What is the meaning of Jeremiah 11:18? And the LORD informed me • Jeremiah presents divine revelation as a fact, not a possibility. God actively “informed” him, underscoring the personal relationship between the prophet and the LORD (cf. Amos 3:7; Psalm 25:14; John 15:15). • The action is entirely God-initiated. Jeremiah did not discover the conspiracy by clever investigation; he received it because the Lord “searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought” (1 Chronicles 28:9). • By recording this moment, Scripture affirms that the God who spoke in Jeremiah’s day continues to disclose truth. The passage assures believers that the Word we hold is trustworthy and literal, for it rests on God’s direct disclosure. so I knew • Knowledge follows revelation. Jeremiah moves from uncertainty to certainty, mirroring how divine insight turns confusion into clarity (cf. Daniel 2:22–23; Luke 24:45). • The prophet’s confidence is grounded in God’s word, not personal intuition. In the same way, the church is called to “test everything; hold fast to what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21) because God’s revelation provides an objective standard. • This line also shows the protective nature of God’s guidance. By letting Jeremiah “know,” the LORD equips him to respond wisely, echoing James 1:5: “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God… and it will be given to him.” Then You showed me their deeds • God unveils the hidden actions of Jeremiah’s opponents, especially the men of Anathoth who plotted his death (see Jeremiah 11:21). Comparable exposures appear in Ezekiel 8:6–12, where the LORD reveals secret idolatry, and in Acts 5:3–4, where Ananias’s deceit is laid bare. • The disclosure of “their deeds” highlights divine justice: “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight” (Hebrews 4:13). • For believers, such passages reinforce both comfort and accountability. Comfort, because God defends His servants (Psalm 27:1–3). Accountability, because our works are open before Him (2 Corinthians 5:10). • The sequence—revelation, understanding, exposure—models how God protects truth and righteousness in every generation. summary Jeremiah 11:18 reveals a three-step pattern: God speaks, the servant understands, and hidden sin is exposed. The verse underscores the reliability of divine revelation, the certainty it gives to God’s people, and the assurance that the LORD sees and judges every deed. |
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