Day 229. Jeremiah 32-34

We have already noted that there is a difference in these passages from those in earlier parts of the Book of Jeremiah. After Jeremiah's death in 586 B.C. his secretary Baruch, who is mentioned in our text in connection with Jeremiah's purchase of land during the siege of Jerusalem, recounted some of Jeremiah's sermons and added various biographical material—chapters 26-45. Baruch's style is less emphatic and poetical than his master's, but he was an eye-witness to these happenings and therefore quite reliable.
This is the situation in our reading for today. Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon is besieging the city of Jerusalem. King Zedekiah has confined Jeremiah to the "court of the guard" because he has been prophesying that the city will fall, that Zedekiah himself will "be given to the hands of the king of Babylon" and that the citizens will perish or be deported—in other words for just generally being a drag on morale. In the midst of chaos and imminent disaster, a cousin of Jeremiah's named Hanamel comes to him in prison inquiring whether he would buy a field in his native Anathoth in the land of Benjamin. It is an odd request, to say the least, but Jeremiah recognizes this as the LORD's doing—a sign—and immediately buys the land for a large sum and has it signed over legally, before witnesses—including Baruch. He then orders that the deeds be put in a earthenware jar "in order that they may last a long time." (32:14). "For thus
says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyard shall again be bought in this land" (32:15).
But Jeremiah is himself still puzzled about what the sign means. With siege ramps cast up against a city faced with sword, famine, and pestilence, when the city and the land of Judah "has been given into the hands of the Chaldeans," why, he asks, would God bid him buy property. And the LORD replies—the city will indeed be destroyed "because of all the evil of the people of Israel and the people of Judah that they did to provoke me to anger" (32:32). But when the memory of Jerusalem's sins has been wiped away by fire and sword and the passage of time, then the LORD will gather his scattered people, and he "will bring them back to this place, and [he] will settle them in safety. They shall be [his] people, and [he] will be their God" (32:28). It may seem impossible now with the city under siege, but when God plants "them in this land in faithfulness" (32:41), life will return to normality. "Fields shall be bought for money, and deeds
shall be signed and sealed and witnessed" through the whole land, says the LORD (32:43).
The word of the LORD again comes to Jeremiah while he is in custody. Even as the city is about to fall and gloom and despair pervades, God promises that in time to come "this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth" (33:9). God is control of history, and he has decreed that there will be again peace in the land and "in the towns of Judah, flocks shall again pass under the hands of the one who counts them, says the LORD" (33:13). The legitimate monarchy will be restored--God will cause "a righteous Branch to spring up for David, and he shall execute justice and righteousness in the land" (33:15).
Now through his prophet he reaffirms those two covenants which are the foundation of his relationship to the people. First, he promises that "David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel" (33:17). Furthermore The LORD promises that the temple worship shall continue and that " the levitical priests shall never lack a man in my presence to offer burnt offerings, to make grain offerings, and to make sacrifices for all time" (33:18). When they city is restored after the exile, the Davidic kingship and temple worship shall continue without end—only if his "covenant with the day and [his] covenant with the night were broken," would the LORD break his covenant with David and with the Levites.
But the present king is another matter. Armed with the word of the LORD, Jeremiah goes to confront King Zedekiah to tell him that the city, which is under siege, will be taken, and he will "see the king of Babylon eye to eye and speak with him face to face"—not a meeting that Zedekiah would anticipate with any pleasure. But Jeremiah adds a note of comfort to the besieged king--"You shall not die by the sword; you shall die in peace" (34:4-5), he promises. (This consolation turns out to be empty—according to 2 Kings 25:6-7 as punishment for his rebellion the king sees his sons a killed in his presence before his eyes are put out; then he is taken to Babylon where he dies in prison, a savage example to others of what happens to those who play fast and loose with the mighty Nebuchadrezzar.)
This next section of the narrative goes back in time to when Nebuchadrezzar was menacing the city, but had not yet besieged it. In hopes of enlisting the LORD's support, Zedekiah made a proclamation that all Hebrew slaves, both male and female, should be set at liberty. This was done in fulfillment of the Law of Moses which said that after "seven weeks of years"—at the end of fifty years—all Hebrew slaves should be freed (Exodus 21:2). This command had for a long time been ignored, but now in fear of the approaching Babylonians it was done. The slaves were indeed freed. But once the Babylonians withdrew and the people felt that danger had passed, they took their slaves back. For this treachery the LORD, through his prophet, offers them release—release to the sword, to pestilence, and famine. "I am going to command, says the LORD, and will bring [the Babylonians] back to this city; and they will fight against it, and take it, and burn it
with fire. The towns of Judah I will make a desolation without inhabitant" (34:22), an example to others of what happens to those who try to play fast and loose with the LORD.