Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

It is now approximately forty years into Jeremiah’s ministry and near the end of Zedekiah’s reign. Zedekiah had NOT liked Jeremiah’s prophesy that they would not get out of the bed situation – but Jeremiah had only told the truth. The king had been telling his soldiers and the city one thing, but Jeremiah was prophesying the opposite. So the king had him locked up. Interestingly, Jeremiah was prophesying Zedekiah would see Nebuchadnezzar face to face (Jeremiah 32:4) and Ezekiel prophesied Zedekiah would not see Babylon (Ezekiel 12:13). [2 Kings 25:1-12 shows Nebuchadnezzar coming to Jerusalem, sacking the city, and putting out Zedekiah’s eyes BEFORE he was dragged to Babylon. The Word of the Lord NEVER fails.]

The Lord told Jeremiah ahead of time that while he was in Jerusalem (shut up so he couldn’t proclaim to the people), his cousin, Hanamel, would come to sell Jeremiah a field. Naturally, buying a field in a country about to be completely conquered would be a foolish thing to do. It would be worthless property. But since the Lord told Jeremiah about it ahead of time, he knew it was the Lord and he bought it. It was done with money, witnesses, and signed deeds. Everything legal and above board. Obviously, Jeremiah wasn’t poor. He took the deeds and gave them to his friend Baruch, the son of Neriah in the presence of witnesses in the court of the prison (where Jeremiah was locked up). Through Jeremiah, Baruch was instructed by God to put the deeds in an earthen vessel that would last a LONG time, seal it, and bury it. The Lord was saying a time would come when things would be bought and sold again, and when they did, these deeds would be proof of ownership. Baruch took them, obeyed, and was gone.

Jeremiah went before the Lord. He acknowledged God’s glory and asked God why. God made everything and could do anything. He brought the people up out of Egypt and they had done NOTHING of what He told them to. They were idolatrous and ungodly. God had judged them and the land was being totally given over to the Chaldeans. And it was the will of the Lord. Jeremiah wanted to know: why buy the field and bury the deeds? God repeated what He said. He was going to bring the people back. They would have and sell land again. He reassured Jeremiah that even as He was mighty in bringing them down, He would be mighty in lifting them up. The destruction WOULD come (2 Kings 25). And just as it came, deliverance would come. They had provoked Him with their idolatry, but they would return to true worship. He would be their God and they would be His people. He would give them ONE heart and ONE way that they would revere and trust in Him (them and their children) forever. He would make an EVERLASTING covenant with them (through Jesus – Luke 22:20), so that He would not turn away from them and they would not depart from Him. God would rejoice over them and over this land. He would bring on them all the good that He had promised them. Men would buy fields and use deeds, the captives would return, and He would be their God.

A second time God spoke to Jeremiah in prison. He proclaimed to Jeremiah good things. If they called to Him, he would answer. If they asked Him, He would show them great and mighty things. He spoke not only of the current judgment, but also of an abundance of peace and truth. He would heal them. He would cause the captives of Judah and of Israel to return and build the places as they were in the first place. He would cleanse them from all their iniquity (this was only accomplished in Jesus). The restoration would be a name of Joy, of praise, and an honour before all the nations of the Earth when they heard all the good the Lord would do for them.

At the time of the destruction of Israel and now of Judah, this seemed impossible. That the land would ever recover. That the people would ever return. That they would ever be free of foreign influence. But God was prophesying total peace. Flocks grazing in fields and on mountains. Villages and towns everywhere. The day would come when God would do this. He would enable this and He would grow from the branch of David THE branch (Jesus). Judah would be saved. Jerusalem would be safe. And the Lord Our Righteousness would execute justice and judgement. Because the Lord had said David would never lack a man to sit on the throne of Israel (Isaiah 9:7). The priests would never lack an offering (Jesus). This would be permanent, lasting longer than sun and stars. They were worried about the destruction of their nation, but God was speaking survival with a later flourishing. It has all happened exactly as the Lord has said (with a further fulfillment yet to come).

“However, hear the word of Yahweh, O Zedekiah, the king of Judah. Thus says Yahweh concerning you: ‘You will not die by the sword. In peace you will die, and as there was burning for your ancestors, the former kings who were before you, so they will burn for you, and they will lament for you, “Alas, lord!” For the word I have spoken,’ declares Yahweh.”’” (Jeremiah 34:4-5)

The Lord spoke to Jeremiah. Zedekiah would be captured. The city would go to Nebuchadnezzar. Zedekiah would be delivered into his hands. His eyes would see the king of Babylon, they would speak, and Zedekiah would be taken to Babylon. But he wasn’t going to die violently, but in peace. Zedekiah would NOT escape this.

Zedekiah took all the people together and made a covenant with them so that they would release their indentured servants (Deuteronomy 15:12). This should have been done every seven years, but he had them do it now as a gesture to God of their obedience. All the princes and all the people agreed and they let the servants go. However, they changed their minds and forced them back into servitude. Like with many other things, they ‘repented’ with mouths only and not their hearts.

The Lord told Jeremiah to tell them that HE had taken the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. By the merit of that action, they should have totally obeyed Him in everything. But they hadn’t followed the Law (Exodus 21:1-2; Deuteronomy 15:12). Then they did. Then they profaned the Lord’s name by going back on what they had done. Just like they had taken back the indentured servants, the Lord would take them. He would deliver them to trouble in all the nations of the Earth. The princes of Judah and the princes of Jerusalem, the priests, the eunuchs, and all the people who made covenant passing between the parts of the calves (like in Genesis 15:10-18); they would be given to their enemies for the breaking of the covenant. They would die and not have proper burial, eaten by the beasts of the Earth. Zedekiah and the princes would go into the hands of their enemy, into the hand of the king of Babylon’s army. They will fight and lose and the cities of Judah would be a desolation.

Summary

Key Players: God, Jesus, Jeremiah, Zedekiah, Baruch, Hanamel

Key Verse(s): Jeremiah 32:1-2, 8-15, 26-35; 33:1-9, 14-22; 34:4-5, 8-11, 17-22