#Jeremiah buys Hanamel's field

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

A Promise of Restoration

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was imprisoned in the courtyard of the guard, which was in the palace of the king of Judah.

For Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him, saying: “Why are you prophesying like this? You claim that the LORD says, ‘Behold, I am about to deliver this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it. Zedekiah king of Judah will not escape from the hands of the Chaldeans, but he will surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and will speak with him face to face and see him eye to eye. He will take Zedekiah to Babylon, where he will stay until I attend to him, declares the LORD. If you fight against the Chaldeans, you will not succeed.’ ”

Jeremiah replied, “The word of the LORD came to me, saying: Behold! Hanamel, the son of your uncle Shallum, is coming to you to say, ‘Buy for yourself my field in Anathoth, for you have the right of redemption to buy it.’ Then, as the LORD had said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the courtyard of the guard and urged me, ‘Please buy my field in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for you own the right of inheritance and redemption. Buy it for yourself.’ ”

Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.

So I bought the field in Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel, and I weighed out seventeen shekels of silver. I signed and sealed the deed, called in witnesses, and weighed out the silver on the scales. Then I took the deed of purchase—the sealed copy with its terms and conditions, as well as the open copy— and I gave this deed to Baruch son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the sight of my cousin Hanamel and the witnesses who were signing the purchase agreement and all the Jews sitting in the courtyard of the guard.

In their sight I instructed Baruch, “This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Take these deeds—both the sealed copy and the open copy of the deed of purchase—and put them in a clay jar to preserve them for a long time. For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields, and vineyards will again be bought in this land.”

After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch son of Neriah, I prayed to the LORD: “Oh, Lord GOD! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for You!

You show loving devotion to thousands but lay the iniquity of the fathers into the laps of their children after them, O great and mighty God whose name is the LORD of Hosts, the One great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are on all the ways of the sons of men, to reward each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.

You performed signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and You do so to this very day, both in Israel and among all mankind. And You have made a name for Yourself, as is the case to this day.

You brought Your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and with great terror. You gave them this land that You had sworn to give their fathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.

They came in and possessed it, but they did not obey Your voice or walk in Your law. They failed to perform all that You commanded them to do, and so You have brought upon them all this disaster. See how the siege ramps are mounted against the city to capture it. And by sword and famine and plague, the city has been given into the hands of the Chaldeans who are fighting against it. What You have spoken has happened, as You now see!

Yet You, O Lord GOD, have said to me, ‘Buy for yourself the field with silver and call in witnesses, even though the city has been delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans!’ ”

Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me?

Therefore this is what the LORD says: Behold, I am about to deliver this city into the hands of the Chaldeans and of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who will capture it. And the Chaldeans who are fighting against this city will come in, set it on fire, and burn it, along with the houses of those who provoked Me to anger by burning incense to Baal on their rooftops and by pouring out drink offerings to other gods.

For the children of Israel and of Judah have done nothing but evil in My sight from their youth; indeed, they have done nothing but provoke Me to anger by the work of their hands, declares the LORD.

For this city has aroused My wrath and fury from the day it was built until now. Therefore I will remove it from My presence because of all the evil the children of Israel and of Judah have done to provoke Me to anger—they, their kings, their officials, their priests and prophets, the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem. They have turned their backs to Me and not their faces. Though I taught them again and again, they would not listen or respond to discipline.

They have placed their abominations in the house that bears My Name, and so have defiled it. They have built the high places of Baal in the Valley of Hinnom to make their sons and daughters pass through the fire to Molech—something I never commanded them, nor had it ever entered My mind, that they should commit such an abomination and cause Judah to sin.

Now therefore, about this city of which you say, ‘It will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword and famine and plague,’ this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I will surely gather My people from all the lands to which I have banished them in My furious anger and great wrath, and I will return them to this place and make them dwell in safety. They will be My people, and I will be their God. I will give them one heart and one way, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and for the good of their children after them.

I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never turn away from doing good to them, and I will put My fear in their hearts, so that they will never turn away from Me. Yes, I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.

For this is what the LORD says: Just as I have brought all this great disaster on this people, so I will bring on them all the good I have promised them. And fields will be bought in this land about which you are saying, ‘It is a desolation, without man or beast; it has been delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans.’ Fields will be purchased with silver, and deeds will be signed, sealed, and witnessed in the land of Benjamin, in the areas surrounding Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah—the cities of the hill country, the foothills, and the Negev—because I will restore them from captivity, declares the LORD.” — Jeremiah 32 | The Reader’s Bible (BRB) The Reader’s Bible © 2020 by Bible Hub and Berean.Bible. All rights Reserved. Cross References: Genesis 18:14; Genesis 23:16; Exodus 3:8; Exodus 3:20; Exodus 6:6; Leviticus 25:25; Deuteronomy 4:26; Deuteronomy 9:7; Deuteronomy 14:23; Deuteronomy 28:63; Deuteronomy 30:3; 1 Samuel 9:16; 1 Kings 11:7; 2 Kings 6:32; 2 Kings 21:1; 2 Kings 25:1; 2 Kings 25:4; 2 Kings 25:11; Ezra 9:7; Nehemiah 3:25; Isaiah 1:4; Isaiah 44:26; Jeremiah 13:19; Jeremiah 21:4; Jeremiah 31:28; Jeremiah 33:10; Jeremiah 36:4-5; Matthew 16:27; Matthew 19:26; Matthew 23:32; Matthew 27:66; Luke 2:27; John 8:2; John 17:21; Acts 7:43; Acts 10:9; Philippians 4:6-7; Hebrews 13:20

[princeofgod-2021]

LIGHT OF LIFE 424

John 1:4

UNDERSTANDING PROPHETIC MANDATES 58: FULFILLMENT OF PROPHECY 16

Amo 3:7 CERTAINLY, THE ALMIGHTY LORD DOESN'T DO ANYTHING UNLESS HE FIRST REVEALS HIS SECRET TO HIS SERVANTS THE PROPHETS. GW

Lastly, on HASTE, I want us to look at Jeremiah again.

Do you remember when God gave a prophecy that lands will yet again be bought and owned by Israelis in Canaan?

Jer 32:6-8 The LORD told me that Hanamel, my uncle Shallum's son, would come to me with the request to buy his field at Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin, because I was his nearest relative and had the right to buy it for myself. THEN, JUST AS THE LORD HAD SAID, HANAMEL CAME TO ME there in the courtyard and asked me to buy the field. SO I KNEW THAT THE LORD HAD REALLY SPOKEN TO ME. GNB

This Prophecy was [too] sure because the Lord made Jeremiah do profound Documentation like Deed of Purchase and official Receipt.

No prophecy can be surer than that, beloved.

Jer 32:10 -12 I SIGNED THE DEED, SEALED IT, HAD PEOPLE WITNESS THE SIGNING OF THE DEED, and paid out the silver. Then I took the sealed copy of the deed, containing the terms and conditions, as well as an unsealed copy. I gave the copies of the deeds to Baruch, son of Neriah and grandson of Mahseiah. I did this IN THE PRESENCE OF MY COUSIN HANAMEL AND THE WITNESSES WHO HAD SIGNED THE DEED and IN THE PRESENCE OF ALL THE JEWS who were sitting in the courtyard of the prison. GNB

Nothing should be more encouraging and exciting as a full-proof confirmation today, of a prophecy set for the future.

We should know that it isn’t wrong to ask God for reassurances.

Gen 15:7-8 And he said to him, I am the Lord, who took you from Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land for your heritage. AND HE SAID, O LORD GOD, HOW MAY I BE CERTAIN THAT IT WILL BE MINE? BBE

When you do ask God however, ensure that it is mainly because you are plainly interested and love to know, and not that you are doubtful.

There is a world of difference.

Jas 1:5-6 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. KJV

But if you’re Hasty, problem can come with the assurance God gives you.

Jeremiah was excited about seeing and claiming the lands he had paid for, back while he was in prison.

Jer 37:12-13 So Jeremiah wanted to leave Jerusalem and go to the territory of Benjamin TO TAKE POSSESSION OF HIS PROPERTY THERE AMONG THE PEOPLE. But when he came to Benjamin Gate, the captain of the guard there, whose name was Irijah, son of Shelemiah and grandson of Hananiah, arrested the prophet Jeremiah. He said, "You're deserting to the Babylonians!" GW

Don’t get me wrong beloved. Opposition could easily have risen against Jeremiah, even if he didn’t take that journey; He was a magnet for wahala.

But then, it’s always important that one doesn’t expose himself easily to persecution, where one is already hated.

Consider Jesus again.

Joh 7:1,6-7 After this Jesus traveled throughout Galilee. HE STAYED OUT OF JUDEA BECAUSE THE JEWISH LEADERS WANTED TO KILL HIM…So Jesus replied, “My time has not yet arrived, but you are ready at any opportunity! THE WORLD CANNOT HATE YOU, BUT IT HATES ME, because I am testifying about it that its deeds are evil. NET

A Yoruba adage says: “it is foolhardy to be rubbing yourself with Palm Oil when people are planning to roast you”.

What was Jeremiah thinking, going to claim Lands at a time he himself prophesied of total Captivity and movement of all Israel to Babylon?

Apart from direct Prophecies, we all should know that certain [common] events happen about the same time.

Ecc 3:5-6 There is a time to throw weapons down and a time to pick them up. There is a time to hug someone and a time to stop holding so tightly. THERE IS A TIME TO LOOK FOR SOMETHING AND A TIME TO CONSIDER IT LOST. There is a time to keep things and a time to throw things away. ERV

Jeremiah should simply have considered any idea about owning possessions LOST!

But it is evident that he [somehow] misunderstood the details of Prophecy and rather thought that it was going to happen in his lifetime.

Shall we check out that Prophecy again please?

Jer 32:14-15 "This is what the LORD All-Powerful, the God of Israel, says: 'Take both copies of the deed—the sealed copy and the copy that was not sealed—and PUT THEM IN A CLAY JAR. DO THIS SO THAT THESE DEEDS WILL LAST A LONG TIME.' The LORD All-Powerful, the God of Israel, says, 'IN THE FUTURE my people will once again buy houses, fields, and vineyards in the land of Israel.'" ERV

Payments and signing of Deed of Purchase for the land by Jeremiah was simply symbolic and evidence for people around then.

He had nothing to do with possessing anything at that time.

One thing is to misunderstand Prophecy, another is to be hasty to do the forbidden.

Well, he never got to see that possession in his lifetime and till everything scattered, as prophesied.

May our decisions not get us into trouble with Prophetic Mandates and Times, IN JESUS NAME.

Come back on Monday, for more of this insightful and enlightening Sub-Subtopic.

Keep Shinning!

Brother Prince

Friday, October 27, 2023

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[loveofyhwh]

November 3: Jeremiah 32; 1 John 5; Psalm 114; Proverbs 27:5–6

New Post has been published on https://loveofyhwh.com/november-3-jeremiah-32-1-john-5-psalm-114-proverbs-275-6/

November 3: Jeremiah 32; 1 John 5; Psalm 114; Proverbs 27:5–6

Old Testament:

Jeremiah 32

Jeremiah 32 (Listen)

Jeremiah Buys a Field During the Siege

32 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. 2 At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the guard that was in the palace of the king of Judah. 3 For Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him, saying, “Why do you prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the LORD: Behold, I am giving this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall capture it; 4 Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him face to face and see him eye to eye. 5 And he shall take Zedekiah to Babylon, and there he shall remain until I visit him, declares the LORD. Though you fight against the Chaldeans, you shall not succeed’?”

6 Jeremiah said, “The word of the LORD came to me: 7 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.’ 8 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.

9 “And I bought the field at Anathoth from Hanamel my cousin, and weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver. 10 I signed the deed, sealed it, got witnesses, and weighed the money on scales. 11 Then I took the sealed deed of purchase, containing the terms and conditions and the open copy. 12 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. 13 I charged Baruch in their presence, saying, 14 ‘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. 15 For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.’

Jeremiah Prays for Understanding

16 “After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to the LORD, saying: 17 ‘Ah, Lord GOD! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you. 18 You show steadfast love to thousands, but you repay the guilt of fathers to their children after them, O great and mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts, 19 great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open to all the ways of the children of man, rewarding each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds. 20 You have shown signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and to this day in Israel and among all mankind, and have made a name for yourself, as at this day. 21 You brought your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand and outstretched arm, and with great terror. 22 And you gave them this land, which you swore to their fathers to give them, a land flowing with milk and honey. 23 And they entered and took possession of it. But they did not obey your voice or walk in your law. They did nothing of all you commanded them to do. Therefore you have made all this disaster come upon them. 24 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. 25 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.’”

26 The word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 27 “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me? 28 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. 29 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. 30 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. 31 This city has aroused my anger and wrath, from the day it was built to this day, so that I will remove it from my sight 32 because of all the evil of the children of Israel and the children of Judah that they did to provoke me to anger—their kings and their officials, their priests and their prophets, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. 33 They have turned to me their back and not their face. And though I have taught them persistently, they have not listened to receive instruction. 34 They set up their abominations in the house that is called by my name, to defile it. 35 They built the high places of Baal in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to offer up their sons and daughters to Molech, though I did not command them, nor did it enter into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.

They Shall Be My People; I Will Be Their God

36 “Now therefore thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, ‘It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, by famine, and by pestilence’: 37 Behold, I will gather them from all the countries to which I drove them in my anger and my wrath and in great indignation. I will bring them back to this place, and I will make them dwell in safety. 38 And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 39 I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever, for their own good and the good of their children after them. 40 I will make with them an everlasting covenant, that I will not turn away from doing good to them. And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me. 41 I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.

42 “For thus says the LORD: Just as I have brought all this great disaster upon this people, so I will bring upon them all the good that I promise them. 43 Fields shall be bought in this land of which you are saying, ‘It is a desolation, without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.’ 44 Fields shall be bought for money, and deeds shall be signed and sealed and witnessed, in the land of Benjamin, in the places about Jerusalem, and in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the Shephelah, and in the cities of the Negeb; for I will restore their fortunes, declares the LORD.”

(ESV)

New Testament:

1 John 5

1 John 5 (Listen)

Overcoming the World

5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

Testimony Concerning the Son of God

6 This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

That You May Know

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him.

16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and GodGreek he‘>1 will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.

18 We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.

19 We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Footnotes

[1] 5:16 Greek he

(ESV)

Psalm:

Psalm 114

Psalm 114 (Listen)

Tremble at the Presence of the Lord

114   When Israel went out from Egypt,     the house of Jacob from a people of strange language, 2   Judah became his sanctuary,     Israel his dominion. 3   The sea looked and fled;     Jordan turned back. 4   The mountains skipped like rams,     the hills like lambs. 5   What ails you, O sea, that you flee?     O Jordan, that you turn back? 6   O mountains, that you skip like rams?     O hills, like lambs? 7   Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,     at the presence of the God of Jacob, 8   who turns the rock into a pool of water,     the flint into a spring of water.

(ESV)

Proverb:

Proverbs 27:5–6

Proverbs 27:5–6 (Listen)

5   Better is open rebuke     than hidden love. 6   Faithful are the wounds of a friend;     profuse are the kisses of an enemy.

(ESV)

[parables-proverbs-pericopes]

mwen se ayisyen

Haitian Kreyol. It translates “I am Haitian.”

I didn’t mean to be. I wouldn’t have chosen this path. It is the loving grace of God that brought me here. I will gladly tell you the story sometime if you are interested.

But this isn’t about that.

It is quite likely that this is the most difficult time a people whose lives are nothing if not difficult have ever faced. It is not unlikely that Haiti is a failed state. At best it is going through labor pains that are piercing.

The economy is in a death spiral.

The judiciary is in a shambles.

The authorities have none.

Schools, banks, hospitals, and every other manifestation of normalcy are disappearing by the day.

No. By the hour.

Violence is everywhere.

A year ago I, and some friends there and here, began making plans for a medical mission. I don’t have time to give you the background but please believe me, it is a big deal.

Last night I had pretty much given up.

Then things started to happen. Spiritual things. Things I can’t explain but must share.

My friends Angie and Michael Cosby have been drawing some plans for a clinic. This morning they put some exciting possibilities in my hands.

I haven’t been inviting anyone to give to this. Wasn’t at all sure we can pull it off. This morning I got mail from a woman I have never met in a town halfway across the country. She wanted to thank God for a successful medical procedure a mutual friend just experienced. She did so with a very generous check and a note to use it for “the clinic.”

Then I picked up the Book. I was reading a story about a preacher who got thrown in jail for preaching too good a sermon. (That part ain’t likely to happen to me!)

Anyway, this preacher was living in a failed state. It was all collapsing with no hint anything would change. Nothing awaited but worse.

Along came an opportunity to buy a field. One he would likely never see and would never use. It was about the size you could use for a clinic for a medical mission.

There was nothing to suggest that signing the papers would be anything short of absurd.

He signed the papers.

Then he said “someday gardens will again grow and crops will be harvested from this field.”

God told him to buy the field.

And (I don��t share this lightly) God told me to build the clinic. I likely won’t live to see it done.

Someone will.

We might even call it “Hanamel’s Field.”

Jeremiah 32:1-15

[dfroza]

the natural self wants to rebel against our Creator and His sacred truths.

and so we need rebirth of the heart (in SonLight) and a renewal of heart & mind.

spiritual truth is illuminated within by the Spirit.

and Paul was inspired by the Spirit in his writing with Today’s reading of the Scriptures from the New Testament being the 6th and closing chapter of the Letter of 1st Timothy:

Instruct every employee to respect and honor their employers, for this attitude presents to them a clear testimony of God’s truth and renown. Tell them to never provide them with a reason to discredit God’s name because of their actions. Especially honor and respect employers who are believers and don’t despise them, but serve them even more, for they are fellow believers. They should be at peace with them as beloved members of God’s family. Be faithful to teach them these things as their sacred obligation.

But if anyone spreads false teaching that does not agree with the healthy instruction of our Lord Jesus, teaching others that holy awe of God is not important, then they prove they know nothing at all! It’s obvious they don’t value or hold dear the healing words of our Lord Jesus Christ. They are covered with the clouds of conceit. They are loaded with controversy, and they love to argue their opinions and split hairs. The fruit of their ministry is contention, competition, and evil suspicions.

They add misery to many lives by corrupting their minds and cheating them of the truth. They equate the worship of God with making great sums of money.

We have a “profit” that is greater than theirs—our holy awe of God! To have merely our necessities is to have enough.

Isn’t it true that our hands were empty when we came into the world, and when we leave this world our hands will be empty again?

Because of this, food and clothing is enough to make us content.

But those who crave the wealth of this world slip into spiritual snares. They become trapped by the troubles that come through their foolish and harmful desires, driven by greed and drowning in their own sinful pleasures. And they take others down with them into their corruption and eventual destruction.

Loving money is a root of all evils. Some people run after it so much that they have given up their faith. Craving more money pushes them away from the faith into error, compounding misery in their lives!

Timothy, you are God’s man, so run from all these errors. Instead, chase after true holiness, justice, faithfulness, love, hope, and tender humility. So fight with faith for the winner’s prize! Lay your hands upon eternal life, to which you were called and about which you made the good confession before the multitude of witnesses!

So now, I instruct you before the God of resurrection life and before Jesus, the Anointed One, who demonstrated a beautiful testimony even before Pontius Pilate, that you follow this commission faithfully with a clear conscience and without blemish until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Yes, God will make his appearing in his own divine timing, for he is the exalted God, the only powerful One, the King over every king, and the Lord of power! He alone is the immortal God, living in the unapproachable light of divine glory! No one has ever seen his fullness, nor can they, for all the glory and endless authority of the universe belongs to him, forever and ever. Amen!

To all the rich of this world, I command you not to be wrapped in thoughts of pride over your prosperity, or rely on your wealth, for your riches are unreliable and nothing compared to the living God. Trust instead in the one who lavishes upon us all good things, fulfilling our every need.

Remind the wealthy to be rich in remarkable works of extravagant generosity, willing to share with others. These spiritual investments will provide a beautiful foundation for their lives and secure for them a great future, as they lay their hands upon the meaning of true life.

So, my son Timothy, don’t forget all that has been deposited within you. Escape from the empty echoes of men and the perversion of twisted reasoning. For those who claim to possess this so-called knowledge have already wandered from the true faith.

May God’s grace empower you always!

Love in Christ,

Paul

The Letter of 1st Timothy, Chapter 6 (The Passion Translation)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is the 32nd chapter of the book of Jeremiah where Jerusalem was under siege, but with a promise of restoring all that would be lost:

The Eternal spoke again to Jeremiah in the 10th year of Zedekiah’s reign as king of Judah. This was also the 18th year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign as king of Babylon. At this time, Jerusalem was under siege by the Babylonian army, and Jeremiah the prophet was being held in the court of the guard in the royal palace of Judah. Zedekiah king of Judah had ordered him held there and leveled this charge against him:

Zedekiah: Why do you continue to prophesy such things? You tell us the Eternal says, “Look! I am going to hand this city over to the king of Babylon, and he will capture it. King Zedekiah of Judah will not escape from the Chaldean forces. He will be turned over to the king of Babylon and have to stand eye-to-eye before this powerful ruler. Nebuchadnezzar will order Zedekiah to be taken to Babylon, where he will stay until I am ready to visit him. This is what I, the Eternal One promise: if you try to fight the Chaldeans, you will fail.”

Jeremiah (to Zedekiah): The message of the Eternal came to me through my cousin: “Look! Hanamel (son of Shallum, your uncle), is going to come to you and say, ‘Buy my field at Anathoth; as my nearest relative, it is your right to buy it before I offer it to anyone else. It is also your duty to keep it in the family.’” And just as He had predicted, my cousin Hanamel came to me while I was being held in the court of the guard. He said, “Jeremiah, buy my field in your hometown of Anathoth, in the land of Benjamin. It’s your right to buy and redeem it so that it stays in our family.” Then I realized this message was from the Eternal.

So I bought the field in Anathoth from Hanamel my cousin for seven ounces of silver. I signed and sealed the deed in front of witnesses; after weighing out the silver on the scales, I paid Hanamel. Two copies of the deed were made. I took the sealed copy along with the terms and conditions of the purchase and the unsealed copy and handed them to my trusted friend and confidant, Baruch (son of Neriah and grandson of Mahseiah). I did all of this in the presence of my cousin Hanamel, the witnesses who had signed the deed, and all of the people of Judea who were there that day in the court of the guard. In the presence of all those people, I directed Baruch: “The Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies and God of Israel, says: ‘Take both the sealed deed and the unsealed deed and place them in a clay jar to preserve them. I want this deed of sale to last for a long time.’ For this is what the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies and the God of Israel, promises: ‘The day will come when My people will buy houses and vineyards and fields again in this land.’”

After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch (son of Neriah), I prayed to the Eternal: “Eternal Lord, with Your outstretched arm and Your enormous power You created the heavens and the earth. Nothing is too difficult for You. You show loyal love and endless mercy to thousands. But You also allow the damaging effects of the parents’ sins to fall into the laps of their children. You are the great and powerful God; the Eternal, Commander of heavenly armies, is Your solemn name. Your instructions are great, and Your actions are too wondrous for words. You see all that happens on this earth; You know what everyone does, and You deal with each fairly. What miraculous signs and wonders You did in the land of Egypt! You continue to perform them for Israel and the rest of humanity to this day! You have made a great name for yourself among the nations, and we still remember Your great works today. You rescued Your people Israel out of Egypt with miraculous signs and wonders—with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with a power too terrible for words. But You did not stop there, O gracious God. Then You gave them this land, the very land You had promised to their ancestors, an abundant land flowing with milk and honey. They entered this land and conquered it as You led them. But even as they settled in, they refused to listen to Your voice and live as You instructed. They rebelled against Your entire law. So You caused these disastrous consequences to fall on them. Look! The siege ramps are built against the walls of the city. Soon the Chaldeans will begin the assault. Because of war, famine, and disease, the enemy will soon have control of the city. It is all happening as You said it would. But You, Eternal Lord, tell me, “Buy Hanamel’s field with your own money in the presence of witnesses”—even as You hand over the city of Jerusalem to the Chaldeans.

Then the Eternal spoke to Jeremiah.

Eternal One: Look! I am the Eternal, the God of all living things. Is anything too difficult for Me? I tell you this: I am about to hand this city over to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon and his Chaldean army, and they will conquer it. The Chaldeans who are now assaulting the city will enter and set everything on fire. They will set houses ablaze where people set up shrines on roofs to burn incense to Baal and pour out drink offerings to other gods. Their offerings have ignited My anger. The people of Israel and Judah have done nothing but evil in My sight since their early days. They have done nothing except kindle My anger with their handmade idols and the way they live their lives. From the day Jerusalem was built until this very moment, the people have stirred My anger and provoked My wrath; so now I am forced to remove this city completely from My sight. The people of Israel and Judah have angered Me with their wickedness—from their kings and their officials to their priests and prophets, from the people of Judah to the citizens of Jerusalem. They have all turned their backs to Me instead of their faces. They have refused to listen and learn from My instruction, even though I tried to teach them again and again. They even put up their detestable idols in My temple, defiling the very place that is supposed to honor Me! They built altars to another master in the valley of Ben-hinnom so they’d have a place to sacrifice their own children to Molech! I never demanded they do such a thing—it never even crossed My mind that they would do such a disgusting evil or that Judah would sin like that.

Jeremiah, listen to what the Eternal God of Israel has to say about Jerusalem: you say that by war, famine, and disease this city will fall to the king of Babylon, and you are right. Look! I will gather My people from all the countries where I scattered them in My righteous anger, in My great wrath and fury. I will bring them back to this place, Jerusalem, and let them live here safely under My protection. They will be My people, and I will be their God. I will unite them behind a single desire and purpose: to revere and worship Me forever for their own good and for the good of all who will come after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop blessing them with good things, and I will put in them a fear and respect of Me so they will not turn their backs to Me again. It will be My great joy to do good things for them, and you can be sure that I will devote Myself completely to planting them anew in this land.

This is what I, the Eternal, declare: Just as I brought this great disaster upon My people, so will I do all these good things I have promised to them. Property will be bought and sold once again in this land about which you say, “This land is a wasteland—not fit for man or beast—for it has been handed over to the Chaldeans.” Property will be bought and sold once again for silver—deals will be made and deeds signed in the presence of witnesses—in the territory of Benjamin, in the vicinity of Jerusalem, in the villages of Judah and the hill country, in the villages of the western hills, and in the cities of the Negev. In all these places I will restore them from their exile.

So says the Eternal.

The Book of Jeremiah, Chapter 32 (The Voice)

A link to my personal reading of the Scriptures for Tuesday, September 14 of 2021 with a paired chapter from each Testament of the Bible along with Today’s Proverbs and Psalms

A post by John Parsons about trust:

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding” (Prov. 3:5). Note the contrast between trusting and understanding in this familiar verse. Trust is a matter of heart, the decision to let go, whereas understanding is analytical, “objective,” a matter of physical seeing. Human reason may help you discern the “what” of faith, but it is powerless to waken the soul, to breath life into heart, and to impart passion to seek God’s Presence as your greatest need and your utmost good. That only comes through the sober awareness of your own sinful condition, the inner conviction that you are utterly undone and without hope apart from the intervention of God in your life, and the will to believe in the miracle...

Most commandments do not test how we comprehend our faith as much as they test the surrender of our heart. The test of faith requires bittachon (בִּטָּחוֹן) - that is, abandoning our need to understand so that we can hold fast to God's promise and blessing... “Fear not, for I am with you...” (Isa. 41:10). That’s what we need most, to trust that we are safe in God’s love, and that's the ultimate message of our atonement in Messiah. [Hebrew for Christians]

9.13.21 • Facebook

and another set of posts about acceptance in Love:

The gospel reveals God's passion for us, the call of his heart, his desire to elevate us to the role of the beloved, and we respond by accepting Him as the great Lover of our souls, the "ultimate concern" of our life.

Sin threatens to seduce us away from God's love, to interfere with our relationship, which evokes God's "jealousy" to protect love from loss.

It is written that "perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18), but perfect love (τελεία ἀγάπη) must be "perfect," that is, reciprocal, complete, consummated, and alive with passion. In Hebrew, perfect love is "shalem" - that is, whole, healed, and unified (i.e., ahavah shlemah: אהבה שלמה).

Perfect love is both given and received... It is not "perfect love" to intellectually accept that God loves you in Yeshua. No, you must receive this as an inward passion, you must live within it, must embrace it, take possession of it, and let it fill your heart to abundance. This love, this "perfect love," then will cast away your fear of being unwanted, rejected, and abandoned. But to know this love, you have to open your heart and accept it as your own; you have to accept yourself as the beloved of God. [Hebrew for Christians]

Repentance is an ongoing disposition of life in Messiah, since it rightly relates us to God. First we encounter our incurable sickness - the inner contradiction and bondage of soul that both loves and hates sin - and then we seek God’s saving power in Yeshua. As the Apostle Paul said: “Who can save me from the misery of myself? – God alone, through Jesus (Rom. 7:18-25). This is the first step, to know the “miserable creature that I am,” that is, the slavery of your will to sin, and the second is to be willing to give this sickness of your soul to God’s care in Yeshua. As he said, “Those who are well have no need of a doctor, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the ‘righteous,’ but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5:31-32). Yeshua regarded forgiveness of your sins as essential to finding inner healing, even more important than health, prosperity, or religious observance.

Repentance means returning to love, finding your heart’s desire in God... As Yeshua said, “Repent, for you have lost your first love...” (Rev. 2:4-5). Turn around: Look at what is missing within! He appeals to you like an ardent lover standing outside in the cold, calling out your name, and knocking for you to open the door to let him inside (Rev. 3:19-20). Open the door of your heart! Return to him now! “Lord, help me turn to receive your love...” [Hebrew for Christians]

9.14.21 • Facebook

Today’s message (Days of Praise) from the Institute for Creation Research

September 14, 2021

The God of All Comfort

“Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.” (2 Corinthians 1:3)

The apostle Paul uses two important titles for God in this passage, “the Father of mercies” and “the God of all comfort,” that give us unique insight into the character of our mighty Creator and Redeemer. First, God is noted as the fountainhead of all fatherly mercies that were ultimately expressed in the sacrificial death on our behalf of His perfect sinless Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Then we are introduced to this important theme of “comfort,” which is used a total of 10 times in this section of the epistle as either some form of the noun paraklesis or the verb parakaleo (vv. 1:4, 6-7). Paul goes on to elaborate on his declaration of God as the source of all true comfort in the next verse as the one “who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.” The participle form of the verb “comforteth” (parakaleo) is given in the Greek as a timeless present tense that conveys ongoing encouragement, support, and exhortation in all kinds of affliction and distress. Indeed, Paul goes on to say, “For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation [paraklesis] also aboundeth by Christ” (v. 5).

But this comfort and consolation in the midst of our trials is not just for our own benefit but that we might also be agents of “the God of all comfort” to His church and a lost and hurting world. Paul emphasizes this in verse 6: “And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.” JPT

[dailyaudiobiblechronological]

8/16/2021 DAB Chronological Transcription

Jeremiah 32 - 34

Welcome to Daily Audio Bible chronological. It is the 16th day of August. I'm Jill. It's so great to have you here with me as we walk journey go through the Bible together in chronological order. We do that everyday, individually and together collectively, as a community of family, friends, listeners and believers. Today we continue the reading in Jeremiah. Jeremiah, one of the major prophets. Remember, major prophet in context of, we have a lot of context. We have a lot of oracles and prophecies and writings regarding Jeremiah. And we're reading chapter 32 three through 34 today. And this week we're starting a brand new translation again. We're in the Good News Translation. Now, if you're new here and you're like what and the what is happening with this translation jumping around, that's what we do to change it up a little bit. So we hear things differently. Now I get it. We all have a favorite translation, a favorite Bible that we read. It like I'm a NKJ. I get it. But the thing is, sometimes we hear things differently, read in different variations than we've ever heard them read before. So with that being said, Jeremiah chapter 32 today in the Good News Translation.

Commentary

I think if we pay close attention, we are hearing what is about to happen. We have heard enough of the prophets tell the people, tell the Kings those that are doing evil in the sight of the Lord, those that have led people into evil for generations and generations and generations have had word after word, after word, after begging and pleading. Prophets speaking on behalf of the Lord return, come back, lay down the other idols and the idol worship and return to worshipping the one true God going in a bit of an unexpected direction today. So there is going to be an attack. We heard that today, and the Lord tells Jeremiah to buy a field, and he even tells them what's going to happen to this field. The Land's gonna be taken by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia and his army. They're gonna capture it, and they're gonna set it on fire. They'll burn it down along with the houses where people have made that God angry by burning incense to Baal on rooftops, pouring out wine offerings to other gods. And as they say, the Lord is not pleased. Then we see something so interesting take place in today's reading. The Lord mentions the evil doing that's going on. They place their disgusting idols in the temple built for my worship, and they have defiled that they have built altars to Baal in Hannam Valley to sacrifice their sons and their daughters to the God Molic. I did not command them to do this, and it did not even enter my mind that they would do such a thing and make the people of Judah sin. Now, I don't know if that strikes you the same way that it strikes me, but God saying I did not command them to do this, and it did not even enter my mind that they would do such a thing brings me to all kinds of questions. And as much as I want to talk about that and comment on it, I'm going to circle back around and we're going to go back to the beginning of the reading today. Jeremiah hears the Lord tell him that his uncle's son is going to come to him and request that he buy a field in Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin, which is in Jerusalem. What's the big deal, you ask? Jerusalem is being attacked. Not sure it makes a lot of sense at the time to buy land that's being attacked when we're going to keep going. Just as the Lord had said, Hanamel, came to me there in the courtyard and asked me to buy the field. So I knew that the Lord had really spoken to me. Jeremiah's a Prophet. The Lord tells him what to say, what to do, and he delivers the word of the Lord, whether people are not believe him as a whole, nother story. But he is a direct voice messenger of God. He gets direction for something that is a little bit crazy, and we might just gloss over that so quickly, but I just find it fascinating that it's so worthy of noting. It makes it to the Bible that Jeremiah the Prophet confirms. So I knew that the Lord had really spoken to me. Listen, if you think the Lord is telling you something crazy, it could be one of two things. One, well, maybe we really are crazy. Or two, maybe it really is the Lord telling us something to do. And we think a Prophet like Jeremiah that made it in the Bible. Lots of chapters on Jeremiah Prophet of the Lord isn't going to question what the Lord says. Isn't it a little reassuring that after he's approached to buy the land, he confirms? So I knew that the Lord had really spoken to me. In other words, I wasn't crazy. I wasn't really crazy doing that thing that was a little bit crazy. Now, here's the thing about crazy. I have had crazy dreams. I have had dreams that have exhausted both my mother as a child and my husband as an adult. And they felt crazy. And I've even told other people, I don't know I've had this. I have this inside of me. I want to do this thing. And almost every time after I say it, I preface it with maybe maybe I'm just crazy. And one day, out of the clear blue, felt the Lord speak to my heart and say, what might sound crazy to people is my normal. And boy, did that bring me relief? It brought me relief. It brought me freedom. That it's okay. Things will not make sense. Sometimes when God speaks, it does not look good on paper if it's a really big risk. And, you know, the Lord has spoken. But here's the thing. God sent Hanimal to him and asked him to buy the field. So what Jeremiah was sensing from the Lord, the Lord himself confirmed, who says we can't test what we think God is asking of us. Sometimes we have to step out in faith to know. Here's the thing about the dreams that God gave me along the way. When I felt like this is too big. This is nearly impossible. There is no way this is going to happen. I would get a confirmation out of left field from people that are not in my direct sphere of living and and doing life together, where they knew the depths of my soul and what I was dreaming about, what God was putting in my heart. And these words were so specific that I even asked. I asked one friend through text, Have I ever used those exact words to you before? She said, no, never. And it was the exact verbiage that God gave me. But isn't it good as we are learning to hear the voice of God as we are learning to step out in faith when we are learning that our thoughts, the things that God puts in our hearts, are not crazy? Isn't it good to hear the story of Jeremiah to say that's when I knew the Lord really spoke to me? So I want to say about all of that as friends? Isn't it good to know that we are not alone? And our questions and our thoughts and our doubts and our yearning for discernment and yearning for wisdom and understanding and knowledge? Isn't it good to know that we are not alone?

Prayer

Father, thank you that we are not alone, not alone by your presence, not alone in this community, not alone in our own stories of isolation. There is nothing that anyone can face where there is not someone else that has experienced something. Your word says that we overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. Thank you for this reminder today, this human experience that we have all been through through Jeremiah today, Father, for those that are learning your voice and learning to act in obedience on what it is that they feel that you have asked them to do, call them to do that. They're willing to step out in faith. And do I ask that you would make it abundantly, Crystal clear to them that our ideas of this is crazy and no one will understand it is your everyday normal. But we so need to know we're walking on the right road and sometimes we just need a little more light on the path to make sure we know we're on the right path. Thinking for these gentle reminders every day we love you. We're grateful for Your Word, for how it speaks to us. Pray this all in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, amen.

Announcements

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Community Prayer Line

Hi, this is Victoria Soldier, just calling to pray for some of the DABbers. I want to pray this lady whose daughter is trying to commit to suicide and this other lady whose daughter, she has to take her to the emergency room because she's trying to commit to suicide. Her name is I don't see your name. I think her name is Cindy. I want to pray for them. I want to pray for Cindy Lou from California for her protection and her guide. And I want to pray for for those young people who are going through that are suffering depression. I even was told that one of my nephews were contemplating the suicide. And I just want to pray for those minds. Gracious Father, we ask you to touch our young people, those who are going through the impression and who are trying to or having suicidal thought. Lord, you give them a mind of Christ, father, you touch their mind and you touch their will and their soul. In the name of Jesus. Lord, we pray your spirit and your power in their name. Lord in the name of Jesus react you to protect them. Lord reach you to guide them. Lord react them to see life and life and that no abundantly. Lord we ask you to touch the family or they give them the strength. Then give them what to say and how to say that this person will want to see life and want to see how valuable their life there. And Lord will give you the glory and the honor in the priest in Jesus name. Repre our Father in Jesus name. Amen.

Good morning, DABC Family. This is Renee from Florida. Today's reading August 13 through Jeremiah 23. Wow. Lord God. I just listened to Daniel's prayer. Actually, I just went with today's reading from Jill and how the prophets and the people and other people send against you and you despise that, and you're not happy with that. And we get prideful and we get the same way selfrighteous and things the way that Daniel is just praying to you. Lord, I just pray that you would help us all to know that you are the God of Grace and truth, and that Jesus is our Lord and King and Savior and help us, Lord, not to use the wrong words and to say things or to think that we or I am more special than others. I used to have a friend say to me, what makes you so special? I love that thing. I just want to ask for forgiveness and submit myself. See you again today, Lord God, draw close to each and every one of us and help us not to be self righteous and go to other things. And like Daniel was saying, go to validate ourselves online. We just need to run to you and to draw closer to you. Lord, this world is scary right now and times. But yet you are with us always by the guy. I just left every single one of the divers up. Jill and her family first Ministry and I just.

[binkas]

Dearly Beloved,

I share this meditation as I pray for the world, and for you, dear reader, that all might have peace and hope in this time of pandemic.

Pastor Robin Ressler

Wednesday, April 1, 2020: Psalm 143; Jeremiah 32:1-9, 36-41; Matthew 22:23-33

(My reflection is on the longer story of Jeremiah that unfolds here: Jeremiah 32 )

                         RHUBARB PIE AND THE FAITH OF JEREMIAH  

Two years ago this month, I became the pastor of Barnerville United Methodist Church. I soon learned that Barnerville Methodist pies, made by the women of the church, are legendary in these parts. When it came time for the church’s first pie sale of the year, one of our superlative bakers told me she was surprised that I did not know how to bake a pie. Apparently for Juanita, making a pie is right down there with falling out of bed at the bottom of the difficulty scale.

My memory of spending hours as a teenager picking tiny, uncultivated raspberries in the back field and then repairing to the kitchen, where, after a lot of measuring, mixing, rolling, assembling and baking, I failed to produce anything that actually resembled a pie still stung. I figured I could be the pastor and the women could be the bakers.

The first pie sale came and went, while I was out of town, and it was a great success. Customers clamored for the pies, in some case vying with each another for the pie of their choice, and the bakers were in high spirits as they told me all about it.

I began to consider trying again to bake a pie. I figured it would be a safe bet, as expectations would be low.

That fall, I went to the Harvest Festival in Sharon Springs. There I met a farmer who was selling rhubarb plants. Since since I love rhubarb pie, I thought I’d buy some plants with the goal of making a pie, so I did.

The farmer told me to just “put them in the ground and leave them alone.” Now, my track record as a gardener is really not that much better than it is as a pie-maker, but I figured I could follow her directions.

Sure enough, last spring there were three little rhubarb plants I bought, poking through the soil. The stalks grew long, adorned by large, graciously curving leaves. I began to look at recipes, anticipating truly making a pie from scratch when someone told me, “No! You have to leave the plant alone for a year or two before you can harvest the stalks.” Alas!

Fast forward a year to now. It’s a strange spring here in beautiful Schoharie County. There’s a worldwide pandemic, and the rhythm of human life is out of whack everywhere. Not only that, but the ground hog didn’t see his shadow this year -- first time I remember that happening -- and spring has come strangely early. 

Right next to the house, which is one of the few spots on our property where we reliably get a good dose of sun on a regular basis, we put in a garden a couple of years ago. That’s where I buried the little rhubarb plants a year and a half ago, and today they are the only thing besides a few early weeds growing in the garden. I think they are beautiful. 

I marvel that all I did was follow instructions, leave them alone, and rest in the knowledge that if I waited, something good would happen.

If this were all there is to gardening, I might be good at it.      

                                                       *****

Like many of us waiting out the pandemic, the prophet, Jeremiah finds himself confined. King Zedekiah of Judah has locked Jeremiah up in his palace in Jerusalem, under guard, because Jeremiah has been prophesying against the King.

Things don’t look good for Zedekiah or for his people. They have neglected God and run after the fake gods that some of their neighbors worship. They have not lived in accordance with God’s statutes, and now God has sent King Nebuchadnezzer army to defeat Judah. 

Jerusalem is under siege. Nonetheless, the Zedekiah doesn’t want Jeremiah speaking the truth openly. Perhaps he wants to put his own spin on things and keep his troops fighting a losing battle. 

But God is more powerful than the king is egotistical or unfaithful, and God continues to love God’s people, even though they have followed a negligent leader down the road to ruin.

So God gives Jeremiah, the messenger of the Divine, another task to do. It is so easy, he can even do it in prison.

All he has to do is follow some very simple instructions.

Picture it! All hell is breaking loose around the besieged palace. People are terrified. Others are dying.   

For the people of Judah the present is dark, and the prospect vacillates between bleak and terrifying. When, out of the blue, God tells Jeremiah that his cousin Hanamel will be coming to offer the prophet the right of redemption to purchase some land, Jermiah pays attention.

When Hanamel comes, Jeremiah buys the land. He signs the deed, seals it, and weighs the money on scales, all in the presence of witnesses. Then he arranges for the deed to be placed in a safe deposit earthenware jar.

And oh, yes! The land is in Anathoth, about as far from Jerusalem as Barnerville is from Cobleskill, about three miles -- and Jerusalem is under siege. You can imagine what’s happening to property values in Anathoth. 

Jeremiah is no more a real estate speculator than I am a farmer, but as a prophet, Jeremiah is called to obedience to God, whether or not he understands God’s purpose. He knows what to do, although he has no idea why God wants him to do it!

And indeed, God uses this real estate transaction to speak a word of hope for the future into a troubled present. 

“Things will be getting back to normal,” says God. “Judah will be open for business again. The real estate market is going to rebound. There will be buying and selling.” 

Oh, to hear God whisper such good news into our hearts today!

But we have jumped to the end of the story. Let’s back up.

After Jeremiah buys the land and dispatches the deed for safekeeping, he prays fervently to  God, confessing God’s power and mystery, love and justice, as it has been shown to God’s people over the ages.

But now, in this time of uncertainty, fear, and the wholesale death of  Jeremiah’s own people, God’s obedient prophet confesses he has no idea why God wanted him to buy that land. Even after he declared God’s promise that Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land, he did not understand.

It is only after Jeremiah turns to God with all his heart, all his soul, and all his mind -- confessing both his lack of understanding and his fervent faith -- that he receives reassurance.

                                                    *****

Christians, if there has ever been a time when our lack of understanding sits snuggled up to our faith in our hearts, it just might be now.

When so many people are worrying whether and when we will “get back to normal” we, like Jeremiah, might not understand what God is doing.

And that’s okay.

We can take a page out of Jeremiah’s book. We can obey God by faith when we cannot do so by sight. We can drag whatever is on our hearts into God’s presence any time. And we can listen for a word of reassurance -- patiently, if we have to.

I believe if we do, that word will come.

Meanwhile, I’m planning on making a rhubarb pie for the next pie sale.

Amen.

                                               A Prayer

                                           Gracious God

                  We have a certain confidence that Jesus gave us:

                           The confidence that you love us 

                          And that you listen to our prayers.

                          May we always, in times of trouble,

                                          In times of joy,

                  And even when things are just “back to normal,”

                                    Turn to you in prayer.

                                         May we listen,

                                 Patiently and obediently

                                      As you answer us

                       In your own time, and in your own way.

                                 In Jesus’ name we pray.

                                               Amen

[rachelsiwafan]

Good morning 🇹🇿🇬🇧🌏#Cupoftea☕️Jeremiah Buys a Field 1 The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. 2 For then the king of Babylon’s army besieged Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the prison, which was in the king of Judah’s house. 3 For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, “Why do you prophesy and say, ‘Thus says the LORD: “Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it; 4 and Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape from the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him face to face, and see him eye to eye; 5 then he shall lead Zedekiah to Babylon, and there he shall be until I visit him,” says the LORD; “though you fight with the Chaldeans, you shall not succeed” ’?” 6 And Jeremiah said, “The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 7 ‘Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you, saying, “Buy my field which is in Anathoth, for the right of redemption is yours to buy it. ” ’ 8 Then Hanamel my uncle’s son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said to me, ‘Please buy my field that is in Anathoth, which is in the country of Benjamin; for the right of inheritance is yours, and the redemption yours; buy it for yourself.’ Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD. 9 So I bought the field from Hanamel, the son of my uncle who was in Anathoth, and weighed out to him the money—seventeen shekels of silver. 10 And I signed the deed and sealed it, took witnesses, and weighed the money on the scales. 11 So I took the purchase deed, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open; 12 and I gave the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah..#Jeremiah‬32:1-44#PraisetheLord#WordofGod#wordoftheday#versesoftheday#bibleverses#biblestudy#qoutesoftheday#beblessed🙏 #Shalom#anzanamiBwanaYesu#biblia#NenolaMungu#Nenolaleo#Yeremia# #barikiwa🙏 #eastafrica#tanzania🇹🇿 #asubuhinjema#chai#Coventry🇬🇧 #lifestyleblogger#vlogger #mswahili🇹🇿#rachelsiwa🙏🏽❤️☕️ https://www.instagram.com/p/B7S4oUfHm75/?igshid=8ofsge41vozl

[kgriffin37]

At that time the Lord sent me a message.

He said, “Your cousin Hanamel son of Shallum will come and say to you,

'Buy my field at Anathoth.

By law you have the right to buy it before it is offered to anyone else.’”

Then, just as the Lord had said he would, my cousin Hanamel came and visited me in the prison.

He said, “Please buy my field at Anathoth in the land of Benjamin.

By law you have the right to buy it before it is offered to anyone else, so buy it for yourself.”

Then I knew that the message I had heard was from the Lord.

Jeremiah 32:5-8 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/jer.32.5-8.NLT

[u11ps1071a]

Devotional by Ray Stedman for August 24- Qualities of Genuine Faith

Topic:Qualities of Genuine Faith Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me: 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.” Then, just as the Lord had said, my cousin …

The post Devotional by Ray Stedman for August 24- Qualities of Genuine Faith appeared first on Daily Inspirational devotionals.

source https://247devotionals.com/devotional-by-ray-stedman-for-august-24-qualities-of-genuine-faith/

[potorgaret--inactive]

Day 233 / Aug 20

Jer. 32-34

32: In the 10th year of Zedekiah's reign, when the Babylonians were invading, Zedekiah had asked Jeremiah why keeps predicting all this negative stuff Jeremiah says it's the truth and that Zedekiah will be carried off Then God tells him that his cousin is going to sell his land, so Jeremiah should buy it Sure enough, his cousin Hanamel comes around and asks him to buy his field Jeremiah does it in public with all the proper paperwork, and then gives the field to his scribe Baruch, so that his family may have it Jeremiah tells him to keep the deed and such very safe so that they can reclaim their land when they come back from exile Jeremiah praises God for his power and mercy He marvels at how he brought them out of Egypt, but also says that because Israel didn't keep their end of the deal, Babylon's gonna come in But God will save them now as well He's still in awe as to why God did the thing with the field God said it was very easy for him He also says that despite how much he loves his people, Babylon will absolutely mess this place up And all because they just had to go worship foreign gods and Ba'al Everyone in Israel has sinned and it's made God very angry But after Babylon's punishment is done, God will bring them back Yahweh says he will restore Israel's fortune, and the land will be luscious

33: When Jeremiah was locked up in the court of the guard, God spoke to him He said to always call on God and learn his secrets He says the houses of Jerusalem will be filled with bodies when the Babylonians are done God's temporarily hidden himself, but he will reveal himself in due time In the future, this city will be full of joy and mirth Judah will be holy and a descendant of David will rule over them The line of David and Levi will grow If it seems like God has forsaken them, he hasn't He'll save them surely

34: During the war with Nebuchadnezzar, Jeremiah tells Zedekiah that God will burn down the city and kill everyone Zedekiah will be captured, but won't die (yet) Lachish and Azekah were super-fortified Zedekiah makes a proclaimation that everyone should free their slaves (maybe it's a Jubilee?) At first, the people follow, but just like in this lockdown, people quickly turn to their old ways God says they've gone back to breaking the Covenant and Commandments they promised to follow after leaving Egypt God is going to punish the slavers with all the things he can Everyone is going to be killed, captured or fed to the animals

wtf is a vtuber?

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus," 1 Timothy 2:5 WEB

[princeofgod-2021]

LIGHT OF LIFE 402

John 1:4

UNDERSTANDING PROPHETIC MANDATES 36: TYPES OF PROPHECY 3

Amo 3:7 CERTAINLY, THE ALMIGHTY LORD DOESN'T DO ANYTHING UNLESS HE FIRST REVEALS HIS SECRET TO HIS SERVANTS THE PROPHETS. GW

So how should we perceive Biblical Gospel as a Mandate?

Well, a MANDATE is the LAW or Document giving an official instruction or COMMAND to a group or particular person.

Mat 5:19 So anyone who breaks ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE COMMANDS and teaches others to do so will be called LEAST in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever obeys them and teaches others to do so will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. NET

We must learn to see the COMMANDMENT in the Gospel, beloved.

We must cease from this anomaly of [only] looking for statements of blessings from scriptures.

We must hold the bible with a profound sense of responsibility and a readiness to carry out instructions.

2Pe 3:2 I want you to remember the WORDS that the HOLY PROPHETS SPOKE in the past. And remember the COMMAND that our Lord and Savior gave us. HE GAVE US THAT COMMAND THROUGH YOUR APOSTLES. ERV

So, the WORDS which the Prophets SPOKE is equivalent to the COMMAND we get from the Gospel today, and the PROPHET then, is equivalent to the APOSTLE now, right?

Again, what do we do about commands please?

Jos 1:8 Let THIS BOOK OF THE LAW BE EVER ON YOUR LIPS AND IN YOUR THOUGHTS DAY AND NIGHT, SO THAT YOU MAY KEEP WITH CARE EVERYTHING IN IT; then a blessing will be on all your way, and you will do well. BBE

You read it again and again till it sticks to your memory. Then you deliberately obey all you read.

Now, how should we perceive the Bible as PROPHECY?

Follow [again] what Jesus [has] said:

Mat 5:17-18 Don't suppose that I came to do away with the Law and the Prophets. I DID NOT COME TO DO AWAY WITH THEM, BUT TO GIVE THEM THEIR FULL MEANING. Heaven and earth may disappear. But I promise you that not even a period or comma will ever disappear from the Law. EVERYTHING WRITTEN IN IT MUST HAPPEN. CEV

Firstly, Jesus came to FULFILL it, means it is Prophetic, and please note again: it is going to happen in the New Testament and by the Gospels.

Then He said: “everything written in it must be fulfilled”. it is all being fulfilled as we live today.

Secondly, we know it is all Prophetic because if we DISOBEY, there is [Prophesied] repercussion that is going to happen as a result.

Deu 28:58-59 "IF YOU DO NOT OBEY FAITHFULLY ALL OF GOD'S TEACHINGS THAT ARE WRITTEN IN THIS BOOK and if you do not honor the wonderful and awesome name of the LORD your God, he will send on you and on your descendants INCURABLE DISEASES AND HORRIBLE EPIDEMICS THAT CAN NEVER BE STOPPED. GNB

Now, don’t you think that some of the health issue that have baffled Medical professionals are as a result of disobedience to God’s strict commands?

I won’t say more than that, beloved.

Another type of Prophecy is an embodiment of RELATIVE EXPERIENCES we get as we proceed in life.

Most times, such happen as sequel to a the Direct Prophecy. Read Jeremiah:

Jer 32:6-7 Later, WHEN I WAS IN PRISON, THE LORD SAID: Jeremiah, YOUR COUSIN HANAMEL, the son of your uncle Shallum, will visit you. HE MUST SELL HIS FIELD NEAR THE TOWN OF ANATHOTH, and because you are his nearest relative, YOU HAVE THE RIGHT AND THE RESPONSIBILITY TO BUY IT AND KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY. CEV

Jeremiah was imprisoned at a very precarious and hopeless time. Yet, God needed to assure him and everyone that despite the times, there will be possessions and occupations in the land much later.

To confirm that Prophecy, the real Experience happened almost immediately.

Jer 32:8 And then my cousin Hanamel did come to me in the courtyard of the guardhouse in keeping with the LORD’s message. He said to me, ‘Buy my field which is at Anathoth in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin. Buy it for yourself since you are entitled as my closest relative to take possession of it for yourself.’ When this happened, I recognized that the LORD had indeed spoken to me. NET

It was all yet Prophetic though, and hence, Jeremiah now had confidence to proclaim the ultimate event in the future, which we have seen in history, coming to pass for real.

Jer 32:13-15 Then I gave Baruch these orders: 'THIS IS WHAT THE LORD OF ARMIES, THE GOD OF ISRAEL, SAYS: Take both of these documents, both the sealed and the unsealed copies of the deed. PUT THEM IN A CLAY JAR SO THAT THEY WILL LAST A LONG TIME. This is what the LORD of Armies, the God of Israel, says: MY PEOPLE WILL AGAIN BUY HOUSES, FIELDS, AND VINEYARDS IN THIS LAND.' GW

We will continue from this point next time, as I pray that all your experiences in life, will yield Positive Prophetic realities for you, IN JESUS NAME.

Come back on Friday, for more of this insightful and enlightening Sub-Subtopic.

Keep Shinning!

Brother Prince

Wednesday, September 06, 2023

08055125517; 08023904307

[dailybiblelessons]

Wednesday: Reflection on the Fifth Sunday in Lent

Hebrew Scripture from the Latter Prophets: Jeremiah 32:1-9, 36-41

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord in the tenth year of King Zedekiah of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar. At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and the prophet Jeremiah was confined in the court of the guard that was in the palace of the king of Judah, where King Zedekiah of Judah had confined him. Zedekiah had said, “Why do you prophesy and say: Thus says the Lord: I am going to give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it; King Zedekiah of Judah shall not escape out of the hands of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be given into the hands of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him face to face and see him eye to eye; and he shall take Zedekiah to Babylon, and there he shall remain until I attend to him, says the Lord; though you fight against the Chaldeans, you shall not succeed?”

Jeremiah said, The word of the Lord came to me: Hanamel son of your uncle Shallum is going to come to you and say, “Buy my field that is at Anathoth, for the right of redemption by purchase is yours.” Then my cousin Hanamel 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 my cousin Hanamel, and weighed out the money to him, seventeen shekels of silver.

Now therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, “It is being given into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence”: See, I am going to gather them from all the lands to which I drove them in my anger and my wrath and in great indignation; I will bring them back to this place, and I will settle them in safety. They shall be my people, and I will be their God.¹ I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for all time, for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them, never to draw back from doing good to them; and I will put the fear of me in their hearts, so that they may not turn from me. I will rejoice in doing good to them, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul.

Paul quotes this verse in 2 Corinthians 6:16, in a passage about the temple of the Living God.

Psalm 143

Hear my prayer, O Lord;  give ear to my supplications in your faithfulness;  answer me in your righteousness. Do not enter into judgment with your servant,  for no one living is righteous before you.¹ For the enemy has pursued me,  crushing my life to the ground,  making me sit in darkness like those long dead. Therefore my spirit faints within me;  my heart within me is appalled.

I remember the days of old,  I think about all your deeds,  I meditate on the works of your hands. I stretch out my hands to you;  my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Answer me quickly, O Lord;  my spirit fails. Do not hide your face from me,  or I shall be like those who go down to the Pit. Let me hear of your steadfast love in the morning,  for in you I put my trust. Teach me the way I should go,  for to you I lift up my soul.

Save me, O Lord, from my enemies;  I have fled to you for refuge. Teach me to do your will,  for you are my God. Let your good spirit lead me  on a level path. For your name's sake, O Lord, preserve my life.  In your righteousness bring me out of trouble. In your steadfast love cut off my enemies,  and destroy all my adversaries,  for I am your servant.

This verse is alluded to in Romans 3:20, part of a passage about Jews and the law, and in Galatians 2:16, part of a passage saying Jews and Gentiles are saved by faith.

New Testament Gospel Lesson: Matthew 22:23-33

There are parallel passages at Mark 12:18-27 and Luke 20:27-40.

The same day some Sadducees came to him, saying there is no resurrection; and they asked him a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies childless, his brother shall marry the widow, and raise up children for his brother.’ Now there were seven brothers among us; the first married, and died childless, leaving the widow to his brother. The second did the same, so also the third, down to the seventh. Last of all, the woman herself died. In the resurrection, then, whose wife of the seven will she be? For all of them had married her.”

Jesus answered them, “You are wrong, because you know neither the scriptures nor the power of God. For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. And as for the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was said to you by God, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob¹’? He is God not of the dead, but of the living.” And when the crowd heard it, they were astounded at his teaching.

¹Exodus 3:6

Year A Lent 5 Wednesday

Bible verses from The New Revised Standard Version, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All right reserved. Selections from Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings, copyright 1995 by the Consultation on Common Texts. Footnotes in the Hebrew Scriptures that show where the passage is used in the Christian Scriptures are based on information from the The Complete Jewish Bible (CJB) by David H. Stern, Copyright © 1998 and 2006 by David H. Stern, used by permission of Messianic Jewish Publishers, www.messianicjewish.net. All rights reserved worldwide. When text is taken from the CJB, the passage ends with (CJB) and this copyright notice applies. Parallel passages are as indicated in the Modern English Version Bible, copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Used by permission. All rights reserved. When text is taken from the MEV, the passage ends with (MEV) and the foregoing copyright notice applies. Footnotes in the Christian Scriptures that show where a passage from the Hebrew Scripture is used are from The New International Version Bible �� (NIV®), copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. When text is taken from the NIV, the passage ends with (NIV) and the foregoing copyright notice applies. Image credit: The Pharisees and the Saduccees Come to Tempt Jesus by James Tissot, via Wikimedia Commons. This is a public domain image.

[jon292929-blog1]

Bible > BSB > Jeremiah 32

◄ Jeremiah 32 ►

Berean Study Bible Par ▾ 

Jeremiah Buys Hanamel’s Field

1This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD in the tenth year of Zedekiah king of Judah, which was the eighteenth year of Nebuchadnezzar. 2At that time, the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was imprisoned in the courtyard of the guard, which was in the palace of the king of Judah.

3For Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him, saying: “Why are you prophesying that the LORD says: ‘Behold, I am about to deliver this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he will capture it. 4Zedekiah king of Judah will not escape from the hands of the Chaldeans,a but he will surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon to speak with him face to face and to see him eye to eye. 5He will take Zedekiah to Babylon, where he will stay until I attend to him, declares the LORD. If you fight against the Chaldeans, you will not succeed.’”

6Jeremiah replied, “The word of the LORD came to me, saying: 7Behold! Hanamel, the son of your uncle Shallum, is coming to you to say, ‘Buy for yourself my field in Anathoth, for you have the right of redemption to buy it.’ 8Then, as the LORD had said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the courtyard of the guard and urged me, ‘Please buy my field in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin, for you own the right of inheritance and redemption. Buy it for yourself.’”

Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.

9So I bought the field in Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel, and I weighed out seventeen shekelsb of silver. 10I signed and sealed the deed, called in witnesses, and weighed out the silver on the scales. 11Then I took the deed of purchase—the sealed copy with its terms and conditions, as well as the open copy— 12and I gave this deed to Baruch son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the sight of my cousin Hanamel and of the witnesses who were signing the purchase agreement and of all the Jews sitting in the courtyard of the guard.

13In their sight I instructed Baruch, 14“This is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Take these deeds—both the sealed copy and the open copy of the deed of purchase—and put them in a clay jar to preserve them for a long time. 15For this is what the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields, and vineyards will again be bought in this land.”

Jeremiah’s Prayer

16After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch son of Neriah, I prayed to the LORD: 17“Oh, Lord GOD! You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too difficult for You!

18You show loving devotion to thousands but lay the iniquity of the fathers into the lapsc of their children after them, O great and mighty God whose name is the LORD of Hosts, 19the One great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are on all the ways of the sons of men, to reward each one according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds.

20You performed signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, and You do so to this very day, both in Israel and among all mankind. And You have made a name for Yourself, as is the case to this day.

21You brought Your people Israel out of the land of Egypt with signs and wonders, with a strong hand and an outstretched arm, and with great terror. 22You gave them this land that You had sworn to give their forefathers, a land flowing with milk and honey.

23They came in and possessed it, but they did not obey Your voice or walk in Your law. They failed to perform all that You commanded them to do, and so You have brought upon them all this disaster. 24See how the siege ramps are mounted against the city to capture it. And by sword and famine and plague, the city has been given into the hands of the Chaldeans who are fighting against it. What You have spoken has happened, as You now see!

25Yet You, O Lord GOD, have said to me, ‘Buy for yourself the field with silver and call in witnesses, even though the city will be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans!’”

The LORD’s Answer

26Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 27“Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too difficult for Me?

28Therefore, this is what the LORD says: Behold, I am about to deliver this city into the hands of the Chaldeans and of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who will capture it. 29And the Chaldeans who are fighting against this city will come in, set it on fire, and burn it, along with the houses of those who provoked Me to anger by burning incense to Baal on their rooftops and by pouring out drink offerings to other gods.

30For the children of Israel and of Judah have done nothing but evil in My sight from their youth; indeed, they have done nothing but provoke Me to anger by the work of their hands, declares the LORD.

31For this city has aroused My wrath and fury from the day it was built until now. Therefore I will remove it from My presence 32because of all the evil the children of Israel and of Judah have done to provoke Me to anger—they, their kings, their officials, their priests and prophets, the men of Judah, and the residents of Jerusalem. 33They have turned their backs to Me and not their faces. Though I taught them again and again,d they would not listen or respond to discipline.

34They have placed their abominations in the house that bears My Name, and so have defiled it. 35They have built the high places of Baal in the Valley of Hinnom to make their sons and daughters pass through the fire to Molech—something I never commanded them, nor had it ever entered My mind, that they should commit such an abomination and cause Judah to sin.

A Promise of Restoration

36Now therefore, about this city of which you say, ‘It will be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword and famine and plague,’ this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 37I will surely gather My people from all the lands to which I have banished them in My furious anger and great wrath, and I will return them to this place and make them dwell in safety. 38They will be My people, and I will be their God. 39I will give them one heart and one way, so that they will always fear Me for their own good and for the good of their children after them.

40I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never turn away from doing good to them, and I will put My fear in their hearts, so that they will never turn away from Me. 41Yes, I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.

42For this is what the LORD says: Just as I have brought all this great disaster on this people, so I will bring on them all the good I have promised them. 

[tcbmediaonline]

Hope Buys The Field

In what would have looked like one of the worst investment decisions in Israel's history, the prophet Jeremiah bought a field. His purchase doesn't sound illogical and unsound until you know the greater context. Jeremiah's story started well. After all, as stated clearly by the Lord in the first chapter of the book chronicling His life and prophecy,  he was literally born for the job he grew into. "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations....Behold, I have put my word in your mouth. See, I have set you this day over nations and over kingdoms to pluck up and break down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant." Jeremiah 1:5 &9-10.

Jeremiah then had the oh-so-unpopular job of declaring, in no uncertain terms and images, myriad ways that God's people had played the whore and the harlot with lovers less worthy and wild than the One True God. Jeremiah was God's mouthpiece of warning and judgment to wayward Israel. The job often proved too much for Jeremiah himself, as often throughout his heavy ministry, he begged God to take his life, wishing he had never been called to such a task. "Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people. Oh that I had in the desert a traveler's lodging place, that I might leave my people and go away from them! For they are all adulterers, a company of treacherous men."  Jeremiah 9:1-2. The hard-to-speak and even-harder-to-hear indictments and prophesies continued, leading up to the promise of coming exile under Nebuchadnezzar. Unhappy false prophets and leaders tried to take the life of our unfortunate prophet, but God sustained him. I'll let Jeremiah himself finish setting the stage for the purchase of the aforementioned field. "At that time the army of the king of Babylon was besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was shut up in the court of the guard that was in the palace of Judah...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'." Jeremiah 32:2 & 6-8. While Babylon literally had Jerusalem under siege, a siege which would end in the 70 year exile of God's people, God saw fit to set up a real estate transaction. Seems strange, right? What's the deal with the field and why did God deem it important enough to be chronicled in the Bible? Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, had many reasons to despair. His lifelong career had been the bearer of mostly hard news for people who did not want to hear it. Those people, whom Jeremiah had spent scores of nights weeping over, were literally on the brink of being taken away from their homes and homeland to a foreign land forcefully. Yet God told him to buy a field in Jerusalem, the land they were about to be removed from for nearly a century.  And, in a bold declaration of hope, Jeremiah bought the field. God knew the deep despair in the heart of his chosen prophet. He knew that His people would be reeling in conviction that would eventually lead them back to Himself and His ways.  God knew they needed to know that this was not the end. They would return to their land, they would be changed in their hearts, softened toward the Words of the Lord again.  Thus, He bid Jeremiah buy the field in the tribe of Benjamin. For in the far future, a greater prophet would rise up from the tribe of Benjamin. He would weep more than Jeremiah. Unlike Jeremiah, God would not spare his life. Rather, He would die a tragic death on behalf of the same sinful people bent on returning to the same harlotry. And then He would fill His people with hope and laughter. Although we live on the other side of the life, death and resurrection of Christ, we still struggle to hope. Like Jeremiah, God bids us to follow him into bold acts of hope in what appears to be a shriveling, grief-stricken world. Fostering a child who you know will be taken away is buying a field. Praying for a hardened family member even though nothing has happened for decades is buying a field. A widow waking up expectant of God's purposes in her life is buying a field. We all have fields to buy, acts of hope in Christ in grim situations. What's your field? In his excellent book regarding the life of Jeremiah, To Run With Horses, Eugene Peterson beautifully unpacks the drama of Jeremiah being called to buy a field in the midst of a desperate situation. My thoughts on Jeremiah and hope find their roots in Peterson's mastery of imagination and words, as well as the Word. If you are looking to find a picture of a life of hope lived in the midst of seemingly hopeless situations, the life of Jeremiah is a good place to begin. By studying the God of Jeremiah, you may too find the source of his courage to buy the field. Read the full article

[hatrackley]

Jeremiah (Part 11), Buying a Field

#Jeremiah buys a field. There is #HOPEinGOD

Jeremiah said, “The word of the Lord came to me:  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.’ “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…