As a bright light seen approaching from the distance, God now arrives on the scene. The word stood
highlights his awesome presence. God is not absent but is with his people in their time of struggle and hardship. His measuring of the earth symbolically described him as examining everything to show that he sees and knows all things, giving him absolute control over all his creation. At his appearance, the nations will shake, indicating that his presence would be like a powerful explosion. The writer of the book of Hebrews spoke about the voice of God shaking the earth and the heavens to reveal his mighty power (Hebrews 12:26). The consequence of his presence was that the everlasting mountains would be scattered and the hills would sink low. Although the mountains and hills were brought into existence at the start of creation, they would be pushed aside to make way for God’s advancement upon the Babylonians. This is what he had planned to do from eternity.
6 He stood and measured the earth; he looked and shook the nations; then the eternal mountains were scattered; the everlasting hills sank low. His were the everlasting ways.