Jeremiah 18:1-23
Q.1. In what way is God likened to a potter? What principle did God want Israel to learn from the potter? What message was Jeremiah to bring to Judah? Why was God punishing Judah? – (Jer.18:1-17)
God sent Jeremiah to the potter’s house and told him – there I will announce My words to you (Jer.18:1). While watching the potter – the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; So, he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make (Jer.18:4). Then God declared – Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter does? … Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel (Jer.18:6 c.f. Rom.9:19-21). God gave Jeremiah the following principle about the rise and fall of nations – 7 At one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot, to pull down, or to destroy it; 8 if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the calamity I planned to bring on it. 9 Or at another moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to build up or to plant it; 10 if it does evil in My sight by not obeying My voice, then I will think better of the good with which I had promised to bless it (Jer.18:7-10). Jeremiah was to warn Judah, that calamity would come if they did not repent (Jer.18:11). However, God knew that the people would continue in their stubborn rebellion (Jer.18:12). He expressed His dismay – For My people have forgotten Me, they burn incense to worthless gods, and they have stumbled from their ways, from the ancient paths … (Jer.18:15). Consequently – I will show them My back and not My face in the day of their calamity (Jer.18:17). He would turn against His people, as they had turned against Him.
Q.2. How did the people react to the prophet? What was Jeremiah’s appeal to God? Why did he ask for retribution? How does God respond to prayers of vengeance? – (Jer.18:18-23)
The people paid no attention to Jeremiah, though he had pleaded on their behalf (Jer.18:18-20). They argued that Jeremiah’s word should be rejected, since it was at variance with the messages of Judah’s Priests and Prophets (Jer.18:18). Jeremiah prayed that the Lord would vindicate his message, by punishing the false prophets, priests, and their families, for their attacks on him (Jer.18:19-23). Though we may sympathize with the prophet’s pain, we can be sure that God will execute His vengeance on a completely just basis (Deut.32:35-36 c.f. Ps.94:1-7; Rom.12:14-21).