Imagine a father with a son. This boy is what is most precious to him. The father will have a set of rules for the good of his son. He tells his son, “Do not touch the hot stove, do not stick that marble up your nose, and do not run in the street.” To the boy it may sound like a list of “do not’s” to the father it is a list of love. The boy has all the freedom inside of these rules to live a happily unhindered life but he sees the rules as a fence that someday he wants to jump over. A cage he wants to get out of. What happens when he breaks one of these rules? He will get hurt. Even more he will have disobeyed his father. The father may at first be angry and might yell in the moment, but he is in agony. The boy did not trust his father but turned away in mistrust to rebel. But this is his child most precious to him. He will do all he can to comfort his son, to restore and make new. He rejoices over that boy despite what has been done against him.
God was to tear down Jerusalem to destroy it. The city and its people were to be handed over to the king of Babylon. His Chosen people, holy and dearly loved people. He was angry with his people because of their actions. They constantly were worshipping other gods, repeatedly the same sin over again and again. He found His people denying Him and disobeying His commandments.
Jeremiah was going to buy a field. Why? To restore Jerusalem
Jeremiah was simply obeying God’s command to Him to buy a field. Seems like a little thing but a good start in restoring a nation. God was angry but He rejoiced in loving the Israelites. He rejoiced over them in all of their sin, in all of their disobedience and all of their turning away from Him. He wanted to restore them and make them new.
I am Israel. I turn from God again and again, same thing over and over. I hurt Him over and over, disobeying the commands He has given me as His child. Because that is what I am His child. He restores me like a river running through me. I was drinking the water of oceans, He brings me fresh water and with it His healing hand. My guess is that this will not be the last time I drink of oceans, but God in His great Mercy, tears me down and apart, until I am all gone. He hands me to Babylon. Tears me away until all that is left of me is gone and He pours sweet fresh water to make me new. He claims a field for me.
“ Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. I will bring Judah and Israel back from captivity and will rebuild them as they were before. I will cleanse them from all the sin they have committed against me and will forgive all their sins of rebellion against me. Then this city will bring me renown, joy, praise and honor before all nations on earth that hear of all the good things I do for it; and they will be in awe and will tremble at the abundant prosperity and peace I provide for it.”
Jeremiah 33:6-9
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