022606

Serving on Purpose
Doing my Part
Jeremiah 32
February 26, 2006


Jeremiah 32:6-15 (Monday)
“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 redeem it and possess it, buy it for yourself.' "I knew that this was the word of the LORD; so I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel and weighed out for him seventeen shekels of silver. I signed and sealed the deed, had it witnessed, and weighed out the silver on the scales. I took the deed of purchase--the sealed copy containing the terms and conditions, as well as the unsealed copy-- and I gave this deed to Baruch son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah, in the presence of my cousin Hanamel and of the witnesses who had signed the deed and of all the Jews sitting in the courtyard of the guard. "In their presence I gave Baruch these instructions: `This is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Take these documents, both the sealed and unsealed copies of the deed of purchase, and put them in a clay jar so they will last a long time. For this is what the LORD Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land.” (NIV)
10) Here is how you know the Lord is indeed speaking—if what you hear comes true (Deuteronomy 18:21-22!) Now, even the sleaziest palm reader gets it right sometime, so we do have to be careful. Know this, Bible prophecies have been fulfilled time after time after time, with complete and utter accuracy! The one and only true sign that a word is of God is that it comes true—100% of the time. Otherwise, don’t bother with or be afraid of what you hear or with who is speaking! Test everything by the authenticity of the word of God!
10) Even Jeremiah tested himself! How? He waited to see the fulfillment of what he heard!
10) What a rich promise at such a broken time for God’s people! God gave them a piece of property (a deposit) that one day they would indeed return and possess the land He had given by oath to them as their inheritance! Oh, this has happened before!
a) Abraham purchased a plot of land for his wife, Sarah’s, burial plot (Genesis 23!) Abraham’s down payment on that plot inside of Canaan (the promised land) was an outward expression of his faith in the fulfillment of God’s promise (Genesis 13:14-18!)
i) Abraham himself was buried on that plot (Genesis 25:9-10!)
ii) Abraham’s son, Isaac, and his wife, Rebekah were buried there (Genesis 49:31!)
iii) Isaac’s son, Jacob, buried his wife, Leah in this same plot (Genesis 49:31!)
iv) Jacob himself was carried out of Egypt and brought back to the promise land after his death and buried in that same plot of land (Genesis 47:29-31; 50:4-13!)
v) Joseph’s (son of Jacob) bones were carried out of Egypt and buried at Shechem, a tract of land that Jacob bought for a hundred pieces of silver from the sons of Hamor, the father of Shechem. This became the inheritance of Joseph's descendants. (Genesis 50:25-26; (Joshua 24:32!)
vi) King David purchase a portion of land to build an altar to God (2 Samuel 24:18-25!) This, of course, is the very place where Abraham offered to sacrifice his son, Issac, and God intervened to provide a sacrifice Himself (Genesis 22!) This is also the place of the Temple Mount, designed by King David and built by his son with Bathsheba, Solomon—where the Dome of the Rock sits today!) Another story for another day!
1) Okay, so what does all this have to do with us today? Good question! First of all, none of the patriarchs of our faith actually possessed the land God promised them. Indeed, they considered themselves aliens in that very land (Genesis 23:4; Exodus 2:22; Hebrews 11:11-16!) Still, they believed without wavering that the land and the promises were theirs! Why? Because they looked and could see God’s promises from afar! That is true faith--believing without seeing, and that is what we are all called to do—have faith in the living Christ, the only begotten Son of God—the unseen One (Hebrews 11:1-2 and 2 Corinthians 5:7!)
2) Oh, if we just knew the riches stored up for us in our Lord, Christ Jesus! Some we may experience right here on earth. Some, in a hopefully a not too distant future time! No, I’m not wishing death on any of us! I’m speaking of that blessed hope—the Rapture of Christ’s church! True, somewhere in between, there is that difficult step that God quite often requires of us—waiting! Sometimes, receiving a response to our faith, belief and prayers can seem to be delayed (Daniel 10!) Waiting can be one of the most difficult things God asks of us, but, here is a list of reasons why we should learn patience in this area: (Yes, we’ve covered these before!)
a) God acts in unimaginable ways for those who willing to wait for His response (Isaiah 64:4!)
b) God has promised to exalt us and that we would see with our own eyes the ruin of the wicked (Psalms 37:34!)
c) God will deliver us (Proverbs 20:22!)
d) God will be gracious, showing compassion and bringing justice (Isaiah 30:18!)
e) God has promised to answer (Psalms 38:15!)
f) God has promised to bring everything to light and we will receive His praise (1 Corinthians 4:5!)
i) How should we wait:
(1) With expectation (Psalms 10:8!)
(2) By remaining strong and taking heart (Psalms 27:14!)
(3) In hope (Psalms 33:20!)
(4) Patiently and without fretting (Psalms 37:7; James 5:7!)
(5) Keeping His ways (Psalms 37:34!)
(6) Trusting in His Word (Psalms 130:5!)
(7) Making Him the desire of our hearts (Isaiah 26:8!)
(8) Knowing blessing comes through waiting upon the Lord (Isaiah 30:18!)
(9) Knowing the Lord is our Portion, He is good and He brings salvation with Him (Lamentations 3:24-26!)
(10) Repentantly, maintaining love and justice (Hosea 12:6!)
(11) Joyfully (John 3:29!)
(12) Eagerly (1 Corinthians 1:7; Galatians 5:5; Philippians 3:20!)
3) Like God’s people before us, we, too, have been given a guarantee, a deposit to our own promise land(s). And, oh, it is of so much more worth than mere soil (2 Corinthians 1:19-22: 2 Corinthians 5:5; Ephesians 1:11-14!) What is our guarantee—our deposit of things to come?
Jeremiah 32:16-25 (Tuesday)
“After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch son of Neriah, I prayed to the LORD: "Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. You show love to thousands but bring the punishment for the fathers' sins into the laps of their children after them. O great and powerful God, whose name is the LORD Almighty, great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to all the ways of men; you reward everyone according to his conduct and as his deeds deserve. You performed miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt and have continued them to this day, both in Israel and among all mankind, and have gained the renown that is still yours. You brought your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and wonders, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror. You gave them this land you had sworn to give their forefathers, a land flowing with milk and honey. They came in and took possession of it, but they did not obey you or follow your law; they did not do what you commanded them to do. So you brought all this disaster upon them. "See how the siege ramps are built up to take the city. Because of the sword, famine and plague, the city will be handed over to the Babylonians who are attacking it. What you said has happened, as you now see. And though the city will be handed over to the Babylonians, you, O Sovereign LORD, say to me, `Buy the field with silver and have the transaction witnessed.” (NIV)
1) We touched on this a little bit last week in class. Can any truly keep anything hid from the eyes of God (Psalm 139?) Has there ever been a time when you thought you got away with “it” only to have God reveal it to you right before your own eyes? What does Luke 8:17 tell us is the real truth in this regard?
2) What is Jeremiah suggesting in saying that the father’s sins fall into the laps of their children (Exodus 20:1-6?) Does this seem just? Explain your response.
3) While it is true we learn many things from our parents—good and bad. It is clear that each man must account for his own deeds whether good or bad (Jeremiah 31:29-30 and Romans 14:12!) Praise God! That may just be very, very uncomfortable for the one who has accepted Christ as Savior and Lord—having our thoughts, deeds and motives revealed for their true worth. But, please, always remember, our judgment is for reward (1 Corinthians 3:11-15!) For those who are lost, with Christ, it means eternal separation from God the Father and spiritual death (Revelation 20:11-15!) Oh, choose life! Choose Christ! How? Simply admit you are a sinner in need of Savior. Forever separated from God because He is holy and you are not! We all meet Him at this same point of need! This is not weakness, but true strength! Believe that God Himself took on flesh and died for your sins in your place. Ask Jesus into the home of your heart (Revelation 3:19-22!) Don’t wait until you tiddy up everything! That’s is human effort and totally unacceptable to our God! Through the gift of His precious Holy Spirit, Jesus do all the work of cleaning you up (Philippians 2:13!) Why Christ? Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No man comes to the Father except by me.” (John 14:6!)
4) Hope. (Yes, we recovering some territory here, too!) Something to hold onto and that is exactly what God is giving Jeremiah and his people here!
a) What does Jeremiah 14:8; Colossians 1:27 and 1 Timothy 1:1 say is our hope?
b) What is God actually called in Romans 15:13?
c) Characteristics and certainties of our hope in God:
(a) leads us to complete trust, even if we do not understand His ways (Job 13:15!)
(b) allows us to patiently await the Lord’s justice and, by hope, we are comforted (Psalms 9:16-18!)
(c) never, ever leads to being our being made ashamed, disgraced, or disappointed (Psalms 25:1-3; Psalms 69:6; Isaiah 49:23; Romans 5:5!)
(d) assures our integrity and uprightness (Psalms 25:21!)
(e) allows us to be strong and take heart (Psalms 31:24!)
(f) frees us from fear, because we are assured of God’s unfailing love (Psalms 33:18; Psalms 130:7!)
(g) assures us that God is our help and our shield (Psalms 33:20; Psalms 146:5!)
(h) assures us that we will inherit what God has promised (Psalms 37::9!)
(i) is the answer to our desire to give up, or give in—our hopelessness, our depression (Psalms 42:5, 11; Psalms 43:5!)
(j) always leads to praise and rejoicing (Psalms 52:9; Romans 5:2!)
(k) actually results in and produces joy (Romans 12:12!)
(l) Oh, pray God soon! One day the whole earth will hope in our God (Psalms 65:5; Isaiah 42:1-4; Isaiah 51:5; Matthew 12:21 and Romans 15:12!)
(m) Our hope is God is a constant (Psalms 71:14!)
(n) brings us His blessing (Psalms 146:5!)
(o) The Lord delights in those who put their hope in Him (Psalms 147:11!)
(p) assures that we have a good future (Proverbs 23:17-18; Proverbs 11:23; Jeremiah 29:11!)
(q) “Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint (Isaiah 40:31!”) Amen, and Amen!
(r) God Himself has promised to be good to those who hope in Him (Lamentations 3:25!)
(s) Because we know that God raised Christ from the dead, our hope in God assures us of our own resurrection (Acts 23:6; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:13 and 1 Peter 1:3-5!) Blessed hope, indeed!
(t) inspires endurance (1 Thessalonians 1:3!)
(u) assures us of our salvation (1 Thessalonians 5:8!)
(v) assures us of the faithfulness and truthfulness of our God (Titus 1:2; Hebrews 6:18!)
2) We have established that our hope is in God alone. So, what does Psalms 119:43-49 tell us that hope will prompt us to do?
3) We not only put our hope in God, His commands, but Psalms 119:74, 81, 114, 147; Psalms 130:5 and Romans 15:4 tells us yet another area to place our hope. See also John 1:1! Glory!
4) Ah, oh! Where does Romans 5:3-4 tell us that we learn hope?
5) Unfortunately, hope cannot be conjured up—no, it rests in God alone, and more, it comes only from Him. In fact, we are called to hope by God Himself (Psalms 62:5 and Ephesians 1:18!)
6) Let me assure you, others see your hope and are drawn to it—it is Christ in you. Why does 1 Peter 3:15 tell us to be ready?
7) Hope has many benefits! Hope keeps us ready for that day when Christ will “come like a thief in the night!” What part does hope have in keeping us ready? Read Micah 7:7! Oh, look up! Your redemption draweth nigh (Luke 21:28!) Forgive me for slipping back into my KJV!
8) I think this one passage about hope gives me the greatest hope! Read 1 John 3:1-3! Oh, I do so hope your desire is to be pure! Believe me, I’m not, but, oh, join me in looking, longing, yearning for His re-appearing!
9) Hang in there! Like I said, those things we hope for here, but don’t see—they’re stored up for us in heaven (Colossians 1:3-6!) God is always, always, always Faithful who promised (Hebrews 10:23!)
5) What was Jeremiah’s response to God’s promise of hope for a future? What’s yours?
Jeremiah 32:26-35 (Wednesday and Thursday)
“Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: "I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? Therefore, this is what the LORD says: I am about to hand this city over to the Babylonians and to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, who will capture it. The Babylonians who are attacking this city will come in and set it on fire; they will burn it down, along with the houses where the people provoked me to anger by burning incense on the roofs to Baal and by pouring out drink offerings to other gods. The people of Israel and Judah have done nothing but evil in my sight from their youth; indeed, the people of Israel have done nothing but provoke me with what their hands have made, declares the LORD. From the day it was built until now, this city has so aroused my anger and wrath that I must remove it from my sight. The people of Israel and Judah have provoked me by all the evil they have done--they, their kings and officials, their priests and prophets, the men of Judah and the people of Jerusalem. They 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 set up their abominable idols in the house that bears my Name and defiled it. They built high places for Baal in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to sacrifice their sons and daughters to Molech, though I never commanded, nor did it enter my mind, that they should do such a detestable thing and so make Judah sin.” (NIV)
1) You really have to appreciate the enormity of what God is telling Jeremiah. He is going to use a pagan, even more godless people to overrun a more righteous Judah. The most brutal empire of it’s time to destroy God’s very own chosen people—the apple of His eye. Why do you think this would so deeply wound Jeremiah?
2) Do you think Jeremiah thought God was being just in this situation? Why or why not?
3) Have you ever experienced a chastising perhaps allowed by the hand of someone who is an unbeliever, or maybe someone’s whose walk with God is not as close as yours? How did you react? Did you feel God had deserted you, or maybe you had deserted him?
4) Many people don’t think they have to worry about idols today. After all, we don’t have little wooden or stone carved images that we actually kneel down before and pray to (Well, most of us don’t!). Something that we hold on to for assurance of safety, comfort, peace, happiness—do we? Oh, this is a difficult one for me! I’m finding that almost anything can be an idol. How many times do I chose my “red stew” as an immediate fix instead of keeping my eyes focused on what is before me, “my birthright” in Christ Jesus? (Genesis 25:19-34”) A terrible thing to substitute the love of Christ for! Why do I always think it is worth it? Oh, how I must constantly wound the heart of Jesus. Please pray for me in this area! Have you ever settled for that immediate “hunger?” How long were you satisfied?
5) What is the only thing that can ever possibly satisfy our thirsts and hungers (and we all have them)? (Jeremiah 31:10-14; Isaiah 55:1-2; John 4:5-26 and John 6:35!)
6) You can’t serve two masters (Matthew 6:24-34.) Yet, time and time again that draw—that pull is there! Jesus said it so well, “The spirit is willing, but the body (our flesh) is weak.” (Matthew 26:41)
7) Jesus gives us two ways in this passage (Matthew 26:41) in which we can overcome most temptations. What are they?
8) The Lord’s prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) is our guide for warfare against the temptations that come our way:

“This, then, is how you should pray: "`Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. (KJV)

9) Before we look at, touch, taste, run to, dive in, or are driven or carried away by anything, we should pray that God will not allow us to be led into temptation and that He will deliver us from evil! Do we do that—ever?
10) I have to join Paul is exclaiming, “What a wretched man (woman) I am! (Romans 7:15-25.)
11) Two laws, two natures at work in us. We have to die daily to that old sin nature—the flesh! Impossible, by ourselves, yes! Ah, but we have Christ in us—the hope of glory (Colossians 1:27!) Through Him, we are more than conquerors, both now in this godless world and in the world to come (Romans 8:34-39!) Amen and Hallelujah!
Jeremiah 32:36-41(Friday)
“You are saying about this city, `By the sword, famine and plague it will be handed over to the king of Babylon'; but this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I will surely gather them from all the lands where I banish them in my furious anger and great wrath; I will bring them back to this place and let them live in safety. They will be my people, and I will be their God. I will give them singleness of heart and action, so that they will always fear me for their own good and the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. I will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.” (NIV)
1) I think it is important to know that God was not sending them away to utterly destroy them, but to remind them of their need. Indeed, God tells them to prosper in their exile (Jeremiah 29:4-15!) His desire was to teach them that it didn’t matter what land they were in, He would always be with them and that His heart was that they turn back to Him. A parent understands this. I can remember as a small child my dad getting down on his knees and hugging me after a spanking. He whispered to me that that spanking had hurt him more than it did me and that he did it because he loved me. I found that very hard to believe at the time, but, strangely, it did comfort me. Think about that when God chastens or corrects you. He loves you and is disciplining you like a loving father (Hebrews 12:5-13!) If He did not, you are not His own! What does the last part of this passage say—be healed! It’s a paradox, I know, but, we all need to be healed and sometimes it is through God’s discipline that our healing is made complete (Hebrews 12:11-13; James 1:2-4; 1 Peter 1:6-8!)
2) The everlasting covenant. That implies the New Covenant through Christ (Jeremiah 31:31:37; Luke 22:8-20 and Hebrews 8.) In the original covenant that God Himself “cut” with Abraham (Genesis 15:5-21.) The word “cut means “cross over” or “between.” As promised, with His own precious blood, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ has crossed over from heaven to earth to bring us to God the Father—complete reconciliation, through faith in His work and in His work alone! Now, Jesus is forever seated on David’s throne and He, alone, is the way we are given singleness of heart and mind—which is the holy fear of the Lord, and that is the beginning of wisdom and a new life (Job 28:28!)
3) Like Abraham, we, too, may ask ourselves, “What’s our guarantee that all this is true?” It all goes back to that deposit! Thank you, Jesus!