What is the meaning of Jeremiah 10:23? I know, O LORD • Jeremiah begins with a confession of personal certainty: “I know.” This is not guesswork but settled conviction built on God’s self-revelation. • Addressing the LORD (YHWH) places everything that follows under divine authority. As Psalm 100:3 reminds, “Know that the LORD is God; it is He who made us, and we are His.” • By beginning with knowledge of the LORD, Jeremiah models Proverbs 9:10—“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom.” All true understanding starts here. that a man’s way is not his own • “Way” points to the course of life—plans, choices, destinations. Jeremiah insists that these do not ultimately originate with us. • Proverbs 16:9 echoes this: “A man’s heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” Human intentions are real, yet subordinate to God’s sovereign purpose. • This truth counters the cultural myth of absolute self-determination. Psalm 103:14 notes that God “knows our frame,” reminding us of our creaturely limits. no one who walks • The phrase zooms in on daily movement—every person “who walks” through ordinary routines. • Psalm 37:23 assures, “The steps of a man are ordered by the LORD, and He delights in his way.” Guidance is not random but lovingly personal. • This applies universally; the verse leaves no room for exceptions. Acts 17:28 affirms, “In Him we live and move and have our being.” directs his own steps • Jeremiah states the negative: we do not self-direct. God is the unseen Navigator. • Proverbs 20:24 asks rhetorically, “A man’s steps are from the LORD; how then can a man understand his own way?” Our limited perspective can never map the entire journey. • James 4:13-15 warns against arrogant planning: “You who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go…’ instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills…’” Dependence on God is the proper posture. summary Jeremiah 10:23 humbly declares that life is under God’s sovereign control. While humans make choices, the LORD alone designs the path and ensures every step fulfills His wise purpose. Recognizing this frees us from the illusion of self-rule, calls us to trust His guidance, and invites restful confidence in the One who unfailingly leads His people. |
    |