Oct
2
Written by:
Bob Flynn
10/2/2009 7:45 AM
Alluding to the creation of Adam, he compares mankind not yet made (but who are in the creators mind) to a lump of clay: who afterwards God made, and daily makes, according as he purposed from everlasting, both such as should be elect, and such as should be reprobate, as also this word "make" declares. (Geneva Bible Translation Notes)
Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? (Romans 9:21 NASB)
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? (Romans 9:21 KJV)
Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use? (Romans 9:21 NET.)
When a potter makes jars out of clay, doesn't He have a right to use the same lump of clay to make one jar for decoration and another to throw garbage into? (Romans 9:21 NLT)
For who can know the LORD's thoughts? Who knows enough to give Him advice?
(Romans 11:34 NLT)
Who is able to advise the Spirit of the LORD? Who knows enough to give Him advice or teach Him?
(Isaiah 40:13 NLT)
"Have any of these prophets been in the LORD's presence to hear what He is really saying? Has even one of them cared enough to listen? (Jeremiah 23:18 NLT)
Perhaps the place to begin is with Him who holds the rights! The theologian would define God's wisdom by referring to His ability to devise perfect means to attain perfect ends (Wiersbe, W. W., Be skillful - paraphrase mine). God's wisdom is displayed throughout all of His creation. Yet our rebellious minds would ascribe to the survival of the fittest amino acid. When the purveyors of cesspool science created life in a test tube, they lauded it as proof that life was created in the primordial soup kitchen. Of course, like the politicians of today, the left out a few things. They had to create the perfect environment (hardly left to chance if you do the math) and then their creation was not alive, but merely the building blocks of life (amino acids). Unfortunately, there was a problem—there were L-amino acids and R-amino acids. All living things have only L- amino acids. So what happened to the "R"? How piteous is our understanding and how arrogant our assertions in the presence of the Almighty! The word universe asserts that everything is in unity, which is why we can miraculously predict the sunrise each morning while the law of gravity keeps our feet upon this earth. Who are we to complain about the clay from which we are made or the glaze by which we were painted before being fired in the Potter's kiln?
I sing the wisdom that ordained
The sun to rule the day;
The moon shines full at His command,
And all the stars obey. (Isaac Watts, Praise for Creation and Providence)
This same sovereign right of God the apostle proceeds to urge from another illustration, and another passage from the Old Testament; Isaiah 64:8, “But now, O Lord, thou art our Father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand.” This passage is preceded in Isaiah by one declaring “the depravity of man;” Isaiah 64:6, “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” As they were polluted with sin, as they had transgressed the Law of God, and had no claim and no merit, God might bestow his favors as he pleased, and mould them as the potter did the clay. He would do no injury to those who were left, and “who had no claim to his mercy,” if he bestowed favors on others, any more than the potter would do injustice to one part of the mass, if he put it to an ignoble use, and molded another part into a vessel of honor. (Dr. Albert Barnes)
Isa 64:8 And yet, O LORD, You are our Father. We are the clay, and You are the potter. We all are formed by Your hand. (NLT)
Isa 64:6 We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall, and our sins sweep us away like the wind. (NLT)
The apostle continues his answer to the Jew. Hath not God shown, by the parable of the potter, Jeremiah 18, etc., that he may justly dispose of nations, and of the Jews in particular, according as he in his infinite wisdom may judge most right and fitting; even as the potter has a right, out of the same lump of clay, to make one vessel to a more honorable and another to a less honorable use, as his own judgment and skill may direct; for no potter will take pains to make a vessel merely that he may show that he has power to dash it to pieces? For the word came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work upon the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hands of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. It was not fit for the more honorable place in the mansion, and therefore he made it for a less honorable place, but as necessary for the master’s use there, as it could have been in a more honorable situation. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? Behold, as the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; if that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation - to build and to plant it; is it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good wherewith I said I would benefit them. The reference to this parable shows most positively that the apostle is speaking of men, not individually, but nationally; and it is strange that men should have given his words any other application with this scripture before their eyes. (Dr. Adam Clarke)
Copyright ©2009 Robert Flynn