◄ Jeremiah 10:2 ►
This is what the LORD says: "Do not learn the ways of the nations or be terrified by the signs in the heavens, though the nations themselves are terrified by them.
Study Bible
This is what the LORD says
This phrase introduces a direct message from God, emphasizing the authority and divine origin of the words that follow. In Hebrew, "LORD" is "YHWH," the sacred name of God, which underscores His eternal and unchanging nature. This introduction sets the tone for a command that is not merely a suggestion but a divine directive, reminding believers of the importance of heeding God's voice.

Do not learn the way of the nations
The phrase "do not learn" comes from the Hebrew root "לָמַד" (lamad), meaning to teach or learn. Here, it implies a prohibition against adopting the practices or customs of surrounding pagan nations. "The way of the nations" refers to the cultural and religious practices that were contrary to the worship of Yahweh. Historically, Israel was surrounded by nations with polytheistic beliefs and idolatrous practices. This command serves as a call to holiness and separation, urging God's people to remain distinct and faithful to His covenant.

or be terrified by the signs of the heavens
The word "terrified" is derived from the Hebrew "חָתַת" (chatat), meaning to be shattered or dismayed. This phrase addresses the fear and superstition associated with celestial phenomena, which were often interpreted as omens by pagan cultures. "Signs of the heavens" likely refers to astrological signs or events like eclipses and comets, which were thought to influence human affairs. The admonition here is to trust in God's sovereignty rather than succumbing to fear or superstition, reinforcing the belief that God, the Creator of the heavens, is in control.

for the nations are terrified by them
This concluding phrase highlights the contrast between the people of God and the pagan nations. The nations, lacking the knowledge of the true God, are easily swayed and frightened by natural phenomena. This serves as a reminder that fear of the unknown is a characteristic of those who do not know God. For believers, this is an encouragement to stand firm in faith, trusting in God's power and wisdom rather than being influenced by the fears and practices of those who do not follow Him.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
A major prophet in the Old Testament, known for his messages of warning and hope to the people of Judah. He is the author of the Book of Jeremiah.

2. The LORD (Yahweh)
The covenant God of Israel, who speaks through Jeremiah to deliver His messages to the people.

3. The Nations
Refers to the pagan nations surrounding Israel, often characterized by their idolatrous practices and reliance on astrology and omens.

4. Signs in the Heavens
Celestial phenomena such as eclipses, comets, or planetary alignments, which were often interpreted as omens by ancient cultures.

5. Judah
The southern kingdom of Israel, to whom Jeremiah's prophecies were primarily directed, warning them against adopting pagan practices.
Teaching Points
Avoiding Pagan Practices
As believers, we are called to be distinct from the world, avoiding practices that contradict God's commands, such as astrology or superstition.

Trust in God's Sovereignty
Instead of fearing celestial signs or omens, we should trust in God's control over the universe and His plan for our lives.

Discernment in Cultural Engagement
While living in a diverse world, Christians must discern which cultural practices align with biblical principles and which do not.

Fear Not
The command to not be terrified is a reminder that our security and peace come from God, not from interpreting signs or omens.

Witness to the Nations
By living according to God's ways, we can be a light to those around us, showing the peace and assurance found in Christ.
Bible Study Questions
1. What are some modern practices or beliefs that might parallel the "way of the nations" mentioned in Jeremiah 10:2, and how can Christians avoid them?

2. How does understanding God's sovereignty help us respond to fears about the future or unknown events?

3. In what ways can we discern whether a cultural practice aligns with biblical teaching?

4. How can we practically demonstrate trust in God rather than fear when faced with uncertainty or societal pressures?

5. How can our distinctiveness as Christians serve as a witness to those who do not know Christ, according to the principles found in Jeremiah 10:2?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Deuteronomy 18:9-14
This passage warns the Israelites against adopting the detestable practices of the nations, including divination and astrology, which directly connects to Jeremiah 10:2's warning.

Isaiah 47:12-15
Isaiah mocks the futility of Babylon's reliance on astrology and sorcery, similar to Jeremiah's warning against being terrified by celestial signs.

Matthew 6:31-34
Jesus teaches not to worry about the future, emphasizing trust in God rather than fear of unknown signs, aligning with the call to not be terrified by signs in the heavens.
Sermons
The Dismay of the Heathen At the Signs of HeavenD. Young Jeremiah 10:2
What Men Fear and What They Ought to FearD. Young Jeremiah 10:1-12
Hearing the Word of the LordW. Stevens.Jeremiah 10:1-16
IdolatryS. Conway Jeremiah 10:1-17
The Helplessness of Heathen Gods a Conclusive Argument Against ThemA.F. Muir Jeremiah 10:2-5
People
Jacob, Jeremiah, Tarshish
Places
Tarshish, Uphaz, Zion
Topics
Accustom, Affrighted, Although, Dismayed, Fear, Heathen, Heaven, Heavens, Learn, Nations, Says, Signs, Sky, Terrified, Though, Thus, Yourselves
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 10:2

     1449   signs, purposes
     4272   sky
     8754   fear
     8829   superstition

Jeremiah 10:2-3

     5286   custom

Library
May 16. "It is not in Man that Walketh to Direct his Steps" (Jer. x. 23).
"It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps" (Jer. x. 23). United to Jesus Christ as your Redeemer, you are accepted in the Beloved. He does not merely take my place as a man and settle my debts. He does that and more. He comes to give a perfect ideal of what a man should be. He is the model man, not for us to copy, for that would only bring discouragement and utter failure; but He will come and copy Himself in us. If Christ lives in me, I am another Christ. I am not like Him, but I have the …
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

Possessing and Possessed
'The portion of Jacob is not like them--for He is the former of all things: and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance. The Lord of Hosts is His name.'--JER. x. 16, R.V. Here we have set forth a reciprocal possession. We possess God, He possesses us. We are His inheritance, He is our portion. I am His; He is mine. This mutual ownership is the very living centre of all religion. Without it there is no relation of any depth between God and us. How much profounder such a conception is than the shallow …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

An Instructive Truth
"O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps."--Jeremiah 10:23. This declaration follows after Jeremiah's lamentation over the Lord's ancient people, who were about to be carried captive into Babylon. The prophet speaks of a fact that was well known to him. It is always well, brethren, to know the truth, and to know it so certainly that you are able to remember it just when you most need it. There are some people, who are very much like …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 50: 1904

Dwight -- the Sovereignty of God
Timothy Dwight was born at Northampton, Massachusetts, in 1752. He graduated from Yale in 1769, served as chaplain in the army during the Revolutionary War and was chosen president of his university in 1795. He died, after holding that office for twelve years, in 1817. Lyman Beecher, who attributed his conversion to him, says: "He was of noble form, with a noble head and body, and had one of the sweetest smiles that ever you saw. When I heard him preach on 'the harvest is passed, the summer is ended, …
Grenville Kleiser—The world's great sermons, Volume 3

Of the Exercises of a Religious Man
The life of a Christian ought to be adorned with all virtues, that he may be inwardly what he outwardly appeareth unto men. And verily it should be yet better within than without, for God is a discerner of our heart, Whom we must reverence with all our hearts wheresoever we are, and walk pure in His presence as do the angels. We ought daily to renew our vows, and to kindle our hearts to zeal, as if each day were the first day of our conversion, and to say, "Help me, O God, in my good resolutions, …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

Of Hiding Our Grace under the Guard of Humility
"My Son, it is better and safer for thee to hide the grace of devotion, and not to lift thyself up on high, nor to speak much thereof, nor to value it greatly; but rather to despise thyself, and to fear as though this grace were given to one unworthy thereof. Nor must thou depend too much upon this feeling, for it can very quickly be turned into its opposite. Think when thou art in a state of grace how miserable and poor thou art wont to be without grace. Nor is there advance in spiritual life …
Thomas A Kempis—Imitation of Christ

A Wise Desire
I remember once going to a chapel where this happened to be the text, and the good man who occupied the pulpit was more than a little of an Arminian. Therefore, when he commenced, he said, "This passage refers entirely to our temporal inheritance. It has nothing whatever to do with our everlasting destiny: for," said he, "We do not want Christ to choose for us in the matter of heaven or hell. It is so plain and easy that every man who has a grain of common sense will choose heaven; and any person …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855

"And Hereby we do Know that we Know Him, if we Keep his Commandments. "
1 John ii. 3.--"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments." This age pretends to much knowledge beyond former ages, knowledge, I say, not only in other natural arts and sciences, but especially in religion. Whether there be any great advancement in other knowledge, and improvement of that which was, to a further extent and clearness, I cannot judge, but I believe there is not much of it in this nation, nor do we so much pretend to it. But, we talk of the enlargements of …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

"Hear the Word of the Lord, Ye Rulers of Sodom, Give Ear unto the Law of Our God, Ye People of Gomorrah,"
Isaiah i. 10, 11, &c.--"Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom, give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah," &c. It is strange to think what mercy is mixed with the most wrath like strokes and threatenings. There is no prophet whose office and commission is only for judgment, nay, to speak the truth, it is mercy that premises threatenings. The entering of the law, both in the commands and curses, is to make sin abound, that grace may superabound, so that both rods and threatenings …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

How Christ is the Way in General, "I am the Way. "
We come now to speak more particularly to the words; and, first, Of his being a way. Our design being to point at the way of use-making of Christ in all our necessities, straits, and difficulties which are in our way to heaven; and particularly to point out the way how believers should make use of Christ in all their particular exigencies; and so live by faith in him, walk in him, grow up in him, advance and march forward toward glory in him. It will not be amiss to speak of this fulness of Christ …
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

Meditations for Household Piety.
1. If thou be called to the government of a family, thou must not hold it sufficient to serve God and live uprightly in thy own person, unless thou cause all under thy charge to do the same with thee. For the performance of this duty God was so well pleased with Abraham, that he would not hide from him his counsel: "For," saith God, "I know him that he will command his sons and his household after him that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and judgment, that the Lord may bring upon …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

"For if Ye Live after the Flesh, Ye Shall Die; but if Ye through the Spirit do Mortify the Deeds of the Body, Ye Shall Live.
Rom. viii. s 13, 14.--"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die; but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God." The life and being of many things consists in union,--separate them, and they remain not the same, or they lose their virtue. It is much more thus in Christianity, the power and life of it consists in the union of these things that God hath conjoined, so that if any man pretend to …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

The Creation
Q-7: WHAT ARE THE DECREES OF GOD? A: The decrees of God are his eternal purpose, according to the counsel of his will, whereby, for his own glory, he has foreordained whatsoever shall come to pass. I have already spoken something concerning the decrees of God under the attribute of his immutability. God is unchangeable in his essence, and he-is unchangeable in his decrees; his counsel shall stand. He decrees the issue of all things, and carries them on to their accomplishment by his providence; I …
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

God's Sovereignty and Prayer
"If we ask anything according to His will, He heareth us" (1 John 5:14). Throughout this book it has been our chief aim to exalt the Creator and abase the creature. The well-nigh universal tendency now, is to magnify man and dishonour and degrade God. On every hand it will be found that, when spiritual things are under discussion, the human side and element is pressed and stressed, and the Divine side, if not altogether ignored, is relegated to the background. This holds true of very much of the …
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God

Jeremiah
The interest of the book of Jeremiah is unique. On the one hand, it is our most reliable and elaborate source for the long period of history which it covers; on the other, it presents us with prophecy in its most intensely human phase, manifesting itself through a strangely attractive personality that was subject to like doubts and passions with ourselves. At his call, in 626 B.C., he was young and inexperienced, i. 6, so that he cannot have been born earlier than 650. The political and religious …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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