Under Construction

Jeremiah 18:1–6 “The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will announce My words to you.” So 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, “Am I not able, house of Israel, to 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, house of Israel.”

Introduction

You are likely familiar with our text today, but allow me to provide you with a brief summary for context.

In the book of Jeremiah, God explains the epochal shift that takes place in the exile of His people, specifically the Southern Kingdom of Judah (the Northern Kingdom, Israel, already exiled over one hundred years prior). Judah still possesses its temple and king, but Jeremiah demonstrates that Judah has become worse than Israel: the people are addicted to idolatry (Jer 2:28), sexual immorality (Jer 5:8), and exploitation of the poor (Jer 2:34).

Your house may look good on the outside, but God sees the rot beneath the surface. As is typical for the cycle of fall, correction and redemption for Israel (meaning, all of Israel northern & southern), they are in the second stage: correction. Here we find that God gives them an honest assessment of where there are right not. A house may look good on the outside; it might have curb appeal, but it’s foundation is crumbling; it may look structurally sound, but termites have weakened the walls and brought it to the point of collapse. This is why home inspections are a standard part of home buying & selling, so you know exactly where you stand.

The splits of Israel at this point in their history provides us with an important object lessons:

One of them held onto the covenant name of God’s people; the other held onto the promise. The northern kingdom kept the name; the southern kingdom was at least attempting to actually BE God’s people in adherence

Judah thought that they were in a batter state based on appearances- they had the temple, and they had their King (Zedekiah at this time) and the temple. They looked as if they had it all together. But God knew better, and part of Jeremiah’s assignment was to expose this. Anyone can claim the name of “title” of Christian- but what you actually DO matters. I can claim to be a vegetarian, but if I am always eating steak, then my claim is illogical and self-deceptive. As Paul said to Timothy, 2 Timothy 3:5 “holding to a form of godliness although they have denied its power; avoid such people as these.” We are not called to be perfect, but we should continue to submit to the Holy Spirit for sanctification, repent when we are wrong, and be consistent.

Although Jeremiah calls them to repentance, their stubborn refusal demonstrates that their hearts cannot repent (Jer 6:10; 18:12). The only course left for God is to bring the ultimate covenant curse of exile (Deut 28:63–65), which he does with righteous anger (Jer 6:11). But if God breaks down and destroys, he will also build and repair (Jer 1:10; 31:28). God promises that after the exile, he will establish a new and better covenant, which will transform the people’s hearts (31:31–34). He also promises that he will restore the kingdom under a righteous son of David (Jer 23:5–6).

God does not merely expose the rot; He desire is to cut it out before it destroys our house- and the strengthen us in the are was where we are weak. The book of Jeremiah thus sets a pattern of judgment unto restoration, a pattern that finds its climax in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ

The Potter’s Wheel: God’s Process Demonstrated

The prophetic message that God gives to Jeremiah is twofold: he is to uproot and overthrow, but also to build and to plant (1:10). This division (1:1–20:18) is dedicated to the first half of the message (judgment). In a series of visions and sermons, God exposes the people’s sin and need for judgment. But instead of repentance, the people only insist on their innocence and refuse to change (2:35; 7:24). Jeremiah delivers this message, but also wrestles with God’s purposes. The division ends with uncertainty about whether Jeremiah and Judah have a future, questions that the next unit takes up.

God knows what you’re made of. He made you! The Hebrew word used in Jer 18:2 means “shaper” and is related to one of the terms used to describe Yahweh’s creative activity. In Genesis 2:7, Yahweh shapes Adam from the dust; this act is likely the basis for the potter metaphor for God. The clay’s imperfection is recognized while it is still in the potter’s hands. He never lets it go; instead He adds water to soften the clay for reshaping; the water of the Spirit makes us malleable!

Nothing is wasted. The potter doesn’t toss anything away. Instead, what was broken is reshaped, “into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make.” God can redeem the hurt, the pain, even the mistakes that we’ve made, so long as we remain on the potter’s wheel and in the potter’s hands! Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

Vessels are created with purpose. Pottery was an important industry since clay vessels were the most common containers for serving, cooking, and storage. A ceramic pot could hold more weight than a woven basket and could also hold liquids. Pieces of pottery, which was cheap, are possibly the most common artifact unearthed in archaeological excavations. Archaeologists use pottery to help date their discoveries. So although it is inexpensive, it provides us with a wealth of knowledge from the past. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 4:7 “But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves” In biblical times, an “earthen vessel” referred to a clay pot or jar, which would often be used to store something extremely valuable. The “treasure” Paul is referring to is specifically “the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ”. This metaphor encompasses human nature in all its frailty - including the body’s weakness, the mind’s limitations, and the moral nature’s imperfections - as the fragile container holding this precious spiritual treasure. And yet, you were created to carry something GREAT! And you can hold more weight than you think! The marvel Paul communicates is that those proclaiming Christ are not fulfilling their responsibility through their own power, but through God’s provision of life, power, and message. The messengers are simply “earthen vessels” with no glory of their own, highlighting that the power originates from God’s truth, not human cleverness or strength. This demonstrates that salvation comes from the Lord, not from human ability. The power and transformation come from God, not from the messenger; value is not determined by the vessels, but by what it carries!

The Potter is working behind the scenes. The most common method of shaping clay into pottery was to use a potter’s wheel, turned by hand or by foot. Jeremiah could see the potter’s hands, moving purposefully to shape the clay, but the potters foot determined how fast the wheel spun around. This is the part of the process that Jeremiah could NOT see. The clay preparation is itself a complex process. Raw clay from the ground is not immediately usable and must be weathered for weeks. It is then soaked in water, stirred until it becomes a thin “slip” or mud, and then worked by treading with the feet. You were not only created with purpose, but you were prepared with purpose. Some of us are in the weathering stage; exposed to the elements, feeling the heat, the wind; feeling dried out. Some of us are being soaked in water; God is saturating us with His Spirit so we can be receptive- again malleable- to His will.

The process ends with fire. After shaping, the pottery is dried in the shade and then baked in a circular kiln about 5 feet in diameter. The process is really in two phases: bisque and glaze. The first process is a low heat the drives out the last bit of moisture and anything organic. It makes the vessel strong enough to handle things, and to be handled. But it is still porous; it has not been sealed. That brings us to the second part of this process: glazing. This is essentially colored glass powder mixed with water. Glazing happens at a higher heat (1000-1200 for stoneware and 1280-3000 for porcelain). The glass melts and fuses with the clay, becoming that glassy, waterproof finish that we’re familiar with.

So when we look at this potter’s wheel, this whole process ends with fire, friends. And you know what? The fire isn’t just a last step. It’s not just an add-on to make the pot pretty or hard. It’s the fire that we all go through, the fire of experiences, the fire of pressure, the fire of trouble, the fire of, of even heart break sometimes. That’s the fire that finally shapes us, finally hardens us into something strong, something useful, something beautiful.

Conclusion

Remarkably, skilled potters can create hundreds of articles that appear identical, with their keen senses allowing them to regulate pressure and thickness with extraordinary precision. Your unique experiences have resulted in your unique characteristics, which in turn serve your unique purpose. Most vessels are placed on the wheel multiple times, with large vessels made in parts and later assembled and put through the fire together...like a family, or a church! This meticulous process mirrors the biblical metaphor of God’s patient, transformative work in reshaping lives for His divine purpose. You may not like the process, but you will love the results!

Closing Prayer

Source Material Douglas Mangum, ed., Lexham Context Commentary: Old Testament, Lexham Context Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2020), Je.

John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Je 18:2–3.