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Commentary on Jeremiah 16 verses 14–21
There is a mixture of mercy and judgment in these verses, and it is hard to know to which to apply some of the passages here - they are so interwoven, and some seem to look as far forward as the times of the gospel.
I. God will certainly execute judgment upon them for their idolatries. Let them expect it, for the decree has gone forth. 1. God sees all their sins, though they commit them ever so secretly and palliate them ever so artfully (Jer 16:17): My eyes are upon all their ways. They have not their eye upon God, have no regard to him, stand in no awe of him; but he has his eye upon them; neither they nor their sins are hidden from his face, from his eyes. Note, None of the sins of sinners either can be concealed from God or shall be overlooked by him, Pro 5:21; Job 34:21; Psa 90:8. 2. God is highly displeased, particularly at their idolatries, Jer 16:18. As his omniscience convicts them, so his justice condemns them: I will recompense their iniquity and their sin double, not double to what it deserves, but double to what they expect and to what I have done formerly. Or I will recompense it abundantly; they shall now pay for their long reprieve and the divine patience they have abused. The sin for which God has a controversy with them is their having defiled God's land with their idolatries, and not only alienated that which he was entitled to as his inheritance, but polluted that which he dwelt in with delight as his inheritance, and made it offensive to him with the carcases of their detestable things, the gods themselves which they worshipped, the images of which, though they were of gold and silver, were as loathsome to God as the putrid carcases of men or beasts are to us. Idols are carcases of detestable things. God hates them, and so should we. Or he might refer to the sacrifices which they offered to these idols, with which the land was filled; for they had high places in all the coasts and corners of it. This was the sin which, above any other, incensed God against them. 3. He will find out and raise up instruments of his wrath, that shall cast them out of their land, according to the sentence passed upon them (Jer 16:16): I will send for many fishers and many hunters - the Chaldean army, that shall have many ways of ensnaring and destroying them, by fraud as fishers, by force as hunters. They shall find them out wherever they are, and shall chase and closely pursue them, to their ruin. They shall discover them wherever they are hid, in hills or mountains, or holes of the rocks, and shall drive them out. God has various ways of prosecuting a people with his judgments that avoid the convictions of his word. He has men at command fit for his purpose; he has them within call, and can send for them when he pleases. 4. Their bondage in Babylon shall be sorer and much more grievous than that in Egypt, their task-masters more cruel, and their lives made more bitter. This is implied in the promise (Jer 16:14, Jer 16:15), that their deliverance out of Babylon shall be more illustrious in itself, and more welcome to them, than that out of Egypt. Their slavery in Egypt came upon them gradually and almost insensibly; that in Babylon came upon them at once and with all the aggravating circumstances of terror. In Egypt they had a Goshen of their own, but none such in Babylon. In Egypt they were used as servants that were useful, in Babylon as captives that had been hateful. 5. They shall be warned, and God shall be glorified, by these judgments brought upon them. These judgments have a voice, and speak aloud, (1.) Instruction to them. When God chastens them he teaches them. By this rod God expostulates with them (Jer 16:20): "Shall a man make gods to himself? Will any man be so perfectly void of all reason and consideration as to think that a god of his own making can stand him in any stead? Will you ever again be such fools as you have been, to make to yourselves gods which are no gods, when you have a God whom you may call your own, who made you, and is himself the true and living God?" (2.) Honour to God; for he will be known by the judgments which he executes. He will first recompense their iniquity (Jer 16:18), and then he will this once (Jer 16:21) - this once for all, not by many interruptions of their peace, but this one desolation and destruction of it. "For this once, and no more, I will cause them to know my hand, the length and weight of my punishing hand, how far it can reach and how deeply it can wound. And they shall know that my name is Jehovah, a God with whom there is no contending, who gives being to threatenings and puts life into them as well as promises."
II. Yet he has mercy in store for them, intimations of which come in here for the encouragement of the prophet himself and of those few among them that tremble at God's word. It was said, with an air of severity (Jer 16:13), that God would banish them into a strange land; but, that thereby they might not be driven to despair, there follow immediately words of comfort.
1.The days will come, the joyful days, when the same hand that dispersed them shall gather them again, Jer 16:14, Jer 16:15. They are cast out, but they are not cast off, they are not cast away. They shall be brought up from the land of the north, the land of their captivity, where they are held with a strong hand, and from all the lands whither they are driven, and where they seemed to be lost and buried in the crowd; nay, I will bring them again into their own land, and settle them there. As he foregoing threatenings agreed with what was written in this law, so does this promise. Yet will I not cast them away, Lev 26:44. Thence will the Lord thy God gather thee, Deu 30:4. And the following words (Jer 16:16) may be understood as a promise; God will send for fishers and hunters, the Medes and Persians, that shall find them out in the countries where they are scattered, and send them back to their own land; or Zerubbabel, and others of their own nation, who should fish them out and hunt after them, to persuade them to return; or whatever instruments the Spirit of God made use of to stir up their spirits to go up, which at first they were backward to do. They began to nestle in Babylon; but, as an eagle stirs up her nest and flutters over her young, so God did by them, Zac 2:7.
2.Their deliverance out of Babylon should, upon some accounts, be more illustrious and memorable than their deliverance out of Egypt was. Both were the Lord's doing and marvellous in their eyes; both were proofs that the Lord liveth and were to be kept in everlasting remembrance, to his honour, as the living God; but the fresh mercy shall be so surprising, so welcome, that it shall even abolish the memory of the former. Not but that new mercies should put us in mind of old ones, and give us occasion to renew our thanksgivings for them; yet because we are tempted to think that the former days were better than these, and to ask, Where are all the wonders that our fathers told us of? as if God's arm had waxed short, and to cry up the age of miracles above the later ages, when mercies are wrought in a way of common providence, therefore we are allowed here comparatively to forget the bringing of Israel out of Egypt as a deliverance outdone by that out of Babylon. That was done by might and power, this by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts, Zac 4:6. In this there was more of pardoning mercy (the most glorious branch of divine mercy) than in that; for their captivity in Babylon had more in it of the punishment of sin than their bondage in Egypt; and therefore that which comforts Zion in her deliverance out of Babylon is this, that her iniquity is pardoned, Isa 40:2. Note, God glorifies himself, and we must glorify him, in those mercies that have no miracles in them, as well as in those that have. And, though the favours of God to our fathers must not be forgotten, yet those to ourselves in our own day we must especially give thanks for.
3.Their deliverance out of captivity shall be accompanied with a blessed reformation, and they shall return effectually cured of their inclination to idolatry, which will complete their deliverance and make it a mercy indeed. They had defiled their own land with their detestable things, Jer 16:18. But, when they have smarted for so doing, they shall come and humble themselves before God, Jer 16:19-21. (1.) They shall be brought to acknowledge that their God only is God indeed, for he is a God in need - "My strength to support and comfort me, my fortress to protect and shelter me, and my refuge to whom I may flee in the day of affliction." Note, Need drives many to God who had set themselves at a distance from him. Those that slighted him in the day of their prosperity will be glad to flee to him in the day of their affliction. (2.) They shall be quickened to return to him by the conversion of the Gentiles: The Gentiles shall come to thee from the ends of the earth; and therefore shall not we come? Or, "The Jews, who had by their idolatries made themselves as Gentiles (so I rather understand it), shall come to thee by repentance and reformation, shall return to their duty and allegiance, even from the ends of the earth, from all the countries whither they were driven." The prophet comforts himself with the hope of this, and in a transport of joy returns to God the notice he had given him of it: "O Lord! my strength and my fortress, I am now easy, since thou hast given me a prospect of multitudes that shall come to thee from the ends of the earth, both of Jewish converts and of Gentile proselytes." Note, Those that are brought to God themselves cannot but rejoice greatly to see others coming to him, coming back to him. (3.) They shall acknowledge the folly of their ancestors, which it becomes them to do, when they were smarting for the sins of their ancestors: "Surely our fathers have inherited, not the satisfaction they promised themselves and their children, but lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit. We are now sensible that our fathers were cheated in their idolatrous worship; it did not prove what it promised, and therefore what have we to do any more with it?" Note, It were well if the disappointment which some have met with in the service of sin, and the pernicious consequences of it to them, might prevail to deter others from treading in their steps. (4.) They shall reason themselves out of their idolatry; and that reformation is likely to be sincere and durable which results from a rational conviction of the gross absurdity there is in sin. They shall argue thus with themselves (and it is well argued), Should a man be such a fool, so perfectly void of the reason of a man, as to make gods to himself, the creatures of his own fancy, the work of his own hands, when they are really no gods? Jer 16:20. Can a man be so besotted, so perfectly lost to human understanding, as to expect any divine blessing or favour from that which pretends to no divinity but what it first received from him? (5.) They shall herein give honour to God, and make it to appear that they know both his hand in his providence and his name in his word, and that they are brought to know his name by what they are made to know of his hand, Jer 16:21. This once, now at length, they shall be made to know that which they would not be brought to know by all the pains the prophets took with them. Note, So stupid are we that nothing less than the mighty hand of divine grace, known experimentally, can make us know rightly the name of God as it is revealed to us.
4.Their deliverance out of captivity shall be a type and figure of this great salvation to be wrought out by the Messiah, who shall gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad. And this is that which so far outshines the deliverance out of Egypt as even to eclipse the lustre of it, and make it even to be forgotten. To this some apply that of the many fishers and hunters, the preachers of the gospel, who were fishers of men, to enclose souls with the gospel net, to find them out in every mountain and hill, and secure them for Christ. Then the Gentiles came to God, some from the ends of the earth, and turned to the worship of him from the service of dumb idols.
“If a person will make gods for himself.” Not only do people make gods for themselves from statues, but you will also find people making gods for themselves from their imaginations. Such people can imagine another god and creator of the world other than the divine plan of the world recorded by the Spirit, other than the true world. These all have made gods for themselves, and they have worshiped the works of the hands. So, too, I believe is the case either among the Greeks, who generate opinions, so to speak, of this philosophy or that, or among the heretics, the first who generate opinions. These have made idols for themselves and figments of the soul, and by turning to them they worship the works of their hands, since they accept as truth their own fabrications.
(Verse 20) To you shall the nations come from the ends of the earth and say: Truly, our fathers have possessed a lie, vanity that has not profited them. Septuagint: To you shall the nations come from the ends of the earth, and say: How have our fathers possessed false idols, and there is no profit in them? After Israel was expelled and carried away by fishermen and hunters, a multitude of nations is subsequently called to faith and confesses that their fathers were involved in prior error. But those who say, 'How did our fathers possess false idols, in which there is no utility?' confess that the things they pass by are true, and supported by every defense.
Does a man make gods for himself when they are not gods themselves? And this is what the nations, who came to the Savior from the ends of the earth, speak, or rather are called, as they expose both their own ignorance and that of their ancestors, because they thought that gods were made by man, when it is actually men who make gods.
Hermes Trismegistus lamented these vain, deceptive, pernicious, sacrilegious things because he foresaw that the time was coming when they would be abolished. He was as impudent in his grief as imprudent in his prophecy, since the Holy Spirit had made no revelation to him as to the holy prophets who exultantly proclaimed their inspired visions: “Shall a person make gods to himself, and they are not gods?” And again: “And it shall come to pass in that day, says the Lord of hosts, that I will destroy the names of idols out of the earth, and they shall be remembered no more.” It is relevant to recall that holy Isaiah uttered a particular prophecy concerning Egypt: “And the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst thereof” and the rest.
Although Hermes calls these idols gods, he nevertheless admits that they were made by people whose example we should not follow, and thus, willy-nilly, he proves that these idols should not be worshiped by people who are unlike the people who made them, that is, by wise, believing and religious people. Moreover, he implies that the fabricators brought on themselves the guilt of reckoning as gods things that are not gods. Very true is that prophecy: “Shall a person make gods to himself, and they are not gods?” This, then, is what Hermes means by fabricated gods. Such gods, made and adored by such people, are but evil spirits imprisoned by magic in idols and bound there by the chains of their own passions.
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SUMMARY
Jeremiah 16:20 powerfully encapsulates the prophet's unwavering condemnation of idolatry, presenting a profound rhetorical question that exposes the inherent absurdity and utter futility of humanity's attempt to create and worship deities of its own making. This verse emphatically asserts that such creations are entirely devoid of divine power, authority, or reality, serving as lifeless imitations in stark contrast to the one true and living God. It underscores the spiritual blindness and profound self-deception of those who abandon the Creator for fabricated gods.
CONTEXT
Literary Context: Jeremiah 16:20 is strategically placed within a significant prophetic section (chapters 16-17) that details Judah's impending judgment and the severe consequences of their pervasive unfaithfulness. The preceding verses (Jeremiah 16:1-18) outline the divine judgment, including prohibitions on mourning and marriage, symbolizing the complete disruption of normal life due to God's wrath. Specifically, verse 19 immediately sets the stage for the rhetorical question of verse 20 by prophesying that "the Gentiles shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit" Jeremiah 16:19. This recognition by the nations of the emptiness of their ancestral idols directly leads into the pointed challenge of verse 20, which logically extends the theme of idolatry's futility. The chapter concludes with a declaration of Yahweh's unparalleled power and a promise of future restoration, emphasizing His ultimate sovereignty over all nations and their false gods, reinforcing the truth that only He is God.
Historical & Cultural Context: The book of Jeremiah addresses the kingdom of Judah during its tumultuous final decades before the Babylonian exile (late 7th to early 6th century BCE). This era was characterized by widespread idolatry, syncretism, and a profound turning away from the covenant with Yahweh. Despite repeated warnings from prophets like Jeremiah, the people persisted in worshipping foreign deities such as Baal, Asherah, and the "queen of heaven," often incorporating their rites into Israelite worship. This practice was deeply ingrained, as indicated by the reference to "fathers have inherited lies" Jeremiah 16:19. The ancient Near Eastern cultural landscape was saturated with polytheistic religions, where various gods were associated with natural phenomena, fertility, or national power. Jeremiah's message directly confronts this prevailing worldview, asserting the unique, incomparable nature of Israel's God against the backdrop of impotent, man-made idols, highlighting His exclusive claim to divinity in a world filled with false gods.
Key Themes: Jeremiah 16:20 powerfully articulates several core themes prevalent throughout the book of Jeremiah and the broader prophetic tradition. Firstly, it highlights the Futility and Absurdity of Idolatry, emphasizing that human creations cannot possess divine attributes or power, a theme profoundly echoed in passages like Isaiah 44:9-20. Secondly, it underscores the Uniqueness and Sovereignty of Yahweh, implicitly contrasting the impotence of idols with the omnipotence and self-existence of the one true God, who alone is worthy of worship and capable of salvation or judgment. This aligns with foundational monotheistic declarations found in Deuteronomy 6:4 and Isaiah 45:5. Thirdly, the verse exposes Human Folly and Spiritual Blindness, as people willfully choose to worship lifeless objects over the living God, demonstrating a profound lack of discernment and a tragic inversion of the created order. Finally, it touches upon the theme of Divine Judgment and Restoration, as the consequences of idolatry lead to judgment, but God's ultimate plan includes a future where even the nations will recognize the truth about His identity, as hinted in Jeremiah 16:19, leading to a universal acknowledgment of His supremacy.
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Jeremiah 16:20 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its profound theological truth and condemn the practice of idolatry. The most prominent is the Rhetorical Question, "Shall a man make gods unto himself, and they [are] no gods?" This question is not posed to elicit information but to make a forceful, self-evident assertion. Its immediate and undeniable answer underscores the inherent absurdity and illogical nature of idolatry, compelling the listener or reader to acknowledge the truth of God's uniqueness. Furthermore, the verse utilizes powerful Irony and Contrast. It is deeply ironic that humanity, created in the image of God, would attempt to "create" its own gods, thereby inverting the natural order of Creator and created. The sharp contrast between "gods" (man-made objects given a divine title) and "no gods" (their actual, powerless reality) highlights the profound spiritual blindness and folly of idolatry. This stark juxtaposition serves to expose the emptiness, deception, and ultimate vanity inherent in worshipping anything other than the true and living God.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Jeremiah 16:20 stands as a foundational statement regarding the nature of God and the folly of idolatry, resonating deeply throughout biblical theology. It affirms the absolute uniqueness and incomparable nature of the one true God, Yahweh, by starkly contrasting Him with the impotent creations of human hands. Theologically, it asserts that true divinity cannot be manufactured; it must be inherent, self-existent, and sovereign. Any attempt by humanity to create a god for itself is not only an act of rebellion against the Creator but also an exercise in utter futility, as such "gods" possess no power, no life, and no capacity to intervene, hear prayers, or save. This verse underscores the biblical emphasis on monotheism and the exclusive claim of Yahweh as the sole sovereign and living God, demanding exclusive worship and devotion. It serves as a perennial warning against placing ultimate trust or devotion in anything other than the Creator, whether ancient idols of wood and stone or modern idols of wealth, power, self, or ideology.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Jeremiah 16:20 offers a timeless and piercing challenge to examine the objects of our ultimate trust and devotion. While the physical idols of ancient Judah may seem distant and irrelevant to contemporary life, the underlying principle of making "gods unto ourselves" remains profoundly relevant and pervasive. Modern idolatry often manifests in more subtle, yet equally destructive, forms. Anything that occupies the place of God in our hearts—our ultimate source of security, identity, meaning, purpose, or satisfaction—becomes a "god" we have fashioned for ourselves. This could include our careers, financial success, relationships, personal achievements, physical appearance, comfort, entertainment, or even our own opinions, ideologies, and desires. The verse forces us to confront the uncomfortable truth that if these things are elevated to a position of ultimate authority or worship, they are ultimately "no gods" at all, incapable of delivering true peace, lasting joy, eternal security, or genuine salvation. True liberation and profound fulfillment come only from turning away from these self-made deities and placing our complete trust and worship in the living and true God, who alone is worthy and capable of meeting our deepest needs and granting eternal life.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the primary message of Jeremiah 16:20?
Answer: The primary message of Jeremiah 16:20 is a powerful condemnation of idolatry, emphasizing its utter futility and absurdity. Through a rhetorical question, it highlights that anything created by human hands and designated as a "god" is, in reality, powerless, lifeless, and devoid of divine essence, serving as a stark contrast to the living and true God. It asserts that man cannot create true divinity.
How is this verse relevant to people today, even without physical idols?
Answer: While ancient Israel struggled with physical idols made of wood and stone, the principle of Jeremiah 16:20 remains profoundly relevant for contemporary life. Modern idolatry often takes the form of placing ultimate trust, devotion, or hope in things other than God, such as wealth, power, status, self-image, intellectual achievements, relationships, or even technology and personal comfort. These become "gods" that we make for ourselves, promising fulfillment but ultimately proving to be "no gods" at all, incapable of providing lasting peace, security, or salvation. The verse calls us to examine our hearts and identify what truly occupies the throne of our lives, challenging us to turn from anything that displaces God, as seen in the New Testament's warnings against various forms of covetousness and worldly attachments, which are equated with idolatry (Colossians 3:5 and 1 John 5:21).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Jeremiah 16:20, with its stark declaration of the futility of man-made gods, finds its ultimate fulfillment and resolution in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament consistently exposes the impotence of idols, but in Christ, we see the living embodiment of the "true God" whom idols could never imitate. While humanity attempts to "make gods unto himself" out of its own flawed imagination and limited power, Christ is the God who made Himself known to humanity, the Word made flesh. He is the image of the invisible God, the one through whom all things were created and by whom all things hold together. Unlike the "no gods" fashioned by human hands, Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, the only way to the Father, and the resurrection and the life. In Him, the emptiness and deception of idolatry are fully exposed, for He alone offers true life, salvation, and communion with the living God, demonstrating that only the Creator, not the created, is worthy of ultimate worship and capable of delivering humanity from its deepest spiritual needs and eternal death.