Page 52 - Fundamentals Ebook

Israel reacts to God’s work. The story of the potter is God reacting
to their reaction. With that as background, Jeremiah 18:1&2, “The
word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying, ‘Arise and go
down to the potter’s house, and there I shall announce My words to
you.’” God tells the prophet, “Go to the potter’s house.” At the
potter’s house they would hear the word of God. That’s a strange
place to hear the word of God. I go to church to hear the word of
God. I go to Bible study to hear the word of God. I have a quiet
time to hear the word of God but I don’t go to a potter’s house to
hear the word of God.

When he was to go to the potter’s house, he was to keep his mouth
shut and say nothing; just look. So, Jeremiah went to the potter’s
house. Jeremiah 18:3&4, “Then I went down to the potter’s house,
and there he was, making something on the wheel. But 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.
Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, ‘Can I not, O house
of Israel, deal with you as this potter does?’ declares the Lord.
‘Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O
house of Israel.’” God explains that at the potter’s house you will
see that My people are like clay.

I would like to invite you to use your imagination and to come with
me and the prophet to the potter’s house. What did he see? Jeremiah
18:3, “Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was,
making something on the wheel.” The potter was making something
on the wheel. Jeremiah didn’t know what but the potter knew what
he was making. The clay didn’t know but the potter knew. He was
making something on the wheel. In his mind the potter had a plan.
He had a blueprint and he had a purpose. He knew the end. There
was nothing arbitrary. He was making something.

When I was a child I played with modeling clay. I was not a potter.
My uncle would come and say (they called me “Butchie”), “Butchie,
what are you making?” I said, “What does it look like?” He said,
“It looks like a turtle.” I said, “Okay, I’m making a turtle.” He