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14 What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not!
15 For he tells Moses, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
16 So then, it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy.
17 For the Scripture tells Pharaoh, I raised you up for this reason so that I may display my power in you and that my name may be proclaimed in the whole earth.
18 So then, he has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy and he hardens whom he wants to harden.
19 You will say to me, therefore, “Why then does he still find fault? For who resists his will?”
20 On the contrary, who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?”
21 Or has the potter no right over the clay, to make from the same lump one piece of pottery for honor and another for dishonor?
22 And what if God, wanting to display his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience objects of wrath prepared for destruction?
23 And what if he did this to make known the riches of his glory on objects of mercy that he prepared beforehand for glory—
24 on us, the ones he also called, not only from the Jews but also from the Gentiles?
25 As it also says in Hosea, I will call Not my People, My People, and she who is Unloved, Beloved.
26 And it will be in the place where they were told, you are not my people, there they will be called sons of the living God.
27 But Isaiah cries out concerning Israel, Though the number of Israelites is like the sand of the sea, only the remnant will be saved;
28 since the Lord will execute his sentence completely and decisively on the earth.
29 And just as Isaiah predicted: If the Lord of Hosts had not left us offspring, we would have become like Sodom, and we would have been made like Gomorrah.
Big Idea: God is in control of our lives. Let us trust Him
Introduction:
1 This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord:
2 “Go down at once to the potter’s house; there I will reveal my words to you.”
3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, working away at the wheel.
4 But the jar that he was making from the clay became flawed in the potter’s hand, so he made it into another jar, as it seemed right for him to do.
5 The word of the Lord came to me:
6 “House of Israel, can I not treat you as this potter treats his clay?”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “Just like clay in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand, house of Israel.
GOD’S CHOICE AND WISDOM
14 What should we say then? Is there injustice with God? Absolutely not!
15 For he tells Moses, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
Remember that Paul is helping them to understand that salvation is by justification through faith. Some believed that it was their ethic make up that guaranteed them salvation. So, the fact that they were Jews automatically secured their salvation. Paul points back to the historic texts of the Scriptures to show them that salvation has always been based in God’s mercy.
Also remember that God had chosen a people for Himself (Israel) and He said that He would be their God and they would be His people. So the question that the people had was “Did God lie?”. This is because they are wondering how can people for this group fall out of fellowship with God? Paul answers that by saying that God made was not solely with an ethic people group. Instead it was with a covenant people who would eventually extend beyond just Israel. Romans 9:6
6 Now it is not as though the word of God has failed, because not all who are descended from Israel are Israel.
15 For he tells Moses, I will show mercy to whom I will show mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.
(we must zoom in and zoom out)
MACRO VIEW: Salvation to Jews and Gentile
MICRO VIEW: The Potter has show you/us mercy though we didn’t deserve it (effects now and eternity, saved for His glory)
God’s are bigger than our understanding. He demonstrates this in the next verses where he writes Romans 9:16-17
16 So then, it does not depend on human will or effort but on God who shows mercy.
17 For the Scripture tells Pharaoh, I raised you up for this reason so that I may display my power in you and that my name may be proclaimed in the whole earth.
God does not make Pharaoh’s heart bad but He also does not change it. He exercises divine authority and uses the hardness of Pharaoh’s heart for His glory.
Part of the significance of the Exodus was the deliverance from the hard hand and heart of Pharaoh
We see the compassion and care of God juxtaposed to the evil of the Pharaoh (but God is not playing evil puppet master) God’s power ultimately emerges not Pharaohs
THE POINT: The Potter’s hand is what forms the clay. The Potter’s mind is what shapes the clay. It is God’s wisdom that shapes us and it is He Providence (hand) that guides us. We must not look at our lives as this “grand production on me”. Instead we must give He center stage.
We can trust the wisdom of God (check His track record, this is what Paul is doing).
OUR HUMILTY
19 You will say to me, therefore, “Why then does he still find fault? For who resists his will?”
20 On the contrary, who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? Will what is formed say to the one who formed it, “Why did you make me like this?”
Vs. 19 presents a legitimate question. If God hardens hearts how can He find fault in what (essentially)He did?
This would mean that God is imperfect and therefore cannot judge righteously. Paul flips the question back. If imperfect things cannot judge righteously, how can we (who are imperfect) judge God?
Likewise he emphasis that we have limited knowledge, God infinite.
As clay we must know who were are. (this does not mean that we cannot question God but it means that we must search the mind of God as He has revealed Himself and not to think that somehow our wisdom is greater than His).
He displays this when he writes Romans 9:21-23
21 Or has the potter no right over the clay, to make from the same lump one piece of pottery for honor and another for dishonor?
22 And what if God, wanting to display his wrath and to make his power known, endured with much patience objects of wrath prepared for destruction?
23 And what if he did this to make known the riches of his glory on objects of mercy that he prepared beforehand for glory—
What is two vessels were made
for honor
for dishonor
the one for dishonor, God shows patience. their ultimate fate is destruction. 2 Peter 3:9
9 The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.
the one for honor recieved mercy
v 22 passive verb (God is not the subject)
v 23 active verb (God is the one doing)
God does not make us do evil.
As vessels of honor we ought 2 Tim. 2:20-25
20 Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also those of wood and clay; some for honorable use and some for dishonorable.
21 So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.
22 Flee from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
23 But reject foolish and ignorant disputes, because you know that they breed quarrels.
24 The Lord’s servant must not quarrel, but must be gentle to everyone, able to teach, and patient,
25 instructing his opponents with gentleness. Perhaps God will grant them repentance leading them to the knowledge of the truth.
As followers of Jesus let us remember Eph. 2:10
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.
(vs. 25-29 Gentiles were always a part of God’s plan)
Challenge this week: