Vessels of Wrath

In Jeremiah 18 we saw an object lesson in God’s sovereignty, long suffering, and mercy. Now, in Jeremiah 19 we will see a dramatic lesson about God’s wrath. The difference between the two lessons is the difference between wet clay and broken pottery. Clay can be reshaped. As long as clay is still on the potter’s wheel, something can be done with it, even if a pot is nearly finished. But once a pot has been fired, burnished, and broken, it is beyond repair. This vessel of wrath teaches at least two lessons about divine judgment: God’s wrath is just and it is fearsome. We must add a third lesson based on the good news of the gospel: Jesus Christ is the way to flee from the wrath to come.