Jeremiah Chapter 19

Jeremiah 19 continues the story of the potter and the clay from Jeremiah 18, and these two chapters are meant to be read together. 

Jeremiah 18 starts off by describing how a potter can remold the clay until it seems good to him. Likewise, the people of God are in His hands and God desires to mold them to become right in His sight. He does so by sending His prophets who continue to warn and exhort them to return from their evil ways, and make their ways and doings good (Jeremiah 7:25, 18:11).

““Now therefore, speak to the men of Judah and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, I am fashioning a disaster and devising a plan against you. Return now every one from his evil way, and make your ways and your doings good.” ’ ””

Jeremiah 18:11 NKJV

However, we see the people’s response in Jeremiah 18:12.

“And they said, “That is hopeless! So we will walk according to our own plans, and we will every one obey the dictates of his evil heart.””

Jeremiah 18:12 NKJV

Worse still, Jeremiah 18:18 tells us they wanted to attack Jeremiah, the prophet sent by God to warn them to come back and return to Him.

Jeremiah 19 tells us the result of the people’s stubbornness. Jeremiah 19 is framed by two declarations of the impending punishment from God (Jeremiah 19:3, 15). 

“And say, ‘Hear the word of the Lord, O kings of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem. Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will bring such a catastrophe on this place, that whoever hears of it, his ears will tingle.”

Jeremiah 19:3 NKJV

Jeremiah 19:3 was spoken at the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, where Tophet is in (Jeremiah 7:31-32). Tophet, the place where great idolatry was committed, was meant to be an example/symbol of the fate that will fall upon all other places in Jerusalem and Judah (Jeremiah 19:12-13).

As such, this chapter ends of with Jeremiah going from Tophet to the court of the Lord’s house, to make this same declaration of destruction against the people of God.

““Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: ‘Behold, I will bring on this city and on all her towns all the doom that I have pronounced against it, because they have stiffened their necks that they might not hear My words.’ ””

Jeremiah 19:15 NKJV

This, along with verse 11, serve as a conclusion to the story of the potter and the clay vessel in these two chapters.

We see a scary contrast between God’s proclamation in Jeremiah 18:11, and in Jeremiah 19:3, 15. While Jeremiah 18:11 offers a plea to return (and implicitly a hope of good things to come should they return), Jeremiah 19:3, 15 only proclaims judgment and destruction.

Likewise, through many people and many ways, God is trying to mold us too. He pleads for us to truly yield ourselves to Him and let Him transform us. For us who have been baptised, God’s purpose for us is to be conformed to the image of Jesus (Rom 8:29), to become partakers of His divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). He wants us to overcome sin and lead a life free from sin, and this is only possible because of 1) the washing of regeneration that frees us from sin, and 2) the renewal of the Holy Spirit which transforms us.

God wants to mold us but if we refused to be molded by God and stiffen our necks, acting according to the stubbornness of our hearts, we will be broken by God.

“But now, O Lord, You are our Father; We are the clay, and You our potter; And all we are the work of Your hand.”

Isaiah 64:8 NKJV

The absolute God is our Maker. He has sovereignty over us. Our lives are in His hands. 

What is our response to Him today?

“Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way! Thou art the potter, I am the clay; Mold me and make me after Thy will, while I am waiting, yielded and still” 

Hymn 403

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