Jeremiah's Almond Rod and Boiling Pot

God showed the young prophet Jeremiah a branch of almond and a boiling pot tilted from the north - one a promise that God watches over His word, the other a warning.

At his call, the young Jeremiah was shown two visions. First the LORD asked, 'Jeremiah, what seest thou?' and he answered, 'I see a rod of an almond tree.' God replied that he had seen well, for He would hasten His word to perform it. In Hebrew the word for almond sounds like the word for watching, so the almond, the first tree to blossom in spring, signalled that God was watching over His word. Then Jeremiah saw a seething pot whose face was toward the north. God explained that out of the north evil would break forth on all the inhabitants of the land, as the kingdoms of the north set their thrones at the gates of Jerusalem in judgment for Judah's idolatry.

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Category: Prophets
Dreamer: Jeremiah
Interpretation: The almond rod meant God was watching over His word to fulfill it; the boiling pot tipped from the north meant judgment would come on Judah from northern invaders.

Key Chapters

Jeremiah 1 The Call of Jeremiah 3 min read Two simple pictures assure Jeremiah that God's word will surely come to pass, ev...

Key Passages

What Seest Thou?

Jeremiah 1:11-16

Two simple pictures assure Jeremiah that God's word will surely come to pass, even the hard word of judgment he must preach.

M¹¹oreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.

¹² Then said the LORD unto me, Thou hast well seen: for I will hasten my word to perform it. ¹³ And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying, What seest thou? And I said, I see a seething pot; and the face thereof is toward the north. ¹⁴ Then the LORD said unto me, Out of the north an evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the land. ¹⁵ For, lo, I will call all the families of the kingdoms of the north, saith the LORD; and they shall come, and they shall set every one his throne at the entering of the gates of Jerusalem, and against all the walls thereof round about, and against all the cities of Judah. ¹⁶ And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands.