Among the most difficult biblical topics is the one of God’s interaction with people.  Among the reasons for it being a difficult topic is the nature of the situation.  The situation involves the interaction of an eternal being Who has creative powers with a physical being who deceptively believes he can manipulate the eternal being.  It involves the interaction of the eternal being who made the physical being.  This interaction includes: (a) a physical being who is accurately “knowable” to the eternal being; (b) an eternal being Who is completely unlike the physical being (Isaiah 55:8, 9); and, (c) a physical being who, at best, is limited to understanding the material.  The nature of the situation demands that it be a faith relationship in which the material being trusts the eternal being.

The nature of this interaction/relationship was debated extensively and intensively before you were born, and will continue to be debated long after you die.  The physical being will use the material in every way he can to explain the eternal being, but no amount of material understanding is ever enough to fully encompass the eternal.

Some things are constantly affirmed in scripture.  (1) The physical being is continually accountable for his choices.  (2) The physical being’s repentance has a profound impact on his relationship with the eternal being.  (3) The physical being can progress into the ungodly and anti-godly to the point that it is “too late” for him to escape the consequences of his ungodly choices.

Consider today’s text.  The location of the revelation is in a potter’s house.  While that is an unknown to most of us, it was highly known and understood to Jeremiah’s intended readership.  Their eating utensils, many of their food preparation implements, and many of their “necessary for life” utensils were made by a potter.  The origin of an exquisite piece or a common piece began in the same way: a lump of clay placed by the potter on his potter’s wheel.

It was unthinkable (and impossible) that a lump of clay would suggest to the potter what it wanted to become.  The product the lump of clay became was the result of the potter’s intent, not the clay’s request.   God was the potter.  Judah was the clay.

The point is not a declaration of predestination.  The point was an affirmation that God had an intent for Judah.  God’s intent, not Judah’s desire, determined the ultimate outcome.  God’s intent, not Judah’s desire, determined Judah’s future.

The problem was seen in the fact that Judah was not willing to allow God to use them as He had long intended.  The people who were supposed to belong to God, who existed to devote themselves to God’s purposes, had become so ungodly that they were useless to God.  God needed to remind them that He was the potter and they were the lump of clay.  They did not control God’s intent.  They existed to serve God’s purposes.

Was there nothing they could do?  (People always seek a means to defer consequences.  Every generation wishes to defer consequences to the next generation.)

There was something potent they could do, but the potency of this “doable” thing would not avoid consequences of her ungodly decisions.  Judah could repent of her ungodliness.  She again could become useful to God’s intent rather than arrogantly rebelling against God by selfishly pursuing her own desires and purposes.

While everyone in Judah would admit it was ridiculous for a lump of clay to instruct the potter on what to make it, Judah needed to understand there was something they could do.  Judah needed to understand the power of repentance in their relationship with God.  They needed to stop trusting in who they were and begin to behave like God’s people.

As a reminder and an encouragement God gave Judah two affirmations about the power of human repentance in God’s relationship with His people.  Affirmation one: If God has declared calamity against a nation, and the people repented, God would relent on bringing the calamity.   Affirmation two: If God declared He would bring blessings on a nation, and that nation turned to ungodliness, God would withdraw the blessings and replace them with evil.

Judah could not change God’s intent.  She could not dictate to God how she wanted Him to use her.  Nothing would allow her ungodliness to continue and life be lived as it had been—that was not an option.

God’s intent had not changed!  If there were to be changes, those changes would be in Judah.  The option: Repent, and let God use you as a people for His intent.

For Thought and Discussion:

1. What is among the most difficult biblical topics?

2. List three things included in the interaction of God (the eternal being) with the human (the physical being).

a.

b.

c.

3. The nature of the situation demands what?

4. What does the physical being do?  No amount of material understanding will do what?

5. List three things biblically affirmed.

a.

b.

c.

6. In what location did Jeremiah’s revelation occur?

7. What typically occurred in a potter’s house?

8. What was unthinkable and impossible?

9. The point was not what?  What was the point?

10. What was the problem?

11. How ungodly had Judah become?

12. What do people always seek to do?

13. What did Judah need to understand?  What was it?

14. List God’s two affirmations.

a.

b.

15. What was Judah’s available option?

Link to Teacher's Guide Lesson 2

Copyright © 2008, 2009
David Chadwell & West-Ark Church of Christ

previous lesson | table of contents | next lesson