August 16

Jeremiah 32-34 (biblegateway.com)

Hope in the Siege: God’s Unbreakable Covenant

After the soaring promises of restoration in Jeremiah 30–31, the narrative in chapters 32–34 places those hopes in the crucible of present reality. Even as Jerusalem faces siege and ruin, God calls Jeremiah to demonstrate faith in His promises, reaffirming that His word stands firm in both seasons of hope and moments of crisis.

Jeremiah 32–34 unfolds during one of the most desperate moments in Judah’s history—the Babylonian siege of Jerusalem. While imprisoned in the royal courtyard, Jeremiah receives an unusual command from God: buy a field in Anathoth as a sign that houses, fields, and vineyards will one day be restored to the land. Chapter 33 expands this symbolic act with sweeping promises of healing, peace, and a righteous Branch from David’s line who will reign in justice. God assures His people that His covenant with David and the Levitical priesthood is as unshakable as the order of day and night. In stark contrast, chapter 34 records King Zedekiah’s failure to uphold a covenant of freedom for Hebrew slaves—an act of disobedience that brings God’s rebuke and underscores the difference between God’s faithfulness and human inconsistency.

Jeremiah 32 – Jeremiah Buys a Field as a Sign of Future Restoration

Jeremiah 32 takes place during the tenth year of King Zedekiah’s reign (588 BC), when Jerusalem was under siege by the Babylonians (v. 1; 2 Kings 25:1). Jeremiah was confined in the courtyard of the guard in the royal palace (v. 2) because he had been prophesying that the city would fall to King Nebuchadnezzar and that Zedekiah would be captured and taken to Babylon (v. 3-5). In the midst of this hopeless situation, the Lord instructed Jeremiah to do something that seemed completely illogical—buy a field in his hometown of Anathoth (v. 6-7).

Jeremiah’s cousin Hanamel came to him with the offer, fulfilling God’s word exactly (v. 8). Jeremiah purchased the field for seventeen shekels of silver (v. 9), signed and sealed the deed, had witnesses present, and gave the documents to Baruch son of Neriah for safekeeping (v. 10-12). The Lord commanded that the deeds be stored in a clay jar so they would last “for a long time” (v. 14), symbolizing that houses, fields, and vineyards would once again be bought in the land after the exile (v. 15). This prophetic act demonstrated faith in God’s promise of future restoration despite the present devastation.

After the transaction, Jeremiah prayed to the Lord (v. 16-25), beginning with praise for God’s power in creation (v. 17), His steadfast love (v. 18), and His mighty acts in Israel’s history, especially the deliverance from Egypt (v. 20-21). He acknowledged God’s justice in bringing the Babylonian siege as punishment for Israel’s disobedience (v. 23-24). Yet he admitted his own perplexity—why would God command him to buy land when the city was about to be destroyed? (v. 25).

The Lord responded by reaffirming His sovereignty: “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?” (v. 27). He explained that the judgment was certain because of Israel and Judah’s persistent idolatry and rebellion (v. 28-35), including the defilement of the temple and child sacrifices in the Valley of Ben Hinnom.

However, God promised that after judgment, He would gather His people from all nations, bring them back to the land, and give them unity of heart and purpose to worship Him forever (v. 37-39). He would make an “everlasting covenant” with them, never to stop doing good for them, and would inspire them to fear Him so they would not turn away (v. 40). The restoration would be complete, with joy and prosperity returning to the land (v. 41-44).

Jeremiah 32 teaches that God’s promises stand firm even in the darkest times, and that His plans include both righteous judgment and merciful restoration. The “everlasting covenant” (v. 40) foreshadows the New Covenant in Christ (Hebrews 13:20), where God transforms the heart so His people remain faithful.

Believers are challenged to trust God’s word even when it contradicts what they see in the present moment. Just as Jeremiah’s field purchase was an act of faith, Christians are called to live in hopeful obedience, making decisions based on God’s promises rather than immediate circumstances. This passage also encourages resting in God’s sovereignty, knowing that nothing is too hard for Him, and that His plans ultimately lead to redemption and joy.

Jeremiah 33 – Promise of Restoration and the Righteous Branch

Jeremiah 33 occurs during the same period as chapter 32, while Jeremiah is still confined in the courtyard of the guard (v. 1) and Jerusalem is under Babylonian siege. The Lord speaks again, introducing Himself as the One who made the earth, formed it, and established it (v. 2), reminding Jeremiah that He is the ultimate source of authority and power. God invites Jeremiah to “call to Me” with the promise that He will reveal great and hidden things that the prophet does not yet know (v. 3), emphasizing the importance of prayer in receiving divine insight.

The Lord confirms that the city will fall to Babylon as a consequence of the people’s sins (v. 4-5), but He also declares a message of hope—He will bring health and healing, restore the fortunes of Judah and Israel, and cleanse them from all their guilt (v. 6-8). This forgiveness will lead to a restored relationship where God’s people become a source of joy, praise, and renown among all the nations (v. 9).

In verses 10–13, God promises that the desolation of Jerusalem will be reversed. The streets that are now silent will once again ring with the sounds of joy, weddings, and thanksgiving to the Lord. The refrain “Give thanks to the Lord Almighty, for the Lord is good; His love endures forever” will be sung again in the temple, echoing Psalm 136. Shepherds will once more tend their flocks in safety, a picture of restored peace and order.

Verses 14-18 introduce one of the most significant Messianic promises in Jeremiah. The Lord affirms that the days are coming when He will fulfill the promise made to David, raising up a “Righteous Branch” who will execute justice and righteousness in the land (v. 15). In His days, Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell securely, and the city will be called “The Lord Is Our Righteousness.” This title points to the Messiah’s role in providing righteousness for His people (fulfilled in Christ—1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21). God also reassures that David will never lack a man to sit on the throne and the Levitical priests will never lack someone to offer sacrifices (v. 17-18), again, showing His covenant faithfulness.

In the final verses, the Lord uses the permanence of day and night as an analogy for the certainty of His covenant with David and the Levites. Just as no one can break God’s established order of creation, no one can annul His promises. Though some were saying God had rejected His people (v. 24), He assures Jeremiah that He will restore the fortunes of Jacob and have compassion on them (v. 26). This points to the unshakable nature of God’s redemptive plan despite human sin and failure.

In the darkest hours of Judah’s history, God called Jeremiah to proclaim a message of unshakable hope. In chapter 32, the prophet’s purchase of a field became a living symbol of God’s promise: even amid exile and destruction, life would return to the land. This act of faith reminded the people that God’s plans are bigger than their present suffering and that He alone holds the future.

Chapter 33 amplifies this hope with a vision of God’s covenant faithfulness and the coming Messiah, the Righteous Branch. Here, God declares that His redemptive purposes will unfold fully, bringing justice, righteousness, and lasting peace. Nothing can thwart His plans—neither human rebellion nor the trials of life.

For believers today, these chapters speak across the centuries as a beacon of hope. They remind us to trust God’s promises, even when circumstances seem hopeless, and to act in faith as Jeremiah did, confident that God’s purposes are steadfast. The Righteous Branch invites us to rest in Christ’s perfect righteousness, to pray boldly, and to live in joyful anticipation of the restoration and peace that only He can bring. In every shadowed valley, God is at work, shaping a future filled with life, hope, and eternal blessing.

Jeremiah 34 – Broken Covenants and God’s Judgment

Jeremiah 34 takes place during the final stages of Babylon’s siege of Jerusalem, when King Nebuchadnezzar’s armies, along with those of his allied vassals, were fighting against Jerusalem and the remaining fortified cities of Judah—Lachish and Azekah (v. 1, 7). The Lord sent Jeremiah with a message to King Zedekiah: the city would fall into the hands of the Babylonians, and Zedekiah would not escape but would be captured and brought face-to-face with Nebuchadnezzar (v. 2-3). However, God also gave Zedekiah a personal word of mercy—though he would be taken into captivity, he would not die by the sword but in peace, receiving an honorable burial with the customary lamentations for a king (v. 4-5).

The narrative then shifts to a covenant the king and people had recently made to free all Hebrew slaves, in obedience to God’s law (Ex. 21:2; Deut. 15:12). Initially, they released their fellow Hebrews (v. 8-10), an act of repentance likely prompted by the Babylonian threat and possibly a temporary lifting of the siege when Egyptian forces approached (Jer. 37:5–8). However, when the immediate danger seemed to ease, they broke the covenant and forced the freed people back into slavery (v. 11). This reversal was a direct violation of God’s law and an insult to His name, since the covenant had been made before Him in the temple (v. 15).

Through Jeremiah, God declared His judgment: since they had not obeyed His command to proclaim liberty to their fellow Israelites, He would now “proclaim liberty” for them—but this liberty would be to the sword, pestilence, and famine (v. 17). The covenant-breaking leaders were compared to the calf cut in two during the covenant ceremony, a symbolic reminder that they would suffer the fate of the slain animal (v. 18-19). God promised to hand Zedekiah and the people over to their enemies, and the Babylonians would burn the city (v. 20–22).

This chapter is both a historical record and a moral warning. It shows how fear of God’s judgment can temporarily prompt obedience, but without a genuine heart change, repentance fades as soon as circumstances shift. Their breaking of the covenant reveals how quickly self-interest overrides devotion when the pressure of crisis is lifted. For believers today, the call is to let repentance be rooted in the fear of the Lord and a love for His commands (John 14:15), not merely in the fear of consequences. God is faithful to His word—both in promises of mercy and warnings of judgment.

Conclusion

In Jeremiah 32–34, God plants seeds of hope in the middle of devastation, reminding His people that His promises are not hindered by present circumstances. The purchase of the field becomes a living testimony that restoration is certain, even when ruin surrounds. God’s covenant faithfulness stands in sharp relief against Judah’s broken vows, pointing us toward the One who would perfectly keep God’s covenant—Jesus, the Righteous Branch. These chapters challenge us to trust God’s promises when our own “city walls” feel under siege, knowing that He is both the Author of restoration and the Keeper of every covenant He makes.