Resource > Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable) >  Jeremiah >  Exposition >  II. Prophecies about Judah chs. 2--45 >  C. The Book of Consolation chs. 30-33 >  2. The restoration of Judah and Jerusalem chs. 32-33 >  A challenge to Jeremiah's faith ch. 32 > 
Yahweh's reply to Jeremiah's prayer 32:26-44 
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The Lord's response to the prophet's prayer assured him that He would indeed restore Israel to her land. Jeremiah had not made a mistake buying the property.

32:26-27 The Lord began His reply by affirming His universal deity and the fact that indeed nothing is too difficult for Him (cf. Luke 1:37). By restating Jeremiah's statement back to him as a question, the Lord was asking if he really believed it (v. 17).

32:28-29 He explained that He was about to turn over Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar who would burn all the places where the people had practiced idolatry, namely, throughout the city.

32:30-32 The Lord would do this because ever since the Israelites had built Jerusalem all of them had been practicing idolatry there. Solomon completed building the city, and he was the first of Israel's kings to practice idolatry.

32:33 The people had turned away from the Lord rather than seeking Him.

32:34-35 They had defiled the temple precincts by placing images of idols there and had built places of worship for Baal in the Hinnom Valley. They had even practiced child sacrifice there, something that Yahweh had not even imagined let alone commanded. The Lord's disclaimer hints that some of the people may have been claiming that child sacrifice fulfilled His law.430

32:36-37 Nevertheless the Lord promised to bring His people back into the land from which He was about to drive them. He would make them dwell securely in the city He was about to hand over to their enemy.

32:38-40 He would reestablish covenant relationship with them, give them all a faithful heart, and they would then always fear Him (cf. 31:31-34). The result would be blessing for them and for their descendants. His (new) covenant with them would be everlasting, a promise not mentioned in the New Covenant passage in the preceding chapter (cf. Ezek. 36:24-32). He would always do them good, and they would always reverence Him, not just know Him (31:34).

32:41 It would please Him to bless them, and He would wholeheartedly return them to the land in faithfulness to His promise.

32:42 As surely as He had brought calamity on them, He would bring this blessing.

32:43-44 The land that then lay desolate would again see the buying and selling of property as Jeremiah had just done. This would be true of the whole land that was then under siege, all of Judah. Yahweh would restore the fortunes of His people.



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