Bristol Road Baptist Church

5th June 2005 PM

Investing in the promises of God

“I knew that this was the word of the LORD; 9 so I bought the field
at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel

Jeremiah 32 8b 9a

We discovered in our study on Wednesday that Jeremiah was a man who

lived his ministry – that what he said was inextricably linked with his life
and the one informed the other. When, faced by great odds and an
unresponsive audience, he began to despair and even accused God of
trapping him – then God showed him how great He is and Jeremiah was
strengthened to continue. Much of what he experienced – like his visit to
the potter’s workshop – became full of significance for him and his
message.

In this chapter Jerusalem is facing its final days. The city is under siege by
the Babylonians. It was “the tenth year of Zedekiah and the eighteenth
year of Nebuchadnezzar. The army of the kind of Babylon was then
besieging Jerusalem, and Jeremiah the prophet was confined in the
courtyard of the guard…” (v2)

These were desperate times and at such times he was criticised by

Zedekiah for undermining morale and prophesying the fall of the city.

“You say, This is what the Lord says…”

How Jeremiah must have wished that he could bring a message of hope
and relief for the people – but he could not: the message he had from the
Lord remained the only word he could preach. No one would ever fault
Jeremiah for changing his message to suit the times!

These are desperate times – Jeremiah is in prison and the city is

besieged!
On another occasion he will be confined in a cistern (38:6) and threatened
with death (26:8) – yet despite these threats he remained steadfast.

This chapter which presents Jeremiah buying a piece of land even as the
besieging nations are about to take over the country presents an insight
into the personal integrity, faith and obedience of the prophet. But it also
reveals his doubts and misgivings.
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The work of God that He gave Jeremiah to do involved not just a

faithfulness in matters of utterance – but in his own personal risk taking.
I am the last person to whom anyone should come for financial advice! I
have very little understanding of the mysteries of economics. I know what
it means to lose investments when the market crashes, or when money
has been invested by unscrupulous people. I have had quite a lot to do
with the likes of liquidators and so on – but I do not understand the
underlying principles.

Yet even I know that it is a ridiculous idea to buy a parcel of land at a time
of war – when the land is about to be taken by enemies. Yet here an
imprisoned prophet buys a field: he makes an investment in the
promises of God! He demonstrates his deeper faith in the covenant
making God by buying the land that it was his right to redeem.

What kinds of risks will you take with God’s promises?

Like Abraham before him, Jeremiah hears the promise of God – and he
doesn’t just pass it on to the people (after the defeat of Jerusalem I will
bring them back…) he actually spends money on a plot that is soon to be
occupied territory.

Consider what happened under three headings:-

(1) He was faithful to his mission v 3

(2) He was attentive to God’s instructions v6~
(3) He prayed – and what a prayer v16~

These three aspects of Jeremiah’s spiritual life are mixed together to

produce a singular evidence of God at work in His servant.

In the light of this example:

Do you have a work for the Lord? – DO IT

Has God spoken to you? – PROVE HIM
Do doubts remain? – PRAY ON

FAITHFUL vv 1-3
2
The army of the king of Babylon was then besieging Jerusalem, and
Jeremiah the prophet was confined in the courtyard of the guard in the
royal palace of Judah.
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3
Now Zedekiah king of Judah had imprisoned him there, saying, “Why do
you prophesy as you do? You say, ‘This is what the LORD says: I am about to
hand this city over to the king of Babylon, and he will capture it.

It is too easy for us to forget the reality – the very harsh reality facing
Jeremiah at this time.

The siege is a REAL DANGER

The future is BLEAK
He is IMPRISONED

Any one of those factors on their own would be enough to put most off –
but together they pose an incredible barrier to faith and peace of mind.

Yet Jeremiah does not flinch – he does not bend in the face of criticism or
danger. Yes he does ask questions and does have doubts – but his faith is
the sort that endures.

Where did this quality of faith come from?

(a) A profound sense of God’s calling

To Jeremiah, God is pre-eminently SOVEREIGN (see chapter 1)

(b) God had equipped him with armour suited to the task

(c) God had given him a promise for the future

They will be most likely to invest in God’s promises who have proved Him
in times past, who know Him to be Sovereign, and who have listened as He
promises.

AS New Covenant believers we have the same understanding of a

sovereign Lord who calls His people to Himself – who promises grace
sufficient and protection, and who goes to prepare a place for us.

We have even more reason that Jeremiah had to INVEST IN GOD’S

PROMISES.

The test is not youth – or old age, not lack of learning – or any gift, not fear
of difficulty or boldness – BUT SIMPLE FAITHFULNESS

God wants us – like Jeremiah to see a greater return for HIS INVESTMENT IN
US – the parables that Jesus told are pertinent here.
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If God says DO THIS – WE SHOULD BE DOING IT

Noitice what God says in v 39:-

38
They will be my people, and I will be their God. 39 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. 40 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. 41 I
will rejoice in doing them good and will assuredly plant them in this land
with all my heart and soul.

Singleness of heart and action!

To base what we do upon the character of the God who has called us to
become His children. The Lord who has redeemed us with His precious
blood.

Have you been given a task – then – because of that DO IT!

ATTENTIVE vv 6-15
6
Jeremiah said, “The word of the LORD came to me: 7 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.’
8
“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; 9 so I bought the field at
Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel and weighed out for him seventeen
shekels of silver. 10 I signed and sealed the deed, had it witnessed, and
weighed out the silver on the scales. 11 I took the deed of purchase—the
sealed copy containing the terms and conditions, as well as the unsealed
copy— 12 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.
13
“In their presence I gave Baruch these instructions: 14 ‘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 that they will last a long time. 15 For this is what the LORD
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Almighty, the God of Israel, says: Houses, fields and vineyards will again
be bought in this land.’

Jeremiah not only HEARS what God says – he recognises its power and its
value.

Notice from those verse how Jeremiah LISTENS:

V6
“The word of the LORD came to me: 7 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.’

V8
8
“Then, just as the LORD had said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the
courtyard of the guard and said, ‘Buy my field

V8b

“I knew that this was the word of the LORD;

V9

; 9 so I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel and weighed

out for him seventeen shekels of silver.

a. The word is personal and specific

It was a brief insight into an event to come – but its significance lay in
what HAD TO BE DONE rather than a promise to be admired.

b. The word was immediately fulfilled

There was no need for a fleece!

Jeremiah hears – and expects the word to work.

c. Jeremiah RECOGNISED the Voice of God

“I knew that this was the word of the LORD;

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d. THEN HE DID AS HE WAS TOLD

9 so I bought the field at Anathoth from my cousin Hanamel and weighed

out for him seventeen shekels of silver.

The transaction is carried out in all its detail. Vv 9-15

24
“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. 25 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.’ ”

So – in his later prayer does Jeremiah remind God of the seeming

contradiction of it all – but it is not a contradiction if God says so!

How attentive to God’s word are we?

The third element binds FAITH and ATTENTIVENESS TOGETHER:

PRAYER – and what a prayer! 16-25

16
“After I had given the deed of purchase to Baruch son of Neriah, I prayed
to the LORD:
17
“Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your
great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. 18 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, 19 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. 20 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. 21
You brought your people Israel out of Egypt with signs and wonders, by a
mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with great terror. 22 You gave
them this land you had sworn to give to their forefathers, a land flowing
with milk and honey. 23 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.
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24
“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. 25 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.’ ”
26
Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah: 27 “I am the LORD, the God of
all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?
NOTICE this is not a prayer BEFORE the obedience – but AFTER it!

Although Jeremiah has his doubts – he obeys – then he prays.

What a prayer it is!

1.) It sets God in His power and greatness

Creation 17
Providence 19 “seeing all”
Moral goodness according to his conduct and as his deeds
deserve.
History 20-22

2.) It is full of all God’s possibilities

Nothing is too hard for you

A might hand and an outstretched arm

3.) It faces the present difficulties boldly

The reality of Judah’s apostasy v23

23
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.

The reality of the enemy

24
“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.

The reality of Jeremiah’s position

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25
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.’ ”

It results in a REINFORCEMENT OF GOD’S PROMISE

27
“I am the LORD, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?
Investment requires a guarantee.

What guarantee does Jeremiah have that his investment will succeed?

God listens to Jeremiah’s doubts – but restates his character and His
promise

V 44~
42
“This is what the Lord says: As I have brought all this great calamity on this people,
so I will give them all the prosperity I have promised them. 43 Once more fields will be
bought in this land of which you say, ‘It is a desolate waste, without men or animals, for
it has been handed over to the Babylonians.’ 44 Fields will be bought for silver, and
deeds will be signed, sealed and witnessed in the territory of Benjamin, in the villages
around Jerusalem, in the towns of Judah and in the towns of the hill country, of the
western foothills and of the Negev, because I will restore their fortunes, declares the
Lord.”

CONCLUSION

Jeremiah presents us with a lesson in steadfastness. His life and work,

inextricably interwoven by God for him – presents him with problems just
like the problems we face from time to time.

Yes – he complains, and sometimes he accuses God of trapping him – but

his prayers are not only honest they are full of the greatness and
sovereignty of God.

In this particular story we see Jeremiah being required to put his own
message and his own understanding of who God is on the line of personal
choice.

Whilst surrounded by difficulties we have never faced – Jeremiah does as

he is told. He makes a really unwise (in the world’s eyes) investment. He
buys a field that will be overrun – and he does this BECAUSE he believes
what God says.
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No doubt like Jeremiah we are disposed to believe that God does have the
future – and that includes our future – in His hands – but we do not always
make decisions about risk taking, about our own futures, about the
investment of assets based on such a premise.

• Jeremiah is FAITHFUL to God’s word.

• He is ATTENTIVE to its national and PERSONAL implications
• and above he PRAYERFULLY OBEYS IT.

Will you put yourself into the message as he does? God does not let him
down!!