Oracles of Order

Abstract

It is common for scholars to subordinate creation theology in Jeremiah to other theological themes, such as redemption or covenant, or not acknowledge its formative role in the book’s message. Failure to recognize creation’s important roles in Jeremiah’s rhetoric results in a skewed understanding of Israel’s sins and their effects on the cosmos, as well as the rationale behind their judgment. Similarly, God’s identity as Creator is what distinguishes him from other deities and should result in the exclusive fear and worship of him, and it is this Creator God who has brought disaster upon his people and land. This study analyzes creation theology in the rhetoric of Jeremiah in order to demonstrate its important role in the book’s message. To achieve this goal, the study first narrows creation theology to the occasions in which YHWH is presented as the Creator of the cosmos, which are labeled as YHWH’s creation claims. This study then identifies the four passages in the opening section of the book (chs. 1–10) that contain at least one clear creation claim (1:4–12; 4:23–28; 5:20–25; 10:1–16). The study then performs a rhetorical-critical analysis of these four passages, identifying the various functions YHWH’s creation claims play in individual passages and providing a more systematic assessment of creation theology in the rhetoric of the book’s message. This study argues that Jer 1–10 uses creation to universalize the scope of his message and bolster the validity of his indictment, meaning creation plays a unique and necessary role in the prophet’s persuasive intents, namely repentance, theodicy, and doxology. Jeremiah’s message of judgment thus becomes an expression of YHWH’s exclusive identity as Creator of the cosmos and Sustainer of its order. Furthermore, Judah’s judgment is at least partially the result of their inability to properly recognize YHWH as Creator (5:20–25; 10:1–16), recognize that Jeremiah has been commissioned by the Creator (1:4–12), or repent in response to the horrific vision of Judah’s destruction at the hand of the Creator (4:23–26). As Creator, YHWH upholds the created order, which sometimes requires judgment.