Like Clay in His Hand
September 2, 2021
Commentary
Pottery making was a familiar sight throughout the ancient Holy Land. Therefore, it was quite natural for Jeremiah to use this symbol to gain a hearing for his preaching and to reinforce his message. The parable of the marred vessel (chapter 18) demonstrates God’s sovereign dealings with Judah. Jeremiah was commanded to go to the potter’s house in order to learn a lesson (vv. 1-4). The potter’s house was probably located in the potter’s field south of Jerusalem, just beyond the valley of Hinnon. God announced that the potter and the clay illustrated His relationship to His people (vv. 5-12).They were like clay in his hand. As the potter was shaping a pot it sometimes became marred or mis-formed in his hand, but he did not throw it away. Instead, while it is still pliable, he made it into another vessel (v. 4). The symbol was very clear. God has the right to remold his people. They are like clay in his hand. God has a right to tear down or build up a nation as He pleases.
Judah refused to follow her God (vv. 13-17). Even the snow on the slopes of Lebanon and the cool waters that flow from these majestic mountains were more dependable than fickle Judah. She had turned from God to worship worthless idols (Jer. 2:5) which only caused her to stumble. By abandoning the ancient paths of obedience to God (Jer 6:16), Judah found herself on bypaths, wandering aimlessly. God would judge the nation for her sin by having her land laid waste. She would become an object of scorn and the Lord would scatter her like winds from the east.
Application
The potter had power over the clay to permit the defects to remain or reshape the pot. Just as God had the power to reshape the nation I should be willing and receptive to His remolding of my life. As I yield to Him, He begins reshaping me into His valuable vessel.
Jeremiah 18:1– 17 (NET)
1 The Lord said to Jeremiah: 2 “Go down at once to the potter’s house. I will speak to you further there.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house and found him working at his wheel. 4 Now and then there would be something wrong with the pot he was molding from the clay with his hands. So he would rework the clay into another kind of pot as he saw fit.
5 Then the Lord’s message came to me, 6 “I, the Lord, say: ‘O nation of Israel, can I not deal with you as this potter deals with the clay? In my hands, you, O nation of Israel, are just like the clay in this potter’s hand.’ 7 There are times, Jeremiah, when I threaten to uproot, tear down, and destroy a nation or kingdom. 8 But if that nation I threatened stops doing wrong, I will cancel the destruction I intended to do to it. 9 And there are times when I promise to build up and establish a nation or kingdom. 10 But if that nation does what displeases me and does not obey me, then I will cancel the good I promised to do to it. 11 So now, tell the people of Judah and the citizens of Jerusalem this: The Lord says, ‘I am preparing to bring disaster on you! I am making plans to punish you. So, every one of you, stop the evil things you have been doing. Correct the way you have been living and do what is right.’ 12 But they just keep saying, ‘We do not care what you say! We will do whatever we want to do! We will continue to behave wickedly and stubbornly!’”
13 Therefore, the Lord says, “Ask the people of other nations whether they have heard of anything like this. Israel should have been like a virgin, but she has done something utterly revolting!
14 Does the snow ever completely vanish from the rocky slopes of Lebanon? Do the cool waters from those distant mountains ever cease to flow?
15 Yet my people have forgotten me and offered sacrifices to worthless idols. This makes them stumble along in the way they live and leave the old reliable path of their fathers. They have left them to walk in bypaths, in roads that are not smooth and level.
16 So their land will become an object of horror. People will forever hiss out their scorn over it. All who pass that way will be filled with horror and will shake their heads in derision.
17 I will scatter them before their enemies like dust blowing in front of a burning east wind. I will turn my back on them and not look favorably on them when disaster strikes them.”