The Right and Hope of Redemption

By Dan & Brenda Cathcart

The video version of this teaching is available at: https://youtu.be/IDPFlRMb75A

The scripture reading is Jeremiah 32:1-27

Our haftarah portion this week begins with Jerusalem under siege by the Babylonian army. It is the tenth year of the eleven year reign of Zedekiah, the last king of Judah. Jeremiah, the prophet who warned of the coming fall and captivity of Judah, was in the prison in Jerusalem because King Zedekiah didn’t want to believe the words of the LORD through Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 32:3 NKJV 3 For Zedekiah king of Judah had shut him up, saying, "Why do you prophesy and say, 'Thus says the LORD: "Behold, I will give this city into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall take it;

For Jeremiah, who knew the words of the LORD were certain, things couldn’t be looking bleaker. Jeremiah faithfully brought the message of repentance to Judah, but Judah didn’t hear. He faithfully warned them about the coming destruction, but Judah didn’t hear. Now, when Jerusalem was besieged by the Babylonians, Jeremiah was helpless to act being held in prison by his own people. Jeremiah could only watch the destruction as it came. Was there any hope for his people? Would they ever again be the people of God or would they be swallowed up by their conqueror never to exist again? In the midst of Jeremiah’s darkest days, God spoke and gave him hope.

As Jeremiah languished in the prison, helpless to alter the coming destruction, the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah instructing him to redeem his cousin’s land in his hometown of Anathoth.

Jeremiah 32:6-7 NKJV 6 And Jeremiah said, "The word of the LORD came to me, saying, 7 'Behold, Hanamel the son of Shallum your uncle will come to you, saying, "Buy my field which is in Anathoth, for the right of redemption is yours to buy it."'

The sale of land in Israel was not the same as it was and is in other countries. In Israel, the land could never be permanently sold because it actually belonged to God!

Leviticus 25:23 NKJV 23 'The land shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are strangers and sojourners with Me.

All land that was sold could be purchased back by a kinsman of the permanent owner of the land. If it was not purchased back, it reverted to the permanent owner in the year of Jubilee. In essence, a purchase of land in ancient Israel was what we would call a lease. The purchaser had use of the land until the year of Jubilee. As such, the purchase price was based on the number of years until the Jubilee.

Leviticus 25:15-16 NKJV 14 15 'According to the number of years after the Jubilee you shall buy from your neighbor, and according to the number of years of crops he shall sell to you. 16 'According to the multitude of years you shall increase its price, and according to the fewer number of years you shall diminish its price; for he sells to you according to the number of the years of the crops.

The cities belonging to the priests and the Levites were under further restrictions in what could be sold and redeemed. In particular, the common land around a Levitical or Aaronic city belonged to the inhabitants of the city and could not be sold.

Leviticus 25:33-34 NKJV 33 'And if a man purchases a house from the Levites, then the house that was sold in the city of his possession shall be released in the Jubilee; for the houses in the cities of the Levites are their possession among the children of Israel. 34 'But the field of the common-land of their cities may not be sold, for it is their perpetual possession.

Anathoth was one of thirteen cities in Israel that were given to the priesthood, the sons of Aaron. The field of Jeremiah’s cousin Hanamel could not be sold. It had to be redeemed by a kinsman. Jeremiah was apparently Hanamel’s nearest kinsman who had the means to purchase back the land.

From the natural point of view, this would be a useless and futile action. Babylon was on the brink of taking the entire city of Jerusalem completing their conquest of all of Judah. All the land of Judah would be in the possession of Babylon. Anathoth, in particular was one city that was hardest hit. It was only three miles northeast of Jerusalem and, so, was in the direct path of the Babylonian army. Also, God allowed the destruction of Anathoth because the inhabitants of the city sought to kill Jeremiah to silence him from prophesying.

Jeremiah 11:21-23 NKJV 21 "Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the men of Anathoth who seek your life, saying, 'Do not prophesy in the name of the LORD, lest you die by our hand' - 22 "therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Behold, I will punish them. The young men shall die by the sword, their sons and their daughters shall die by famine; 23 'and there shall be no remnant of them, for I will bring catastrophe on the men of Anathoth, even the year of their punishment.'"

Buying a field of land at this time anywhere in Judah would be ridiculous since it would only be good for at most fifty years anyway and Jeremiah had prophesied that the captivity in Babylon would last seventy years! But buying land in the region of Anathoth would be a really bad idea! It seems that Jeremiah also thought that there would be no reason to purchase land that would be immediately taken by the Babylonians. It wasn’t until his cousin, Hanamel, came to Jeremiah asking him to redeem the land that Jeremiah knew that God had really told him to buy the land.

Jeremiah 32:8 NKJV 8 "Then Hanamel my uncle's son came to me in the court of the prison according to the word of the LORD, and said to me, 'Please buy my field that is in Anathoth, which is  in the country of Benjamin; for the right of inheritance is yours, and the redemption yours; buy it for yourself.' Then I knew that this was the word of the LORD.

So, Jeremiah quickly made arrangements and purchased the land carefully weighing out the purchase price in the presence of witnesses and writing and sealing the deed.

Jeremiah 32:9-12 NKJV 9 "So I bought the field from Hanamel, the son of my uncle who was in Anathoth, and weighed out to him the money-seventeen shekels of silver. 10 "And I signed the deed and sealed it, took witnesses, and weighed the money on the scales. 11 "So I took the purchase deed, both that which was sealed according to the law and custom, and that which was open; 12 "and I gave the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, son of Mahseiah, in the presence of Hanamel my uncle's son, and in the presence of the witnesses who signed the purchase deed, before all the Jews who sat in the court of the prison.

Jeremiah describes a well-established process for the transfer of property. It was done in the presence of witnesses who signed the deed and could testify to the transfer of the agreed purchase price. The document itself consisted of a sealed document that would be resistant to tampering as well as an open portion that could be easily read without having to open the seals, and thus, perhaps invalidate or call into the question the validity of the document. The purchase deed was signed by Jeremiah as well as the witnesses to the transaction. Jeremiah, then, secures the documents by having his servant place them in an earthenware jar.

Jeremiah 32:13-14 NKJV 13 "Then I charged Baruch before them, saying, 14 'Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Take these deeds, both this purchase deed which is sealed and this deed which is open, and put them in an earthen vessel, that they may last many days."

Storing documents in earthenware vessels was a common practice throughout the ancient near east. It was an effective method of preserving documents. Examples of these storage jars have been found in excavations in Israel.

The witnesses to Jeremiahs purchase saw more than just the transfer of property; they saw that Jeremiah believed in the future of Judah and Israel. By purchasing land that would remain in his family, Jeremiah indicated his faith that God would restore the nation. He spoke that assurance in the presence of the witnesses.

Jeremiah 32:15 NKJV 15 'For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: "Houses and fields and vineyards shall be possessed again in this land."'

Jeremiah would never have the opportunity to actually possess the land he had just purchased and benefit from it. About a year after this purchase, in the fourth month of the eleventh year of Zedekiah’s reign, Babylon would take the city. So, Jeremiah didn’t purchase this land to receive any benefit or even to keep it in the hands of his relatives; he bought the land as a sign or signal that the exile of his people would be temporary. Houses, fields, and vineyards would once more be possessed by their rightful owners! True ownership of the Promised Land still belongs to God, and, through God, to Israel, the seed of Abraham to whom it was promised.

As we dig deeper, we see that there are layers of meaning in this text. The field that Jeremiah redeemed belonged to Hanamel the son of Shallum. The name Hanamel, is a variation of the name “chananel,” number 2606 in Strong’s Concordance meaning God has favored. The root of this name is “chanan” number 2603 meaning to bend and stoop in kindness. It is frequently translated as gracious or merciful. Chanamel’s father is Shallum, a variation of “Shil-loom,” number 7966 in Strong’s Concordance meaning a requital, recompense or reward. Judah would receive the just recompense for their sins, but the graciousness of God would bring them back.

Jeremiah 32:42 NKJV 42 "For thus says the LORD: 'Just as I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will bring on them all the good that I have promised them.

As we continue to dig deeper we notice that God didn’t just have Jeremiah seal the deed of a property he already owned and use that to demonstrate that land would be possessed again in Israel. God had Jeremiah use the process of redeeming a land. This would remind Israel that God is the ultimate owner of their land and it was a gift to them to use as long as they kept God’s commandments.

Leviticus 25:18-19 NKJV 18 'So you shall observe My statutes and keep My judgments, and perform them; and you will dwell in the land in safety. 19 'Then the land will yield its fruit, and you will eat your fill, and dwell there in safety.

The God who could redeem them out of Egypt could redeem them from captivity in Babylon. When God promised David that He would build a house for David, David responded with these words of praise.

1 Chronicles 17:20-21 NKJV 20 "O LORD, there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears. 21 "And who is like Your people Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people-to make for Yourself a name by great and awesome deeds, by driving out nations from before Your people whom You redeemed from Egypt?

Also, as the ultimate owner of the land, it is God’s right to redeem! He is the ultimate kinsman redeemer. Jeremiah speaks of the strength and power of God as the redeemer and that He will redeem the children of Israel and Judah from their captivity in Babylon.

Jeremiah 50:33-34 NKJV 33 Thus says the LORD of hosts: "The children of Israel were oppressed, Along with the children of Judah; All who took them captive have held them fast; They have refused to let them go. 34 Their Redeemer is strong; The LORD of hosts is His name. He will thoroughly plead their case, That He may give rest to the land, And disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.

After sealing the deed and giving it into the care of his servant Baruch, Jeremiah turned to the LORD in prayer and praise. He asserted His faith that the all-powerful God could bring about the redemption of His people.

Jeremiah 32:16-18 NKJV 16 "Now when I had delivered the purchase deed to Baruch the son of Neriah, I prayed to the LORD, saying: 17 'Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. 18 'You show lovingkindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them-the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts.

Jeremiah states the obvious; that nothing is too hard for God. This is the same Hebrew phrase that God rhetorically asks of Abraham about His own ability to bless Sarah and Abraham with a child.

Genesis 18:14 NKJV 14 "Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son."

God showed Himself able to open Sarah’s womb so that she could conceive her son Isaac.

The word translated as “hard” is the Hebrew word “paw-law,” number 6381 meaning to separate, by implication to be great, difficult, wonderful, hard, hidden, or marvelous. The Stone Edition Chumash translates “paw-law,” as hidden in the Jeremiah passage rendering the phrase as “there is nothing that is hidden from you.”

Jeremiah continues in his prayer to remind God of His covenant promises of extending lovingkindness to those who love Him and of His ability to see into the hidden things.

Jeremiah 32:18-19 NKJV 18 'You show lovingkindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them-the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts. 19 'You are great in counsel and mighty in work, for your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings.

Jeremiah goes on to describe the sins of the children of Israel and that God sees the calamity that has come upon it because of their sins.

Jeremiah 32:24 NAS95 24 'Behold, the siege ramps have reached the city to take it; and the city is given into the hand of the Chaldeans who fight against it, because of the sword, the famine and the pestilence; and what You have spoken has come to pass; and behold, You see it.

Jeremiah called on God by His name “The LORD of Hosts.” He used it in verses thirteen and fifteen, and here, again, in verse eighteen. This word “Hosts” is number 6635, “tsaw-baw” meaning a mass of people especially an army. Jeremiah, who is in Jerusalem surrounded by the army of Babylon, calls out to the LORD of a great army! Jeremiah acknowledges that God had the power and the army to easily defeat Babylon, but He chose to give Jerusalem into the hands of Babylonians.

Jeremiah 32:25-27 NKJV 25 'And You have said to me, O Lord GOD, "Buy the field for money, and take witnesses"! -yet the city has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans.'" 26 Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah, saying, 27 "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?

There is nothing too hard for God and there is nothing hidden from him! The passage continues with God describing to Jeremiah the reasons for God giving Jerusalem into the hands of the Babylonians. He concludes, however, that He can and will bring the captives back; fields will once again be purchased in Israel.

Jeremiah 32:42-44 NKJV 42 "For thus says the LORD: 'Just as I have brought all this great calamity on this people, so I will bring on them all the good that I have promised them. 43 'And fields will be bought in this land of which you say, "It is desolate, without man or beast; it has been given into the hand of the Chaldeans." 44 'Men will buy fields for money, sign deeds and seal them, and take witnesses, in the land of Benjamin, in the places around Jerusalem, in the cities of Judah, in the cities of the mountains, in the cities of the lowland, and in the cities of the South; for I will cause their captives to return,' says the LORD."

As we continue to peel back the layers of this passage, we move forward to the time of Yeshua. The leaders of Israel once more were deaf to the words of the prophets as they called for repentance. Destruction was coming on Jerusalem once again. This time, God didn’t have a Jeremiah come and redeem a piece of property; this time He sent His son to redeem not only the land but the people. Judgment would fall like it did in the time of Jeremiah but the promise of redemption was as sure at the time of Yeshua as it was in Jeremiah’s day.

The disciples were convinced that Yeshua was the coming redeemer. After Yeshua’s death, two of His disciples unknowingly spoke to Yeshua about His death.

Luke 24:19-21 NKJV 19 And He said to them, "What things?" So they said to Him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 "and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. 21 "But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.

Yeshua explained to them how He, as the redeemer, had to die before He could enter into His glory.

Luke 24:25-27 NKJV 25 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 "Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" 27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.

These disciples understood that Yeshua was explaining to them how He was the promised Messiah, the Redeemer of Israel. At the time of Yeshua’s ascension forty days later, the question of the restoration of Israel was uppermost on their minds.

Acts 1:6 NKJV 6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"

God is still the rightful owner of the land of Israel. He will gather His people to His land once again. Yeshua will return and restore the kingdom to Israel. We who are grafted into Israel through Yeshua will also return to the land. Ezekiel tells us that we will receive our inheritance in the land alongside all the tribes of Israel. God is a covenant keeping God and will bring His people home.

Study Questions:

1. Discuss the connection of this teaching to the Torah Portion Behar Leviticus 25:1-26:2

2. God speaks through the prophet Isaiah about the redeemer of Israel in Isa. 54:5-8, Isa. 59:20, Isa. 60:16, and Isa. 63:16. Who is the redeemer of Israel? Why is this the appropriate and obvious choice?

3. Jeremiah quoted the words of the covenant from Exodus 20 and 32 in Jer. 32:18. How are these words an affirmation of Jeremiah’s trust in the covenant? How are God’s actions in exiling Israel confirmation that He keeps covenant?

4. Jeremiah states in Jer. 32:17 that there is nothing too hard for God or, there is nothing hidden from God with the Hebrew word “paw-law,” , #6381, defined as either hard or hidden. How does this connect with God’s words in Gen. 18:10-14? How are both definitions for “paw-law” appropriate in these passages? How does this connect with Yeshua?

5. The only other account of redemption of land in the Bible is in the book of Ruth. How is this similar to Jeremiah’s situation? How is it different?

6. What new insight did you gain by watching this video? How do you respond to this new insight? How will you realign your life based on this new understanding?

Bonus: Yeshua, the lamb who was slain, is worthy to open the scroll in Revelation 5. Could this be connected to the sealed scroll of Jeremiah’s deed? What about the scroll of Daniel 12:4 and Ezekiel 2:9-10?

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