Jeremiah 19:1-2 Thus saith the LORD, Go and get a potter's earthen bottle, and take of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests; 2 And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the east gate, and proclaim there the words that I shall tell thee,

Jeremiah 19:10-12 Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee, 11 And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury. 12 Thus will I do unto this place, saith the LORD, and to the inhabitants thereof, and even make this city as Tophet:

God Shatters Defiant Israel

Jeremiah again goes to the potter’s house but this time there is a difference. The difference between this trip to the potters house and the first one was the condition of the vessel. In the first trip to the potters house the clay of the clay was soft, pliable, and workable but now it is hardened and will not yield to the potter’s hand. It is beyond shaping, or correcting and God tells Jeremiah, “Break the pot. Shatter it so that it cannot be reassembled.

Then the Lord said, “I break this people and this city, as one breaks a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet, till there be no place to bury. Thus will I do unto this place, saith the LORD, and to the inhabitants thereof, and even make this city as Tophet.”

The valley of Tophet was a place of horrific child sacrifices to the pagan god Moloch. Today he would be the god of Planned Parenthood. Josiah the last good King had destroyed Tophet and then defiled it by digging up and burning the bones of the priests of Moloch.

The valley of Tophet was also called Hinnom and later that became Gehenna during the time of Jesus, it was where the filth and dead animals of the city were cast out and burned. When Jesus warned of the eternal flames of Hell, he used the word Gehenna, the defiled always burning place that marked the worst sin of Israel.

Hard hearts or soft souls?

In our own lives, we need to understand the God the potter never destroys a vessel until it has become too hardened. As long as it is still soft He can continue to rework, reshape and remake it.

The application for us from this passage is that we should examine ourselves and see if we are becoming too hard for God to reshaped us and instead must break us in pieces.

Hardening of a  heart can happen by indifference to God’s leading, by tragedy in this sinful world, or by neglect of God’s Word and God’s house and God’s people.

This morning I’m glad that people are people and not pots. Though some people might fit what my Grandma Minefee used to call crackpots but that is a different illustration and sermon. No, we are not pots, cracked, hardened or otherwise, we are people who have hearts, minds and souls and the Bible tells us that at any time we hear God’s word we can repent and let Him rework our mishappen, broken or hard hearts. Under the touch of God’s grace, the quickening of His word the hardest heart can become soft and yielding again.

It begins with the simplest act of repentance. Listen to Isaiah, 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

In fact Psalms 136 has the undeniable message of mercy over and over. In its 26 verses, 26 times at the end of each verse, the Psalmist shouts out more intensely and emphatically, "His mercy endureth forever."

Psalms 136:1-3 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. 2 O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever.  3 O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Conclusion: Will you Yield to God's Will?

God has a plan, a design for you. It is found right here in His Word. Just listen as He tells you His purpose for you. It is the purpose for which we were created. He desires to forgive us, bless us, and spend eternity in the glory, the wonder, the joy and the peace of heaven. He has a design for you to be a growing, loving servant following His call.

It's not too late, God’s mercy endures forever, and He still calls, still reaches out to us. Let us always respond to Him by praying, "God soften my heart, let me feel your Spirit, let me hear your Word, let me grow in your fellowship. Lord, remake me at Your will.  Shape me to be what you want me to be. A vessel that will brings honor and glory to You."