Isa 64:8 But now, O LORD, Thou art our Father, we are the clay, and Thou our potter; and all of us are the work of Thy hand.
O LORD, Thou art our Father. God is our Father. Lord, Jehovah God, eternally existing. The Hebrew word for Father, literally means father. Attached to the definition are the words chief and principal. A chief is the one in charge, the person who exercises control over everyone else. A principal can be a person or the most important part like ‘the principal character’ or ‘the principal rivers in the region’.
God is in charge. God exercises control over the universe and all that it contains. God is eternal, having existed before time began
Ps 135:13 Thy name, O LORD, is everlasting, Thy remembrance, O LORD, throughout all generations.
Ps 145:13 Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and Thy dominion endures throughout all generations.
And He is our Father. We belong to Him. Ours. Amazing! We can manifest sin in our lives and at times reject God but He is always our Father. We are so unworthy, yet God will not forsake those who are His children.
Isa 63:16 For Thou art our Father, though Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not recognize us. Thou, O LORD, art our Father, Our Redeemer from of old is Thy name.
1Ch 29:10 So David blessed the LORD in the sight of all the assembly; and David said, "Blessed art Thou, O LORD God of Israel our father, forever and ever.
Mt 6:9 "Pray, then, in this way: 'Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name.
God is referred to over and over again in the New Testament as ‘God our Father’. The same God who guided Abraham and the nation of Israel, the Father whom David followed, the God who stopped Paul in his tracks and completely turned him around, the God we are to offer prayers and praise to, is Our Father if we have received His mercy and grace through His Son’s death and resurrection.
Isa 64:8 But now, O LORD, Thou art our Father, we are the clay, and Thou our potter; and all of us are the work of Thy hand.
“We are the clay; a metonymy of the matter, clay for the vessels made of clay; or, we are clay, pointing at our original matter; or it may relate to their state, that God framed them in a body civil and ecclesiastical, out of a confused multitude; they plead at the same time their own frailty, why they would be pitied; and God's covenant interest in them, why he should pity them.” Matthew Poole’s Commentary
clay <chomer> a bubbling up of water, a wave; of earth, mire or clay (cement); also a heap
The WordWeb definition of clay was unexpected and fascinating. The first two definitions given seemed a reasonable explanation of clay: 1. a very fine-grained soil that is plastic when moist but hard when fired; 2. water soaked soil; soft wet earth. Then comes the third definition: “The dead body of a human being”. ?????
Seems an appropriate description when thinking about our need for true life in Christ! We are dead in our sin without the saving grace of God.
Col 2:13 And when you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
Eph 2:1-2 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2 in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience.
Joh 5:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
Clay – “the dead body of a human being” – seems like a really good definition doesn’t it?
Some of you may have a type of soil in your backyard that has clay-like properties. In the Antelope Valley there are pockets of caliche in the ground. These deposits are also called hardpan. It is incredibly hard (hence the name) and when water is used to try and soften this crust, it feels and acts just like clay. In fact, you can literally mold it and it sticks together. The thick soil is very difficult to penetrate so water just sits in it because it doesn’t have good drainage and the dirt will become rancid smelling and black-colored from lack of oxygen and nutrients. Unfortunately, I know this from experience and the loss of several trees that weren’t able to put down roots beyond this clay crust.
We are described as clay. The word mire is also aptly used. Another word for mire is muck or mud. It seems as though the description used for ourselves is only getting worse as we go along. However, clay is moldable and pliable for a time! This is the good part. But, we need the Potter to work in us to remove all the yuck – our sin, and replace it with His righteousness.
Consider. Do you know what happens when a piece of clay is left out in the air? It gets hard. It is no longer pliable. God takes His children and changes them into His likeness before they become thoroughly hardened in their heart.
Job 33:6 "Behold, I belong to God like you; I too have been formed out of the clay.
Ps 40:2 He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay; And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm.
Isa 64:8 But now, O LORD, Thou art our Father, we are the clay, and Thou our potter; and all of us are the work of Thy hand.
Consider. A lump of clay has no intrinsic value to itself. It doesn’t do anything on its own. It just is. Until, someone, the potter, decides to form it into something. Then it has purpose and meaning. God: Thou our potter.
Isa 64:8 But now, O LORD, Thou art our Father, we are the clay, and Thou our potter; and all of us are the work of Thy hand.
and all of us – meaning just that! All, everyone, inclusive of all. God is in control of all people and things. Is there anything or anyone God is unable to direct? God is sovereign!
Isa 43:7 Everyone who is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made."
De 4:39 "Know therefore today, and take it to your heart, that the LORD, He is God in heaven above and on the earth below; there is no other.
1Ch 29:12 "Both riches and honor come from Thee, and Thou dost rule over all, and in Thy hand is power and might; and it lies in Thy hand to make great, and to strengthen everyone.
Ps 47:2 For the LORD Most High is to be feared, a great King over all the earth.
Da 4:35 "And all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, 'What hast Thou done?'
Pr 21:1 The king's heart is like channels of water in the hand of the LORD; He turns it wherever He wishes.
Judges 8:23 But Gideon said to them, "I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the LORD shall rule over you."
Ps 103:19 The LORD has established His throne in the heavens; and His sovereignty rules over all.
Da 5:21 "He was also driven away from mankind, and his heart was made like that of beasts, and his dwelling place was with the wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven, until he recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind, and that He sets over it whomever He wishes.
Da 7:14 "And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations, and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; and His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed.
Ps 135:6 Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.
Isa 45:9 "Woe to the one who quarrels with his Maker--An earthenware vessel among the vessels of earth! Will the clay say to the potter, 'What are you doing?' Or the thing you are making say, 'He has no hands'?
Isa 64:8 But now, O LORD, Thou art our Father, we are the clay, and Thou our potter; and all of us are the work of Thy hand.
are the work – work <ma’aseh> an action; generally, a transaction; property; business; thing made; thing offered; possession. I’ve listed just a few of the words related to this definition. But look closely at what they are and their significance. The word transaction is just beautiful when thinking about the work God is doing in our lives. He gave his Son to die for our sin so He could have a relationship with us, to mold us into a vessel that would bring honor to His name. A transaction is something that takes place between people or groups and is a trade for work or guarantee that something will be done for the agreed upon price. Jesus paid the price in full. We are God’s possession. We are His to fashion as He pleases.
Ps 100:3 Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Isa 44:21,24 "Remember these things, O Jacob, And Israel, for you are My servant; I have formed you, you are My servant, O Israel, you will not be forgotten by Me. 24 Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, and the one who formed you from the womb, "I, the LORD, am the maker of all things, stretching out the heavens by Myself, and spreading out the earth all alone,
Jer 18:6 "Can I not, O house of Israel, deal with you as this potter [does]?" declares the LORD. "Behold, like the clay in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel.
Ro 9:20 On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it?
Ro 9:21 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?
Isa 29:16 You turn things around! Shall the potter be considered as equal with the clay, that what is made should say to its maker, "He did not make me"; or what is formed say to him who formed it, "He has no understanding"?
Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Joh 6:29 Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent."
Isa 64:8 But now, O LORD, Thou art our Father, we are the clay, and Thou our potter; and all of us are the work of Thy hand.
of Thy hand -- <yad> open handed as opposed to closed handed; power; thine own. Again, these are only a few of the words listed in the definition. The idea being that God’s hand is upon us, working in us, holding us, molding us in His power and likeness because we are His possession.
Consider. Picture an open hand. It is welcoming and encouraging. Picture a closed hand, a fist. Clenched, usually in anger. Just think, in what circumstances have you made a fist? When I think of an open hand opposed to a closed one, the idea that God is continually working in my life and that He is not finished, brings great comfort especially when I struggle with sin.
Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
Ps 138:8 The LORD will accomplish what concerns me; Thy lovingkindness, O LORD, is everlasting; Do not forsake the works of Thy hands.
Php 1:6 [For I am] confident of this very thing, that He who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.
Ps 119:73 Thy hands made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Thy commandments.
Ps 100:3 Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Dear Heavenly, Beautiful Father. Please mold us into vessels to be used for Your purpose. Thank you for taking this unworthy sinful soul and calling me your child. Thank you for being God, my Father.
