How does Jeremiah 36:28 demonstrate God's sovereignty over human actions and decisions?

◄ Jeremiah 36:28: God's control over actions? ►

Setting the Stage in Jeremiah 36

• King Jehoiakim hears Jeremiah’s prophetic scroll read aloud.

• In defiance, the king cuts the scroll apart, throws the pieces into the fire, and burns it (Jeremiah 36:23).

• The king thinks he has silenced God’s message by destroying the written word.

Jeremiah 36:28—God Speaks Again

“Take another scroll and write upon it all the words that were on the first scroll that Jehoiakim king of Judah burned.”

Observations from the Verse

• “Take another scroll” – God immediately provides a replacement.

• “Write upon it all the words” – Nothing God said is lost; every syllable is preserved.

• “That Jehoiakim…burned” – Human rebellion is acknowledged, but it does not hinder God’s plan.

How the Verse Reveals God’s Sovereignty over Human Actions

1. God’s Word is Unstoppable

– Jehoiakim’s destructive act becomes irrelevant; God simply restarts the process.

– Isaiah 55:11: “So My word…will not return to Me empty.”

2. God Overrules Human Decisions

– The king exercises free will in burning the scroll, yet God’s purpose stands unchanged.

– Proverbs 19:21: “Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the purpose of the LORD will prevail.”

3. God Uses Human Rebellion to Highlight His Authority

– The second scroll includes added judgments (Jeremiah 36:32), showing that defiance only amplifies God’s message.

– Psalm 2:1–4 displays a similar pattern: nations rage, but He who sits in the heavens laughs.

4. God Preserves Revelation Exactly as He Intends

– By commanding Jeremiah to rewrite “all the words,” He safeguards verbal inspiration.

– Matthew 24:35: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.”

Supporting Scriptures

• 2 Chronicles 36:15–16 – Repeated prophetic warnings despite rejection.

• Acts 4:27–28 – Human rulers oppose God, yet “they did what Your hand and Your purpose had predetermined to occur.”

• Romans 9:17 – God raises even hostile leaders to display His power.

Practical Takeaways for Us Today

• Trust the permanence of Scripture; no human action can erase God’s truth.

• Recognize that rebellion may seem successful for a moment, but God’s purposes always advance.

• Rest in God’s sovereignty when culture resists His Word; He will see to its preservation and fulfillment.