Contradiction with Genesis 1:1-2
Contradicts the state of the earth as "without form and void" in Jeremiah 4:23 by describing the earth's creation as initially formless but then proceeding to formation and order by God's will.
Genesis 1:1-2: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Contradiction with Isaiah 45:18
This verse states that God created the earth not in vain and formed it to be inhabited, which contrasts with the desolate and void depiction in Jeremiah 4:23.
Isaiah 45:18: For thus saith the LORD that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited: I [am] the LORD; and [there is] none else.
Paradox #1
Jeremiah 4:23 may seem to contradict the idea of a world created in order and purpose because it describes a scene of chaos and desolation. Some people might find it inconsistent with the initial creation narrative that presents a structured and good creation. However, this can be understood as imagery to convey the severity of coming judgment rather than a literal description, resolving the apparent contradiction.
Paradox #2
The contradiction could be related to descriptions of the Earth being formless and empty, which might not align with modern scientific understanding of the Earth's formation and structure. Science explains Earth's formation through processes like the Big Bang and gradual development over billions of years, rather than an immediate transition from formless to formed.