Jeremiah 31:35
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What's striking here is that God describes Himself not just as the one who calms the sea but also as the one who stirs it up so its waves roar. This shows His power isn't just in maintaining order, but also in unleashing chaos, proving His absolute control over all creation, both the stable and the tempestuous. This imagery is a profound reassurance: if His control extends to the wildest forces of nature, it certainly extends to His promises for His people.
Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the LORD of hosts is his name:
English Standard Version (ESV)
In the midst of promising a future restoration and a new covenant, God declares His power over creation. He reminds the people that just as He established the predictable cycles of the sun, moon, and stars, and can command even the wildest sea, His promises are just as sure and unshakeable. This powerful declaration immediately precedes His assurance that Israel will never cease to be a nation before Him, linking the reliability of the natural world to the divine faithfulness of His covenant.
When life feels chaotic and unpredictable, where do we find solid ground? Jeremiah points us to the heavens.
Jeremiah opens this powerful declaration by reminding Israel of God's absolute sovereignty over creation. He isn't just any god; He is the LORD of Hosts.
The Sun, Moon, and Stars:
The Roaring Sea:
This imagery isn't just poetic; it's a theological statement. The unwavering regularity of the cosmos is presented as God's signature – proof that His promises are just as stable and dependable.
God's promises to Israel seemed impossible to believe, especially in their devastated state. So, He offered an astonishing guarantee.
The stability of the natural world is directly linked to the certainty of God's promises to His people. The verses following Jeremiah 31:35 make this explicit: if the ordinances of the sun, moon, and stars were to fail, then Israel would cease to be a nation.
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The Core Idea:
This wasn't just about national survival; it was about God's unwavering covenant love. Even when His people faltered, His faithfulness remained as constant as the cosmic order He established.
Understand the original words
ṣāḇāʾ · Hebrew Noun
A title for God emphasizing His role as the sovereign commander of the vast armies of heaven, including angels and the celestial bodies. It speaks to His supreme authority and power over all created reality.
The prophet Jeremiah reassures a people facing the utter devastation of their nation and the destruction of their Temple. He grounds the seemingly impossible promise of restoration in God's absolute power over creation, arguing that the One who flawlessly governs the cosmos will also faithfully uphold His covenant with Israel.
Late 8th Century BC
Assyrian Empire at Height
The Assyrian Empire, a formidable military power, dominated the region. This era saw significant deportations and political upheaval, creating a backdrop of fear and instability for the surrounding nations, including Judah.
626 BC
Jeremiah Begins Prophesying
Jeremiah is called by God to prophesy. He begins his ministry during a time of political uncertainty and impending doom for Judah, as the Neo-Babylonian Empire rises to power.
605 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon conquers Judah and deports a first group of exiles, including Daniel. This event marks the beginning of the Babylonian Captivity and the loss of national sovereignty.
597 BC
Second Deportation to Babylon
Another wave of exiles, including King Jehoiachin and the prophet Ezekiel, are taken to Babylon. Jerusalem and the Temple remain, but the situation is dire.
586 BC— this verse
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Nebuchadnezzar utterly destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling the majority of the remaining population. This is the nadir of Judah's national existence and a profound spiritual crisis.
c. 540 BC
Second Isaiah's Prophecies
The prophet known as Second Isaiah writes during the later years of the Babylonian exile, offering messages of comfort, hope, and the certainty of God's redemptive plan for Israel.
539 BC
Cyrus the Great Conquers Babylon
The Persian Empire under Cyrus the Great overthrows Babylon. This political shift eventually leads to the decree allowing the Jewish exiles to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple.
This passage describes God's sovereign power over the chaotic sea, similar to how Jeremiah 31:35 highlights God's control over roaring waves, emphasizing His might as the Lord of Hosts.
Psalm 89:35-37This psalm speaks of God's covenant with David being as sure as the sun, moon, and stars, echoing Jeremiah's use of celestial constancy as a pledge for Israel's continuity.
Isaiah 51:15This verse directly parallels Jeremiah's description of God stirring up the sea, reinforcing the theme of God's immense power over natural forces as a guarantor of His promises.
Isaiah 40:26This passage points to God as the creator and sustainer of the vast universe, including the celestial bodies, which aligns with Jeremiah's declaration of God as the one who ordains the sun and moon for light.
Romans 11:29The apostle Paul uses the unbreakable nature of God's covenants and His callings, much like the enduring order of creation mentioned by Jeremiah, to assure the unchangeable nature of God's dealings with Israel.
calvinJeremiah 31:35-36: "Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:"
Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; the LORD of hosts is his name:
Sic dicit Jehova, Qui ponit solera (vel…
pooleJeremiah 31:35: "Thus saith the LORD, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The LORD of hosts is his name:"
The word egd is here ill translated divide , which hath led some interpreters to think that God here hath a respect to his dividing the Red Sea, that the Israelites might pass over, which seemeth not at all here to be intended. The word indeed signifieth to divide,…
What's striking here is that God describes Himself not just as the one who calms the sea but also as the one who stirs it up so its waves roar. This shows His power isn't just in maintaining order, but also in unleashing chaos, proving His absolute control over all creation, both the stable and the tempestuous. This imagery is a profound reassurance: if His control extends to the wildest forces of nature, it certainly extends to His promises for His people.
In the midst of promising a future restoration and a new covenant, God declares His power over creation. He reminds the people that just as He established the predictable cycles of the sun, moon, and stars, and can command even the wildest sea, His promises are just as sure and unshakeable. This powerful declaration immediately precedes His assurance that Israel will never cease to be a nation before Him, linking the reliability of the natural world to the divine faithfulness of His covenant.
In the midst of promising a future restoration and a new covenant, God declares His power over creation. He reminds the people that just as He established the predictable cycles of the sun, moon, and stars, and can command even the wildest sea, His promises are just as sure and unshakeable. This powerful declaration immediately precedes His assurance that Israel will never cease to be a nation before Him, linking the reliability of the natural world to the divine faithfulness of His covenant.
"Thus says the LORD, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar— the LORD of hosts is his name:" — What's striking here is that God describes Himself not just as the one who calms the sea but also as the one who stirs it up so its waves roar. This shows His power isn't just in maintaining orde…
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Last reviewed October 2026
