Jeremiah was instructed to go to the market to buy a linen belt and put it around his waist. Not just an everyday ordinary belt, no, it had to be one of pure white linen. It should be exactly as the priests had worn in those days. Jeremiah had to wear this particular belt for a long time With great effort, he had to take outstanding care of it so it would not be damaged in any way. Jeremiah also had to wear this belt tightly around his waist. After he had worn the belt for a long time, he had to bury it at the Perath (a river nearby) in a crevice or crack, in the rocks. There in the damp, it would start to get dirty soon. The beautiful belt would have been a piece of rags after Jeremiah dug it up again. With this piece of rags of a belt, Jeremiah had to walk through the streets of Jerusalem and the message from his action - crystal clear! The Lord had chosen Israel among the nations as His people. Like a  lean white linen belt, they were destined to be a holy priestly nation. He redeemed Israel out of the slavery of Egypt and tied them tightly to Him by an everlasting covenant with them. Like a beautiful linen belt, He had tightened this covenant people to His waist so that He could be proud of them. But Israel rejected the Lord. They refused to listen to the Lord words, followed the stubbornness of their hearts, and went after idols to serve and worship them.