Jeremiah

Jeremiah Chapter 32

• Jeremiah 32:1 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;

Jeremiah was shut up in the court of the prison and was still able to buy and sell, receive visitors at this time. Even though he was shut up because of the prophecy he was speaking, he did not back down nor recant his message. He stayed faithful in what the Lord called him to do.

We see here a very faithful servant of God. We can look back now and see that Jeremiah is no longer in a prison. Now he would be with the Lord awaiting the future resurrection of the body. He is in a place of comfort. He is in paradise with the Lord. All his labor is rewarded by everlasting life.

At the time of persecution though, it may seem as if one is alone and in misery. The only way to be comforted in persecution is to trust in the Lord. I'm sure the Lord's Holy Spirit was present with Jeremiah giving him strength to endure persecution.

The bible says that all the godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. This persecution may or may not be as severe as Jeremiah's but we have to accept the fact that the world does not like the truth. The majority of the world's population does not accept the teaching of holiness, the teaching of repentance and the teaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ. The closer one lives in the will of God, the less he or she is liked by the world.

If our treasure is in heaven and our hope is in things eternal, the things here will not matter as much. Jeremiah chose to believe God even though he suffered for it. He loved God and he loved the people. Had he just cared for his own comfort, he would have said the words people wanted to hear. That would not have been love.

Love tells the truth. He loved the people enough to tell them that they needed to repent and get right with God or else God would allow the king of Babylon to take over their land.

Joy awaits those that stay faithful to God. Here is the promise in both the old and new testament.

• Isaiah 64:4 For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

Repeated in the New Testament:

• 1Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

This is the hope of the faithful. If we love God above all and our neighbor as ourselves, we will be faithful to God no matter what. If we are faithful to God, our neighbors may be saved also by our testimony and our reward in heaven will not only be what God gives us but also when we see the others there that we led to Jesus Christ. That will be reward enough just to see them saved. 

To seek to be acceptable to men and forsake God will cause us to lose everything in the long run and probably lose the souls we could have influenced for the Lord Jesus Christ.

If Jesus had not have stayed faithful, and endured suffering until after he died on the cross, all mankind would be lost and without any hope of eternity.

• Jeremiah 32:4 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.

Zedekiah was in for a rude awakening and would come face to face with the king of Babylon.

• Jeremiah 32:6 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.

Even though Jeremiah is in prison, he still speaks the same words without backing down.

Jeremiah is instructed by the Lord to buy property. Notice that he was not concerned with property and material things before but the Lord is showing him that the time will come that the Jews would returned to their own land again and this land would not always be in the hand of Babylon.

• Jeremiah 32:8 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.

God confirmed the word by sending Hanameel and this same Hanameel asked Jeremiah to buy his field.

This showed Jeremiah that this is a true word from God and this is what God wanted him to do. If we stay faithful to God he will show us how to live. He will not leave us in the dark.

• Jeremiah 32:9 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.

Apparently Jeremiah was allowed to have his own money.

• Jeremiah 32:10 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.

God gave Jeremiah friends to assist him. He did not leave him alone.

• Jeremiah 32:13 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.

This was the reason for this purchase to show all of them that even though their houses and lands were going to be taken away from them, the day would come when all would be returned.

• Jeremiah 32:16 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:

Jeremiah gives praise to God and acknowledges his greatness and right to judge men according to their works.

• Jeremiah 32:20 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;

All this land was promised to them but the condition of God's protection was that they obey His word. They did not obey and this is why the judgment came. Practically everywhere in the bible we see that signs and wonders do occur but we can't depend on them because people tend to forget in times when they no longer see them for a season. We have to base our faith on the word of God and get that word in our spirit so that we serve God in good times and in bad.

God has not changed and this is still true to day. Everyone will be judged according to what he or she did when they were in the body. God loved us so much that He sent Jesus to pave the way for us. God knows we cannot save ourselves. He commanded us to repent and turn from sin and receive His Son, Jesus as our savior and then He would give us the power to overcome sin and not desire to return to sin anymore. That way when this final judgment day comes God will see the righteousness of Christ in us instead of our old sin that Christ took away from us. 

Before Jesus, people had to use their own will power to keep from sin. Now we have the Spirit of God abiding in each one of us who have accepted Jesus Christ for the remission of our sins.  Before Christ, we had our conscience to tell us right from wrong, now we have the wonderful Spirit of God dwelling within us. This wonderful Spirit of God or the Holy Ghost is given to all who receive Jesus Christ and obey Him.

• Acts 5:30 The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. 
• 31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
• 32 And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.  

We see here that this promise of the Holy Ghost is to Israel but here is the promise for the Gentiles also. It is promised to those who obey Him.

• Acts 11:15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning. 
• 16 Then remembered I the word of the Lord, how that he said, John indeed baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost. 
• 17 Forasmuch then as God gave them the like gift as he did unto us, who believed on the Lord Jesus Christ; what was I, that I could withstand God? 
• 18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.
• 43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. 
• 44 While Peter yet spake these words, the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the word. 
• 45 And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 
• 46 For they heard them speak with tongues, and magnify God. Then answered Peter, 
• 47 Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we?

The promise of salvation, repentance and eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ is for all. This is for Jews, Gentiles, young, old, rich, poor, great or small. God is no respecter of persons. All must repent and come to Christ for eternal life and redemption from sin. ALL.

• Jeremiah 32:23 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.

Jeremiah was in prison yet he was blessed far above those that were free yet in the darkness of deception. Jeremiah saw the whole plan of God and why these evil things were coming upon them.

Stay focused on God and He will give you eyes that see and ears that hear.

• Jeremiah 32:25 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?
• 28 Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the Chaldeans, and into the hand of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, and he shall take it:
• 29 And the Chaldeans, that fight against this city, shall come and set fire on this city, and burn it with the houses, upon whose roofs they have offered incense unto Baal, and poured out drink offerings unto other gods, to provoke me to anger.

The places where they previously had offered incense to Baal, would be burnt with fire. They should not have been serving another God. After Jeremiah's first warning they should have burnt down their own altars to Baal and repented. Had they have done that they would not have been destroyed by Babylon. All God wants is for us to repent and He will not remember our old sins.

• Jeremiah 32:30 For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have only done evil before me from their youth: for the children of Israel have only provoked me to anger with the work of their hands, saith the LORD.
• 31 For this city hath been to me as a provocation of mine anger and of my fury from the day that they built it even unto this day; that I should remove it from before my face,
• 32 Because of all the evil of the children of Israel and of the children of Judah, which they have done to provoke me to anger, they, their kings, their princes, their priests, and their prophets, and the men of Judah, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem.
• 33 And they have turned unto me the back, and not the face: though I taught them, rising up early and teaching them, yet they have not hearkened to receive instruction.

They should have known better so they were actually guiltier than the nations that were there before them that did the same things. That is why God allowed them to take over the land of Canaan because of the sins of the inhabitants that dwelled in Canaan at that time. Now we see Israel doing the same sins and suffering the same fate with one exception. The former Canaanites are never to return and occupy Judah, but the Jews would be able to return.

• Jeremiah 32:34 But they set their abominations in the house, which is called by my name, to defile it.
• 35 And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.

God hates the sacrificing of live human beings to these false idols. It never came into His mind.

I don't care whether we are the chosen people of God, whether it be the Jews, the church or any religious system, if we forsake God and go back into sin, we will be judged by the light that we received. If we return to sin after being saved from it and shown how sin separates from God, then we would become just what we were before we ever was saved only we would be guiltier because we should have known better.

We crucify Jesus again if we go back into open sin that we know is wrong and stop following the Lord. I'm not talking about making a mistake or doing something stupid that we really deep down do not want to do. I'm talking of knowingly going back under the bondage of sin after Jesus Christ set us free when we know the consequences of that sin. If we fail to repent and turn back to the Lord we are in danger of losing our souls.

• Jeremiah 32:36 And now therefore thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city, whereof ye say, It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence;
• 37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries, whither I have driven them in mine anger, and in my fury, and in great wrath; and I will bring them again unto this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely:
• 38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God:
• 39 And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:

Even though Israel has returned to this land again, all this prophecy has not yet taken place yet as we see today in 2025, because they still are not one heart with the Lord although individual Jews have come to the Lord. They make excellent bible teachers after they do. I've heard many of them.

• Jeremiah 32:40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.

This will happen to the Jewish people in the future as a whole but this is happening now to all who receive the Lord Jesus Christ into their hearts. We can have this everlasting covenant in our hearts right now. We can walk in the fear of God and have His fellowship now. Those that yield to Jesus Christ and receive him into their lives are now, both Jews and Gentiles.

We can now have this everlasting life by being born again by the Spirit of God. The covenant to Israel is to all who believe in the one who brings the covenant. This is the very Jesus whom they crucified. Jesus is the Messiah of Israel and the savior of the world to all who will receive this.

• Jeremiah 32:41 Yea, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this land assuredly with my whole heart and with my whole soul.
• 42 For thus saith the LORD; Like as I have brought all this great evil upon this people, so will I bring upon them all the good that I have promised them.
• 43 And fields shall be bought in this land, whereof ye say, It is desolate without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.
• 44 Men shall buy fields for money, and subscribe evidences, and seal them, and take witnesses in the land of Benjamin, and in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, and in the cities of the mountains, and in the cities of the valley, and in the cities of the south: for I will cause their captivity to return, saith the LORD.

There is a literal fulfillment of these prophecies as well as the spiritual fulfillment. The reason so many miss it is because they are just seeking the material part about land and possessions. We need to seek first the kingdom of God and then let God take care of the necessities of life. DC

• Matthew 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 
• 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 
• 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 
• 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof. 
• 19 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: 
• 20 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: 
• 21 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

Jeremiah 33