Jeremiah 32 - Introduction

INTRODUCTION TO JEREMIAH 32

This chapter contains an account of Jeremiah's imprisonment, and the cause of it; of his buying a field of his uncle's son, and the design of it; of his prayer to God, and of the answer returned to him. The time of his imprisonment, the place where, and the reasons of it, are observed in Jeremiah 32:1; that his uncle's son would come and offer the sale of a field to him was told him by the Lord, which he did accordingly, Jeremiah 32:6; of whom he bought the field, paid the money, had the purchase confirmed in a legal way, before witnesses,

Jeremiah 32:8; and the writings of it he committed to Baruch, to put in an earthen vessel, where they were to continue some time as a pledge of houses, fields, and vineyards, being possessed again after the captivity, Jeremiah 32:13; then follows a prayer of his to the Lord, in which he addresses him as the Maker of all things; as the Lord God omnipotent; as a God of great grace and mercy, as well as strict justice; as a God of wisdom, counsel, and might, and an omniscient and righteous Being, Jeremiah 32:16; and recounts the wonderful things he had done for the people of Israel, Jeremiah 32:20; and observes the ingratitude and disobedience of that people, which were the cause of the present siege of the city, which should surely be delivered into the hands of the Chaldeans, Jeremiah 32:23; to which prayer an answer is returned, Jeremiah 32:26; in which the Lord describes himself as the God of all flesh, and as able to do what he pleases, Jeremiah 32:27; and confirms the delivery of the city of Jerusalem unto the Chaldeans,

Jeremiah 32:28; and assigns the causes of it, the backslidings, disobedience, and dreadful idolatry of the people, Jeremiah 32:30; and, notwithstanding, promises a restoration of them to their own land again, Jeremiah 32:36; when an opportunity is taken to insert the covenant of grace, and the special articles and peculiar promises of it, for the comfort of the spiritual Israel of God, whether Jews or Gentiles, Jeremiah 32:38; and the chapter is concluded with a fresh assurance of the return of the captivity, and of the punctual performance of the promise of it; when fields should be bought in every part of the land, in like manner as Jeremiah had bought his,

Jeremiah 32:41.