40a Jeremiah and the Potter’s House [Jeremiah 18]

The Bible passage: [Jeremiah 18]

The Story:

(The words of Jeremiah the prophet)

This word came to me from the Lord, “Go down to the potter’s house. I will reveal My words to you there.”

I went down to the potter’s house, and the potter was there, working at the wheel.

The jar that he was making out of clay became flawed in his hand, so he made it into a different jar.

The word of the Lord came to me, “House of Israel, can’t I treat you like this potter treats his clay? At one moment I might announce that I will uproot, tear down, and destroy a particular nation or kingdom. However, if that nation turns from its evil, I will not bring the disaster that I had planned. At another time I announce that I will build up a nation or a kingdom. However, if it does what is evil by not listening to Me, I will not bring the good I had said I would do to it. 

“So now, say to the people of Judah and Jerusalem, ‘The Lord says He is about to bring harm to you and make plans against you. Turn now from your evil way and correct your ways and your deeds.’

“But they will say, ‘It’s hopeless. We will continue to follow our plans and act according to the stubbornness of our evil hearts.’”

This is what the Lord says, “Israel has done a most terrible thing. My people have forgotten Me. They burn incense to false gods that make them stumble in their ways, walking on new paths, not the highway. They have turned their land into a horror, an object of scorn. Everyone who passes by will be horrified and shake his head. I will scatter them in front of their enemies like the east wind. I will turn My back on them while they face their calamity.”

Then some of the people said, “Come, let’s make a plan against Jeremiah. Let’s denounce him and pay no attention to all his words.”

Pay attention to me, Lord. Hear what my opponents are saying! Should good be repaid with evil? They have dug a pit for me. Remember how I told you good things about them, to turn Your anger away from them. Therefore, Lord, bring a famine on their children, and pour the power of the sword on them. Let their wives become childless and widowed, their husbands killed by deadly disease, and their young men struck down by the sword in battle.

Let a cry be heard from their houses when You suddenly bring raiders against them, for they have dug a pit to capture me and have hidden snares for my feet. But You, Lord, know all their deadly plots against me. Do not wipe out their guilt; do not blot out their sin. Let them be forced to stumble before You; deal with them with Your righteous anger.

The Lessons:

  • Does God change His mind? We have a good description from God. It comes right after the story of the clay jar. God states that, based on actions of the people he made plans for, He will change course from what He originally wanted to happen.
  • The story of the potter and the clay jar are a good picture of God dealing with His creation. God has plans for His people, both nations and individuals. There are times when we choose not to follow God’s plans. At those times, God adjusts to accomplish His will in spite of us.
  • Judah rejected God’s message and His messenger. As a result, God said He would turn His back on them. This resulted in their coming exile.


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