627BC – Jeremiah visited the potter’s house

Jeremiah 18:1-17 and 19:15. God asked Jeremiah to visit a local potter. God said, “I will give you a message for the people of Judah and those living in Jerusalem.”

Jeremiah found the potter at work making clay pots.

God said to Jeremiah, “Go and buy a clay jar from a potter.” God used it to explain to Jeremiah what was about to happen.

Read the Background Reading below for that message God gave to Jeremiah for Judah and Jerusalem.

Background Reading:

The Potter’s House and the Ruined Vessel

18:1 The message that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 2 “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I’ll allow you to hear my words.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was doing work at the potter’s wheel. 4 But the vessel he was working on with the clay was ruined in the potter’s hand. So he remade it into another vessel that seemed appropriate to him.

5 Then this message from the LORD came to me: 6 “Israel, can’t I deal with you like this potter?” declares the LORD. “Look, Israel, like clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand. 7 At one moment I may speak about a nation or a kingdom to uproot it, pull it down, or destroy it. 8 But if that nation about which I spoke turns from its evil way, I’ll change my mind about the disaster that I had planned for it. 9 At another moment I may speak about a nation or kingdom to build it or plant it. 10 But if that nation does evil in my eyes by not obeying me, I’ll change my mind about the good that I said I would bring on it.

11 “Now say to the people of Judah and to the residents of Jerusalem, ‘This is what the LORD says: “Look, I’m designing a disaster just for you, and I’m making plans against you. Each one of you must repent from his evil way. Make your ways and deeds right.”’ 12 But they’ll say, ‘It’s useless! We will follow our plans and each of us will pursue his own evil desires.’

13 “Therefore, this is what the LORD says:

‘Ask the nations.

Who has ever heard of anything like this?

You have done a most horrible thing,

virgin Israel.

14 Does the snow of Lebanon

ever vanish from its rocky slopes?

Or does the cold water from a foreign land

ever cease to flow?

15 Yet my people have forgotten me,

and they burn incense to worthless idols

that make them stumble in their journey

on the ancient paths.

They walk on trails,

on a way that is not built up.

16 They make their land into a desolate place,

an object of lasting scorn.

All who pass by will be appalled

and will shake their heads.

17 ‘Like the east wind, I’ll scatter them

before the enemy.

I’ll show them my back and not my face,

on the day of their downfall.’”
Jeremiah 18:1-17 and 19:15
Also read: Jeremiah 18:18-23 and 19:1-15.


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