Jeremiah 23:23-24
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The false prophets acted as if God was a distant, limited deity, only aware of what happened close by, like a human with poor eyesight. But God is asserting His total omnipresence – He is just as present in the hidden places and the far reaches as He is in the temple. This isn't just a statement of power; it's a profound rebuke of their delusion that they could deceive Him.
“Am I a God at hand, declares the LORD, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the LORD.
English Standard Version (ESV)
The false prophets are spouting comforting lies, claiming peace when there is no peace, and Jeremiah is exposing their deception. God challenges them, questioning if He is so distant that He cannot see their wicked schemes or the hidden impurity of their hearts. He asserts His omnipresence, emphasizing that nothing is concealed from His all-seeing gaze, whether near or far.
False prophets preached comforting lies, acting like God was distant or unaware. But Jeremiah reminds us of a staggering truth: God's presence isn't limited by space or sight.
Jeremiah's rhetorical question, “Am I a God at hand, and not a God far away?” challenges the false prophets' deception.
Two Sides of the Same Coin
These aren't contradictory! God is both intimately present and infinitely far beyond our full comprehension. The false prophets acted as if God was only "far away," meaning He was out of sight and out of mind. They believed their deceitful messages could hide from Him.
But God's omnipresence means nowhere is hidden from His gaze. Whether a prophet claims divine authority from a distant throne or whispers lies in a hidden corner, God sees it all.
Why did the false prophets think they could get away with their lies? Because they imagined God had limited vision, like humans do.
The core issue with the false prophets was their flawed view of God. They operated under the delusion that God's awareness was confined, much like human sight.
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The Illusion of Hiddenness
Jeremiah 23:24 (following this verse) explicitly states, “Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD. Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?” This is the direct counter-argument to the false prophets’ schemes.
Their messages of peace and prosperity, delivered with supposed divine authority, were not fooling God. He sees the hidden motives, the secret sins, and the deceptive hearts behind their words.
Understand the original words
Yahweh · Hebrew Noun
The personal name of the God of Israel (YHWH), the self-existent, covenant-keeping Creator. It signifies His absolute holiness, faithfulness to His promises, and His supreme sovereignty over all history.
mālēʾ · Hebrew Verb
God's attribute of being present everywhere at all times. He is not restricted by time, space, or physical boundaries, and His knowledge and influence penetrate all of creation.
Jeremiah's challenge to the false prophets directly confronts their deceitful messages during a time of extreme national crisis, reminding them and the people that God's omnipresence means no one, especially His people, can hide from His judgment.
Late 8th century BC
Prophetic Ministry of Amos
Amos prophesied to the Northern Kingdom of Israel during a time of prosperity but social injustice and idolatry. He warned that God's presence and justice extended everywhere, not just to Jerusalem.
c. 700 BC
Prophetic Ministry of Isaiah
Isaiah ministered in Judah, confronting kings and people with God's holiness and sovereign judgment, emphasizing that God sees all and is not limited by human affairs.
c. 626-586 BC— this verse
Prophetic Ministry of Jeremiah
Jeremiah prophesied during the turbulent final decades of the Kingdom of Judah, warning of impending Babylonian exile due to the people's disobedience and the false prophecies of their leaders.
605 BC
First Babylonian Deportation
Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon besieged Jerusalem and deported a group of Judean leaders and skilled workers, including the prophet Daniel, marking the beginning of Judah's subjugation.
597 BC
Second Babylonian Deportation
Babylonian forces exiled more Judeans, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, intensifying the crisis and the prophetic warnings against false hope.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Nebuchadnezzar destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the majority of the population. This cataclysmic event served as a stark judgment on Judah's unfaithfulness.
This passage powerfully explores God's omnipresence, echoing Jeremiah's question by showing that there's no place one can flee from God's presence, whether high in heaven or deep in the sea. It emphasizes that God is intimately aware of us everywhere, just as Jeremiah asserts.
Job 11:7-11Eliphaz questions Job, suggesting that God's wisdom and knowledge are limited and can't penetrate hidden wrongdoing, mirroring the false prophets' flawed assumption that God is unaware. Jeremiah's rhetorical question directly counters this idea of a distant or limited God.
Matthew 18:20Jesus states, 'For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.' This highlights God's immanence and presence with His people, contrasting with the false prophets' perception of a God who is only 'far away' and uninvolved.
Acts 17:27-28Paul tells the Athenians that God 'is not far from each one of us, for 'in him we live and move and have our being'.' This affirms God's active, ever-present nature throughout creation, directly challenging the notion that He is a distant deity unaware of human affairs.
barnesJeremiah 23:23: "Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?"
At hand - Or, near. An appeal to the omnipotence of God in demonstration of the wickedness of the prophets. His power is not limited, so that He can notice only things close to Him, but is universal.
calvinJeremiah 23:23-24: "Am I a God at hand, saith the LORD, and not a God afar off?"
Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the LORD. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the LORD.
An absonderit vir in latebris et ego non videbo eum, dicit Jehova? An non coelos et terram impleo, dicit Jehova?
Here he especially shakes off from hypocrites their self-delusions; for they were torpid in their vices, because they thought that they could in a manner blind the eye…
The false prophets acted as if God was a distant, limited deity, only aware of what happened close by, like a human with poor eyesight. But God is asserting His total omnipresence – He is just as present in the hidden places and the far reaches as He is in the temple. This isn't just a statement of power; it's a profound rebuke of their delusion that they could deceive Him.
The false prophets are spouting comforting lies, claiming peace when there is no peace, and Jeremiah is exposing their deception. God challenges them, questioning if He is so distant that He cannot see their wicked schemes or the hidden impurity of their hearts. He asserts His omnipresence, emphasizing that nothing is concealed from His all-seeing gaze, whether near or far.
The false prophets are spouting comforting lies, claiming peace when there is no peace, and Jeremiah is exposing their deception. God challenges them, questioning if He is so distant that He cannot see their wicked schemes or the hidden impurity of their hearts. He asserts His omnipresence, emphasizing that nothing is concealed from His all-seeing gaze, whether near or far.
"“Am I a God at hand, declares the LORD, and not a God far away? Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the LORD. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the LORD." — The false prophets acted as if God was a distant, limited deity, only aware of what happened close by, like a human with poor eyesight. But God is asserting His total omnipresence – He is just as pre…
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Last reviewed October 2026
