Jeremiah: Buying Real Estate From Prison

Text: Jeremiah 32:1-44

“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” —Jeremiah 32:27

Have you ever felt paralyzed to act because a situation looked so bleak?

Imagine being Jeremiah in ancient Judah. He was in prison for preaching God’s prophetic words to the people, a Babylonian invasion was imminent, and the future didn’t look promising, yet the LORD told him to do something that required a radical trust in God’s goodness. Instead of being crippled by fear, God told him to buy real estate!

God told Jeremiah to buy a piece of land… albeit from prison! There probably wasn’t a worse time to be buying property in Judah, and yet God sent Jeremiah’s cousin, Hanamel, to help with the deed purchase. It required a remarkable act of faith on Jeremiah’s part, because the land would be subject to foreign occupiers for the next 70 years—years of desolation and despair. God promised that ultimately the people’s fortunes would be restored:

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. 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. “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. 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.’” (Jeremiah 32:40–43)

The real estate deed was placed in a jar of clay for preservation, because one day their family members’ descendants would return to Judah after exile and prove that they own the property. The imagery here depicts a vote of confidence in God’s promise that His people will eventually return, not to mention a savvy real estate deal (imagine the value of that land in 70 years!). Though judgment is still forthcoming, Jeremiah is making an investment in the stock of Judah’s future restoration. He’s not paralyzed by the dreadful circumstances of the moment. The real estate market will inevitably rebound, as “Houses and fields and vineyards shall again be bought in this land.” (v.15)

What if we fleshed out the days of our lives on Jeremiah’s premise in verse 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.” The Babylonians are still going to capture Jerusalem and burn it down. Things have already been set in motion as a consequence of the people’s sinful rebellion. But, God’s still got this!!! And in the words of Nemo, “that’s a pretty big [But]!”

Jeremiah’s faith was tested by dismal conditions and improbable outcomes, yet galvanized by the unchangeable character of His God: “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27ESV) God was faithful to His covenant promises, and He wasn’t going to leave His people exiled forever.

In an unstable world that fuels worry for today and anxiety over the future, we can have a stable hope because of the steadfastness of our God. He is good—always and forever. His character is immutable. Whatever the state of your present circumstances, He’s got this. That’s not a false hope, that’s an unchanging God reigning supreme over an ever-changing world—and spoiler alert, He knows the future. And because of that, we don’t ever have to be paralyzed by fear. Take refuge in that as you seek to abide in Him this week.

PRAYER

Ah, Lord God, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is too difficult for you! We rest in this promise. You’ve got this, and you can be trusted. Holy Spirit, lead us to live our lives, and invest ourselves, in ways that reflect this faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Questions for Reflection and/or Group Discussion

1. When have you been in a situation that crippled you with fear?
2. What course of action did Jeremiah take? Why? (Jeremiah 32:8-12) What did God say after Jeremiah hid the deed to his newly purchased property in a clay jar? (vv.13-15)
3. What truths did Jeremiah proclaim about God’s nature? (v.17) Why was Jeremiah left to marvel over what he had just done? (vv.24-25)
4. What was God’s reply to Jeremiah’s doubts? (vv.26-27) What glimpse into the more distant future did God give to Jeremiah? (vv.37-44) How did Jeremiah’s seemingly irrational actions concerning a piece of property serve to illustrate what God was revealing?
5. In what area of your life could it be helpful to ponder the truth that nothing is too hard for God?

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