Jeremiah 1:5 is one of the Bible’s most intriguing verses. It reads, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” This verse is a part of God’s calling Jeremiah to be His prophet.
200,000,000 sperm begin the race to the egg waiting in the fallopian tube. Only 50 will make it. Only one will penetrate the egg’s protective outer layer. Instantly a chemical process occurs locking out all other sperm. The miracle of life is in process. We are a combination of 46 chromosomes, twenty-three from each parent. That union decides what we will look like along with a host of other pre decided characteristics.
God told Jeremiah he was known before he was formed. There were 200,000,000 chances Jeremiah would have been someone other than himself. God knew which sperm would fertilize which egg, all of which were formed before Jeremiah’s mother was born. Is this all a bit amazing? But then again since God designed the whole marvelous life process this foreknowledge of Jeremiah’s personhood should not be outstanding. It is all in a day’s work for our omnipotent, omniscient God.
There is one more thing. It was not only Jeremiah who God knew prior to his formation. He knew you, too.
Written by Roger Bothwell on Feb. 8, 2001
Spring of Life, PO Box 124, St. Helena, CA 94574
Rogerbothwell.org