The Potter and the Clay: God's Authority

Jeremiah 18: The Potter and the Clay.

Jeremiah 18:1-6: "'The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, "Arise and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause you to hear My words." Then I went down to the potter's house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, "O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?" says the Lord. "Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel."'

Jeremiah 18:7-10: "'The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, to destroy, if that nation, against whom I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I spoke to bring upon it. And the instant I speak, concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.'"

Jeremiah 18:11-12: "'Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, "Thus says the Lord: 'Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now, everyone from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.'" And they said, "This is hopeless! So we will walk according to our own plans, and we will everyone obey the dictates of his own evil heart."'"

Jeremiah 18:13-16: "'Therefore thus says the Lord: "Ask now among the Gentiles, who has heard such things? The virgin of Israel has done a very horrible thing. Will a man leave the snow water of Lebanon, which comes from the rock of the field? Or will the cold flowing waters be forsaken for strange waters? Because My people have forgotten Me; they have burned incense to worthless idols; and they have caused themselves to stumble in their wicked ways from the ancient past, to walk in pathways, and not on a highway, to make their land desolate, a perpetual hissing; everyone who passes by will be astonished and shake his head. I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will show them the back and not the face in the day of their calamity." Then they said, "Come and let us devise plans against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, let us attack him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words."'"

Jeremiah 18:18-23: "'Give heed to me, O Lord, and listen to the voice of those who contend with me. Shall evil be repaid for good? For they have dug a pit for my life. Remember that I stood before You to speak good for them, to turn away Your wrath from them. Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; let their wives become widows and bereave their children; let their men be put to death, let their young men be slain by the sword in battle. Let a cry be heard from their houses when You bring a troop suddenly upon them. For they have dug a pit to take me and hidden snares for my feet. Yet, Lord, You know all their counsel which is against me to slay me. Provide no atonement for their iniquity, nor blot out their sin from Your sight; but let them be overthrown before You. Deal thus with them in the time of Your anger.'"

God has authority to reshape Israel and the nations. Jeremiah goes to the potter's house. The vessel is marred. God says He can do the same with Israel and the nations if they repent. Judgment is not arbitrary. If a nation repents, God can relent. If it hardens, God's judgment will come.