What does Jeremiah's action in 32:11 teach about faith in God's promises? Setting the Scene Jeremiah is imprisoned in Jerusalem while Babylon’s armies tighten their grip. God instructs him to buy a field in Anathoth—land already under enemy control. Verse 11 records a seemingly mundane detail: “‘So I took the deed of purchase—the sealed copy with its terms and conditions, and the open copy—’” (Jeremiah 32:11). Two copies, one sealed for long-term preservation and one open for immediate reference, are carefully stored as legal proof that the land truly belongs to Jeremiah. Jeremiah’s Tangible Act of Faith • Purchase finalized in a collapsing economy • Deeds signed, witnessed, sealed, and stored in a clay jar (vv. 12-14) • All done “so that they may last a long time” (v. 14)—well past Jeremiah’s lifetime What This Teaches About Faith in God’s Promises • Faith acts on God’s word, not visible circumstances – Babylon is winning, yet Jeremiah invests in real estate because God said, “Houses and fields and vineyards will again be bought in this land” (v. 15). • Faith plans for God’s future restoration – The sealed deed is a down payment on the nation’s eventual return, echoing Hebrews 11:1—“the conviction of things not seen.” • Faith is public and accountable – Witnesses sign; deeds are stored; the act cannot be hidden (cf. Matthew 5:16). • Faith remembers covenant detail – Jeremiah safeguards both “the sealed copy… and the open copy,” reflecting Deuteronomy’s pattern of keeping covenant documents safe (Deuteronomy 31:26). • Faith encourages others – When exiles return decades later, those deeds will shout that God kept His word (Jeremiah 29:10-14). Supporting Passages • 2 Corinthians 5:7—“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” • Romans 4:18-21—Abraham “in hope believed… being fully convinced that God was able to do what He had promised.” • Isaiah 55:11—God’s word “will not return to Me empty, but will accomplish what I desire.” Applying the Lesson Today • Invest yourself—time, resources, relationships—in what God has promised, even when culture says it’s pointless. • Treat His promises as legal tender: document them, rehearse them, build life plans around them. • Let every obedient step become a testimony for future generations that “the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8). |
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