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The beneficial impact of the spiritual message of the
“The Potter And The Clay” is yet to be appreciated by
natural men.
The Bible is an excellent key to unlock and uncover the
precious message of truth from the potter’s house. The
Word of God takes a high profile role in man’s search
for the truth. Man’s high regard toward God’s will
serves as an essential vehicle in bringing him to where
God wants him to be.
In Jeremiah 18:2, it is written, Arise, and go down to
the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear
my words. (KJV) This important passage from the
Scriptures entails an exciting means of spiritual
learning from our Creator who shaped the first man out
of the dust.
Jeremiah 18:3 gives us an idea concerning Jeremiah’s
willingness to learn from God’s expressive and unique
way of teaching His children. Undeniably, spiritual
wisdom is being offered to an interested person who is
willing to take heed to the Word of God.
(I) God’s Noteworthy Message To Men
Jeremiah 18:1-4
-A relevant message
-A message not to be ignored
-A message to be understood
It’s really a blessing to visit a place where we could
personally see a skilled potter shaping a beautiful
earthen vessel out of formless clay. Its striking
message will certainly widen our spiritual
understanding. Jeremiah’s remarkable experience will
surely come to life again as God’s unique reminder to
every man in the so-called “Modernized World.”
Truly, God’s noteworthy messages through the Scriptures
are always relevant at all times. For this reason, the
spiritual lesson we could learn from the potter’s house
should not be taken lightly or intentionally ignored,
but heartily embraced and carefully understood.
Our adversary, the devil, keeps his sharp eyes on people
whose lives he aims to destroy through his deceitful and
destructive ways, but through this God-given lesson, we
could become more sensitive to the working of God and
gain more wisdom on how to subdue Satan’s crushing
mallet.
(II) God: The Potter
Jeremiah 18:5-6
-Mankind: The Clay
In Isaiah 64:8, it is written, 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. (KJV) God is our Creator
and He has the power to mould us according to His plan.
We are nothing but clay relying on the Potter’s
wonderful working and the more we submit to His moulding
process, the more we will come out pleasing before Him.
A careful study on Jeremiah 18:4-6 leads us to
realization and awareness on how our Heavenly Father
puts us on His wheels to shape us as seems good to Him.
(III) Important Things To Be Considered
Jeremiah 18:6
-The authority and blessed will of God
In verse six, the LORD said, “O house of Israel, cannot
I do with you as this potter?” (KJV) By this emphatic
question, God reminded the Israelites concerning His
authority, lest they become unmindful of His blessed
will for the nation Israel and overlook His infinite
power over His creation. Then the LORD said, “Behold, as
the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are ye in mine
hand, O house of Israel.” (KJV)
-The required obedience of man
The importance of total obedience and its God-glorifying
results are worthy to be pondered as the Lord continues
to form believers through His skilful, caring hands.
In Isaiah 45:9, it is written, Woe unto him that
striveth with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with
the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him
that fashioneth it, What makest thou? Or thy work, He
hath no hands? (KJV) Justly, as the clay has no power
over the potter, so is a believer on his Maker, which is
the Lord.
Total obedience to The Word of God and humble attitude
toward His life-changing process of shaping lives lead a
believer to Christ-likeness.
-The sensitive emotion of God
The potter’s emotion during working hours plays a
sensitive role in making a beautiful and durable earthen
vessel. Every time a joyful potter puts clay on the
potter’s wheels, spinning and forming it according to
his will, the result is always superb and delightful
beyond degree. On the other hand if grief floods the
potter’s soul, no remarkable vessel is made by his
grief-troubled hands. The product always reveals the
potter’s emotion.
In Ephesians 4:30, it is written, And grieve not the
holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day
of redemption. (KJV) It is so interesting to note that
the Spirit of God is not merely an active force as some
ignorant people claim but a God with a sensitive
emotion.
We are the clay and The Lord is our potter. We should be
aware that giving grief to the Lord puts us in a risky
place where we could possibly lose our God-given
opportunity to display His greatness and power through
our lives.
-The moulding process of God
Taking notes on the process of jar making is interesting
and an effective way of learning. Its spiritual
significance helps every believer to gain more knowledge
and understanding concerning God’s creative way of
shaping the lives of His precious children.
It is so amazing to see a well-mixed mass of clay placed
on the potter’s wheels ready to be shaped according to
the potter’s will. The potter spins the wheels through
his foot then gently and skilfully moulds the formless
clay.
The potter’s physical and emotional composure cannot be
ignored as he expectantly waits the clay to rise. In
just a few minutes, the shapeless clay gradually rises
up showing its promising beauty as the potter’s amazing
hands form it aesthetically with care and incomparable
interest.
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Photo By Jose B.
Cabajar |
To make a bigger vessel, the
potter moulds the upper part and the lower part
separately and then joins them meticulously. The part
that catches our attention is the progressive procedure
in which the potter carefully taps the vessel with his
flat wooden tool to strengthen the joining, to shape the
vessel and make it firm and beautiful. Some extra
master’s touches are being made to enhance the vessel’s
distinction and peculiarity.
Every believer is in the hands of God and being shaped
according to His perfect will. As the potter pats the
clay for a purpose, so is the Lord in shaping us through
chastisement, not to destroy us, but to teach,
discipline and strengthen us. It is also a wonderful
manifestation of His great love for His children.
In Hebrews 12:5-6, it is written, And ye have forgotten
the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto
children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the
Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: for whom
the Lord loveth he chasteneth , and scourgeth every son
whom he receiveth. (KJV)
Furthermore, the Bible explains the benefits of the
Lord’s chastening. In Hebrews 12:10, it is written, For
they verily for a few days chastened us after their own
pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be
partakers of his holiness. (KJV) Truly, God is the
Potter, we are the clay.
-The attitude of man toward a fiery test
How wonderful is the message of God through “The Potter
And The Clay.” Knowing the truth that a newly formed jar
is a very weak vessel and cannot be used yet unless it
passes through the fire is a special knowledge to be
considered and to be treasured.
God permits fiery trials to come across our paths of
life because these are great help in giving us an
opportunity to be strengthened and become more usable
for the Master’s use. We really need a good attitude
toward the working of God in our lives. Job is a classic
example of that kind of attitude when he said, “but he
knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I
shall come forth as gold.” Job 23:10 (KJV)
During the process of strengthening the earthen vessels
through the fire, some vessels become deformed because
of the charring heat. Like the deformed vessels, so are
Christians that are greatly affected by fiery trials of
life because of their negative attitude during trying
moments.
In I Peter 1:6-7, it is written, Wherein ye greatly
rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in
manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith,
being much precious than gold that perisheth, though it
be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor
and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (KJV)
May the Word of God be always in our hearts to help us
when our faith is tested beyond measure. In I
Thessalonians 5:18, it is written, In every thing give
thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus
concerning you. (KJV)
-The wonderful result
The result is so amazing to the point that we could be
led to sing “How Great Thou Art.”
In the potter’s place one could see and appreciate the
striking beauty and unquestionable durability of the
earthen vessels. The variation of the vessels’ sizes and
designs add to the credibility and authority of the
potter. So true to believers in Christ, as we are in the
Master’s hands, we go through a progressive process and
time will come when the greatness of our Maker will be
displayed through our lives in an awesome way.
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. Isaiah 64:8 (KJV)
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On the other side, we could also see broken pieces of
vessels set aside and seem useless and trodden of men.
Surprisingly, we learned from the owner that these
broken pieces are not counted useless, but still have a
wonderful purpose. What an encouragement for a believer
who is considered a failure and useless vessel in our
society. As the saying goes, “The best is yet to come.”
We are told that these broken pieces are being sold to
“the salt maker” for a good price. The demand is high
and the price is right. It is unbelievable but true that
the salt maker could not produce a high-quality salt
without the earthen pieces that come from the destroyed
jars.
The broken earthen vessels are being used tremendously
as flooring and an excellent bed to produce high-quality
salt. Think about that, hopeless Christians!
No matter how insignificant our lives may seem to be,
still, our God has always a way to use every
blood-bought and blood-washed sinners saved by His
“Amazing Grace.”
To God be the glory great things He has done.
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THE POWER
OF TRUTH
