In Jeremiah 18:1-12, the prophet aches because Israel ignores his pleas, and so God tells him a story.
We could pour another cup of coffee at this point and change channels thinking, "This is about Israel and doesn't concern us." Time to squirm. Read on:The word which came to Jeremiah from the LORD, saying:
“Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.” Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. 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.
Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?” says the LORD.
The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it. And the instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it, if it does evil in My sight so that it does not obey My voice, then I will relent concerning the good with which I said I would benefit it.Ouch. Simply: God deals with nations even today. God will continue to deal with nations. Ah, but Israel was an enlightened people. They had shaken the silly notion that God-following was necessary in the new political environment. Notice Israel's strut and see if it looks familiar:
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.”America certainly has that attitude mastered. The verses that follow describe the fierceness of God's wrath being poured out upon the nation. Our land is not immune to the discipline of God's hand.
That we would again become a repentant people. Oh God, that it would begin with me.
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