The purpose of this lesson: To stress (1) that relationship with God is not simple and (2) God has a purpose for any people who are willing to be God’s people.
Among the most difficult biblical topics is the one of God’s interaction with people. Among the reasons for it being a difficult topic is the nature of the situation. The situation involves the interaction of an eternal being Who has creative powers with a physical being who deceptively believes he can manipulate the eternal being. It involves the interaction of the eternal being who made the physical being. This interaction includes: (a) a physical being who is accurately “knowable” to the eternal being; (b) an eternal being Who is completely unlike the physical being (Isaiah 55:8, 9); and, (c) a physical being who, at best, is limited to understanding the material. The nature of the situation demands that it be a faith relationship in which the material being trusts the eternal being.
Do not pretend that we possess all the answers in the area of God’s (the eternal being) interaction with humans (the physical beings). [Such pretences create problems for your students later when an answer fails to deal with all aspects of the problem. The fact that you do not know THE answer does not mean God’s answer does not exist.] Every approach to this problem begins with some basic assumptions.
By revelation, we understand that the physical beings God created as sinless beings were quite different from us. (We cannot even imagine a sinless existence.) We understand that the coming of sin into human physical existence altered physical life in dramatic ways. We understand that restoration of physical life to a positive relationship with God results in a profound change in physical existence. We understand that the full restoration of a sinless state and complete relationship with God results in a state of existence that exceeds physical comprehension, a reversal of the dramatic changes that sin produced in physical existence.
The nature of this interaction/relationship was debated extensively and intensively before you were born, and will continue to be debated long after you die. The physical being will use the material in every way he can to explain the eternal being, but no amount of material understanding is ever enough to fully encompass the eternal.
The question and its answers will continue after generations pass because our answers never fully encompass the realities of the eternal. No generation will eliminate the element of faith in any answer proposed.
Some things are constantly affirmed in scripture. (1) The physical being is continually accountable for his choices. (2) The physical being’s repentance has a profound impact on his relationship with the eternal being. (3) The physical being can progress into the ungodly and anti-godly to the point that it is “too late” for him to escape the consequences of his ungodly choices.
The physical beings are accountable for their decisions, can repent (and must), and can proceed into ungodliness to the point that consequences of choices cannot be reversed. We commonly refer to such moments as “passing the tipping point.” In our ungodly choices/decisions, we humans can pass “the tipping point.” A paradox: relationship with God is always possible even when a physical being’s choices pass “the tipping point.”
Consider today’s text. The location of the revelation is in a potter’s house. While that is an unknown to most of us, it was highly known and understood to Jeremiah’s intended readership. Their eating utensils, many of their food preparation implements, and many of their “necessary for life” utensils were made by a potter. The origin of an exquisite piece or a common piece began in the same way: a lump of clay placed by the potter on his potter’s wheel.
The potter’s house, the potter’s products, and the contribution of a skilled potter to daily life in every circle was well known. Everyone depended on the potter, his skill, and his products—the use of the potter’s products made daily life possible.
It was unthinkable (and impossible) that a lump of clay would suggest to the potter what it wanted to become. The product the lump of clay became was the result of the potter’s intent, not the clay’s request. God was the potter. Judah was the clay.
Everyone understood clay did not tell the potter what to do. In the same sense, God would not be told what to do. Judah was the clay; God was the potter.
The point is not a declaration of predestination. The point was an affirmation that God had an intent for Judah. God’s intent, not Judah’s desire, determined the ultimate outcome. God’s intent, not Judah’s desire, determined Judah’s future.
The point being made was not about predestination. The point focused on (a) the power of God, and (b) that God had an intent He was carrying out. Judah’s objective was not to change God’s intent, but to allow God to use her to achieve His intent.
God’s intent (to bring a blessing to all people) began with His promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3b. (See Galatians 3:16.) That intent unfolded in various ways as God worked through Israel, then Judah. In this physical world, God’s intent reached its initial goal in what God did in Jesus’ death and resurrection (consider Acts 3:11-26 and 10:34, 35.) God’s intent will reach its full conclusion when Jesus, as the resurrected Christ, again makes God the “all in all” -- (a) when Jesus Christ defeats all God’s enemies, and (b) gives the people of God to God (consider I Corinthians 15:24-28.)
The problem was seen in the fact that Judah was not willing to allow God to use them as He had long intended. The people who were supposed to belong to God, who existed to devote themselves to God’s purposes, had become so ungodly that they were useless to God. God needed to remind them that He was the potter and they were the lump of clay. They did not control God’s intent. They existed to serve God’s purposes.
The generation of Judah condemned in the book of Jeremiah did not even exist when God expressed His intent in His promise to Abraham. The issue: God would keep His promise—would do what He intended to do with or without that generation of Judah’s compliance. Judah’s rebellion would not keep God from keeping His promise, from achieving His intent. The question was whether Judah wanted to turn from her ungodliness and assist God’s purposes.
Was there nothing they could do? (People always seek a means to defer consequences. Every generation wishes to defer consequences to the next generation.)
No one enjoys enduring the consequences of bad choices.
There was something potent they could do, but the potency of this “doable” thing would not avoid consequences of her ungodly decisions. Judah could repent of her ungodliness. She again could become useful to God’s intent rather than arrogantly rebelling against God by selfishly pursuing her own desires and purposes.
When humans pass the “tipping point” in ungodly decisions, avoiding consequences of bad choices is not an option. The option available is becoming what the humans should have been before ungodly rebellion occurred. Repentance is more than saying to God that one is sorry for his bad choices. It is a redirection of one’s life away from rebellion and ungodliness even if that means enduring the consequences of past rebellion and ungodliness. Why? Because there is always more to consider than “right now.”
While everyone in Judah would admit it was ridiculous for a lump of clay to instruct the potter on what to make it, Judah needed to understand there was something they could do. Judah needed to understand the power of repentance in their relationship with God. They needed to stop trusting in who they were and begin to behave like God’s people.
In every generation, people need to understand (honestly) their position in their relationship with God.
As a reminder and an encouragement God gave Judah two affirmations about the power of human repentance in God’s relationship with His people. Affirmation one: If God has declared calamity against a nation, and the people repented, God would relent on bringing the calamity. Affirmation two: If God declared He would bring blessings on a nation, and that nation turned to ungodliness, God would withdraw the blessings and replace them with evil.
God is not “locked in” in regard to assurances given or punishment promised. Human repentance allows God to redirect His immediate course (not His ultimate intent). Human behavior expressed in deeds motivated by repentance has a powerful impact on God in the Eternal One’s relationship with the physical one.
Judah could not change God’s intent. She could not dictate to God how she wanted Him to use her. Nothing would allow her ungodliness to continue and life be lived as it had been—that was not an option.
The option in every generation: to be available to God to assist in His intent in Jesus Christ.
God’s intent had not changed! If there were to be changes, those changes would be in Judah. The option: Repent, and let God use you as a people for His intent.
God’s ultimate intent will never change! Repentance will change us, but we will never be in charge of directing God.
For Thought and Discussion:
1. What is among the most difficult biblical topics?
The topic of God’s interaction with people is among the most difficult biblical topics.
2. List three things included in the interaction of God (the eternal being) with the human (the physical being).
a. This interaction includes a physical being who is accurately “knowable” to an Eternal Being.
b. It includes an Eternal Being Who is completely unlike the physical being.
c. It includes a physical being who is limited to understanding the material.
3. The nature of the situation demands what?
The situation demands that it be a faith-based relationship in which the physical being trusts the Eternal Being.
4. What does the physical being do? No amount of material understanding will do what?
The physical being uses the material to explain the Eternal Being. No amount of material understanding fully encompasses the eternal.
5. List three things biblically affirmed.
a. The physical being is accountable for his choices.
b. The physical being’s repentance has a profound impact on his relationship with the Eternal Being.
c. The physical being can progress into the ungodly and anti-godly to the point that it is “too late” to escape the consequences of ungodly or anti-godly choices.
6. In what location did Jeremiah’s revelation occur?
It occurred in a potter’s house.
7. What typically occurred in a potter’s house?
The making of eating utensils, food preparation implements, and many “necessary for life” utensils occurred.
8. What was unthinkable and impossible?
It was unthinkable and impossible for the lump of clay to tell the potter what the clay wanted to become.
9. The point was not what? What was the point?
The point was not a declaration of predestination. The point was an affirmation that God had an intent for Judah.
10. What was the problem?
The problem was seen in the fact that Judah was not willing to allow God to use them in the way God had long intended.
11. How ungodly had Judah become?
Judah had become so ungodly that they were useless to God.
12. What do people always seek to do?
People always seek a means to defer consequences.
13. What did Judah need to understand? What was it?
Judah needed to understand there was something she could do. Judah needed to repent of her ungodliness—only that would restore Judah’s relationship with God.
14. List God’s two affirmations.
a. If God declared calamity against a nation and the people repented, God could relent on bringing the calamity.
b. If God declared blessings on a nation and the people turned to ungodliness, God could withdraw His blessings and replace them with His wrath.
15. What was Judah’s available option?
Their option was to repent and yield to God’s
intent.
Link to Student Guide
Lesson 2