Part 1: Introduction | Part 2: From the Beginning | Part 3: The Flood | Part 4: The Sabbath | Part 5: Deliverance | Part 6: Isaiah  

Jeremiah’s prophecy resembles Isaiah’s in many ways, even though they certainly never met; Isaiah wrote in the 700s BC, while Jeremiah wrote more than a century later, in the late 600s and early 500s. But they have the same focus: the sin of Judah and the coming judgment by Babylon. (Incidentally Ezekiel is Jeremiah’s contemporary, but he’s writing from Babylon, while Jeremiah is in Judah. Ezekiel has little to say about Creation theology, unless one counts his reference to the creation of the king of Tyre / Satan in chapter 28.) 

Jeremiah uses Creation as evidence for the Creator’s power and sovereignty in 4 passages. Because 2 of them are quite similar, I’ll discuss them together. 

Jeremiah 10.12 

In this chapter Jeremiah is mocking the makers and worshipers of idols for the evident stupidity of their practices: “the customs of the people are vanity [empty]” (Jer 10.3). They cut down a tree and decorate it (Jer 10.3-9), but they themselves know that this piece of wood and metal did not create the cosmos (Jer 10.11). On the contrary, God did (Jer 10.12), and he maintains, empowers, and directs it at his will (Jer 10.13). And it is this God who will direct Judah into judgment (Jer 10.17-25). As in Isaiah, the opening narrative of the Hebrew Scriptures is the basis for God’s judgment on their idolatry. 

Jeremiah 27.5; 51.15 

In chapter 27 God orders Jeremiah to send a message to the nations surrounding Judah, who have been her enemies over the centuries (Jer 27.1-3): the Creator (Jer 27.5) is sending judgment at the hands of Babylon (Jer 27.6-11). The God who has placed the nations in their lands can remove and replace them just as easily (Jer 27.5-6). Even Judah will come under that judgment (Jer 27.12-22). Chapter 51 carries the account a step further: though God has used Babylon as his tool to bring judgment to these nations (Jer 51.20-23), he will hold Babylon / Chaldea to account as well for the fury with which they carried out God’s judgment (Jer 51.1-14). That nation too will be humbled and defeated by the Medes (essentially the Persians; Jer 51.11, 28) and aligned nations as well (Jer 51.27). God goes on at some length describing the destruction that is coming to great Babylon (Jer 51.24-58).  

Jeremiah 32.17 

In chapter 32 Jeremiah engages in an exercise to demonstrate his confidence in God’s promise: he buys a parcel of land and signs the deed (Jer 32.9-10). 

The enemy is at the gates. This is a really bad time to invest in real estate. 

But he does. 

We’ll be back, he says, and I’ll claim my property. 

Of course, since it’s 70 years away, the property will have to go to his heirs. 

Why does Jeremiah do this? Isn’t it the equivalent of saving your Confederate money? 

Not at all. God has promised that Judah will return after 70 years (Jer 25.11-12; 29.10). Jeremiah believes him. (Incidentally, 70 years later Daniel reads this prophecy, and he believes it too. See Daniel 9.1-2.) 

How can he believe God so strongly? 

Because this God created the heavens and the earth. He can do anything; “there is nothing too hard for thee” (Jer 32.17). He has delivered Judah from Egypt (Jer 32.20-21) and brought them into Canaan (Jer 32.22), even though he knew that they would rebel against him once they were there (Jer 32.23). 

Yes, Babylon is coming (Jer 32.24). Sign the deed (Jer 32.25). You’ll be back (Jer 32.37). 

And better yet, God will change the Judahites from the inside out, making them a different kind of people (Jer 32.38-42).  After the return from Babylon, Judah never had a problem with idolatry again. And further, under the New Covenant (Jer 31.31-34), God’s people—of all nations—are regenerated and sanctified from the inside out. But that’s another series. 

And Jeremiah’s won’t be the only property deed (Jer 32.43-44). 

There’s a second message from God in chapter 33, and it too begins with Creation: “Thus saith the Lord the maker thereof, the Lord that formed it, to establish it; the Lord is his name” (Jer 33.2). And then comes the famous verse, 

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not (Jer 33.3). 

We, too, can call on the Creator and depend on his promises. 

Creation matters. 

Photo by Greg Rakozy on Unsplash