Wednesday: Smashing the Jar
As we saw yesterday, the nation had fallen into deep apostasy. They weren’t getting the message. God then used Jeremiah to do a powerful symbolic act that, ideally, would help wake them up to the danger they were facing.
Read Jeremiah 19:1-15. What was Jeremiah to do and what was the meaning of this act?
Image © Gilbert and Arlisle Beers from GoodSalt.com
Jeremiah had to go to the potter’s house again. This time, though, the Lord wanted to make sure that he brought witnesses with him to see exactly what he was going to do. The witnesses were the elders and priests from Judah (Jer. 19:1). As leaders, they were responsible for what happened in the nation, and so they needed to get the message that Jeremiah was to give to them through the power of his symbolic act. The Potsherd Gate (Jer. 19:2, NKJV), where he was to smash the jar, might have been near where the potters worked, and just outside the gate might have been where they would dump their shards of ruined pots. Thus, the symbolism became even more powerful.
What good is a smashed clay jar? If the jar were cracked, some use might be found for it, even if not for the original intent of the jar. But Jeremiah wasn’t merely to crack it. Instead he was to break it, essentially rendering it useless. Between the act itself and the words that followed, it’s hard to imagine how the people could not have understood the warning. Of course, understanding the warning and acting on it are two different things entirely.
What’s even more frightening is the apparent finality of the act. Who can repair a smashed jar? Though the Lord gave the nation a hope for the future, yet for the moment unless they were to turn around, the Judeans were doomed, they and their children. All the places that they had defiled with their abominations and sinful acts would soon be defiled with their corpses. Perhaps, the depths of their depravity can be best understood by the depths of the punishment that their depravity brought upon their heads.
Think of something ruined-ruined beyond repair. What was it originally made for, and what happened to it that now rendered it useless? How careful we need to be that this doesn’t happen to us!
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Think of something ruined-ruined beyond repair. What was it originally made for, and what happened to it that now rendered it useless? How careful we need to be that this doesn’t happen to us!
This lesson is serious stuff and thought provoking if we are to seriously look into the idols of our hearts. Let me bring Ezekiel up again so it would help our soul searching as demanded King David to Yahweh to search and show him so he does not miss eternity.
1). Ezekiel 14 "Idolatrous Elders Condemned
vs.2 And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, vs.3 "Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity." vs. 6"Therefore say to the house of Israel, 'Thus says the Lord God, "Repent and turn away from your idols and turn your faces away from all your abominations. vs.7 For anyone of the house of Israel or of the immigrants who stay in Israel who separates himself from Me, sets up his idols in his heart, puts right before his face the stumbling block of his iniquity, and then comes to the prophet to inquire of Me for himself, I the Lord will be brought to answer him in My own person. Vs.8 I will set My face against that man and make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from among My people. So you will know that I am the Lord.
But God has a cure for it, abolish in our heart the hidden cherished sins of idols in our hearts is
2). Psalms 139:1-24 but i just wanna qoute verses 23 &24: "vs.23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;Try me and know my anxious thoughts; vs.24 "And see if there be any hurtful way in me,And lead me in the everlasting way.
May we wrest with our soul to give in to the Lord everything we have, are and own.
Jeremiah’s smashing of the jar on the instructions of Jehovah (Jeremiah 19:10-12) is somewhat reminiscent of Moses smashing of the tablets of stone engraved with the Ten Commandments centuries before (Exodus 32:19).
The righteous indignation expressed by the Lord’s friend and prophet was in response to a case of barefaced idolatry and shameless disrespect, including licentious conduct (Exodus 32:3-8).
This further brings to mind an easily overlooked, but very important symbol established by Jehovah. The Israelites were to wear tassels with a cord of blue on the corners of their garments, which was symbolic of the commandments of the Lord, and a visible reminder to always keep same (Numbers 15:38-40).
Interestingly the original two tablets of stone presented to Moses at Sinai by God with God’s handwriting (Exodus 31:18) and bearing His signature in the fourth Commandment (Exodus 20:8-11) were blue, likely extracted from Jehovah’s blue (sapphire) throne (Exodus 24:10-16; Ezekiel 1:26; 10:1).
Strikingly the pretentious harlot of Revelation 17:1-4 dons the colors of Jehovah’s priests along with the precious stones, except for the blue (Exodus 28:17-21; 31-33), boasting of her splendor and religious character, but independence from God’s Commandments.
Her proud acts of substituting her traditions for God’s laws (Mark 7:7), while professing His name amounted to idolatry and spiritual fornication. She rejected Jehovah’s signature and His authority.
The Creator’s expressed intent to those who take such a course is no more an idle warning than were the words to Jeremiah (Jeremiah 19:15). Still some do not understand; and others do not believe. Blessed are those who honor the Lord and His commandments (Revelation 22:14) and find in the blue sky above a constant reminder of the Creator's authority and Law.
Please show me where it states in scripture that the tablets of stone given to Moses on Mount Sinai were blue. That is not evident in the texts you quote above
Michael,
Thanks for your query. The Bible does not explicitly state that the tablets of stone was blue. However there is evidence by which a reasonable inference may be drawn.
Exodus 32:16 says the tablets were the work of God, suggesting He did something to produce it. The only other stone mentioned in the context was the paved work of sapphire stone (Exodus 24:10) on which God feet were. It is reasonable to believe God carved or cut the tablets out of the blue stone, which would establish a connection with the blue cord used as a reminder.
Further the commandments in the ark are closely associated with God's throne, represented by the mercy seat just above the law (Exodus 25:20-22). Ezekiel 1:26 and Ezekiel 10:1 describe God's throne as like a sapphire stone. Applying the picture of Exodus 24:10 the Lord sitting on the mercy seat would have his feet on the paved work of sapphire stone (tablets) below the mercy seat.
Hopefully this helps even a little.
Hugh, I'm glad you don't state the idea of the commandments being written on "blue stone" as fact, but only a "reasonable inference."
I have heard sermons preached on the supposed "blue stone" on which the Ten Commandments were written, and I confess I did not find them persuasive. I see the idea as a fanciful inference.
If the commandments had, indeed, been written on semi-precious stone, it would be reasonable to expect some mention made of this in the rest of the Bible - especially since the Ark of the Covenant is described in such exquisite detail.
The idea that the Ten Commandments were written on blue stone is based on this:
Notice that the elders saw something that looked *like* a blue sapphire (KJV) on which the Lord stood. The Prophet Ezekiel also saw a vision of the Lord on His throne and saw that the throne *looked like* "lapis lazuli" (NIV) or sapphire.(KJV) (See Eze 1:25-28 meaning is not sure.) The argument for the Ten Commandment tables made of "blue stone" rests on the supposition that God's throne is made up of earthly stone, and that the Lord cut out a portion of the "pavement" under His throne or even His throne on which to write the Ten Commandments.
I don't think so.
I don't find a shred of real evidence to support this supposition, although Jewish myths suggest this. (There are many other fanciful Jewish myths.) The whole of Mt Sinai was made of rock. So there was no shortage of local rock, and the most reasonable interpretation is that God used the local rock and wrote His Law on them - just as He wants to inscribe His Law on local human hearts.
But let's go back to the story: The 70 elders saw the Lord above something that looked like brilliant sapphire, and they ate a covenant meal in the presence of the Lord. *After that,* Moses climbed further up the mountain to talk with God, and He spent 40 days there, while Aaron and the Israelites built the golden calf. It was there at the top of the mountain where the Israelites saw "a consuming fire" that God gave Moses the Ten Commandments inscribed on stone. And when Moses came down from the mountain and saw the people dancing around the golden calf, He smashed the tables of stone on the ground so they broke - symbolizing the broken covenant. (See Ex 24:9-18 and Ex 32:1-19) (There should be some big pieces of sapphire on that mountain, if that's what the tables were made of.)
But there's more to the story: The tables in the ark were actually carved out from rock by either Moses himself or some workmen because the Lord told Moses to cut two tables of stone like the first ones which he broke. So, if the first tables were made of sapphire, Moses would have had to find more sapphire on the mountain or in the desert to cut these second tables - a highly unlikely scenario which has no basis in Scripture or geology. (See Ex 34:1-2)
Furthermore, this emphasis on the Ten Commandments made of "blue stone" seems to me to be a way of diverting attention from what the Law of God truly means.
I would personally like to see this fanciful myth put to rest by serious Christian Bible students.
Inge,
Thanks for the response and sorry for your personal issue with the interpretation. Not sure why the tablets being blue would be a problem. Suffice it to say the idea of "this fanciful myth" is itself an inference, not established fact.
The exact color of the tablets aside God clearly makes a link between the color blue and His commandments (Numbers 15:38-40). Blue is also associated with God's throne (Ezekiel 1:26; 10:1). As well it is unlikely scripture took time to identify the colors of the harlot (Revelation 17:1-4) without meaning to serious Bible students.
All this may cause discomfort among some, but God has not called the remnant to comfort. The study of Jeremiah brings this out clearly.
Not everything in scripture is explicit, and for good reason, but there is evidence and more importantly there is the Holy Spirit who provides discernment. Each may avail himself/herself as seen fit (Revelation 13:8; 17:9).
Hugh, to me everything you say is correct but we need to be down the middle of the road. We can easily focus so much on the law that the free gift of grace in salvation gets put on the back burner. That is something I believe we need to think about and keep things balanced otherwise fanaticism will set in.
If we continually reject the messages we get via the Word and the Holy Spirit, we will harden our hearts and no longer care whether we are walking in harmony with Jehovah. Then anything goes, so long as we feel like doing it, just like Judah in Jeremiah's time.
We may internalize the words of this hymn by Arthur J Hodge:
HAVE YOU COUNTED THE COST?
1 There's a line that is drawn by rejecting our Lord,
Where the call of His Spirit is lost,
And you hurry along with the pleasure-mad throng -
Have you counted, have you counted the cost?
Chorus:
Have you counted the cost, if your soul should be lost
Tho' you gain the whole world for your own?
Even now it may be that the line you have crossed,
Have you counted, have you counted the cost?
2 You may barter your hope of eternity's morn,
For a moment of joy at the most,
For the glitter of sin and the things it will win -
Have you counted, have you counted the cost?
3 While the door of His mercy is open to you,
Ere the depth of His love you exhaust,
Won't you come and be healed, won't you whisper, I yield -
I have counted, I have counted the cost.
Through Jeremiah we see the process of God's justice system. He persists in admonishing repentance, he gets the attention of co-laborers who are committed to lead people to repentance. God is doing everything so that none should perish, but that all may have eternal life. Indeed He is very merciful, but his mercy will eventually cease.
Jeremiah's message was hard, but we have the same message to preach to people who are comfortable living in sin: people must KNOW THAT GOD'S JUDGMENT HOUR IS AT THE DOOR. God has a limit for lawlessness and immorality!! "And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity" (Isaiah 13:11).
God had by all means tried to awaken His people through Jeremiah but they remained senseless to repentance, their ruin might have been prevented had they listened to the word of God; but Jeremiah’s effort all went in vain.
God again takes Jeremiah to the potter to get a jar of clay, get with him the elders and chiefs, both from church and state, to be his witnesses and to record what they saw. It is strange that these great men should follow a poor prophet, and obey his summons to attend him out of the city. They obeyed, followed Jeremiah to the valley though they knew not why. But, though the generality of the elders were disaffected to him, yet it is likely that there were some few among them who looked upon him as a prophet of the Lord, and would pay this respect to the heavenly vision. Note, Persons of rank and figure have an opportunity of honoring God, by a diligent attendance on the ministry of the word and other divine institutions; and they ought to think it an honor themselves
Jeremiah must go give this sermon at the valley of the son of Hinnom, because there is where the Israelites had been doing the vilest of their idolatries, the sacrificing of their children to Moloch, and therefore the sight of the place might serve to remind them of going against God. He must plainly tell them what their sins were for which God had this controversy with them, v. 4, 5. They are charged with apostasy from God (They have forsaken me) and abuse of the privileges of the visible church, and which they had been dignified-They have estranged this place.
The Israelites did not obey the instructions God gave to them. Because this displeased God, He set out to “break” them in the same way that Jeremiah smashed the clay jar. The Israelites were invaded by the Babylonians, and they became captives. Their nation was scattered and broken, just like the pottery.
The clay jar, then, is a symbol that represents us as God’s children. A jar is a vessel for holding a substance. We are all like that jar, in that we hold substance. What substance we choose to contain is up to us. We can choose to hold God’s goodness and love and share it with those around us, or we can choose to hold substances that harm both us and others. Remember the clay has no choice in the hands of the Potter but us, through Jesus Christ has a chance to make a choice.
Dear folk, I greatly appreciate the the thoughtful and insightful comments you have put forward on this net, but I would like to find out where Rachel OMWEGA found the hymn "Have You Counted the Cost"? I can't find it in either the old or new hymnal.
It's time to seek the old paths that lead to life lest they become so overgrown with the weed of the devil that we lose the Way.
May the Lord be with you all.
John Kriskans
John, this website gives a bit of history regarding the hymn; "Have you counted the cost"
http://www.hymnary.org/text/theres_a_line_that_is_drawn_by_rejecting