‘Foolish’ Obedience (Jeremiah 32:1-15) OBEDIENCE

‘This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Take these documents, both the sealed and unsealed copies of the deed of purchase, and put them in a clay jar so they will last a long time. For this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields, and vineyards will again be bought in this land.’ – Jeremiah 32:14-15

A property deal from prison.| WATCH ON YOUTUBE

God gave Jeremiah a tough message for King Zedekiah and that landed him in the palace prison. King Zedekiah was angry that Jeremiah told the people that the Babylonians would succeed in conquering the city that Zedekiah was trying so hard to defend. 

And now in prison, God tells Jeremiah to buy a field in his hometown Anathoth, from his cousin Hanamel. Anathoth was about three miles outside Jerusalem. With Babylonian armies surrounding Jerusalem, the enemy had already occupied Anathoth. Jeremiah was offered the purchase of land that was already under Babylonian control. The land itself was worthless and Jerusalem’s days were numbered. To buy such a land in a time like that seemed like foolishness. 

But Jeremiah obeyed the Lord. He bought the field following all the legal requirements for the purchase. Then he instructed Baruch, a scribe and his assistant, in everyone’s hearing. Baruch was to preserve and hide the title deed and details of the transaction in a clay jar, to be read later. The property purchase from prison was an expression of confident trust in God’s promise that the land would be possessed again. Jeremiah obeyed what God asked him to do, however foolish it seemed. 

Would you obey what God is calling you to do, even though it may seem foolish?

Lord, help me to be more concerned about obeying you than looking smart to the world, I pray.

Extended Reading — Jeremiah 32-34

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