“Thus says Yahweh of hosts.
‘See!
Disaster is spreading
From nation to nation!
A great tempest is stirring
From the farthest parts
Of the earth!’”
Yahweh tells Jeremiah to tell everyone that the disaster is spreading from country to country. A storm is stirring in the farthest parts of this flat earth. A big storm is on the way.
“You have made the moon to mark the seasons.
The sun knows it’s time for setting.
You make darkness.
It is night.
Then all the animals of the forest come creeping out.
The young lions roar for their prey.
They seek their food from God.
When the sun rises,
They withdraw.
They lie down in their dens.
People go out to their work.
They labor until the evening.”
Everything has a purpose. God made the moon to mark the seasons and the sun to mark the days. Thus there is night and darkness. The sun rises and sets which is perfectly correct with a flat earth concept of the world. The earth does not move around the sun. God makes the darkness. During this darkness, the animals of the forest can creep around, while the young lions can seek their prey that is food that comes from God. It almost sounds like the lions recognize God. When the sun rises on the next day, the lions return to their dens. Then the people go out to work until the evening time.
“By awesome deeds
You answer us with deliverance.
O God of our salvation!
You are the hope
Of all the ends of the earth!
You are the hope
Of the farthest seas!
By your strength
You established the mountains.
You are girded with might.
You silence the roaring of the seas.
You silence the roaring of their waves.
You silence the tumult of the peoples.
Those who live
At earth’s farthest bounds
Are awed by your signs.
You make the gateways
Of the morning and the evening
Shout for joy.”
God has done awesome deeds by bringing salvation. However, he has also brought hope to the ends of the earth and the farthest seas. Notice the concept of the Mount Zion centered flat earth. Everything goes from there to the “ends” of the earth. God has made the mountains. He controls the seas and the waves. Even those at the farthest bounds of the earth are awed by God. God has control of the morning and the evening since he controls the sun moving around the joyful flat earth.
“God understands the way to it.
He knows its place.
He looks to the ends of the earth.
He sees everything under the heavens.
He gave to the wind its weight.
He meted out the waters by measure.
He made a decree for the rain.
He made a way for the thunderbolt.
Then he saw it.
He declared it.
He established it.
He searched it out.
He said to humankind.
‘Truly
The fear of Yahweh,
That is wisdom.
To depart from evil is understanding.’”
Now we have the answer to this puzzle about wisdom. God is the answer. Fear of Yahweh is true wisdom, an Israelite description of God. Separating from evil is true wisdom. God understands where wisdom is and how to find it. He goes to the ends of the flat earth. He sees everything under the heavens. He knows all things. He knows the weight of the wind and the measure of water. He is in charge of the rain and the thunderbolts. Finally, he reveals it to all human mortals. Fear of the Lord Yahweh is true wisdom so that you depart from evil.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 