What is the meaning of Jeremiah 18:10? and if it does evil in My sight • The Lord is speaking about any nation or individual that turns from righteousness to wrongdoing. Evil is not defined by shifting cultural norms but by God’s unchanging standard (Isaiah 5:20; Proverbs 14:34). • “In My sight” reminds us that nothing is hidden from Him—His assessment is perfect and comprehensive (Psalm 33:13-15; Hebrews 4:13). • Jeremiah’s immediate audience had been warned repeatedly that idolatry, injustice, and moral compromise were evil acts provoking divine judgment (Jeremiah 7:9-11; 17:10). and does not listen to My voice • Refusal to listen is more than failing to hear; it is deliberate disobedience (Jeremiah 7:23-24: “Obey My voice… But they walked in the stubbornness of their evil hearts”). • God’s voice had come through prophets, Scripture, and covenant promises. Ignoring it rejects both His authority and His love (Deuteronomy 28:15; Zechariah 7:11-12). • Bullet points describing what “not listening” looks like: – Plugging ears to convicting truth (Acts 7:57). – Preferring false teachers who say what is comfortable (2 Timothy 4:3-4). – Persisting in sin despite clear warnings (Hebrews 3:15). then I will relent of the good I had intended for it • Divine blessing is conditional on continued obedience; God had promised protection, prosperity, and His presence if they walked in His ways (Deuteronomy 28:1-14; Jeremiah 18:7-9). • “Relent” does not mean God is fickle; it means He consistently responds to human choices in harmony with His righteous character (Numbers 23:19; James 1:17). • Examples: – God withheld disaster when Nineveh repented (Jonah 3:10). – He withdrew favor from Saul when Saul turned aside (1 Samuel 15:26-28). • The warning is a mercy: even threatened judgment shows God’s desire for repentance so that He can restore, not destroy (Ezekiel 18:23, 32). summary Jeremiah 18:10 teaches that God’s promised good is never a license for complacent sin. When people do evil and refuse His voice, He righteously withdraws the blessings He had ready to bestow. The verse underscores His perfect vision, the serious call to obedience, and the conditional nature of national and personal prosperity under His covenant care. Listening and obeying keep us in the flow of His intended good; defiance forfeits it. |
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