Neville Goddard on Jeremiah 18:2

Executive Summary

Neville Goddard interprets the biblical story of the potter and the clay as a metaphor for the creative power of human imagination. He teaches that the Potter is imagination itself, and we are the clay. The 'potter's house' is not a physical place but an inner state of consciousness where we can receive imaginative instructions to reshape our lives, reworking even 'spoiled' circumstances into a new and desired form.

Key Concepts

• The Potter is a symbol for human imagination.
• We are the clay, and our lives are the material being shaped.
• The potter's house is an inner state of consciousness for receiving imaginative instruction.
• An awakened imagination can refashion any circumstance, even one that seems spoiled or useless.
• This creative power, the Potter, is identified with the Lord and our father.

Detailed Explanation

Neville Goddard's interpretation of Jeremiah 18:2 centers on the idea that the story is a profound allegory for the power of human consciousness. He explicitly states that the word translated as 'Potter' means imagination. Therefore, the divine creator shaping reality is not an external being but our own imagination.

In this metaphor, we are the clay. Our lives and circumstances are the malleable material in the Potter's hands. The scripture describes the potter reworking a vessel that was 'spoiled'. This illustrates a key principle: an awakened imagination can take any situation, even one that appears ruined or useless, and completely refashion it. The imagination reworks the material 'as it seemed good to the potter to do,' meaning it reshapes our reality according to our own desire and vision.

The 'potter's house' is also interpreted symbolically. It is not a physical location but an inner state of being that we can enter. Neville suggests we are 'always in the potter's house,' meaning we have constant access to this creative center within. It is in this state that we can 'hear my words'—that is, receive imaginative instructions, often through visions or dreams, which guide the reshaping of our lives.

Important Quotes

The word translated Potter means imagination.

— The Law And The Promise

Out of material others would have thrown away as useless, an awakened imagination refashions it as it ought to be.

— The Law And The Promise

“Go down to the potter’s house” – I’m always in the potter’s house - “and there I will let you hear my words.”

— The Potters House

O Lord, thou art our father, we are the clay, and thou art our potter; we are all the work of thy hand.

— The Law And The Promise

Related Concepts

• Imagination: This concept is central, as the Potter is explicitly defined as imagination itself—the creative power that shapes reality.
• I AM: The Potter is identified as 'the Lord' and 'our father,' terms Neville uses for one's own consciousness or I AM. This implies that our own awareness is the divine power shaping the clay of our life.
• Desire: The potter reworks the clay 'as it seemed good to the potter to do,' which directly corresponds to the power of imagination to reshape circumstances according to one's own desire.

Common Misunderstandings

• The Potter is not an external God. The source material is clear that the Potter is one's own imagination, an internal creative power.
• The potter's house is not a literal place. It is a state of consciousness, an inner workshop where one can receive imaginative instructions and consciously create.

Practical Applications

To apply this teaching, you must first recognize your own imagination as the Potter with the power to shape your life. See your current circumstances, especially those you deem 'spoiled' or undesirable, as malleable clay. Instead of discarding them as hopeless, you can use your imagination to rework them into a new form that pleases you. This involves entering the 'potter's house'—an inner state of receptivity, like a dream or vision—to receive the imaginative pattern for the new vessel you wish to create.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the Potter in Jeremiah 18:2 according to Neville?

Neville states that the word 'Potter' means imagination. It is not an external deity but our own creative power.

What does it mean to 'go down to the potter's house'?

It means to enter an inner state of consciousness. Neville explains this is a place where one can receive imaginative instructions, often in a vision or dream, to reshape one's life.

Can I change a situation that seems ruined?

Yes. The teaching emphasizes that an awakened imagination can take 'spoiled' clay—material that seems useless—and rework it into a new and desired vessel.