St Luke's Church Eccleshill, Bradford, UK

Jeremiah buys a field

Jeremiah 32:6-end

Narrator: The word of the Lord came to Jeremiah:

God: Your uncle is going to come to you and ask you to buy his field. You are his nearest relative, so you have first refusal. I want you to buy the field.

Narrator: So just as the Lord had said, Jeremiah's cousin came to him.

Hanamel: Jeremiah, I want to sell my field. You're the nearest relative, so you have the first option to buy it.

Jeremiah: What's it worth?

Hanamel: 17 shekels of silver.

Jeremiah: Why do you want to sell it?

Hanamel: Ssshh! Not so loud. I'll tell you, but don't go telling everybody or I'll never sell my field. The army from Iraq has invaded, and there's no chance we'll ever be able to farm there again. The land is worthless, really, but maybe I can find some sucker who'll part with money for it.

Jeremiah: That's no secret! Everyone knows the army is on its way here. The city of Jerusalem will be under siege before you can say "Jack Robinson"!

Hanamel: So I take it you won't buy the field? That's great - I'll see if I can sell it to some fool who has more money than sense.

Jeremiah: No. Listen, this is the word of the Lord:

God: I am bringing great disaster on this city and the land, because the people have deserted me and served other gods. Nevertheless, after the people have been taken away into exile, I will bring them back to their own land, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. Once more houses and fields and vineyards will be bought and sold in this land, for I will restore the fortunes of my people.

Jeremiah: I will buy the field from you.

Hanamel: You must be nuts if you think it will mean anything after the army from Iraq has conquered the land.

Jeremiah: Nevertheless, here is the money.

Narrator: So Jeremiah weighed out 17 shekels of silver in front of all the elders of Jerusalem, as they used to do in those days. He drew up a deed of purchase on a clay tablet, and put it in a clay envelope, and wrote a copy of what was inside on the outside of the envelope - very similar to the way you would copyright a song nowadays. And he gave them to Baruch his assistant.

Jeremiah: Make sure that these are kept safely so that they will last many years. For God has told me that even though the present looks grim, the future is bright for his people.

Narrator: Later on, on his own, Jeremiah prayed. One of the songs in Mission Praise is taken from his words:

Jeremiah: Ah, Lord God! You have made the heavens and the earth by your great power. Nothing is too difficult for you! You show love to thousands. What you said would happen to your city is about to happen: it will be besieged and destroyed. Am I crazy to have done what you said and bought that field?

God: I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me? I will hand this city over to Iraq, and they will burn it down and raze it to the ground. I will send my people into exile, because they have made me really angry. Nevertheless, I will turn their hearts, and in due course I will bring them back, and I will inspire them to love me. I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land with all my heart and soul.

Narrator: This is the word of the Lord.
All: Thanks be to God.

John Hartley