Why does the Lord say that if the heavens can be measured and the earths foundations explored, then he will cast off the offspring of Israel?
The Lord further expresses his commitment to his people, and the certainty of his new covenant. The logic here is similar to that of Jeremiah 31:35–36. As impossible as it is for someone to measure and explore the Lord’s creation, the heavens above
and the earth below
; so impossible it is for the Lord to cast off the offspring of Israel for all that they have done, declares the Lord.
Certainly, in Jeremiah’s day it was understood that only the Lord can measure the heavens (Isaiah 40:12) and humans cannot explore the foundations of the earth (Job 38:4–7).1 Even today mankind cannot discover the full extent of the Lord’s creation. As impossible as it is for mankind to measure creation, so impossible is it for the Lord to cast off his people despite their sinfulness.
Jeremiah has made it clear that the people have rejected the Lord (Jeremiah 6:19; 8:9) and he has given ample evidence of this rejection in the way the people have behaved. Despite all these things that they have done,
the Lord, under the new covenant, will not reject them.2
37 Ainsi parle l'Eternel: Si les cieux en haut peuvent être mesurés, Si les fondements de la terre en bas peuvent être sondés, Alors je rejetterai toute la race d'Israël, A cause de tout ce qu'ils ont fait, dit l'Eternel.