Sermon Tone Analysis

! Investing in the promises of God

 

“I knew that this was the word of the Lord; 9 so I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel

 

                                                                        Jeremiah 32 8b 9a

 

We discovered in our study on Wednesday that Jeremiah was a man who lived his ministry – that what he said was inextricably linked with his life and the one informed the other.

When, faced by great odds and an unresponsive audience, he began to despair and even accused God of trapping him – then God showed him how great He is and Jeremiah was strengthened to continue.

Much of what he experienced – like his visit to the potter’s workshop – became full of significance for him and his message.

In this chapter Jerusalem is facing its final days.

The city is under siege by the Babylonians.

It was “the tenth year of Zedekiah and the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar.

The army of the kind of Babylon was then besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was confined in the courtyard of the guard…” (v2)

 

These were *desperate times* and at such times he was criticised by Zedekiah for undermining morale and prophesying the fall of the city.

“You say, This is what the Lord says…”

 

How Jeremiah must have wished that he could bring a message of hope and relief for the people – but he could not: the message he had from the Lord remained the only word he could preach.

No one would ever fault Jeremiah for changing his message to suit the times!

These are desperate times – *Jeremiah is in prison and the city is besieged!*

On another occasion he will be confined in a cistern (38:6) and threatened with death (26:8) – yet despite these threats he *remained steadfast.*

* *

This chapter which presents Jeremiah buying a piece of land even as the besieging nations are about to take over the country presents an insight into the personal integrity, faith and obedience of the prophet.

But it also reveals his doubts and misgivings.

The work of God that He gave Jeremiah to do involved not just a faithfulness in matters of utterance – but in his own personal risk taking.

I am the last person to whom anyone should come for financial advice!

I have very little understanding of the mysteries of economics.

I know what it means to lose investments when the market crashes, or when money has been invested by unscrupulous people.

I have had quite a lot to do with the likes of liquidators and so on – but I do not understand the underlying principles.

Yet even I know that it is a ridiculous idea to buy a parcel of land at a time of war – when the land is about to be taken by enemies.

Yet here an imprisoned prophet buys a field: he *makes an investment in the promises of God!*

He demonstrates his deeper faith in the covenant making God by buying the land that it was his right to redeem.

What kinds of risks will you take with God’s promises?

Like Abraham before him, Jeremiah hears the promise of God – and he doesn’t just pass it on to the people (after the defeat of Jerusalem I will bring them back…) he actually spends money on a plot that is soon to be occupied territory.

Consider what happened under three headings:-

 

(1)            He *was faithful* to his mission  v 3

(2)            He *was attentive* to God’s instructions v6~~

(3)            He *prayed* – and what a prayer v16~~

 

These three aspects of Jeremiah’s spiritual life are mixed together to produce a singular evidence of God at work in His servant.

In the light of this example:

 

Do you have a work for the Lord?

– DO IT

Has God spoken to you? – PROVE HIM

Do doubts remain?

– PRAY ON

 

! FAITHFUL       vv 1-3

 

2 The army of the king of Babylon was then besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was confined in the courtyard of the guard in the royal palace of Judah.

3 Now Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him there, saying, “Why do you prophesy as you do?

You say, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am about to hand this city over to the king of Babylon, and he will capture it.

It is too easy for us to forget the reality – the very harsh reality facing Jeremiah at this time.

The siege is a REAL DANGER

The future is BLEAK

He is IMPRISONED

 

Any one of those factors on their own would be enough to put most off – but together they pose an incredible barrier to faith and peace of mind.

Yet Jeremiah does not flinch – he does not bend in the face of criticism or danger.

Yes he does ask questions and does have doubts – but his faith is the sort that endures.

Where did this quality of faith come from?

*(a)          **A profound sense of God’s calling*

 

To Jeremiah, God  is pre-eminently SOVEREIGN  (see chapter 1)

 

*(b)         **God had equipped him with armour suited to the task*

 

*(c)          **God had given him a promise for the future*

 

They will be most likely to invest in God’s promises who have proved Him in times past, who know Him to be Sovereign, and who have listened as He promises.

AS New Covenant believers we have the same understanding of a sovereign Lord who calls His people to Himself – who promises grace sufficient and protection, and who goes to prepare a place for us.

We have even more reason that Jeremiah had to INVEST IN GOD’S PROMISES.

The test is not youth – or old age, not lack of learning – or any gift, not fear of difficulty or boldness – BUT SIMPLE FAITHFULNESS

 

God wants us – like Jeremiah to see a greater return for HIS INVESTMENT IN US – the parables that Jesus told are pertinent here.

If God says DO THIS – WE SHOULD BE DOING IT

 

Noitice what God says in v 39:-

38 They will be my people, and I will be their God.

*39 **I will give them singleness of heart and action,* so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them.

40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me.

41 I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.

Singleness of heart and action!

To base what we do upon the character of the God who has called us to become His children.

The Lord who has redeemed us with His precious blood.

Have you been given a task – then – because of that DO IT!

 

 

!

ATTENTIVE     vv 6-15

 

6 Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me: 7 Hanamel son of Shallum your uncle is going to come to you and say, ‘Buy my field at Anathoth, because as nearest relative it is your right and duty to buy it.’

8 “Then, just as the Lord had said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the courtyard of the guard and said, ‘Buy my field at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin.

Since it is your right to redeem it and possess it, buy it for yourself.’

“I knew that this was the word of the Lord; 9 so I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel and weighed out for him seventeen shekels of silver.

10 I signed and sealed the deed, had it witnessed, and weighed out the silver on the scales.

11 I took the deed of purchase—the sealed copy containing the terms and conditions, as well as the unsealed copy— 12 and I gave this deed to Baruch son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel and of the witnesses who had signed the deed and of all the Jews sitting in the courtyard of the guard.

13 “In their presence I gave Baruch these instructions: 14 ‘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 that they will last a long time.

15 For this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.’

Jeremiah not only HEARS what God says – he recognises its power and its value.

Notice from those verse how Jeremiah LISTENS:

 

V6 

“The word of the Lord came to me: 7 Hanamel son of Shallum your uncle is going to come to you and say, ‘Buy my field at Anathoth, because as nearest relative it is your right and duty to buy it.’

V 8

 

8 “Then, just as the Lord had said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the courtyard of the guard and said, ‘Buy my field

 

V8b

 

“I knew that this was the word of the Lord;

 

V 9

 

; 9 so I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel and weighed out for him seventeen shekels of silver.



 

 

*a.

**The word is personal and specific*

 

It was a brief insight into an event to come – but its significance lay in  what HAD TO BE DONE rather than a promise to be admired.

*b.

**The word was immediately fulfilled*

 

There was no need for a fleece!

Jeremiah hears – and expects the word to work.

*c.

**Jeremiah RECOGNISED the Voice of God*

 

“I knew that this was the word of the Lord;

 

 

*d.