Jeremiah 18–19

Jeremiah 18–19

JEREMIAH 18–19

Mending the vessel (18:1–11). Individual believers are God’s vessels (Acts 9:15; 2 Cor. 4:7), but the reference here is to the nation of Israel, a chosen vessel to bring God’s blessing to the world. Romans 9:1–5 tells you what God put into the vessel. Many times in her history, when the nation would not yield to God, He made her again. She was marred but still in His hands. She was marred but had potential. She was marred and He made her again; and He will do the same for anyone who yields to His will (Rom. 9:19–21).

Breaking the vessel (19:1–13). However, if the vessel becomes hardened, it cannot be made again. All God can do is break it, and that is what He did when Babylon captured Judah. The nation was beyond repair. The Valley of the Son of Hinnom was a site for pagan worship, but Josiah turned it into a garbage dump (2 Kings 23:10). In the Greek it is Gehenna, the New Testament word for “hell.” Tophet (vv. 12–13) means “burning.” Jeremiah gave a new name to the place: “the Valley of Slaughter” (v. 6).

People with hard hearts and stiff necks (19:15) may be easily broken.

Earthen Vessels

We have the spiritual treasure in earthen vessels (2 Cor. 4:7) so that we might share it with others. A vessel does not manufacture; it only contains and shares. All God asks is that we are clean, empty, and available. He will do the rest.

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