The Potter and the Clay

There is a word picture drawn for us in the ninth chapter of Romans which we should consider.

There is this potter who has an order for two vessels. One is a vessel of honor (a nice vase), and the other is a vessel of dishonor (maybe a garbage container).

The proposition put forth is, who would question the right of the potter to take one lump of clay and use part of it for the honorable vessel and use the other portion for the dishonorable vessel? The obvious answer is that no one would question the potter’s right to do as he pleased with the clay.

Now, this was given to illustrate the sovereignty of God in the disposition of His creatures.

God has the right to love Jacob and hate Esau (verse 13). He has the right to love and save Israel and hate and destroy Pharaoh (verses 16-18). He has the right to elect some to everlasting life and leave the rest to their own just condemnation (verses 11, 22-23).

When men have the notion to question the fairness of it all, the sovereign God simply asserts in verses 20 and 21, "Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hast not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor, and another unto
dishonor?"