The Babylonian armies had Jeru­salem surrounded. Resistance was futile. Jeremiah the prophet had already warned the leaders that the city would fall. Now he languished in prison for prophesying the truth.

Just as invasion was imminent, the Lord informed Jeremiah that one of his cousins was on the way to ask him to buy a piece of family property. God commanded Jeremiah to fulfil his cousin’s request (Jer. 32:7-8).

What a time to pay good silver for land that would soon be in the hands of the enemy! All the known facts argued against this purchase. But as Os Guinness reminds us: “All the known facts are not all the facts.”

Although puzzled (v.25), Jeremiah trusted God and bought the property (v.9). The Lord assured him that despite the bleak outlook, the people would again own “houses and fields and vineyards” in the land (v.15).

We often go through trying times. Some believers endure persecution. Others attempt to rebuild their lives after natural disasters. Many live with disabilities and suffering, with little hope of recovery. The known facts are against them.

But God, who came down in the person of Jesus, is on our side. We have a hope that does not disappoint. The known facts are not all the facts.

Author

Herbert Vander Lugt

Topics

Our Daily Bread