Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
Jeremiah Ch.32 / 52 Ch.s
JER:32
* Jeremiah buys a field. (1-15) The prophet's prayer. (16-25)
God declares that he will give up his people, but promises to
restore them. (26-44)
#1-15 Jeremiah, being in prison for his prophecy, purchased a
piece of ground. This was to signify, that though Jerusalem was
besieged, and the whole country likely to be laid waste, yet the
time would come, when houses, and fields, and vineyards, should
be again possessed. It concerns ministers to make it appear that
they believe what they preach to others. And it is good to
manage even our worldly affairs in faith; to do common business
with reference to the providence and promise of God.
#16-25 Jeremiah adores the Lord and his infinite perfections.
When at any time we are perplexed about the methods of
Providence, it is good for us to look to first principles. Let
us consider that God is the fountain of all being, power, and
life; that with him no difficulty is such as cannot be overcome;
that he is a God of boundless mercy; that he is a God of strict
justice; and that he directs every thing for the best. Jeremiah
owns that God was righteous in causing evil to come upon them.
Whatever trouble we are in, personal or public, we may comfort
ourselves that the Lord sees it, and knows how to remedy it. We
must not dispute God's will, but we may seek to know what it
means.
#26-44 God's answer discovers the purposes of his wrath against
that generation of the Jews, and the purposes of his grace
concerning future generations. It is sin, and nothing else, that
ruins them. The restoration of Judah and Jerusalem is promised.
This people were now at length brought to despair. But God gives
hope of mercy which he had in store for them hereafter.
Doubtless the promises are sure to all believers. God will own
them for his, and he will prove himself theirs. He will give
them a heart to fear him. All true Christians shall have a
disposition to mutual love. Though they may have different views
about lesser things, they shall all be one in the great things
of God; in their views of the evil of sin, and the low estate of
fallen man, the way of salvation through the Saviour, the nature
of true holiness, the vanity of the world, and the importance of
eternal things. Whom God loves, he loves to the end. We have no
reason to distrust God's faithfulness and constancy, but only
our own hearts. He will settle them again in Canaan. These
promises shall surely be performed. Jeremiah's purchase was the
pledge of many a purchase that should be made after the
captivity; and those inheritances are but faint resemblances of
the possessions in the heavenly Canaan, which are kept for all
who have God's fear in their hearts, and do not depart from him.
Let us then bear up under our trials, assured we shall obtain
all the good he has promised us.