"THE CREATOR ABOVE THE CREATION" (An Article by Christian Henry) ~ 1/22/26

“Forasmuch as there is none like unto thee, O LORD; thou art great, and thy name is great in might. Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? for to thee doth it appertain: forasmuch as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like unto thee. But they are altogether brutish and foolish: the stock is a doctrine of vanities. Silver spread into plates is brought from Tarshish, and gold from Uphaz, the work of the workman, and of the hands of the founder: blue and purple is their clothing: they are all the work of cunning men. But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.” (Jeremiah 10:6-10)

At this point in the book of Jeremiah, God has called the prophet to be His vessel and foretell the Lord’s coming wrath. Israel’s near-constant stream of injustice and idolatry has earned punishment. They have turned their backs on the God who had done so much for them previously, and now God will seemingly turn His back on them. This wrath will come in the form of the Babylonian captivity, into which they will soon enter.

Among the various accusations Jeremiah levels against them, he decries Israel’s adoption of the pagan idolatry of their neighbors. He contrasts lifeless wooden idols made by human hands with the living, powerful God who created Heaven and Earth. This God is the same one who, in fact, created the very materials these idols are made of, as well as those who make them. Why would they prefer what was created over the Creator?

Earlier, Jeremiah mocked idol-making: cutting trees, shaping them with tools, covering them in gold/silver, and nailing them so they don't fall over. This practice is futile because these idols are useless, senseless, fraudulent, cannot speak, move, or help; they are merely wood and metal, unlike the true, powerful God. After laying that foundation, he now contrasts these false gods with the true God. In short, the prophet declares that no one truly compares to the Lord, the eternal King and Creator. He is so far above all false gods that it’s like He’s hitting home runs in the World Series, and they’re striking out in wiffle ball with the neighbor kids. He’s so far out of their league that they virtually aren’t even playing the same sport. God even controls nature (as Jeremiah specifically lays out later), while idols are helpless, temporary creations.

Israel's God is cloaked in glory, while idolaters and those who choose to turn their backs on Him bathe in foolishness. We shouldn’t cede to the wicked customs of the heathen; instead, standing in awe, and not daring to give glory to another which is due to Him alone.

While physically making and worshipping golden idols doesn’t really happen anymore, there are many other ways we practice idolatry. Whenever we give the glory and honor due to God alone to any other creature or feeling we practice the sin (as noted in my article on the first commandment). Pride makes a god of oneself, covetousness makes a god of money, and sensuality makes a god of desires. Whatever is delighted in or depended on above God, is made an idol within our hearts. When one is in church or trying to read the Bible but is distracted, they are shirking the first commandment - even if it’s something small. If we’re not giving God the time He’s due, it’s an indictment of our priorities.

We must not have any other god before Him. There is truly none beside Him, and we must always guard our hearts and minds against this sin. Through Jeremiah, God condemns Israel for their rampant sacrilege, and the story of the pain and suffering faced by them should always serve as a reminder for us. We need to always prefer the Creator over what He has created.