In The Potter's Hands

In The Potter's Hands

Jeremiah 18:1-6 (NKJV)

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 you to hear My words.” 3 Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. 4 And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. 5 Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying: 6 “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the Lord. “Look, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!

The book of Jeremiah is one of the most erratic books in the entire Bible. It contains beautiful poetic oracles of impending judgment and lament, and poems where the trauma experienced by the prophet and his community is revealed. It is also filled with narrative accounts of the events of the prophet's life. Then there are sermons that sound like the speeches of Moses in Deuteronomy and the prophet Samuel. All of these are mixed together to form the book that the Spirit inspired Jeremiah to dictate, his friend and scribe Baruch to write down, and the covenant community to compile and preserve.

Then there is the text of Jeremiah. The Hebrew Bible of today is about 1/8th longer than the older Greek scrolls found among the Dead Sea Scrolls translated from an older Hebrew version whose order is different as well. We know that all Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for instruction...

So, why would God allow so many different versions of this ancient book in so many forms to be preserved?

Perhaps, it is because of the nature of Jeremiah's message. Jeremiah was a person who had experienced trauma in his life. His journal entries are often undated and the story of his life runs together. He was living in a time in the history of ancient Israel that was messy and yet God was at work in his life and in the life of his nation.

Yesterday as I prayed this text came to my mind and I believe my assignment today is to remind you that God is always at work, even in the middle of the mess that the world has made of itself and the trauma that it has offered to you. There is a message in the mess of your life.

Jeremiah started out his life living in a town called Anathoth. It was one of the priestly towns. He was not a member of the priestly elite at Jerusalem, but someone who may have been despised because of where he was from and his heritage. Yet, it was he who God chose. Isn't that like God? The apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians,

1 Corinthians 1:16-29 (NKJV)

"For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.

When God called Jeremiah, he was like those others who argued that he had picked the wrong person. It was only when God touched his mouth and placed his word in the prophet's mouth that he was convinced. Yet, his calling did not shield him from all the realities of life.

Jeremiah began his ministry during the reign of Judah's last good king, Josiah. Jeremiah's message was not popular because he warned the people that their surface religion was not what God was looking for. He was looking for their hearts. After this Jeremiah ministered in a time of political messiness. The world around him seemed to be spinning out of control and he was dizzy along with them.

Because we live in the world we are often affected by the same things that those around us are. Sometimes hurricanes rip our roofs off and floodwaters fill our homes making a mess of our things. Life happens to all of us. Jeremiah's message of judgment upon the nation affected his life as well, and so he wept. He is known as the weeping prophet. The book of Lamentations, which is a funeral song for Jerusalem, is attributed to him. Trauma, messiness, life...