Jeremiah 10: Idols and the Living God
Against the lifeless idols that must be carried and cannot speak, Jeremiah exalts Yahweh, the true and living God who made the heavens and the earth.
Jeremiah 10 (WEB)
1 Hear the word which Yahweh speaks to you, house of Israel!
2 Thus says Yahweh, “Don’t learn the way of the nations, and don’t be dismayed at the signs of the sky; for the nations are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cuts a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the ax.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it not move.
5 They are like a palm tree, of turned work, and don’t speak: they must be carried, because they can’t go. Don’t be afraid of them; for they can’t do evil, neither is it in them to do good.”
6 There is no one like you, Yahweh; you are great, and your name is great in might.
7 Who should not fear you, King of the nations? For it belongs to you; because among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royal estate, there is no one like you.
8 But they are together brutish and foolish: the instruction of idols! it is but a stock.
9 There is silver beaten into plates, which is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the artificer and of the hands of the goldsmith; blue and purple for their clothing; they are all the work of skillful men.
10 But Yahweh is the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King: at his wrath the earth trembles, and the nations are not able to withstand his indignation.
11 You shall say this to them: The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens.
12 He has made the earth by his power, he has established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding has he stretched out the heavens:
13 when he utters his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he makes lightnings for the rain, and brings the wind out of his treasuries.
14 Every man has become brutish and without knowledge; every goldsmith is disappointed by his engraved image; for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
15 They are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
16 The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance: Yahweh of Armies is his name.
17 Gather up your wares out of the land, you who live under siege.
18 For thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this time, and will distress them, that they may feel it.
19 Woe is me because of my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is my grief, and I must bear it.
20 My tent is destroyed, and all my cords are broken: my children have gone away from me, and they are no more. There is no one to spread my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.
21 For the shepherds are become brutish, and have not inquired of Yahweh: therefore they have not prospered, and all their flocks are scattered.
22 The voice of news, behold, it comes, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a dwelling place of jackals.
23 Yahweh, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man who walks to direct his steps.
24 Yahweh, correct me, but in measure: not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing.
25 Pour out your wrath on the nations that don’t know you, and on the families that don’t call on your name: for they have devoured Jacob, yes, they have devoured him and consumed him, and have laid waste his habitation.
Jeremiah 10 (KJV)
1 Hear ye the word which the Lord speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
2 Thus saith the Lord, Learn not the way of the heathen, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the heathen are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
5 They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.
6 Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O Lord; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.
7 Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee.
8 But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities.
9 Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men.
10 But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
11 Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.
12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.
13 When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasures.
14 Every man is brutish in his knowledge: every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
15 They are vanity, and the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
16 The portion of Jacob is not like them: for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the rod of his inheritance: The Lord of hosts is his name.
17 Gather up thy wares out of the land, O inhabitant of the fortress.
18 For thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this once, and will distress them, that they may find it so.
19 Woe is me for my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is a grief, and I must bear it.
20 My tabernacle is spoiled, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth of me, and they are not: there is none to stretch forth my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.
21 For the pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the Lord: therefore they shall not prosper, and all their flocks shall be scattered.
22 Behold, the noise of the bruit is come, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah desolate, and a den of dragons.
23 O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
24 O Lord, correct me, but with judgment; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.
25 Pour out thy fury upon the heathen that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name: for they have eaten up Jacob, and devoured him, and consumed him, and have made his habitation desolate.
Jeremiah 10 (ASV)
1 Hear ye the word which Jehovah speaketh unto you, O house of Israel:
2 thus saith Jehovah, Learn not the way of the nations, and be not dismayed at the signs of heaven; for the nations are dismayed at them.
3 For the customs of the peoples are vanity; for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman with the axe.
4 They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not.
5 They are like a palm-tree, of turned work, and speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good.
6 There is none like unto thee, O Jehovah; thou art great, and thy name is great in might.
7 Who should not fear thee, O King of the nations? for to thee doth it appertain; forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their royal estate, there is none like unto thee.
8 But they are together brutish and foolish: the instruction of idols! it is but a stock.
9 There is silver beaten into plates, which is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the artificer and of the hands of the goldsmith; blue and purple for their clothing; they are all the work of skilful men.
10 But Jehovah is the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King: at his wrath the earth trembleth, and the nations are not able to abide his indignation.
11 Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens.
12 He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding hath he stretched out the heavens.
13 When he uttereth his voice, there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he causeth the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; he maketh lightnings for the rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of his treasuries.
14 Every man is become brutish and is without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his graven image; for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.
15 They are vanity, a work of delusion: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.
16 The portion of Jacob is not like these; for he is the former of all things; and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance: Jehovah of hosts is his name.
17 Gather up thy wares out of the land, O thou that abidest in the siege.
18 For thus saith Jehovah, Behold, I will sling out the inhabitants of the land at this time, and will distress them, that they may feel it.
19 Woe is me because of my hurt! my wound is grievous: but I said, Truly this is my grief, and I must bear it.
20 My tent is destroyed, and all my cords are broken: my children are gone forth from me, and they are not: there is none to spread my tent any more, and to set up my curtains.
21 For the shepherds are become brutish, and have not inquired of Jehovah: therefore they have not prospered, and all their flocks are scattered.
22 The voice of tidings, behold, it cometh, and a great commotion out of the north country, to make the cities of Judah a desolation, a dwelling-place of jackals.
23 O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
24 O Jehovah, correct me, but in measure; not in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.
25 Pour out thy wrath upon the nations that know thee not, and upon the families that call not on thy name; for they have devoured Jacob, yea, they have devoured him and consumed him, and have laid waste his habitation.
Summary
God warns his people not to learn the ways of the nations or be dismayed at the signs in the sky, for the customs of the peoples are empty. An idol is only a tree cut from the forest, shaped with an ax, decked with silver and gold, fastened with nails so it will not topple. Such idols are like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, unable to speak, needing to be carried because they cannot walk, and powerless to do either evil or good. Against this Jeremiah breaks into praise: there is none like Yahweh, great and mighty in name, the King of the nations whom all should fear. The makers of idols are brutish and foolish, for their molten images are falsehood with no breath in them, but the portion of Jacob is the Maker of all things, who established the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens, who makes lightning for the rain. The gods that did not make heaven and earth will perish from under the heavens. Then the tone shifts to the coming siege as the people are told to gather their belongings, and the prophet voices the city's grief over its destroyed tent and scattered children, blaming senseless shepherds who did not inquire of the Lord. He closes by confessing that the way of man is not in himself, asking God to correct him in measure and to pour out wrath on the nations that do not know him.
Voices
- Yahweh (the LORD) — The true and living God, the everlasting King, Maker of heaven and earth and the portion of Jacob, incomparable to the lifeless idols of the nations.
- Jeremiah — The prophet who exposes the folly of idols, exalts the living God in praise, and prays for measured correction as the siege approaches.
- The idols and their makers — The handcrafted gods of wood, silver, and gold that cannot speak or move, and the brutish craftsmen who trust their own lifeless images.
Key Verse
Jeremiah 10:10 (WEB)
But Yahweh is the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King: at his wrath the earth trembles, and the nations are not able to withstand his indignation.
Lessons Learned
- Idols are powerless, manmade things that cannot speak, move, or save.
- The living God is utterly incomparable, the Maker and King of all the earth.
- Whatever we trust instead of God will ultimately perish.
- The way of man is not in himself; we depend on God to direct our steps.
- Idols are empty and lifeless. They “must be carried, because they can’t go” and can do neither evil nor good (Jeremiah 10:5, WEB). What we make with our hands cannot help us.
- God alone is the living God. “Yahweh is the true God; he is the living God, and an everlasting King” (Jeremiah 10:10, WEB). He alone deserves our worship and fear.
- God is the Maker and Sustainer. “He has made the earth by his power… and by his understanding has he stretched out the heavens” (Jeremiah 10:12, WEB). The Creator is incomparably greater than any creature.
- We need God to direct our steps. “The way of man is not in himself: it is not in man who walks to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:23, WEB). True wisdom humbly depends on God's guidance.
- How does Jeremiah describe the making and the limitations of idols?
- What attributes of Yahweh set him apart from the idols of the nations?
- Why does the chapter say the false gods will perish from the earth?
- What does Jeremiah confess about the way of man and the need for God's direction?
- What modern idols do you find yourself trusting, and how does the living God compare?
- Idols are cut from trees, shaped by craftsmen, decorated with silver and gold, and nailed down so they will not fall; they cannot speak, must be carried, and can do neither harm nor good (10:3-5). The portrait is almost comic to expose their utter helplessness.
- Yahweh is the true and living God, the everlasting King at whose wrath the earth trembles, the Maker of all things who established the world by wisdom (10:10-12). His life, power, and creative authority set him infinitely above lifeless images.
- The gods that did not make the heavens and the earth will perish from under the heavens (10:11). Because they are mere human inventions with no power or being of their own, they cannot endure; only the Creator is eternal.
- Jeremiah confesses that the way of man is not in himself and that no one can direct his own steps, asking God to correct him in measure (10:23-24). It is a humble acknowledgment of dependence on God's wisdom and gentle discipline.
- This is a personal-application question. Invite members to name the things they look to for security or identity, and to weigh them against the living God who made and sustains all. As leader, encourage worship of the One who alone is living and true.