Why does the Lord ask if a man can hide himself from the Lord and if the Lord fills the heavens and the earth?

Following on from the first question the Lord has asked (Jeremiah 23:23), the next two questions reveal the devastating consequences of the prophets distorted view of the Lord. First, Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? Anyone who has correctly understood the implications of the Lord’s question in Jeremiah 23:23 will immediately answer this question with no. There is nowhere to hide from the Lord who is both transcendent and immanent. He rules over all he has made and is separate from it, but he is present everywhere and sees and knows everything. Nothing is kept secret from him. The false prophets must not think that the Lord does not see the wickedness of the nation and is simply present to receive their temple worship. The second question drives this truth home, Do I not fill the heavens and the earth? Again, anyone who truly knows who the Lord is will know that the answer to this question is yes. The Lord who has made his covenant with Israel and has been present with them is the transcendent creator who both made and fills all of creation with his presence.

The questions asked in Jeremiah 23:23–24 serve as the basis for the judgment of both the prophets and the people that will follow in the passage.¹ How badly mistaken the prophets are to believe that they can speak a false message in the Lord’s name and think he will not see or act. How badly mistaken the people are to believe the false prophets who assure them that all is well even as they betray the Lord in both their worship and their daily lives.