Looking Backward and Forward
As the season wears on, we continue our journey through the book of Jeremiah, today focusing on chapters 31 and 32. These chapters echo the rhythm of the Lord’s Supper, where we are called to look backward at what God has done and forward to what He will do (1 Corinthians 11:23–26).

Jeremiah’s vision recalls how God brought Israel out of Egypt. We know some died in Pharaoh’s plagues (Exodus 32:28), but God protected those who remained. Their sins delayed their entry into the land flowing with milk and honey (Numbers 14:33–34), yet God provided for them in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 8:2–4).
God’s Grief and Faithfulness
God had invested deep love and patience in His people. Because of their collective sin, He allowed leaders to be taken into Babylonian captivity, and the Chaldean army was closing in to take the rest. You can almost hear God’s heart breaking—knowing that some caught in the exile may deserve another chance.

Though none are righteous (Romans 3:10–12), God knows the hearts of His people. Some still held strong faith that He would deliver them again, just as He did through Moses.

Jeremiah had prophesied that the captivity would last seventy years (Jeremiah 25:11–12). The people clung to the promise that a King from David’s line would reign forever (2 Samuel 7:16). God is faithful. He made that promise through His prophet Samuel, and just as God credited Abram’s faith to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6), so too faith would sustain the exiles.
A Symbol of Hope
Amid siege and despair, God shows Jeremiah that He will preserve a remnant. Though Jeremiah had warned of judgment, he also wanted the people to keep their faith, knowing their descendants would one day return to Jerusalem.

So he tells them to submit to God’s will: marry, have children, build homes, and work. Like the generation that died in the wilderness before entering the Promised Land, those going into exile would not return—but their children would.

Jeremiah then performs a bold act of faith: he buys a field in Anathoth, even though the land is under Babylonian control. He seals the deed as a sign of hope and a declaration that God’s promises are concrete (Jeremiah 32:15).
A New Covenant
This passage also introduces one of the most profound promises in Scripture: the New Covenant. According to Jeremiah 31:30, God declares He will not punish children for their parents’ sins any longer. Instead, each person will be accountable and able to have a direct relationship with God.
“I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.” — Jeremiah 31:33 (NIV)
“For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” — Jeremiah 31:34 (NIV)
This is the relationship we now have through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit—a covenant of grace, intimacy, and transformation.
Faith in the Fire
Jeremiah had been faithful for over two decades. Now, he didn’t just speak—he acted. His land purchase was a declaration that faith is not just words, but trust in action.

We who follow Jesus can hold on to this truth: whatever we’re going through is temporary. God has promised good to those who love Him:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.” — Romans 8:28 (NIV)
There will be seasons of captivity—whether through sin, spiritual dryness, or oppression. But these valleys are not permanent. God is faithful to bring us through.
Share Your Testimony
If you’re heading into a valley, know that God will bring you out. And if you’ve come through such a season, share your testimony. Someone else may need to hear it to find hope in their own exile.
Tomorrow, we will read Jeremiah 33-36.