In Jeremiah 32:26, God declares “Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?” This verse comes in the context of God promising restoration to Israel after their exile in Babylon. But what does God mean when He refers to Himself as “the God of all flesh”? Let’s explore this topic in depth.
God is Creator of All People
First, when God says He is the “God of all flesh,” it means He is the Creator of all humanity. As it says in Genesis 1:26-27, God created man and woman in His own image. He gave life and breath to all people, not just the Israelites. In Numbers 16:22, Moses calls God “the God of the spirits of all flesh.” This affirms that God made every human soul and gave every person their life.
God’s reference to “all flesh” highlights that He has authority over every human being, not just believers in Him. He is the Maker of all humanity – across nations, cultures, and backgrounds. As Isaiah 42:5 states, “Thus says God, the Lord, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it.” God is the source of life for everyone in the world.
God Cares for More than Just Israel
In saying He is “God of all flesh,” God also implies that His sovereignty extends beyond Israel to all nations. Often in Scripture, God refers to Israel as “my people.” For example, in Exodus 3:7 God says, “I have seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt.” Yet, in calling Himself “God of all flesh,” He affirms His interest is not limited to one nation.
Though God specifically chose Israel and established a unique covenant with them, His compassion and care encompass all humanity. As it says in Psalm 145:9, “The Lord is good to all, and his mercy is over all that he has made.” His eye is on the sparrow, and He cares for people of every ethnicity and background.
God Can Accomplish Anything He Desires
Finally, God calling Himself the “God of all flesh” in Jeremiah 32 signifies that nothing is too difficult for Him. Right after declaring He is “God of all flesh,” God asks rhetorically, “Is anything too hard for me?” (Jeremiah 32:27). God emphasizes His infinite power over all humanity and creation.
In the context of Jeremiah 32, God is promising to bring Israel back from captivity in Babylon. Though this seems impossible, God stresses that nothing is too difficult for Him. As the Maker of all people, the whole earth is under His authority. There is no limit to what God can accomplish when He puts His mind to it.
This aspect of God being “God of all flesh” offers great encouragement. It reminds us that the whole world is in God’s hands – He is sovereign over every detail and can intervene powerfully whenever He chooses. As Jeremiah 32:17 states, “Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.”
God Shows No Partiality
One implication of God being “God of all flesh” is that He shows no partiality or favoritism. As Romans 2:11 states, “For God shows no partiality.” Ethnicity, social class, or earthly status do not impact someone’s standing before God. He made all people in His image and cares for everyone equally.
In Acts 10:34-35, Peter affirms, “Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.” God is not just “God of the Israelites,” but “God of all flesh.” He welcomes people from every nation when they revere and obey Him.
God Expects Obedience from All People
Since God created all humanity, He expects everyone to obey His moral standards, not just Israel. Psalms 33:8 declares, “Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him!” God calls all flesh to worship Him as sovereign Lord.
In Acts 17:30, Paul proclaims that God “commands all people everywhere to repent.” God holds every individual accountable to turn from sin and yield to Him. He is “God of all flesh,” thus everyone must honor and submit to Him. There are no exceptions for any people group.
God Will Judge All People
Because God formed every human soul and knows all deeds, He will judge all flesh impartially. As Hebrews 12:23 states, “God is judge of all.” No one gets preferential treatment when they stand before His throne. He will judge rich and poor, small and great, with perfect justice.
Romans 14:11-12 declares, “‘As I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.’ So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.” God’s authority over “all flesh” means He will require an account from every person regarding how they lived.
Jesus Christ Tasted Death for Everyone
A beautiful truth stemming from God’s lordship over all humanity is that Christ died to redeem people from every tribe and nation. Why did Jesus sacrifice Himself on the cross? Hebrews 2:9 answers, “But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” Praise God that Jesus atoned for the sins of all flesh!
As 1 John 2:2 declares, “He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.” Christ’s sacrifice is sufficient to cleanse every single human being from their sin and rebellion against God. The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (Romans 1:16).
The Holy Spirit Brings New Life to All People
God being “God of all flesh” has stunning implications when we consider the work of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit regenerates and indwells those who put their faith in Christ, giving them new spiritual life. He graciously bestows His renewing power on people from every family, language, and nation.
As Ezekiel 37:1-14 describes, the Spirit can even bring dry bones to life! No heart is beyond His life-giving reach. The Spirit offers intimate fellowship with God to all who come to Christ. As 2 Corinthians 3:17-18 states, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.”
Believers Become One Body in Christ
God’s impartial love toward all flesh finds expression in the church, where people of every ethnicity unite together in Christ. As Ephesians 2:14-15 describes, “For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility…that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace.”
In the body of Christ, worldly barriers of race, social status, and gender are demolished. Galatians 3:28 expresses it beautifully: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” God cherishes all flesh, so believers must reflect His heart by cherishing every member of His church.
God’s Impartiality Teaches Us to Love Our Neighbor
Since God shows no favoritism, His followers must not discriminate against others, but rather love their neighbors. James 2:8-9 commands, “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.”
Loving our neighbor as ourselves captures the ethic God expects of His people. He is “God of all flesh,” so His mercy must shape how we treat all people, regardless of their background or social status. As Jesus taught in Luke 10:25-37, our “neighbor” encompasses even those we might tend to avoid or look down upon.
Conclusion
God declaring “I am the God of all flesh” (Jeremiah 32:27) conveys His majestic authority over every human life. He created all people in His image, cares for all with impartial love, and commands all everywhere to worship Him. This universal scope of God’s lordship teaches profound truths about His just judgment, Christ’s redeeming blood, the Spirit’s work, equality in the church, and the ethics of neighbor love.
Understanding this phrase unveils breathtaking truths about who God is and how He interacts with humanity. It instills awe at His greatness and appreciation for His mercy. As Jeremiah 32:17 says, “Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” May this glimpse of God’s relationship with all flesh lead us to worship Him as the majestic Lord of the universe!
