Monday: The Potter’s Clay
What crucial truths are taught from these verses and the symbolism found there? (See Gen. 2:7, Jer. 18:1-10, Isa. 29:16, Isa. 45:9, Isa. 64:8, Rom. 9:18-21)
Because of the constant rejection and persecution that he faced, no doubt Jeremiah wanted to give up. Was it worth struggling and fighting for that nation? At times he certainly felt that the answer was No!
Image © Francesa Miller from GoodSalt.com
No question, though, as he watched the potter’s hand, he was given an image, a symbol, of how the Lord worked with human clay. Whatever other truths are found in the image of the potter and the clay, it does teach the ultimate sovereignty of God. That is, however hopeless the situation might have seemed from Jeremiah’s perspective, the symbolism of the potter and the clay showed him that ultimately, despite the wrong or even willfully wrong decisions that people make, the Lord is in control of the world. He is the absolute source of power and authority, and in the end He will triumph, regardless of appearances now.
Centuries after Jeremiah, Paul picks up on this Old Testament image in Romans 9 and continues with it, basically using it to teach the same lesson that it was to teach Jeremiah. In fact, Paul may even be directly referring to Jeremiah 18:6 in Romans 9:21. We can rest assured that, despite the reality of human free will and free choices, and the often calamitous results of abusing that free will, in the end, we can hope in the absolute sovereignty of our loving and self-sacrificing God, whose love is revealed on the cross. Evil won’t triumph; God and His love will. What a hope we have!
How can you learn to trust in the lesson of the potter and the clay, regardless of present circumstances? What other Bible texts show us the reality of God’s sovereignty?
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Many may not realize or act like it, but in relation to God humans are as powerless as clay in the hands of a potter (Jeremiah 18:5-6). The Creator may do as He wills with the creation (Isaiah 29:16; 45:9). The potter initiates work on the clay (Genesis 2:7) and needs to do molding thereafter (Jeremiah 18:4).
Perhaps underestimating the control and involvement of the Creator some believers have trouble with the Bible saying several times that God hardened Pharaoh’s heart (Exodus 9:12; 10:20; 11:10; 14:8), and have just about dismissed the statements as erroneous. However this testimony of scripture is correct; for God took definite action (Romans 9:18) in response to Pharaoh himself taking certain actions (Exodus 7:14; 8:15).
Mankind cannot make righteous decisions without the aid of the Holy Spirit. Only through the involvement of the Spirit could Pharaoh make a decision in favor of the Israelites. When God withdrew the influence of the Spirit on Pharaoh’s heart He effectively hardened Pharaoh’s heart. So as to fully execute the ten plagues, especially the last, the Lord did this (Exodus 4:21; 10:1).
Even in the matter of salvation humans are unable to make the right decisions or choose Christ without the initial work of the Holy Spirit. The enmity against the serpent promised in Eden is the grace or working of the Spirit necessary for humans to overcome the fallen nature and choose life (Genesis 3:15). Otherwise mankind would be fully corrupted with evil (Genesis 6:5).
The Bible also says Pharaoh hardened his heart (Exodus 8:32). When the Spirit touches the heart it is still up to the individual to respond freely. Repeated failure to act may eventually result in withdrawal of the Spirit, which leaves the heart truly hardened (Genesis 6:6; Ephesians 4:30).
Christians ought to be grateful they did not have to make the first move. Still all must move. While the clay is soft is the time to respond. Why not move today?
Put clay in the fire and it hardens, put butter in the fire and it melts.
The fire is the same, the substance is different.
How will my heart react to the influence of the Holy Spirit?
The most important lesson to an Individual here is that when God sends today He is sending His Child and definitely the promise of Authority, Power and Success is promised for either if received or rejected the consequences of ones response to the message will fall on that person and we should rejoice that God will vindicate the person willing to go and deliver the message, it may be as hard and impossible to bear like Jeremiah but He will deliver, either here on earth or in the resurrection morning. Just like the Waldensian during the Dark Ages God will deliver them in their day of Trouble but first they must endure the going forth despite the rejection, smite, ridicule, persecution or even death. When there is a willing heart the Lord will give the spirit of peace just like Jesus and Stephen Heaven as he was pelted with stones that somehow he does not feel the physical pain of imagine stones pelted on you and it is through the power and peace that The Holy Ghost presence saturates Stephen persecution pains and aches that he only sings with joy as he sees the Kingdom of Heaven there and then. Stephen is Killed as recorded in Acts 7:54-60. So let us leave the persecution aside for our wages for going forth as Yahweh's messenger has been paid already at Calvary and there is no other motivation or love that can compel us to lovingly go forth.
Did Jeremiah learn the lesson? How do you feel after working several weeks at a crusade with no one committing to baptism? How do you feel as a parent when you have done all you possibly could to correct your rebellious child, but your efforts seem futile? How do you feel when a friend refuses trusted advice and you have to rescue him repeatedly?
People may seem hopeless to us while God is extending opportunities for their redemption. Like Jeremiah, as we preach and teach the truth, we are only aiding God in the process of "Pottery." Ultimately, God is solely responsible for the finished product. Therefore I am persuaded to be hopeful and persistent in leading people to God.
I appreciate your heartfelt comment Hugh.
Can someone explain to me the following enigmatic text found in Romans 9:17-18?
17 For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” 18 Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
Hello Nic, thanks for your question. I had similar question and this is what I have found so far. I pray it helps. So, in considering the context, Paul is expressing how God, in His own wisdom and mercies, chooses people in history to fulfill His purposes. Let's note that, from a holistic study of the Bible, one recognizes that ALL of God's selections are grace-faith based (not on the merits of the person/people) and they are all to the salvation of all humanity (for both the people/person selected and for the rest of the world). We can take Noah, Abraham, Joseph, Moses, the Israelites, Sampson etc and even Christians today.
So back to this passage, From the beginning of the chapter, Israel has the privilege of selection. Even among the Israel, not all who are Israel are Israel. The Paul goes back to Abraham (as the Jews likes to claim that they are the seed of Abraham - eg. John 8:39-41) but distinguishes that the seed of the promise and the seed of the flesh (Isaac & Ishmael were both Abraham's children, and God had created both) but God had selected Isaac for His purpose. Then Paul goes on to even within Isaac's kids - God selected Jacob to fulfill His purpose not Esau (both were God's creation, seeds of Abraham, seeds of the promise son Isaac, but for God's purposes, He had selected Jacob).
Then Paul gets to Pharaoh, the same way He selects people in history to fulfill purposes, He "raised" Pharaoh up. The word used here is only used twice in the NT, and the other text (see commentary below) signifies preserved his life, to fulfill God's purpose as we know God has used other heathen kings in history to fulfill His purposes (Nebuchadnezzar, Cyrus etc). This is not about their salvation, indeed, all these are for their salvation as well (Nebuchadnezzar is a prime example). God manifests His power through them, through their choices.
Regarding hardening Pharaoh's heart, Paul uses the same way he has been using through Romans (Rom 1:24, 26, 28) as God giving people up when they harden their hearts to God's divine grace and power.
I would recommend prayerfully studying through the SDA Bible Commentary. It really helped me understand. Navigatw through vss 19: http://bibletools.info/Rom_9.17
Thanks and God Bless!
Unlike the clay in the potter's hand, we have been given a choice.
Without a true knowledge of God (as the Potter and ourselves as helpless clay) we will think ourselves sufficient and be tempted to think God as interfering and overbearing. Some even feel He is vindictive and angry with anyone who doesn't follow His "rigorous rules" perfectly. Satan's propaganda has worked for most.
In these illustrations we learn that God is Sovereign and we are dependent. Knowing Him as revealed in Christ remains our greatest benefit.(John 17:3) How we respond to God's tender pleading through either faith or unbelief will determine our eternal destiny.
Faith is a gift from God. It's not up to anyone's choice. In the parable of the different soils, they each had the same fundamental composition.The husband chose the spot to cultivate. the good soil didn't plow and cultivate itself. It couldn't! So we are! The husbandman weeded, plowed, and cultivated the soil in preparation for the seed. The soil didn't water itself. It couldn't. So are we! We are kept by the power of God. "Father keep them from the evil one".(John 17)
Hugh gave a good account of God the Potter.
Soil has no choice, only the plowman. In the real realm of the great controversy, we each have a choice to have our heart subdued or we resist this work of the Holy Spirit. God wishes to endow every soul with willingness and perfect faith, but He must live with our exercise of faith or unbelief. The call from heaven is "choose this day...".
This parable of the sower is only to show the effects of the seed in the heart of all mankind, whatever they each chooses to do with it. The parable does not address the choice, but the results of the choice once made when truth comes from the Sower. We choose to cling to the weeds, stones or busy ourselves too much to give the seed opportunity to take root. If we choose to allow it, God will clear every obstacle that would impede the Word from taking root and bringing forth fruit for the Reaper.
God does not choose who to aid, the choice is ours since God chooses to save "whosoever believeth in Him...".
There are those who cannot nor will not “hear” the WORD of GOD. Are you saying that the good soil of the parable is one of the “natural” conditions of mankind? If you really believe that then Christ died unnecessarily! and the TRUTH is a LIE.
HEAR the WORD of GOD, THE TRUTH: “We should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has CHOSEN you from the beginning, for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.”(2 Th 2:13). “Just as HE (GOD) CHOSE us in Him (Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him”.(Eph 1:4) “For this reason I have said to you, that NO ONE CAN COME to ME unless it has been granted him from the FATHER.”(Jhn 6:65) “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. None comes to the Father except by Me.”(Jhn 14:6).
God has commanded “Circumcise your heart”(Dt 10:16; 30:6; Jer 4:4); “Break up the fallow ground”; “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ”; as utter requirements for salvation. Can we personally accomplish these requirements? No! We easily acknowledge we can’t “circumcise” our hearts nor “Break up the fallow ground”; but “believe”, we think we can all do that?? The LOVING GOD does it for HIS OWN, HIS PEOPLE, HIS CHOSEN! “This is the WORK of GOD , that you BELIEVE in HIM (CHRIST) whom HE has sent.”(Jhn 6:29) Faith is a gift of God.(Phi 1:29; Rom 10:17; Eph 2:6-9; James 2:5; 2 Th 2:13)
“Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your seed to love your God with all your heart, and all your soul, so that you may live.”(Dt 30:6)
“But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the SPIRIT, not by the Letter, and his praise is... from God.
“All that the Lord gives Me will come to Me ... and I give them eternal life”(Jhn 6:35-51)
“Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. You are of your father, the Devil... If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? He WHO IS OF GOD HEARS the words of God; for this reason you do not HEAR, because you are NOT of God.”(Jhn 8:42-47) “But you do not believe because you are not of My Sheep. My Sheep HEAR MY voice and I KNOW them and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will NEVER perish, and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all...(Jhn 10:25-30)
“You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit...”(Jhn 15:16) “Father, ... glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You, even as You gave Him authority over all flesh, that to all whom You have given Him, He may give eternal life... I have manifested Your Name to the men whom You GAVE Me out of the world; they were YOURS and YOU GAVE THEM to ME... I ask on their behalf... of those whom You HAVE GIVEN ME; for they are YOURS... Holy Father keep them in Your Name...(Jhn 17:1-24)
“God KNOWS THOSE WHO ARE HIS”.(2 Tim 2:13) Let us teach THE TRUTH, wash each other’s feet, that we might truly be sanctified in TRUTH!
Kenny, read my previous reply again carefully. While we are left with the choice, God must do the work within to clear out the rocks, weeds and break up the fallow ground. We choose, God works. But He can do nothing without our consent.
My previous comment makes this clear.
Kenny, a principle in the interpretation of biblical parables is that each illustrates *one* main point. They cannot be made "to walk on all fours," so to speak. The main point here is the effect of the gospel on different hearts.
In real life, hearts can change, and in real life, people can choose how to react. The rest of the Bible makes this clear.
Inge, the Gospel being the POWER of GOD unto Salvation can have only one effect or result when applied by GOD , who alone is the Savior, as far as I have noticed in Scripture.
Kenny, read ALL of Romans 1:16. 🙂
Notice the condition of the promise?
thank family all comments today have given me new hope and understanding God bless you all
Jesus promised to be with us all the way ,with that promise I pray we march forward family ,LET US GO AND TELL THE WORLD HE IS COMING SOON .
We are made and controlled by God. No man can add a cubit to his height, no matter how great that person, we are trully clay n instruments in H is hands