Jeremiah 10:1-10: a reflection

1Hear the word which the LORD speaks to you, house of Israel! 2The LORD says, “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. 3For 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. 4They deck it with silver and with gold. They fasten it with nails and with hammers, so that it can’t move. 5They are like a palm tree, of turned work, and don’t speak. They must be carried, because they can’t move. Don’t be afraid of them; for they can’t do evil, neither is it in them to do good.” 6There is no one like you, LORD. You are great, and your name is great in might. 7Who shouldn’t 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. 8But they are together brutish and foolish, instructed by idols! It is just wood. 9There is silver beaten into plates, which is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the engraver and of the hands of the goldsmith. Their clothing is blue and purple. They are all the work of skillful men. 10But the LORD is the true God. He is the living God, and an everlasting King. At his wrath, the earth trembles. The nations aren’t able to withstand his indignation.

Jeremiah contrasts the lifeless idols of the nations with the true and living God. The idols, he says, are made by human hands, decked with silver and gold, fastened with nails so they cannot topple; they must be carried because they cannot walk; they can neither harm nor help. They are, he says, like scarecrows, nothing to fear. But then Jeremiah turns to the true God with words of soaring praise: There is none like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is great in might. You are the true God, the living God, the everlasting King.

Notice the contrast, and where Jeremiah's emphasis falls: on the greatness of the living God. Over against the lifeless idols, made and carried and unable to act, stands the LORD, the true and living God, the everlasting King, before whom the earth trembles and the nations cannot stand. There is none like him; the idols are nothing, but he is great, living, eternal. The contrast is meant not only to expose the emptiness of idols, but to lift our eyes to the greatness of the true God.

That lifts our eyes from the empty things we might trust to the living God who alone is worthy. We may not bow to carved idols, but we can give our trust and reverence to lifeless things, money, image, the false gods of our age, that can neither harm nor help. Jeremiah calls us to see their emptiness and to turn instead to the living God: There is none like you, O LORD. Do not give your trust and worship to lifeless things that cannot help you. Turn to the living God, the true God, the everlasting King, before whom there is none to compare. He alone is worthy of your trust and reverence; there is none like him.

Lord, Jeremiah contrasted the lifeless idols, made by hands and unable to help, with you, the true God, the living God, the everlasting King, and declared, there is none like you. Lift my eyes from the empty things I might trust to you, the living God who alone is worthy. I may not bow to carved idols, but I can give my trust and reverence to lifeless things, money, image, the false gods of my age, that can neither harm nor help. Help me see their emptiness, and turn to you, the living and everlasting God, before whom there is none to compare. Keep me from giving my trust and worship to lifeless things that cannot help me. You alone are the true and living God, worthy of all my trust and reverence. There is none like you, Lord; help me turn to you alone.