“Fear ye not me?”
The full verse · Jeremiah 5:22 · KJV
ye not me? the : will ye not at my , which have the for the of the by a , that it cannot it: and though the thereof themselves, yet can they not ; though they , yet can they not pass it?
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The question is addressed to the nation of Judah specifically, though the prophetic indictment extends to all who claim covenant relationship with God.
Why It Was Asked
The purpose behind the questionGod employs these questions to expose Israel’s spiritual blindness and awaken moral conscience. By asking rather than declaring, He invites self-examination and highlights the absurdity of their fearlessness before Him who controls creation itself.
The Response
What Scripture recordsIsrael responded with hardened rebellion rather than trembling fear. Jeremiah 5:23 records that this people had a stubborn and rebellious heart, turning aside and departing from God despite His self-revelation through creation’s order.
The Bigger Picture
Where this fits in God's storyGod’s double question presses Israel to explain their inexplicable fearlessness before their Creator. The Hebrew construction uses emphatic particles that expect affirmative answers, making the questions accusatory. Why ask rather than command? Because questions expose the heart’s condition more powerfully than declarations. God appeals to the observable world as witness: if mindless waves obey perpetual boundaries, how much more should rational, covenant people tremble before the One who set those boundaries? The contrast between creation’s obedience and Israel’s rebellion underscores the depth of their apostasy. This rhetorical strategy reveals not divine uncertainty but prophetic grief over a people who have lost all sense of holy fear.
When nature obeys God better than you do, something is desperately wrong. The waves crash against divine boundaries and stop, yet we cross moral lines God has drawn and feel nothing. True fear of God isn’t terror but the trembling awareness that you stand before infinite holiness and power. This reverence transforms how you approach sin, worship, and daily choices. Proverbs 9:10 promises that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Let creation’s obedience rebuke your casual disobedience and draw you back to worshipful awe.
Built from the biblical text and checked against trusted commentaries and lexicons. References & Sources
Keep questioning
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“and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, look and take note! Search her squares to see if you can find a man, one who does justice and seeks truth, that I may pardon her.?”