◄ Jeremiah 10:16 ►
The Portion of Jacob is not like these, for He is the Maker of all things, and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance--the LORD of Hosts is His name.
Study Bible
The Portion of Jacob
This phrase refers to God Himself as the inheritance and possession of Jacob, representing the people of Israel. In Hebrew, "portion" (חֵלֶק, cheleq) signifies a share or inheritance, emphasizing the unique relationship between God and Israel. Unlike the idols of the nations, which are lifeless and powerless, God is the living and active portion of His people. This highlights the covenantal bond and the divine favor bestowed upon Israel, setting them apart from other nations.

is not like these
Here, "these" refers to the idols and false gods mentioned earlier in the chapter. The Hebrew context contrasts the living God with the lifeless idols crafted by human hands. This distinction underscores the futility of idol worship and the incomparable nature of the true God. The phrase serves as a reminder of God's supremacy and the foolishness of turning to anything other than Him for guidance and support.

for He is the Maker of all things
This phrase affirms God's role as the Creator, emphasizing His sovereignty and power over all creation. The Hebrew word for "Maker" (יָצַר, yatsar) conveys the idea of forming or fashioning, akin to a potter with clay. This imagery reinforces God's authority and creative power, distinguishing Him from idols, which are mere creations of human hands. It serves as a call to recognize and worship the Creator rather than the created.

and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance
This phrase highlights the special status of Israel as God's chosen people. The term "inheritance" (נַחֲלָה, nachalah) in Hebrew signifies a possession or heritage, indicating that Israel holds a unique place in God's plan. This relationship is rooted in the Abrahamic covenant, where God promised to make Israel a great nation. It underscores the idea that Israel is not just a nation among nations but holds a special, divinely ordained role in history.

the LORD of Hosts is His name
This title, "LORD of Hosts" (יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת, Yahweh Tseva'ot), emphasizes God's supreme authority over the heavenly armies and all earthly powers. It is a declaration of His omnipotence and command over all spiritual and physical realms. The use of "name" (שֵׁם, shem) in Hebrew culture signifies character and reputation, indicating that God's very essence is one of power, majesty, and authority. This title reassures believers of God's ability to protect and deliver His people, reinforcing their trust in Him as the ultimate sovereign.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Jeremiah
A prophet in the Old Testament, called by God to deliver messages of warning and hope to the people of Judah.

2. Jacob
The patriarch whose descendants became the twelve tribes of Israel. Here, "Jacob" symbolizes the nation of Israel.

3. Israel
The nation chosen by God as His special possession and the tribe of His inheritance.

4. The LORD of Hosts
A title for God emphasizing His sovereignty and command over the heavenly armies.

5. The Maker of all things
A reference to God as the Creator, distinguishing Him from the idols mentioned earlier in the chapter.
Teaching Points
God's Uniqueness
Unlike idols, God is the Creator of all things. This truth calls us to worship Him alone and reject all forms of idolatry.

Identity in God
Just as Israel is God's inheritance, believers today are God's chosen people. Our identity and worth are found in Him.

Sovereignty of God
The title "LORD of Hosts" reminds us of God's supreme authority and power. We can trust Him in all circumstances.

Faithfulness of God
God's relationship with Israel demonstrates His faithfulness. He remains committed to His promises and His people.

Call to Holiness
As God's people, we are called to live distinctively, reflecting His character in a world filled with false gods and values.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding God as "The Maker of all things" influence your view of creation and your role in it?

2. In what ways can you identify modern-day idols in your life, and how can you actively turn away from them to worship God alone?

3. How does the concept of being God's inheritance impact your sense of identity and purpose as a believer?

4. Reflect on a time when you experienced God's sovereignty in your life. How did it strengthen your faith?

5. How can the faithfulness of God to Israel encourage you in your personal walk with Him, especially during challenging times?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Genesis 32:28
This verse connects to the transformation of Jacob into Israel, highlighting the special relationship between God and His people.

Isaiah 44:6
Reinforces the uniqueness of God as the only true God, contrasting Him with idols.

Colossians 1:16
Speaks of Christ as the Creator, linking the Old Testament understanding of God as Creator to the New Testament revelation of Jesus.

Psalm 33:12
Declares the blessedness of the nation whose God is the LORD, echoing the idea of Israel as God's inheritance.

1 Peter 2:9
Describes believers as a chosen people, a royal priesthood, connecting the identity of Israel to the Church.
Sermons
Possessing and PossessedAlexander MaclarenJeremiah 10:16
The Portion of JacobS. Conway Jeremiah 10:16
Hearing the Word of the LordW. Stevens.Jeremiah 10:1-16
IdolatryS. Conway Jeremiah 10:1-17
People
Jacob, Jeremiah, Tarshish
Places
Tarshish, Uphaz, Zion
Topics
Almighty, Armies, Formed, Former, Framer, Heritage, Hosts, Including, Inheritance, Jacob, Maker, Portion, Rod, Tribe
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Jeremiah 10:16

     1105   God, power of
     1205   God, titles of
     4006   creation, origin
     4287   universe
     5096   Jacob, patriarch
     5705   inheritance, spiritual
     7141   people of God, OT

Jeremiah 10:14-16

     8782   mockery

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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