1. God calls Jeremiah to buy a linen "sash". It was probably a decorative
garment - such as would be worn by the wealthy. This would have been a
strange thing for a prophet to wear (Matthew 11:8); and it would have caught
notice.
2. God called Jeremiah to wear it with out washing it; which would have
kept it from rotting.
3. In time, God commanded him to bury it in a hole in the rock on the bank
of the Euphrates. The rising of the river would moisten it, and the
lowering would have allowed it to dry - thus causing it to soil and rot.
4. It would have been a great effort for Jeremiah to make the journey from
Jerusalem to the Euphrates; but this too is a symbol of their love for
foreign gods (v. 10).
5. When he went back to get it, it was "useless". This was meant to be a
picture:
a. Jerusalem was in a place of "pride" because it was God's favored people
(Rom. 2:17-20).
b. It became soiled because it would not listen to Him; and as a result
became useless.
B. The Symbol of The Bottles (vv. 12-14).
