ירמיהו, פרק י׳, פסוק י׳

The Creator is defined by absolute truth, eternal life, and limitless power, standing in stark contrast to lifeless idols and passing mortals. His rule over the world is total, and when His anger is awakened, no force in nature or humanity can withstand it.

God is the ultimate truth precisely because He is living and eternal. Human beings might make promises, but they often fail to keep them because they inevitably die, lose their strength, or lose their wealth. God, however, lives forever and always has the power to fulfill His word [רש״י]. He is the sole true Master and Judge, existing entirely independent of anything else, completely unlike false, dead idols that possess no real substance [רד״ק]. Furthermore, He is the very source of life for all living creatures, depending on nothing for His own existence [מצודת דוד].

Because He is the eternal King who rules over everything, He commands immense awe. When His anger and wrath are triggered, the earth itself shakes and trembles [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. This shaking of the earth is understood in two distinct ways. It can be viewed as a metaphor for the collapse of nations and societies, a disaster that prophets warn about in advance. Alternatively, it describes a literal, physical earthquake so severe that entire cities sink into the ground along with their inhabitants [רד״ק].

The nations of the world are entirely incapable of bearing this intense anger [מצודת ציון, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. While false idols might occasionally appear to have some reality, they are reduced to nothing the moment God's anger flares. No nation can stand against Him, as He faces no rivals anywhere in the heavens [מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ]. There is a clear progression to this divine reaction. The initial anger is expressed through the shaking of the earth itself. This is followed by a deeper level of fury, representing the actual curse and punishment, such as fire and brimstone erupting from the ground. It is this final, unbearable punishment that ultimately leads to the destruction of those who oppose Him [מלבי״ם].