king of Babylon's army besieged Jerusalem: and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which [was] in the king of Judah's house. 3 For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, Wherefore dost thou prophesy, and say, Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it; 4 And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes; 5 And he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there shall he be until I visit him, saith the LORD: though ye fight with the Chaldeans, ye shall not prosper. 6 And Jeremiah said, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 7 Behold, Hanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee, saying, Buy thee my field that [is] in Anathoth: for the right of redemption [is] thine to buy [it]. 8 So Hanameel mine uncle's son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said unto me, Buy my field, I pray thee, that [is] in Anathoth, which [is] in the country of Benjamin: for the right of inheritance [is] thine, and the redemption [is] thine; buy [it] for thyself. Then I knew that this [was] the word of the LORD. 9 And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle's son, that [was] in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, [even] seventeen shekels of silver. 10 And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed [it], and took witnesses, and weighed [him] the money in the balances. 11 So I took the evidence of the purchase, [both] that which was sealed [according] to the law and custom, and that which was open: 12 And I gave the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, in the sight of Hanameel mine uncle's [son], and in the presence of the witnesses that subscribed the book of the purchase, before all the Jews that sat in the court of the prison. 13 And I charged Baruch before them, saying, 14 Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days. 15 For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land. 16 Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the LORD, saying, 17 Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, [and] there is nothing too hard for thee: 18 Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, [is] his name, 19 Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes [are] open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings: 20 Which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, [even] unto this day, and in Israel, and among [other] men; and hast made thee a name, as at this day; 21 And hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror; 22 And hast given them this land, which thou didst swear to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey; 23 And they came in, and possessed it; but they obeyed not thy voice, neither walked in thy law; they have done nothing of all that thou commandedst them to do: therefore thou hast caused all this evil to come upon them: 24 Behold the mounts, they are come unto the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans, that fight against it, because of the sword, and of the famine, and of the pestilence: and what thou hast spoken is come to pass; and, behold, thou seest [it]. 25 And thou hast said unto me, O Lord GOD, Buy thee the field for money, and take witnesses; for the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans. 26 Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, 27 Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there any thing too hard for me?"

This instruction by God for Jerimiah to purchase property is a peculiar story, for sure. God has pronounced judgment upon Jerusalem and all of Judea. The King of Babylon will soon destroy what's left of it and carry its inhabitants away as slaves. So why buy a piece of land in a place that is destined for destruction and abandonment?

God has made a significant promise to Israel directly linked to this command to buy the field. God promised them they would one day return to their land from captivity. Buying this field becomes a statement of faith in God's Word. That God will do what He says. 

1) GOD'S WORD CAME TO JEREMIAH

Jeremiah 32:1 (KJV) 

"The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD ..."

Jeremiah 32:6 (KJV) 

"And Jeremiah said, The word of the LORD came unto me, saying,..."

Jeremiah 32:8 (KJV) 

"...Then I knew that this [was] the word of the LORD."

Jeremiah 32:26 (KJV) 

"Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying,..."

Jeremiah was locked in prison

Condemned for speaking for God

Just as John was in Rev. 1:9

When we can't "go," God's Word can "come" to us!

God can send his word to you no matter where you are!

2) NOTHING IS TOO HARD FOR GOD

Jeremiah 32:17 (KJV) 

"Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, [and] there is nothing too hard for thee:"

Jeremiah 32:26-27 (KJV) 

"26 Then came the word of the LORD unto Jeremiah, saying, 27 Behold, I [am] the LORD, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?"

All that Jeremiah is hearing seems impossible at the moment.

A prisoner of the State

Buying land

In a place condemned to destruction

But God...!

3) THE EVIDENCE IS IN AN EARTHEN VESSEL

Jeremiah 32:14 (KJV) 

"Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days." (emphasis mine)

How wonderful the method utilized here!

An "earthen vessel" would house the evidence that God was working!

Does that sound familiar?

2 Corinthians 4:7 (KJV) 

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."

We're only scratching the surface of the truth found in these texts. I encourage you to:

#1: Study this story in Jeremiah 32 for yourself. 

#2: Listen to this Podcast episode by clicking here.