The Potter and the Clay
Study note
God tells Jeremiah to go to a potter's house. There, Jeremiah watches the potter working at his wheel. When the pot he is making does not turn out right, the potter simply reshapes the clay into a different pot. God says he has the same authority over Israel.
1 Here is the message the Lord gave to Jeremiah: The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying,
2 "Go down to the shop where the potter works, and I will speak to you there." Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words.
3 So I went to the potter's shop and found him working at his spinning wheel. Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels.
4 The pot he was making did not turn out right. So he squished the clay back together and shaped it into a different pot that looked good to him. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.
5 Then the Lord gave me this message: Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying,
6 "People of Israel, can't I do the same thing with you that this potter does with clay?" says the Lord. "You are like clay in my hands, just as that clay is in the potter's hands." O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.
God's Sovereignty Over Nations
Study note
God explains a principle that applies to all nations. If God announces judgment against a nation and that nation repents, God will relent from the disaster. But if a nation God has blessed turns to evil, God will take back the blessing. When Jeremiah delivers this message, the people respond with hopelessness, saying they will do whatever they want.
7 "There may be a time when I announce that I'm going to uproot, tear down, and destroy a certain nation or kingdom." At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it;
8 "But if that nation turns away from its evil, then I will change my mind about the disaster I had planned for it." If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.
9 "Or there may be a time when I announce that I'm going to build up and plant a certain nation or kingdom." And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it;
10 "But if that nation does evil and will not obey me, I will change my mind. I will take back the good I had planned." If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.
11 "So go tell the people of Judah and Jerusalem, 'The Lord says: I am getting ready to bring disaster on you. I am making plans against you. So turn away from your evil ways — every one of you. Change your behavior and start living right.'" Now therefore go to, speak to the men of Judah, and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I frame evil against you, and devise a device against you: return ye now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.
12 But the people will say, "Forget it. We're going to keep following our own plans. Each of us will keep doing whatever our stubborn, evil heart wants." And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.
Israel's Unnatural Behavior
Study note
God is stunned by Israel's behavior. Even the snow on Lebanon's mountains never disappears, and cool streams never dry up. Yet God's people have forgotten him and turned to worthless idols. They have left the ancient paths and stumbled into ruin.
13 So the Lord says, "Go ask the other nations if they've ever heard of anything like this. The people of Israel have done something truly shocking." Therefore thus saith the LORD; Ask ye now among the heathen, who hath heard such things: the virgin of Israel hath done a very horrible thing.
14 "Does the snow ever disappear from the mountain peaks of Lebanon? Do its cool, refreshing streams ever stop flowing?" Will a man leave the snow of Lebanon which cometh from the rock of the field? or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place be forsaken?
15 "But my people have forgotten me! They burn incense to worthless idols that trip them up and pull them off the ancient road. They wander down side paths instead of staying on the main highway." Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up;
16 "Because of this, their land will become a wasteland that people will always gasp at in horror. Everyone passing through will be shocked and shake their head." To make their land desolate, and a perpetual hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished, and wag his head.
17 "Like a fierce east wind, I will scatter them before their enemies. On the day of their disaster, I will turn my back to them, not my face." I will scatter them as with an east wind before the enemy; I will shew them the back, and not the face, in the day of their calamity.
The People Plot Against Jeremiah
Study note
The people conspire against Jeremiah, planning to attack him with their words and ignore everything he says. Jeremiah prays to God, reminding him that he once tried to speak good things on the people's behalf. Now he asks God to deal with them according to their wickedness.
18 Then the people said, "Let's come up with a plan to get rid of Jeremiah. After all, the priests will keep teaching the law, the wise men will keep giving advice, and the prophets will keep speaking. So let's attack him with our words and ignore everything he says." Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words.
19 Lord, please listen to me! Hear what my accusers are saying about me! Give heed to me, O LORD, and hearken to the voice of them that contend with me.
20 Should someone be repaid with evil for doing good? Yet they have dug a pit to trap me! Remember how I stood before you and pleaded on their behalf, trying to turn your anger away from them. Shall evil be recompensed for good? for they have digged a pit for my soul. Remember that I stood before thee to speak good for them, and to turn away thy wrath from them.
21 So hand their children over to famine. Give them over to the power of the sword. Let their wives lose their children and become widows. Let their husbands be struck down by disease. Let their young men be cut down in battle. Therefore deliver up their children to the famine, and pour out their blood by the force of the sword; and let their wives be bereaved of their children, and be widows; and let their men be put to death; let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.
22 Let screams be heard from their houses when you suddenly send raiders against them! They dug a pit to catch me and hid traps where I walk. Let a cry be heard from their houses, when thou shalt bring a troop suddenly upon them: for they have digged a pit to take me, and hid snares for my feet.
23 But Lord, you know about every one of their plots to kill me. Don't forgive their crimes or erase their sins from your records. Let them collapse in front of you. Deal with them when your anger is at its peak. Yet, LORD, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me: forgive not their iniquity, neither blot out their sin from thy sight, but let them be overthrown before thee; deal thus with them in the time of thine anger.