The message from the LORD to Jeremiah about the potter and the clay has often been used to prove the doctrine of extreme predestination that God elects some to salvation and damns others to hell. Let’s consider this passage carefully and prayerfully to see if that is what it is teaching.
The Potter and the Clay
The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, 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. (Jeremiah 18:1-4 KJV)
The word that is translated “marred” is a verb, which means go to ruin, be marred, be spoiled, or be corrupted. Think about that. This is the exact opposite of extreme predestination. The potter doesn’t exercise divine sovereignty over the lump of clay to predestine it according to his sovereign plan. Instead, the potter set out to make one kind of vessel, but the clay resisted him and ruined the vessel, so the potter makes a different kind of vessel more suited to the clay. Because the clay ruined the potter’s work, he made it into another vessel, which was more fitting. This understanding is consistent with most Bible Lexicons and Commentaries.
The potter sat before two parallel stone wheels that were joined by a shaft. He turned the bottom wheel with his feet and worked the clay on the top wheel as the wheel turned. As Jeremiah watched, he saw that the clay resisted the potter’s hand so that the vessel was ruined, but the potter patiently kneaded the clay and made another vessel. (BE Series Commentary) Jeremiah 18:1 –Be Decisive (Jeremiah): Taking a Stand for the Truth by Warren W. Wiersbe
was marred in the hand of the potter; while he was working it; either it fell, as the Septuagint version renders it, out of his hands, or from the beam on which it was laid; or was spoiled by some means or other, so that it was not fit for the purpose he first intended it: or the words should be read, according to some copies, “and the vessel was marred which he made, as clay in the hand of the potter” (r); while it was clay; or moist, as Jarchi interprets it; and while it was in his hands, forming and fashioning it: –Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
He made it again.—Literally, and more vividly, he returned and made. As we read, we have to remember that what is narrated in a few words implied a long train of thoughts. The prophet went by the impulse which he knew to be from God to the “field” in the valley of Hinnom; he stood and gazed, and then as he watched he was led to see in the potter’s work a parable of the world’s history: God as the great artificer, men and nations as the vessels which He makes for honourable or dishonourable uses (2Timothy 2:20; Romans 9:21). –Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers
God told Jeremiah to go down to the potter’s house (v. 1-3) and watch him molding clay into his wheel reshaping unsatisfactory pots (for a similar use of this imagery, see Rm 9:20-21 and comments there). The potter pressed the clay into another vessel, as it pleased the potter (Jr 18:3-4). The potter and the clay illustrated the Lord’s relationship with Israel: like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand (v. 6). God has the right to uproot (v. 7) or plant (v. 9) a nation as He pleases. He had promised the nation blessing; but since she continued to do evil, He would reconsider, think better of the good, and bring about calamity (18:10-11). However, if Judah would turn back her evil way God would also revoke the disaster He threatened to send. But the people of Judah would say, It’s hopeless! (v. 12; cf. 13:23) and would stubbornly continue to follow their own plans of their evil heart[s]. (MBC) Jeremiah 18:1 –The Moody Bible Commentary
The LORD Jehovah Almighty God is the Potter
While Jeremiah is pondering the actions of the potter, God tells him the meaning. When this happens we need to shut up and listen to what God says.
Then the word of the LORD came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter has done? declares the LORD. Behold, like the clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel. If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it. Now, therefore, say to the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem: ‘Thus says the LORD, Behold, I am shaping disaster against you and devising a plan against you. Return, every one from his evil way, and amend your ways and your deeds.’ (Jeremiah 18:5-11 ESV)
The stubborn evil people are the clay
Consider these verses carefully. What kind of clay are you? What is your answer to God’s work in your life?
Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath; But with him that standeth here with us this day before the LORD our God, and also with him that is not here with us this day: (For ye know how we have dwelt in the land of Egypt; and how we came through the nations which ye passed by; And ye have seen their abominations, and their idols, wood and stone, silver and gold, which were among them:) Lest there should be among you man, or woman, or family, or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day from the LORD our God, to go and serve the gods of these nations; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood; And it come to pass, when he heareth the words of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the imagination of mine heart, to add drunkenness to thirst: The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven. And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law: (Deuteronomy 29:14-21 KJV)
But they say, It is in vain; for we will walk after our own devices, and we will do everyone after the stubbornness of his evil heart. (Jeremiah 18:12 WEB)
And the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw nigh unto me, and with their mouth and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear of me is a commandment of men which hath been taught them: therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder: and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us? Ye turn things upside down! Shall the potter be counted as clay; that the thing made should say of him that made it, He made me not; or the thing framed say of him that framed it, He hath no understanding? (Isaiah 29:13-16 ERV)
- The bitter root of idolatry — My people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idolatry, stubbornness as bad as worshiping idols, and a greedy person is an idolater.
- What is a root of bitterness? — Hebrews 12:15 alludes to Deuteronomy 29:18; and primarily means, there are many poisonous and bitterness sins growing from bitter root of denying the gospel
The Potter is longsuffering with the clay
God wants to create vessels of honor but some of the clay resists him so he makes them into vessels of dishonor. He has chosen ahead of time what the end results will be for these vessels. What kind of clay are you? Which vessel do you want to be?
You will say then to me, “Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will?” But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?” Or hasn’t the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor? What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath made for destruction, and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory, us, whom he also called, not from the Jews only, but also from the Gentiles? (Romans 9:19-24 WEB)
If you have rejected Jesus Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice for your sins and have been made into a vessel of wrath headed for destruction, are you going to argue with God about your fate? If you have accepted God’s call of salvation to whosoever will and have been made into a vessel of mercy headed for glory, are you going to argue against God’s plan for those who have rejected him? Who are you to argue against God’s plan?
knowing this first, that in the last days mockers will come, walking after their own lusts, and saying, “Where is the promise of his coming? For, from the day that the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” For this they willfully forget, that there were heavens from of old, and an earth formed out of water and amid water, by the word of God; by which means the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. But the heavens that now are, and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men. (2 Peter 3:3-7 WEB)
But don’t forget this one thing, beloved, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some count slowness; but is patient with us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:8-9 WEB)
- What is predestination? (Is it foreknowledge?) – Predestination means to set bounds beforehand. Foreknowledge means prior knowledge. These are different. What has been predestined?
- What is predestined: God’s plan or people’s actions? — The Bible clearly teaches predestination but what is predestined? Is it God’s plan or people’s actions? What did Paul tell the Romans and Ephesians?
- Whosoever will may come — The universal call of “whosoever will” includes everyone and anyone. No one has ever been excluded. You must choose to accept or reject the call.
- Free Will in the Old Testament — The Old Testament contains almost 4000 years of history about people exercising free will to obey or disobey God bringing blessings and curses