For our good

In this passage, Jerusalem is still under siege, and for that matter, Jeremiah is still in prison. 

Still, God told him, “When your cousin comes here to tell you about an opportunity to buy land from him, buy it.”

Under normal circumstances, it might seem like a good thing to do. 

But with the land under siege and no guarantee that Jeremiah would actually be able to keep the land for any length of time, it seemed like a foolish purchase.  Yet God told him to buy it, saying,

Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.  (Jeremiah 32:15)

In other words, Jeremiah’s purchase was to be a sign to the people of Israel’s future restoration.

It’s hard to tell whether Jeremiah’s response to God in verses 16-25 were a prayer of a faith or one of questioning whether God would really restore Israel or not.  Maybe it was both. 

How often are we like the man who came to Jesus asking him to heal his son, and who, when Jesus challenged his faith, said, “I believe…Lord help my unbelief.”  (Mark 9:24)

That’s what Jeremiah seems to be doing here. 

“Lord, all things are possible with you.  Nothing is impossible for you.  Look!  You said that the Babylonians would come and lay siege to this city, and here they are.  It’s just as you said.  I believe!

“But now you’re saying that I should buy land because Jerusalem will be restored.  Really?  Is this really a wise investment?  Will it really be restored?”

Perhaps Jeremiah was not questioning God’s power to do so as much as he was questioning the people’s willingness to repent and turn back to him. 

They certainly had shown no such willingness when hearing Jeremiah’s warnings.

God answered by basically repeating back to Jeremiah what he had prayed.  But after proclaiming judgment on the people, he added,

I will surely gather them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety.  They will be my people, and I will be their God.

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. 

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. 

I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.  (Jeremiah 32:37-41)

In short, God once again promised to bring the people back. 

But just as he promised in chapter 31, the restoration of the people’s hearts would be by his work, not their own.  He would be the one that would turn their hearts back to him.  And as they did, he promised blessing in their lives.

What can we get from all of this?

First, remember in our times of doubt, that God is looking out for our good. 

He wants to do good in our lives.  He rejoices in doing good in our lives.  If only we could remember that and believe that, it would be so much easier to trust him and obey him.

Second, God is constantly working within us to change us and make us the people he wants us to be.  A people he can bless. 

All we have to do is cooperate with him.  To say yes to him.  And as we do, we’ll find blessing.