Jeremiah is in prison in Jerusalem. The city is besieged by the Babylonians. According to Jeremiah’s own prophecy, Jerusalem will soon be destroyed and the people of Israel will be taken into captivity. In the midst of this turmoil, the Lord commands Jeremiah to buy a field from his uncle in his hometown of Anathoth. Jeremiah is unlikely to get any benefit from the field, but he is to buy it anyway.
The passage lists the various aspects of the temple as part of this pattern that God had given him. Therefore, the pattern for Solomon’s temple comes from God and must have special spiritual significance.
This passage tells of the change in how God revealed His truth from the times of the Old Testament to the times of the New Testament. In the OT, He gave His revelation through the prophets. In the NT, He revealed Himself through His Son.
Many believers could be greatly offended that we would even deal with the issue of Santa Claus. “It is innocent”, you can hear them say. Yet a careful look into the scriptures would deny that this lie is anywhere near innocent.
