«　WEEK 5　DAY 1　»

　　Jer. 18:6 Am I not able to do with you, O house of Israel, as this potter does? declares Jehovah. Indeed, as the clay is in the hand of the potter, so you are in My hand, O house of Israel.

　　Isa. 64:8 But now, Jehovah, You are our Father; we are the clay; and You, our Potter; and all of us are the work of Your hand.

　　Jehovah is the Potter, and we, His chosen people, are the pottery in His hand. As the Potter our God has the absolute right over us…to do whatever He likes. This thought is found not only in Jeremiah 18 through 20 but also in Romans 9. I believe that Paul was considering these chapters of Jeremiah as he was writing Romans 9 concerning God’s sovereignty in His selection. In verse 21 he asks, “Does not the potter have authority over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor?” God, the Potter, certainly has such authority. His selection is according to His absolute right. He may choose one vessel and reject another. God is absolutely free to do whatever He desires to His people. (Life-study of Jeremiah, pp. 121-122)

　　Jehovah told Jeremiah to go down to the potter’s house (Jer. 18:1-2). Jeremiah saw that the potter was working and reworking the pottery at his wheel into another vessel, as it seemed good for him to make (vv. 3-4). This indicates that the potter has the full right to do whatever he desires with the clay.

　　Jehovah as the sovereign Potter is able to do with the house of Israel, as the clay in His hand, in changeable ways according to Israel’s condition (vv. 6-10)….This word to Israel was also a word to the prophet, a word that would clear up his concept. Jehovah seemed to be saying to Jeremiah, “Do not hinder Me from doing whatever I will to do with the house of Israel. Israel is clay in My hand, and I deal with them in changeable ways. Depending on their condition, I can punish them or exalt them.” (Life-study of Jeremiah, pp. 122-123)

　　God not only has glory, honor, and majesty; He also has sovereignty….Sovereignty indicates God’s unlimited authority and power. God’s position is also unlimited. We are not able to say how high is God’s position. Likewise, we cannot measure God’s glory and majesty. As the sovereign One, there is no limit to His authority, power, and position.

　　Although the words sovereign or sovereignty are not used in Romans 9:20 and 21, these verses certainly refer to God’s sovereignty: “But…, O man, who are you who answer back to God? Shall the thing molded say to him who molded it, Why did you make me thus? Or does not the potter have authority over the clay to make out of the same lump one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor?” We all need to realize who we are. We are God’s creatures, and He is our Creator. As His creatures, we should not resist His purpose (v. 19) or answer back to Him, the Creator….Paul then goes on to indicate that as the Potter God has authority over the clay, out of the same lump to make one vessel to honor and another to dishonor. God is the Potter, and we are the clay. As the Potter, God is sovereign. He has authority over the clay. If He wills, He can make one vessel to honor and another to dishonor. This does not depend on our choice—it depends on God’s sovereignty.

　　These verses from Romans 9 indicate that God has sovereignly created us to be His vessels, His containers, according to His predestination….Being vessels unto honor [cf. 2 Tim. 2:20-21] is not the result of our choice; it originates with God’s sovereignty. It is of God’s sovereignty that He makes His glory known by creating vessels of mercy to contain Himself. This is a deep word. God’s sovereignty is the basis of His selection. His selection depends on His sovereignty. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 113-114)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1980, vol. 2, “The Completing Ministry of Paul,” chs. 9-10, 12; CWWN, vol. 56, pp. 446-456