FAITH – HOPE – FORGIVENESS by Growing Older


Old Testament Survey Jeremiah

Introduction: The Books of Lamentations and Jeremiah were both written by the prophet Jeremiah. He is known as the “weeping prophet.”  Jeremiah 9:1

The author:  The Holy Spirit.  Every prophecy of Jeremiah was from a broken heart to God’s people;                     the Tribe of Judah.

  1. Jeremiah was born into a priestly family: 1:1
  2. He was called before he was born, to be a prophet: 1:5-6
  3. For over 40 years, he was ridiculed, rejected, hated, beaten and plotted against, by the people,                     noblemen and kings.
  4. One king did seek his advice – but was not able to put it to use.
  5. Mostly, his preaching and warnings were rejected by the majority who branded Jeremiah,                                       as a “meddler” and as a “traitor.”

Central Theme of this Book: “I will punish” and “I will restore”

The most famous chapters in this Book are 18 and 19. They record Jeremiah’s visit to the home of the Potter.

Chapter 18 – Jeremiah watches the potter mold the clay

Chapter 19 – he takes the finished vessel and breaks it in the Valley of Hinnom.

In viewing these chapters, we not only see a picture of Judah, but also of ourselves and of our relationship to God.

I. The Potter: 18:1-4

  1. God wanted to control Israel for her own good
  2. Israel was at the mercy of blind fate: ONLY if she made that choice
  3. Reference: Romans 8:28
  4. The potter has a plan for his clay
  5. Notice: the clay BELONGS to the potter
  6. He sees the finished product in his mind – BEFORE he begins and completes it
  7. In the same fashion, God, the Divine Potter directs our lives
  8. He uses circumstances: crises – disasters – parents – teachers – etc. to shape us
  9. It takes time to make a special product and God is never in a hurry

II. The Clay: 18:4-6

  1. In this text: the clay represented Judah
  2. The Biblical application is to each and every one of  our lives
  3. Clay is of little value unless it is molded by the hands of a skilled potter
  4. the same is true of a human life
  5. our lives are of little value unless molded by the hands of the Divine Potter
  6. clay has to be clean and tempered in order to be usable by the potter
  7. we must be tempered by trials – struggles – and the experiences of life                                                                        so that we will yield to the hand of the Potter

III. The Potter’s Wheel: 18:3

  1. God wanted Judah to know some important things
  2. The potter spins the wheel at his own speed and is complete control
  3. God was in control of the circumstances etc. for the tribe of Judah
  4. In the same way – God has a timetable for our lives
  5. God is in control of our lives

IV. The Vessel: 18:4-6

  1. Marred: 18:4
  2. “Corrupt” “spoiled” “wasted”
  3. Jeremiah 18:6: Romans 9:20-23
  4. The vessel made over 18:4
  5. It did not stand in the working; it got out of shape; or some gravel or small stone                                                       having been incorporated with the mass of clay, made a breach in that part where it                                             was found, so that the potter was obliged to knead up the clay afresh, place it on the                                       wheel, and form it anew; and then it was such a vessel as seemed good to the potter to                                    make it.
  6. When we let things into our lives and don’t get rid of them: God may have to                                                     “start over” in working on us
  7. God wants to make us into something special – He wants to mold us into His image:Romans 8:29

 




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