The armies of Babylon lay siege to Jerusalem and King Hezekiah still has Jeremiah confined to the courtyard. It might be a house arrest or to protect him from the people.
The king questions Jeremiah why he keeps prophesying that the king and the people should not resist the Babylonians. Up to now, the king has sometimes believed Jeremiah, sometimes not. He seems ambivalent as to what he should do. But this question indicates he is unsure about whether God actually wants him to surrender (and hence the authority of Jeremiah) or perhaps the king is wrestling with an important decision.
Jeremiah's answer seems bizarre and unrelated to the question. He tells the king that God wanted him to buy a field of land in Judah. He then goes into detail about how he bought the land. Finally, at the end of the chapter, Jeremiah then explains its relevance - God will bring the Israelites back from captivity. Purchasing the land looks forward to the future.
Chapter 33 furthers this message of hope after the Babylonian captivity. God will change the hearts of the Israelites and there will come a point where they do not violate the covenant anymore. Looking in hindsight, it is easy to see how this chapter could be a prediction of the ministry of Christ. However, like many Old Testament prophecies, it could be interpreted differently if one is not already thinking of Christ. At the very least, it sounds like there will be a major change in the Jewish experience post-Babylonian captivity.
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