God’s conversation with Jeremiah in chapter 1 takes a curious turn: “And the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ‘Jeremiah, what do you see?’ And I said, ‘I see an almond branch.’ Then the LORD said to me, ‘You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.’” (Jeremiah 1:11–12). To modern readers, this might sound like a riddle worthy of a Bible trivia contest. But in Hebrew, this moment is a clever wordplay—something God seemed to enjoy. The Hebrew word for almond, shaqed, sounds very similar to the word for watching, shoqed. God was teaching Jeremiah through a pun! According to Bullinger, the Bible contains around 217 figures of speech, proving that divine communication can be both artistic and precise. Martens describes wordplays as “clever, sometimes surprising turns of phrase that make truth memorable.” Like the saying, “We should respect our criminals and let them finish their sentences,” these wordplays make us stop, think, and smile. But God’s humor always serves a higher purpose—it makes His message unforgettable.
The almond tree was not chosen at random. As Constance points out, the almond was called “the waker,” the first tree to bloom in the spring—sometimes as early as January. Its early blossoms symbolized alertness and quick action. God was using the almond branch as a vivid picture of His readiness to act: “I will hasten my word to perform it.” The Hebrew image suggests God is awake and active, never dozing through the affairs of His people. That is reassuring in a world that often feels like it is spinning off its hinges. While Jeremiah’s vision warned of judgment soon to come, the same truth applies to us when we grow weary of waiting. God’s promises may seem slow, but they are never forgotten. He is the divine “early riser,” always on time and always working, even when we are half asleep spiritually.
Wiersbe beautifully summarized the lesson: “God is ever awake to watch over His Word and fulfill it.” That faithfulness finds its ultimate expression in Jesus Christ. Just as the almond tree heralds new life each spring, Jesus rose from the tomb as the firstfruits of resurrection. Paul wrote, “For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). The same God who kept His word to Jeremiah kept His word at Calvary. His Son is the living proof that God always hastens to perform His promises. The branch Jeremiah saw was a symbol of vigilance—but Jesus, the true Branch, is the fulfillment of every divine promise, awake forever to intercede for us.