Buried

And I bought the field of Hanameel my uncle's son, that was in Anathoth, and weighed him the money, even seventeen shekels of silver. And I subscribed the evidence, and sealed it, and took witnesses, and weighed him the money in the balances. So I took the evidence of the purchase, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open: (Jeremiah 32:9-11 KJV)

A simple land transaction, the gist of which is laid out in previous verses in this chapter. It sounds as though it might have been a well thought out plan to future use – until you get to verse 14:

Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Take these evidences, this evidence of the purchase, both which is sealed, and this evidence which is open; and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may continue many days. (Jeremiah 32:14 KJV)

That’s what made me think of the Dead Sea Scrolls – two shown in the graphic – and how long they lay in the dessert caves. So, were the proof of this purchase to stay buried? That wasn’t the lesson:

For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land. (Jeremiah 32:15 KJV)

One day the people would return to possess their land. That was God lesson in burying the proof of transaction. He kept – and keeps – His word. Jeremiah recognized this:

Now when I had delivered the evidence of the purchase unto Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed unto the LORD, saying, Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee: Thou shewest lovingkindness unto thousands, and recompensest the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them: the Great, the Mighty God, the LORD of hosts, is his name, Great in counsel, and mighty in work: for thine eyes are open upon all the ways of the sons of men: to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings: (Jeremiah 32:16-19 KJV)

Jeremiah had been telling kings for some time that the kingdom would fall, that Babylon would conquer Jerusalem and take prisoners. Yet, in the midst of their disbelief of his message, we find this prayer. Here Jeremiah tells us what we should believe, too: “there is nothing too hard for thee.”

Do we believe that? Believe with all our hearts that there is nothing too hard for God? Do we believe that He is control, knows what is happening and often allows men to “go to far” before abandoning them to the consequences of their actions. Do we believe in our own consequences? Can we be as those three young men, taken captive after Jerusalem’s fall:

If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. (Daniel 3:17 KJV)

He did, remember? And, He will deliver us.