Obedience in Perilous Times

I. THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF JEREMIAH’S PURCHASE (Jeremiah 32:1-8)

A. The Timing of the Purchase (Jeremiah 32:1)

1. The tenth year of Zedekiah, king of Judah
2. The eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar
3. Only a year from the fulfillment of Jeremiah’s preaching against Zedekiah (Jeremiah 39:2-10)

B. The Turmoil of the Purchase (Jeremiah 32:2-5)

1. The presence of an alien army (Jeremiah 32:2)
2. The imprisoned prophet (Jeremiah 32:2)
3. The censorship of free speech (Jeremiah 32:3-5)

C. The Cause for the Purchase (Jeremiah 32:6-8)

1. The word of the Lord given (Jeremiah 32:6-7)
2. The word of the Lord confirmed (Jeremiah 32:8)

II. THE CAREFULNESS OF JEREMIAH’S PURCHASE (Jeremiah 32:9-15)

A. The Legality of the Purchase (Jeremiah 32:9-12)

1. The certainty of the money (Jeremiah 32:9)
2. The presence of evidence and witnesses (Jeremiah 32:10-11)
3. The involvement of the legal process (Jeremiah 32:12)

B. The Hope of the Purchase (Jeremiah 32:13-15)

1. The preservation of the documents (Jeremiah 32:13-14)
2. The message of restoration (Jeremiah 32:15)

III. THE CONCERN OF JEREMIAH’S PURCHASE (Jeremiah 32:16-25)

A. The Insurance of the Purchase (Jeremiah 32:16)

1. After the purchase
2. Jeremiah prayed

B. The Guarantor of the Purchase (Jeremiah 32:17-25)

1. The creator of heaven and earth (Jeremiah 32:17)
2. The just and loving God (Jeremiah 32:18-19)
3. The deliverer of Israel in times past (Jeremiah 32:20-24)
4. The instigator of the purchase (Jeremiah 32:25)

IV. THE CONFIDENCE OF JEREMIAH’S PURCHASE (Jeremiah 32:26-44)

A. The History of the Purchase (Jeremiah 32:26-35)

1. The reminder of God’s power (Jeremiah 32:26-27)
2. The wickedness of Israel (Jeremiah 32:29b-35)
3. The trouble to come (Jeremiah 32:28-29a)

B. The Prophecy of the Purchase (Jeremiah 32:36-44)

1. Israel will be taken (Jeremiah 32:36)
2. Israel will be gathered again (Jeremiah 32:37)
3. God will institute a new covenant with them (Jeremiah 32:38-44)

V. THE COUNSEL OF JEREMIAH’S PURCHASE

A. The Present Circumstances

1. Those in power are most often not those sympathetic to the Lord and His truth.
2. The world views biblical Christianity unfavourably.
3. The world disapproves of both our methods and our message.

B. The Call for Carefulness

1. The shortness of the time does not suggest compromise of right and wrong.
2. The ridicule of others does not allow for disobedience.
3. Unfavourable circumstances is not cause for rebellion.

C. The Need for Concern and Confidence

1. Our obedience, whether in service or personal holiness, should be followed by prayer for effectiveness.
2. Our obedience should testify of our faith in God’s word and work to increase our faith in God’s word.