“Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel.” – Jeremiah 18:2-6
The Lord sent Jeremiah to the potter’s house to observe his work as an illustration of the prophetic message to Israel. As Jeremiah went and observed the potters craft, he saw him molding a lump of clay, and fashioning it into a vessel. His artistry was interrupted as the vessel was marred in his hand, crumbling back into disfigured lump of clay. Undaunted, the potter started the process again and fashioned the clay into a vessel that seemed good to the potter. God then used this scenario as the illustration of His prophetic message to Israel. He made Jeremiah aware as the clay was in the hands of the potter so are the nations in His hands. He questioned Jeremiah whether He cannot do to Israel as the potter had done with the clay. His question resonates His commitment to see His original purpose through to its manifestation.
Considering the condition of Israel at that time, such commitment was a glare of hope that illuminated them with expectation. Israel was in exile in Babylon, under the iron clad tyranny of its kings. Their native land has been burnt down, their city wall was leveled and the remnant left behind scattered. Babylon was implementing a diabolical program to assimilate the nation of Israel into its populace. They gave their children Babylonian names, enticed them to eat unclean Babylonian meals and made it impossible for them to leave to their native land. Israel’s hope was dashed as they counted the years in Babylon. They had no one to fight for them. The nation was marred, its glory disfigured, and its worship disintegrated like a lump of disfigured clay on the potter’s wheel. In such disillusion and despair, God questions them through His prophet whether He is not able to restore them to their former glory. Can’t He do to Israel as the potter had done to the clay?
The Lord compares His work on mankind to the potter’s work on the clay to form a vessel. He is committed to His ultimate purpose that He will use His sovereign power to fix any defect that temporary sets back the conformity to His will. The clay was marred in the potters hand not because of his lack of expertise or lapse of genius but rather a small stone having been lodged in the mass of the clay made a breach causing the disintegration of the vessel.
In the same manner, the stones of iniquity get us out of shape, deforming our morality and messing up our destiny so the Lord has to sovereignly orchestrate circumstances and events to mold us to His original intent of purpose. He exerts the right pressure, release the right comfort, cuts off what you don’t need as your life goes through the cycle on the potter’s wheel. Therefore no matter how deformed your life is now, how perplex your scenario, God is still at work to correct your mistakes and make you into His vessel of purpose. You will just have to yield yourself to the master potter and see your life take shape into God’s purpose. And to those who are sinking in despair and have reasons to doubt, He questions if He is not God enough to keep them buoyant in their dilemma. Is He not sovereign to cancel your debt, correct your mess and restore you to His purpose? Can’t God change your life for the better? Will He not deliver you from the tyranny of generational curses? If He did for Israel then He can do it for you. There is nothing so complex, so overwhelming, or daunting that God cannot fix. HE IS GOD AND HE CAN DO IT. Yield yourself to him, and obey His instructions and you will see your life take shape into His perfect will.
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” – Philippians 1:6
“For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” – 1Timothy 1:12
“God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” – Numbers 23:19
~ REINDORF MANTEY
– General Overseer, Crusaders Ministries
(www.crusaders.biz)
