36 “Now therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel concerning this city of which you say, ‘It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, by famine and by pestilence.’ 37 Behold, I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety. 38 They shall be My people, and I will be their God; 39 and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. 40 I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me. 41 I will rejoice over them to do them good and will [i]faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul. 42 For thus says the Lord, ‘Just as I brought all this great disaster on this people, so I am going to bring on them all the good that I am promising them. 43 Fields will be bought in this land of which you say, “It is a desolation, without man or beast; it is given into the hand of the Chaldeans.” 44 Men will buy fields for money, [j]sign and seal deeds, and call in witnesses in the land of Benjamin, in the environs of Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the hill country, in the cities of the lowland and in the cities of the [k]Negev; for I will restore their [l]fortunes,’ declares the Lord.”
In this chapter we’ve moved from short-term prophecy to medium term, and now it goes way out. God speaks once more of restoring Israel, but this is accompanied by long-term promises of restoration with an everlasting covenant. And just as God proved Himself to Jeremiah in the word regarding Hanamel’s visit (v. 8), now He reinforces this ultimate covenant (v. 40) with the medium-term promise that men will buy fields in v. 44.
We have the benefit of being on the other side of most of these promises, having seen the new covenant established by Jesus. Jeremiah and his countrymen were facing imminent destruction, and I’m sure even believing the promise reiterated in v. 44 was difficult enough. Yet, when the time came, they were indeed waiting for a Messiah–though many misunderstood what that would look like.
But I said “most” because I’m not sure all of this was fulfilled in the time of Jesus, and certainly God’s plan isn’t done. Thank God for that, or we might not be here reading this today. Indeed, building upon the promises about buying and selling land, Jesus told us that He was going away to prepare a place for us. That is an eternal dwelling, safety and security for eternity, to go along with an everlasting covenant.
No matter what befalls us in this life, it is temporary, and is but a shadow and hint of what is to come. Paul wrote of a dim reflection, but one day we will know God fully (1 Cor. 13:12). Things seem to get clearer as we get nearer to that promise, yet Jesus assured us that no one knows the time, and so it’s still a bit hazy. The point of it all goes back to Jeremiah’s obedience. He couldn’t see the end, but he knew what God had asked and did it anyway.
God has affirmed His promises over and over, and has given us an everlasting promise of His faithfulness, both in word and through His actions throughout history. In whatever we experience on this earth, God asks for one thing, obedience. Saul thought he could substitute it for great and marvelous sacrifices, but that wasn’t what God ever wanted. No sacrifice was as great as the obedience of Christ upon the cross, and in that it was all fulfilled so that we could receive the adoption as of sons and daughters of the Most High.
What has God asked of you? Do it and know that He will be faithful through it all, just as He has been from the very beginning of time.