Jeremiah 10:12
He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion. He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.
He Himself formed the earth by His power, set the world firm in order by His wisdom, and spread out the heavens by His understanding and skill. He alone both made all things and keeps them going, ordering the workings of earth and heaven and sending waters, vapors, lightning, rain, and wind, so that the laws of nature do not explain themselves apart from the living God. That making of heaven and earth marks Him as the true God, the living God and everlasting King, a personal God set apart from idols of wood and stone that are lifeless, powerless, and made by human hands and will perish from the earth. The same making of heaven and earth, the sea, and all in them in six days is the seal of His authority in the fourth commandment, and the blessed and hallowed seventh-day Sabbath is its memorial and sign, witnessing to His existence, power, wisdom, and love. Therefore people are not to learn the way of the heathen, trust in man, or drink from polluted fountains of unbelief, but to trust in the Lord as their hope and fountain of living waters, exalting the Creator and not the created world with reverence, worship, and love.
Creation by Power and Wisdom
He fashioned the earth by sheer power, set the world firm and put it in order by wisdom, and spread the heavens out by discretion, understanding and skillful discernment. The three acts belong together as one declaration that He is the Maker of all things. To make is to establish, to establish is to order, and to stretch out the sky is to exercise intelligent purpose rather than blind force.
He alone both made the world and keeps it in being, holding in His hand the ordering of the machinery of earth and heaven. From that sustaining rule come the waters above, the rising vapors, the lightning with rain, and the wind from His treasuries. Natural law does not account for itself, and the workings of creation do not run apart from the living God.
What is made displays who made it, showing perfect and infinite wisdom, mighty power, character, love and glory. Tangible proof lies in the earth beneath and the heavens above, in the sun imparting life and beauty, and in the moon and stars as the work of His hands. That same wisdom by which the world was established and the heavens were stretched out stands joined to His all-seeing knowledge of all things.
True God Above Idols
The Maker of heaven and earth is the true God, the living God and everlasting King. He made the earth by His power, established and ordered the world by His wisdom, and stretched and spread out the heavens by His understanding, skill, discernment and discretion. His work of making and sustaining all things shows Him to be a personal God, not an impersonal force. Israel and Judah were to acknowledge Him as this living God when renewing their covenant with Him.
That work of making heaven and earth separates Him from idols of wood and stone and from gods that did not make heaven and earth. Idols are merely human-made, lifeless and powerless objects, vanity and falsehood. His creative power and wisdom set Him apart from them and distinguish Him from all false gods. His creative work in making the earth by power, ordering the world by wisdom, and spreading out the heavens by discernment establishes His claim to reverence and worship above idols.
The gods that did not make heaven and earth will perish from the earth and from under heaven. Idols that are merely human-made objects will perish. At His wrath the earth trembles and the nations cannot stand.
Nature expresses His character and gives evidence of His love, power and glory, but it is not God. The Creator, not the created world, is to be exalted. The earth beneath and the heavens above, the sun giving life and beauty, and the moon and stars as works of His hands are tangible proofs of His infinite wisdom and mighty power that show His superiority and call for love and reverence toward the Maker. His creative power continually points to Him as Creator, witnessing to His existence and reminding people of His greatness, wisdom and love.
Sabbath Memorial and Trust
The same making of heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them in six days is the proof and seal of His authority in the fourth commandment, which identifies this Creator as the true God and reveals His character. The blessed and hallowed seventh-day Sabbath is given as its memorial and sign, commemorating His creative power and witnessing to His existence. As the sign of His authority and power it continually points to God as Creator, reminding people of His greatness, wisdom, and love. This creative work establishes His claim to reverence and worship above idols, and gives the Sabbath its significance as a memorial of the Creator.
Israel and Judah were to acknowledge Him as the living God, the Creator of all things unlike lifeless idols, when renewing their covenant with Him. Believers must not learn the way of the heathen, nor trust in man and make flesh their arm. They must not drink from polluted fountains of infidelity and skepticism, while the gods that did not make heaven and earth are vanity and falsehood that will perish. They are to trust in the Lord as their hope and the fountain of living waters, who sends waters, vapors, lightning, rain and wind.
Human wisdom fails to know Him when people do not recognize His goodness, justice, majesty, and holiness. The fourth commandment identifies the Maker of heaven and earth as the true God, and His law reveals His character. His power and wisdom shown in creation are therefore not discerned by wisdom that overlooks who He is.