“The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah:“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” - Jeremiah 32:26–27
But the next few verses set the context...
“Therefore, thus says the LORD: Behold, I am giving this city into the hands of the Chaldeans and into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and he shall capture it.The Chaldeans who are fighting against this city shall come and set this city on fire and burn it, with the houses on whose roofs offerings have been made to Baal and drink offerings have been poured out to other gods, to provoke me to anger.For the children of Israel and the children of Judah have done nothing but evil in my sight from their youth. The children of Israel have done nothing but provoke me to anger by the work of their hands, declares the LORD.” - Jeremiah 32:28–30
God loves His people so much that He will not allow them to continue in sin - harming themselves, harming their neighbors in Israel, setting a poor example to the surrounding nations, and defaming the name of Yaweh. No... He will not allow the foolish rebellion to continue, but will judge. But the REST of the context is also essential - what comes before makes the other side of the "truth sandwich".
“Behold, the siege mounds have come up to the city to take it, and because of sword and famine and pestilence the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans who are fighting against it. What you spoke has come to pass, and behold, you see it. Yet you, O Lord GOD, have said to me, 'Buy the field for money and get witnesses'—though the city is given into the hands of the Chaldeans.” - Jeremiah 32:24–25
What is all this about buying a field?
In the midst of the pronouncement of judgement on Israel, due to their extreme sin (seriously, sacrificing their own children to Molech!), God tells Jeremiah that He will send Jeremiah's cousin to inform him that the rights to redeem a field through purchase has fallen to Jeremiah. God instructs Jeremiah to go ahead and purchase the field. Get the title secured in his name with witnesses and store the documents securely in an "earthenware vessel, that they may last for a long time" (v14). Think about this with me, if your nation was about to be taken possession of by an invading military force and your people were about to be carried off into captivity, investing in real estate would be a pretty stupid action to take. It would be completely foolish. There is no chance that you would ever be able to utilize that property or hand it down through inheritance. It is unlikely that you or your people will survive the invasion, and it is impossible that you would ever be able to claim that land as yours again. BUT GOD... two of my favorite words in Scripture (Acts 10:39-40; 13:29-30; Romans 5:7-8; 1 Cor. 1:26-27; 2 Cor. 7:5-6; Eph 2:1-4... and so many others) BUT GOD tells Jeremiah to buy this property and secure and preserve the title in a safe place because his family will need it. After the judging wrath, God will redeem and restore. God's goal for Israel is not destruction, but redemption; not obliteration, but purification; not exile, but restoration. "Loving" and "Just". "Just" BECAUSE He is "Loving".
Are you struggling right now? Is it because of sin? If so, repent and turn back to the One who loves you so dearly that He will not allow you to continue in it. Is it NOT because of sin? Then learn discipline and faith through the challenging season. But never give up on God. Never believe He has abandoned you. Save that title to the land, because you will need it in the future. Jeremiah did.
And the Lord knows the beginning from the end and all that is between. “Thus says the LORD: In this place of which you say, ‘It is a waste without man or beast,’ in the cities of Judah and the streets of Jerusalem that are desolate, without man or inhabitant or beast, there shall be heard again the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, as they bring thank offerings to the house of the LORD: “‘Give thanks to the LORD of hosts, for the LORD is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!’ For I will restore the fortunes of the land as at first, says the LORD.” - Jeremiah 33:10–11
The day may be dark... The enemy might be at the gate preparing to breach the wall... But even though I can only see waste and devastation, the Lord will restore joy in the end to those who belong to Him.
May God continue to bless you, and others through you,
- Dustin