How does Jeremiah 16:21 emphasize the importance of knowing God's name? Jeremiah 16:21 “Therefore behold, I will make them know—this time I will make them know My power and My might; and they shall know that My name is the LORD.” Historical Setting: A Nation Forgetting the Name Jeremiah speaks to Judah on the eve of Babylonian judgment (ca. 609–586 BC). Syncretistic worship in high places (cf. 2 Kings 23:13), incense to “other gods” (Jeremiah 16:11), and child sacrifice (Jeremiah 7:31) demonstrate that the covenant people have “forgotten My name for Baal” (Jeremiah 23:27). Into this milieu, God vows to act so decisively that no one can mistake whose character and authority are on display. Literary Pattern: Power → Knowledge → Name The verse forms a triad: (1) “make them know” (repetition for emphasis), (2) “My power and My might,” (3) “that My name is YHWH.” Miraculous acts (power) serve revelatory ends (knowledge) that culminate in covenant recognition (name). The structure mirrors Exodus 6:7; 14:18, where deliverance and judgment introduce YHWH to both Israel and Egypt. Theological Weight of the Tetragrammaton (YHWH) Exodus 3:14 links the divine name to eternal self-existence (“I AM WHO I AM”). Psalm 83:18 proclaims that YHWH alone is “Most High over all the earth.” Knowing this name demands exclusive worship (Isaiah 42:8). Jeremiah 16:21 re-asserts this exclusivity against Judah’s pluralism. Contrast With Idolatrous Names Ancient Near-Eastern texts (e.g., Kuntillet ‘Ajrud inscriptions) show “Yahweh and his Asherah,” evidence of the very syncretism Jeremiah condemns. God’s response: display of unmatched power so Judah discerns the categorical difference between carved images (Jeremiah 10:5) and the living Creator (Jeremiah 10:12). Archaeological Corroboration • Ketef Hinnom silver scrolls (7th cent. BC) preserve the priestly blessing, invoking YHWH’s name centuries before the exile, confirming the antiquity of the covenantal name. • The Tel Dan stela (9th cent. BC) references “Beit-David,” aligning with biblical chronology and underscoring God’s ongoing promise to Davidic kingship—fulfilled in Messiah (Matthew 1:1). Historical anchors reinforce that the God who names Himself in Scripture operated in verifiable space-time. Prophetic Trajectory to Christ Jesus embodies and discloses the divine name: “I have revealed Your name to those You have given Me” (John 17:6). His resurrection—attested by the minimal-facts data set of 1 Corinthians 15:3-8—establishes Him as the vindicated “Name above every name” (Philippians 2:9-11). Thus Jeremiah 16:21’s motif finds climactic fulfillment: the world learns God’s identity through the decisive act of raising His Son. Practical Application for Believers • Worship: Use God’s revealed names in praise (Psalm 99:3). • Evangelism: Like Jeremiah, declare God’s mighty acts so skeptics may “know” (Acts 1:8). • Holiness: Bearing God’s name demands behavior consistent with His character (Leviticus 19:12; 1 Peter 1:16). • Hope: The same power that judged Judah later raised Christ; thus believers face discipline and deliverance within a covenant of steadfast love. Summary Jeremiah 16:21 teaches that God’s dramatic intervention aims at a singular goal: that people experientially recognize His covenant name, YHWH. Knowing this name is not optional trivia—it is the linchpin of worship, ethics, worldview, and eternal destiny, ultimately revealed in the risen Lord Jesus Christ, in whom all God’s promises are “Yes” and “Amen” (2 Corinthians 1:20). |
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