This next section in Jeremiah (Jeremiah 18:1–20:18) begins with the Lord telling Jeremiah to go down to the potter’s house. The whole section is linked by this visit to the potter in Jeremiah 18:1–23 and the breaking of a clay jar in Jeremiah 19:1–15, which leads to the events of Jeremiah 20:1–18.
The events of this section probably reflect the early parts of Jehoiakim’s reign; before the invasion of 597 BC and the exile in 587 BC. The reforms Josiah had brought about are being undone and there is a steady decline and hardening of hearts in Judah towards the Lord. This spiritual decline is seen most clearly in their rejection of the Lord’s prophet.1
The instruction to go to the potter’s house is not the same as the symbolic actions that Jeremiah has already been instructed to carry out before (see Jeremiah 13:1–11; Jeremiah 16:1–9). In this case Jeremiah is simply told to go and watch the potter at his craft. It is not unusual, however, for the prophets to find the Lord’s word in simple events of life (see Jeremiah 1:11–12, Jeremiah 1:13–14). As always, these events never stand alone; the Lord will give the prophet an explanation of what the event symbolizes. Revelation from the Lord is always event plus explanation, never just event.
1 La parole fut adressée à Jérémie de la part de l'Eternel, en ces mots: