Jeremiah 19:10

 Jeremiah 19:10 says, Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee,  Jeremiah was instructed to break the bottle that he got from the potter in front of the elder leaders that he had taken with him.  Sometimes God teaches us with symbolic lessons.  Verse eleven adds, 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.  God then told Jeremiah to tell the men with him what the breaking of the bottle meant.  Judah was going to be broken like the bottle until it couldn't be made whole again.  People were going to be buried in that valley until there was no room to bury them anymore.  If God uses something symbolic to get our attention. I believe that He will also let us know what the symbolism means.  If we are really following God's leadership, He will never leave us confused about what He is saying to us.  Verse twelve continues, Thus will I do unto this place, saith the LORD, and to the inhabitants thereof, and even make this city as Tophet:  God didn't say that this was what might happen, but that it was what would happen.  When God pronounces His judgment, it is certain to happen.  Verse thirteen concludes, And the houses of Jerusalem, and the houses of the kings of Judah, shall be defiled as the place of Tophet, because of all the houses upon whose roofs they have burned incense unto all the host of heaven, and have poured out drink offerings unto other gods.  Just as Josiah had done to the people of Tophet because of their idolatry, so was God going to do to Jerusalem.  The people had not learned from a past example.  When we see how God has dealt with idolatry in the past, it should keep us from allowing idolatry to come into our lives if we are followers of Christ.  Verse fourteen declares, Then came Jeremiah from Tophet, whither the LORD had sent him to prophesy; and he stood in the court of the LORD’s house; and said to all the people,  Jeremiah went where God had instructed him to go.  If we are to be successful in our witness for God, we must go where He sends us, and then do as He has instructed us to do.  Verse fifteen adds, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring upon this city and upon all her towns all the evil that I have pronounced against it, because they have hardened their necks, that they might not hear my words.  Jeremiah pronounced God's judgment on the people telling them what God had said.  We must tell the people what God has said about the coming destruction of those who refuse to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and Lord.  God said that Jeremiah was to tell them why this punishment was coming, and that is because they would not listen to God any more.  If someone today goes away to everlasting suffering it will be because they refuse to listen to God and accept salvation through Christ.  Just as the people of Judah in that day, it will be because of their choice and not God's choice.  God would rather save all people, but He leaves the choice up to each individual.