Jeremiah 18:12-17 Apostates Reject The Doctrine Of Predestination.

When some people learn about the sovereign predestinating work of God, such as taught by the LORD through the word given to Jeremiah concerning the potter and the clay (18:1-11), respond by saying that the doctrine is a hopeless one, that they will follow the dictates of their own hearts (v. 12). However, the doctrine itself ensures that these will follow the dictates of their own hearts, which are evil, which is what all people would do if the LORD did not change their hearts. These are apostates who have abandoned their covenantal oath, rejecting the pure waters of the LORD to go after idols, religion fashioned by human beings out of the dictates of their evil hearts (vv. 12-14). Idols are worthless, and the ways of idolatry are likened unto misleading paths taking travellers off the ancient highway of the true word of the LORD (v. 15). For this cause the LORD would scatter them before their enemies, as he turned their back on them, no longer showing them favour (vv. 16-17).