A case Study in Fidelity
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Q: What have you guys learned so far?
Q: What have you noticed in the story?
Chapter 32 - Jeremiah Purchases Land
Chapter 32 - Jeremiah Purchases Land
Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me: Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you and say, ‘Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours.’ Then Hanamel my cousin came to me in the court of the guard, in accordance with the word of the Lord, and said to me, ‘Buy my field that is at 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. “And I bought the field at Anathoth from Hanamel my cousin, and weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver. I signed the deed, sealed it, got witnesses, and weighed the money on scales. Then I took the sealed deed of purchase, containing the terms and conditions and the open copy. And I gave the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my cousin, in the presence of the witnesses who signed the deed of purchase, and in the presence of all the Judeans who were sitting in the court of the guard. I charged Baruch in their presence, saying, ‘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. For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.’
Q: Why in the world would God command Jeremiah to buy a field right before they were going to be exiled?
This act seems like a strange one, would it not seem as if Jeremiah doesn't actually believe what he is saying?
The Babylonians were clearly coming, anyone who would think they aren't would not be thinking straight.
Its opposite, this is an act to demonstrate that God is serious about restoring Israel. This is where the theoretical becomes practical. There will indeed be life after Babylon.
Q: Does it ever seem as if the commandments of God are burdensome and provide no benefit?
Q: Can you think of other practical benefit to following God’s commandments.’
“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?
Echoe’s
Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son.”
There is nothing impossible for God and here He will promise to do two things
Take out His judgement on Israel
Utter destruction, it will seem as if they are no longer a nation
Bring them back and bless them
They will have land and people again
Q: Do you know any people that have gone through a seemingly impossible devastating life vent to then be restored to an inverse seemingly impossible blessing?
Chapter 33 Restoration for Judah and Jerusalem
Chapter 33 Restoration for Judah and Jerusalem
The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah a second time, while he was still shut up in the court of the guard:
How does this square with the next verse
Behold, I will bring to it health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security. I will restore the fortunes of Judah and the fortunes of Israel, and rebuild them as they were at first.
Notice that Jeremiah is writing this about the people who he has been preaching against, who have hated him and have imprisoned him. This is in fact a word from God as it does not soften the blow to the writer who is in agony.
And this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them. They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it.
Q: Why would the surrounding nations see their prosperity and fear?It will be evident that the God of Israel is real and working
We end with several promises God makes to the nation about
Health and healing
Voices of gladness
The land will all be populated again, flocks will graze
Righteous branch to spring up for David
David will never lack a man to sit on the throne, there will be levitical priests to offer burnt sacrifice.
God will not break His covenant just
Restore the nations fortunes and have mercy on them
Jeremiah 34 A case Study in Fidelity
Jeremiah 34 A case Study in Fidelity
Remember: Jeremiah isnt always setup in chronological order.
We are in the full swing of Babylon conquering over Judah.
God commands the people to set free all their Hebrew slaves.
They did but for the purpose of having others to fight against the Babylonians.
Once they thought the danger was over they took their slaves back
that everyone should set free his Hebrew slaves, male and female, so that no one should enslave a Jew, his brother. And they obeyed, all the officials and all the people who had entered into the covenant that everyone would set free his slave, male or female, so that they would not be enslaved again. They obeyed and set them free. But afterward they turned around and took back the male and female slaves they had set free, and brought them into subjection as slaves.
Q: Why did God specify only the Hebrew slaves?
Q: What does this tell us about God’s view of slavery?
If an Israelite could not pay his debts he could sell himself into slavery to cover the costs
‘At the end of seven years each of you must set free the fellow Hebrew who has been sold to you and has served you six years; you must set him free from your service.’ But your fathers did not listen to me or incline their ears to me.
Reciting Exodus 21:2-11
What is debt in other parts of the Bible an analogy for?
Sin
“Therefore, thus says the Lord: You have not obeyed me by proclaiming liberty, every one to his brother and to his neighbor; behold, I proclaim to you liberty to the sword, to pestilence, and to famine, declares the Lord. I will make you a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth. And the men who transgressed my covenant and did not keep the terms of the covenant that they made before me, I will make them like the calf that they cut in two and passed between its parts—
Q: What is this thing about cutting a calf into two piece?
Where else have we seen this symbolism?
He said to him, “Bring me a heifer three years old, a female goat three years old, a ram three years old, a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” And he brought him all these, cut them in half, and laid each half over against the other. But he did not cut the birds in half. And when birds of prey came down on the carcasses, Abram drove them away. As the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell on Abram. And behold, dreadful and great darkness fell upon him. Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that your offspring will be sojourners in a land that is not theirs and will be servants there, and they will be afflicted for four hundred years. But I will bring judgment on the nation that they serve, and afterward they shall come out with great possessions. As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried in a good old age. And they shall come back here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.” When the sun had gone down and it was dark, behold, a smoking fire pot and a flaming torch passed between these pieces.
Again here as well
He took a yoke of oxen and cut them in pieces and sent them throughout all the territory of Israel by the hand of the messengers, saying, “Whoever does not come out after Saul and Samuel, so shall it be done to his oxen!” Then the dread of the Lord fell upon the people, and they came out as one man.
Jeremiah 35
Jeremiah 35
Here we will run into a new people group, the Rechabites
Then I set before the Rechabites pitchers full of wine, and cups, and I said to them, “Drink wine.” But they answered, “We will drink no wine, for Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, commanded us, ‘You shall not drink wine, neither you nor your sons forever. You shall not build a house; you shall not sow seed; you shall not plant or have a vineyard; but you shall live in tents all your days, that you may live many days in the land where you sojourn.’ We have obeyed the voice of Jonadab the son of Rechab, our father, in all that he commanded us, to drink no wine all our days, ourselves, our wives, our sons, or our daughters, and not to build houses to dwell in. We have no vineyard or field or seed, but we have lived in tents and have obeyed and done all that Jonadab our father commanded us.
The people (entire tribe) were offered wine.
They turned it down, because their father or forefather (Jonadab who lived 250 years before) told them not to.
Also to only live in tents, never build houses
Never plant vineyards or crops.
This is a very difficult request. They have to have flimsy houses
Cannot grow food to be assured of their next meal.
Cant get drunk to forget their misery
Q: Do you find anything peculiar about this story? Why would it apply to Jeremiah’s time?
The command that Jonadab the son of Rechab gave to his sons, to drink no wine, has been kept, and they drink none to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. I have spoken to you persistently, but you have not listened to me. I have sent to you all my servants the prophets, sending them persistently, saying, ‘Turn now every one of you from his evil way, and amend your deeds, and do not go after other gods to serve them, and then you shall dwell in the land that I gave to you and your fathers.’ But you did not incline your ear or listen to me. The sons of Jonadab the son of Rechab have kept the command that their father gave them, but this people has not obeyed me.
God then tells them that once again that they will be conquered, destroyed and exiled
But to the house of the Rechabites Jeremiah said, “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Because you have obeyed the command of Jonadab your father and kept all his precepts and done all that he commanded you, therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Jonadab the son of Rechab shall never lack a man to stand before me.”
What does this remind you of? Any particular commandment?
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.
What can we learn?
God keeps His promises
God wants us to forgive one another
God wants us to obey our parents
We will be rewarded for faithful obedience