FROM THE POTTER'S HOUSE TO THE POTTER'S FIELD Pastor Michael G. Blankenship - VHMD@aol.com TEXT: Jer 18:1 The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 2 Arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. 3 Then I went down to the potter's house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. 4 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. 5 Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, 6 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. Jer 19:1 Thus saith the LORD, Go and get a potter's earthen bottle, and take of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests; 2 And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the east gate, and proclaim there the words that I shall tell thee," ((( Valley of Hinnom was where the Potter's Field was ))) The Lord had Jeremiah proclaim 2 powerful points from two different places. The Lord has presented us with some fascinating verses. Chapter 18 & 19 are powerful! Jeremiah was told to go to the valley of hinnom and proclaim judgment! But.. WHY THERE? The "POTTER'S FIELD" was a Tract of land in the Hinnom Valley outside Jerusalem used as a cemetery for pilgrims (paid for by calvary's blood money). Mat 27:3 Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to us? see thou to that. 5 And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. 6 And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. 7 And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. 8 Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. 9 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; 10 And gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me. I am astounded at the consistency of the Lord here. He had Jerimiah prophesy destruction at the very place that would later be bought by Judas' blood money. Listen to the words... Jer 19:6:6 Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter. 7 And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hands of them that seek their lives: and their carcases will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth. 8 And I will make this city desolate, and an hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished and hiss because of all the plagues thereof. PRETTY HEAVY STUFF! THEN --- Jer 19: 10 Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee. 11 And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury. (Go back to the text... and read from 18:1-9) NOTICE the first picture was a VESSEL "on the wheel" that was MARRED! -- So he MADE IT AGAIN! ( another vessel ). POINT: ----> The initial interpretation of these prophecies are for nations & kingdoms! Jer 18:7- 7 At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; 8 If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. 9 And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; We are reminded that God reserves the right to plant or pluck up any political kingdom ---- But kingdoms are made of people and there is an individual lesson to learn here... My question is this... at what instant does God change his position of speaking to us from being at the potters house to the potters field? There is a time, when we cross the line from grace to being locked into a condition! **** THE FIRST PICTURE: was a "marred" vessel on a wheel (still malleable - tender). It was almost to completion when a flaw was found but because it was yet tender it could be made again! *GOD IS A MASTER AT TAKING "ORDINARY" CLAY AND MAKING IT AGAIN! If we will give God the clay of our life he can make something beautiful from something ugly. HOW MANY MARRED & UGLY VESSELS have been wasted because they were not yielded? Oh house of Israel, can I not do unto you as this potter? God has a purpose and plan for every life. Though sometimes our sins and mistakes "mar" , MARRED LIVES CAN BE MENDED! The potter can still "rework" the clay if its still pliable & soft! >>> NOTICE: the potter "made it again another vessel". Sometimes our mess ups can damage us from becoming what God wants us to be, but His mercy takes us on the wheel where He can still make something lovely of us! This story ought to inspire every soul that has goofed up, sinned up, or fouled up their life. ------- The principle of the second chance (REPENTANCE & OBEDIENCE) can save us! JACOB: a lying, decieving, thief UNTIL God made him a new man! (and he had power with God) MANASSEH: (King of Judah) Did terrible wickedness but in old age he turned again to the God of his father Hezekiah. His latter reign was known for his goodness. DAVID: He was marred by adultery, murder & hypocrisy yet still God had a use for him. PSA 51:11 Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. God heard that prayer and restored David! PETER: Called to such honor yet he responded with cowardice. However, in the end he became a 'rock'! JOHN MARK: He was a complete Failure and Disgrace at Perga. Paul refused to let him go again but something changed. He repented of his weakness and became useful. 2 Tim 4: 11 Only Luke is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry. THERE IS NOTHING MORE INSPIRING THEN BEING CHANGED FROM NO GOOD TO BEING USEFUL! God told Abraham "thou shalt be a blessing" THE LIST COULD GO ON... but my point is: Not Everyone makes it to the wheel ! Why are some reworked, and others are SHATTERED that cannot be made whole again? What causes a person to go from the potter's house to the potter's field? At what instant? ---- We don't know the instant! I DO KNOW THERE ARE SOME CLUES IN THESE VERSES... Jer 18: 12 And they said, There is no hope: but we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart. It's a bad thing when God pronounces judgement on you, BUT even worse when you do it before he is ready to!------ they said! ---- HOPELESSNESS is the mindset of the ones who cross the line from grace to judgment! Rom 15: 13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. Acts 2: 25 For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: 26 Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: 27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 28 Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. GET YOUR MIND ON HIM INSTEAD OF YOUR SIN & PROBLEM! Isa 26: 3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. After they got a hopeless mindset then they made another mistake: Jer 18: 15 Because my people hath forgotten me, they have burned incense to vanity, and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up; They FORGOT GOD in their minds and then lived in vanity and unstable lifestyles! This is a serious issue: Rom 1: 26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; POWERFUL TRUTH HERE: Homosexuality consumed them because "they did not like" to retain God in their knowledge! They: Got hopeless Forgot God Burned incense to vanity They turned against the only word of God in their life... (the preacher) Jer 18: 18 Then said they, Come, and let us devise devices against Jeremiah; for the law shall not perish from the priest, nor counsel from the wise, nor the word from the prophet. Come, and let us smite him with the tongue, and let us not give heed to any of his words. THAT IS THE FINAL STAGE OF MENTALITY BEFORE GOING FROM THE POTTERS HOUSE TO THE POTTERS FIELD! The Lord said to the valley of Hinnom .... 'and break the vessel' . IT IS SO CRITICAL TO PAY ATTENTION TO THE SIGNS AROUND YOU. "at what instant"...? Jesus explained it to them when telling of the destruction of Jerusalem: Luke 19: 44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation . NO WONDER IT WAS SAID... Rom 13: 11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof. THERE IS A REMEDY... -----> If you're not past the line... Isa 55: 6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. 8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. 9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. More Bible Study Lessons