Jeremiah 18:1-23 The Lessons at the Potter's House

The Lessons at the Potter's House

Jeremiah 18:1-23                               The Book of Jeremiah [in Smaller Chunks]

The Word from the Lord, [that] came to Jeremiah, saying, Arise, & go down to the potter's house. And I will cause you to hear My Words there. Then, I went down to the potter's house, & [saw] he [fashioned] a work [of clay, on the potter's] wheels.

And the vessel that he made of clay was marred, [a.k.a. ruined,] in the [potter's hands,] so he made it [into] another vessel again, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then, the Word of the Lord came to me, saying, The Lord [says,] O house of Israel, can't I do with you [like] this potter?

[Look, like] the clay is in the potter's hand. You are [also] in [My] hand, O house of Israel. At what instant, I shall speak [about:] a nation, & a kingdom, [whether] to: [snatch] [it] up, & to pull [it] down, & to destroy it; if that nation, against whom, I've [announced] [this,] [turns] [away] from their evil, I will [withdraw] the evil that I thought to do to them.

And at what instant, I shall speak [about:] a nation, & a kingdom, to build [it up,] & to plant it, if it [does] [what is:] evil in My sight, & it [doesn't] obey My voice, then I will [withdraw] the good, [with which,] I said I would benefit them.

Therefore, now go to speak to the men of Judah, & [Jerusalem's residents, saying,] The Lord [says this, Look,] I [intend] evil against you, & devise a [plan] against you. Now, everyone, return from his evil [ways,] & make your ways, & your [actions] good. [2 Kings 17:13-15 [Still,] the Lord testified against: Israel, & Judah, by all the prophets, & seers [warning,] & saying, You, turn from your evil ways, & keep My commandments, & My [mandates,] according to all the Law [that] I commanded your [forefathers.] [Still,] they wouldn't hear, [a.k.a. listen,] but [stubbornly] hardened their necks, [similar to the [necks] of their [forefathers, who] didn't believe in the Lord their God. And they rejected His [mandates,] & His covenant, [a.k.a. contract,] that He made with their [forefathers, & His testimonies [that] He testified against them. And they followed vanity, [a.k.a. idols,] & became vain, & went after the heathen, [who] were [all around] them, whom the Lord had charged them, that they should do like them.]

And they said, There is no hope, but we will walk, [a.k.a. follow,] after our own [plans.] And everyone [of us,] will do the imagination of his evil heart. [Micah 3:10-12 They build up Zion with [bloodshed,] & [build up] Jerusalem with [sinfulness.] [It's leaders,] judge for reward, [a.k.a. bribes, its] priests teach for [pay,] & [its] prophets divine for money. Will they [still] lean upon the Lord, & say, Isn't the Lord among us? No evil can come upon us. Therefore, for your sake, Zion shall be plowed [like] a field, & Jerusalem shall become [a ruinous] heap, & the mountain of the [Lord's] house, [shall become] [like] the high places of the forest.]

Therefore, the Lord [says this;] You ask among the heathen, Who [has] heard [of] such things? The virgin of Israel [has] done a very horrible thing. Will a man leave the snow [waters] of Lebanon, [that comes] [off] from the [rocks] of the field? Or shall the cold flowing waters that come from another place, be [abandoned?]

Because My people [have] forgotten Me, & they have burned incense to [what is:] vanity. [Isaiah 41:29 [Look,] they are all vanity; their works are nothing, & their [molded] images are wind, & confusion.]

And [through] their ways, they have caused them to stumble in their [roads,] from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a [road] [that isn't built] up.

[Jeremiah 6:16 The Lord [says this,] You stand in the [roads,] & see, & ask for the old paths, where the good [roads are,] & walk [in them,] & you shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We won't walk [there.]

To make their land desolate, & a [continual] [place of] hissing; & everyone, [who passes by there,] shall be astonished, & [shake] his head. I will scatter them [like] with an East wind, [in front of] the enemy. I will [show] them [My] back, & not [My] face, [on] the day of their calamity. [Jeremiah 19:4-5 Because they have [abandoned] Me, & have estranged this place, [a.k.a. made it indifferent,] & have burned incense in it to other gods, whom neither they, nor their [forefathers] have known, nor [Judah's] kings, & have filled this place with the [bloodshed] of innocents. Also, they built the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings to Baal. I [didn't command,] nor [did I] [speak] it. Neither [did] it [come] into My mind.]

Then, they said, Come, & 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 [slander him] with [our] [mouth.] And let's not [pay attention] to any of his words. [Matthew 23:37-39 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you [who kill] the prophets, & stone [those who] are sent to [warn] you. How often I would have gathered your children together, even [like] a hen [gathers] her chickens under her wings, & you would not! [Look,] your house is left to you desolate. For I say to you, You shall not see Me [after this, until] you shall say, Blessed is He, [Who comes] in the Name of the Lord.]

[Pay attention] to me, O Lord, & [listen] to the [voices] of those who quarrel] with me. Shall evil be [repaid,] for good? For they have [dug] a pit for my soul, [a.k.a. life.] Remember that I stood before You, to speak good [to] them, & to turn Your [fury] away from them. [Judges 10:11-14 And the Lord said to the children, [a.k.a. people,] of Israel, [Didn't I deliver you from the: Egyptians, Amorites, the children, [a.k.a. people,] of Ammon, & from the Philistines? Also: the Zidonians, [a.k.a. Sidonians,] Amalekites, & the Maonites, [who] [oppressed] you. And you cried [out] to Me, & I delivered you out of their hand. [Still,] you have [abandoned] Me, & served other gods. [For this reason,] I will no [longer] deliver you. Go, & cry [out] to the gods, [that] you have chosen. Let them deliver you in the time of your tribulation.]

Therefore, deliver their children up to: the famine, & pour out their blood by the force of the sword. And let their wives be [deprived] of their children, & be widows. And let their men be put to death, & let their young men be slain by the sword in battle.

Let [an] [out] cry be heard from their houses, when You [shall] suddenly bring a troop upon them. For they have [dug] a pit to [capture] me, & hid [traps] for my feet. [Still,] Lord, You [know] all their [advice] against me, to [kill] me.

[Don't] forgive their iniquity, & neither blot out their sin from Your sight. But let them be overthrown [in front of] You. [Treat] them [like this] in the time of Your anger. [Psalm 69:28 Let them be blotted out of the Book of the Living, & not be written with the righteous.]