February 5, 1999
In last week's letter we were developing the thought about the "work of YHVH" as seen from Isaiah 29:22-23; "Therefore thus says YHVH, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: "Jacob shall not now be ashamed, nor shall his face now grow pale; when he sees his children, the work of My hands, in his midst, they will hallow My name, hallow the Holy One of Jacob, and fear the Elohim of Israel." This week let's take a look at the another analogy “the potter and the clay."
"But now, O YHVH, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are the potter; and all of us are the work of Your hands."1 "The vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?" says YHVH. "Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!"2 "Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?"3 Are we not a mercy vessel, made from the same lump of clay, O house of Israel? Just because He has reshaped us, it doesn't mean that we have a different ancestry. No, we are still the same clay from the same lump!
"If you are of Christ (then this is proof positive) that you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."4 Being in Christ does not make you a seed of Abraham, it simply proves that you are already from that genus of faith. Paul says it quite clearly in his letter to the Romans "so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all"5. "For indeed He does not take hold of angels, but He does take hold of the seed of Abraham."6 We have all come from the same lump of clay. The first vessel that He made was for dishonor (no mercy) "Lo-ruhamah" (see Hos. 1:6). Why would a loving father do that? "For Elohim gave them all up into disobedience that He might show mercy on all"7. Thus, we see the potter Himself determining, according to His will, what vessel He will make for what purpose, and yet if He decides to change the design He can do so without obtaining our permission. "For He says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.'8 "So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of Elohim who shows mercy. Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens, that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory."9
What vessels did He prepare beforehand for His glory?
It is almost unbelievable that the Most High Elohim would create something corruptible, defilable, weak and without glory. That He would even chose a people, Israel, who could not be faithful, who learned from the heathens about idolatry. Being married to Yahoveh at Sinai, they played the harlot, and in turn, demonstrated to the heathens how to commit spiritual adultery. Why would Elohim form such impure vessels if through them He was to deminstrate His mercy and glory?
"But now, thus says YHVH, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him."10 "Thus says YHVH who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you: `Fear not, O Jacob My servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen."11 Thus says YHVH, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb: "I am YHVH, who makes all things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself."12
Luke (records and) sheds a ray of light on the identity of these people, who are called for "His name sake"out in the nations, when he describes the restoration of the fallen booth of David: "Simon has declared how Elohim at the first visited the Gentiles (nations) to take out of them a people for His name. With this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written: `After this I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up; so that the rest of mankind may seek YHVH even all the nations who are called by My name, says YHVH who does all these things. Known to Elohim from eternity are all His works."13 He knows the nations that He brought forth from the loins of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This is His work, for His name sake and for His glory. Just think: you and I, who are of that unrighteous stock of Israel's race, have been redeemed through the blood of the Messiah and are recreated or reformed so that we can contain His righteousness, His Holiness, and the glory of His life! "Remember this, 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! I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you."14
How wonderfully comforting it is to know who we are, where we came from, and what His Word assures us of regarding our future. In the near future we will have a need for this revelation-understanding, as we, the redeemed of YHVH, will be joined into one stick, or like a bow and an arrow, become a mighty weapon in His hand.
The potter is well aware which vessels are for His glory, for He says to Jacob “His chosen” and to Israel “His servant”: “You, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham My friend. You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest regions…`You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away. Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your Elohim. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."15 "Behold! My servant whom I uphold, My chosen one in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit in him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. I am YHVH that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them."16 "Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west; I will say to the north, `Give them up!' And to the south, `Do not keep them back!' Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth. Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed you, yes, I have made you."17
"When Jacob sees his children, the work of My hands…"18 and when Jacob's children see that they have been, and still are, the works of His hand, they will praise Him just as it its written: "All Your works shall praise You, O Lord, and Your saints shall bless You."19. "O Lord Elohim, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what Elohim is there in heaven or on earth who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds?"20
When everything is said and done we will "sing the song of Moses, the servant of Elohim, and the song of the Lamb, saying: "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord, Elohim Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!"21
Ephraim
Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell (shevet achim) together in unity…in this Elohim commands the blessing life eternal."22
1(Isa. 64:8). 2(Jer. 18:4,6); 3(Rom. 9:21); 4(Gal. 3:29); 5(Rom.4:16); 6(Heb. 2:16); 7(Rom. 11:32); 8 (Ex. 33:19); 9 (Rom. 9:15-16;18,23); 10(Isa.43:1,7); 11(Isa. 44:2); 12(Isaiah 44:24); 13(Acts 15:14-18); 14 (Isa. 44:21-22); 15(Isa. 41:8-10); 16(Isa. 42:1, 8-9); 17(Isa.43:5-7); 18(Isa. 29:23); 19(Psa 145:10); 20(Deut. 3:24); 21(Rev. 15:3); 22(Psa. 133).
In last week's letter we were developing the thought about the "work of YHVH" as seen from Isaiah 29:22-23; "Therefore thus says YHVH, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob: "Jacob shall not now be ashamed, nor shall his face now grow pale; when he sees his children, the work of My hands, in his midst, they will hallow My name, hallow the Holy One of Jacob, and fear the Elohim of Israel." This week let's take a look at the another analogy “the potter and the clay."
"But now, O YHVH, You are our Father; we are the clay, and You are the potter; and all of us are the work of Your hands."1 "The vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter?" says YHVH. "Look, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are you in My hand, O house of Israel!"2 "Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?"3 Are we not a mercy vessel, made from the same lump of clay, O house of Israel? Just because He has reshaped us, it doesn't mean that we have a different ancestry. No, we are still the same clay from the same lump!
"If you are of Christ (then this is proof positive) that you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise."4 Being in Christ does not make you a seed of Abraham, it simply proves that you are already from that genus of faith. Paul says it quite clearly in his letter to the Romans "so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all"5. "For indeed He does not take hold of angels, but He does take hold of the seed of Abraham."6 We have all come from the same lump of clay. The first vessel that He made was for dishonor (no mercy) "Lo-ruhamah" (see Hos. 1:6). Why would a loving father do that? "For Elohim gave them all up into disobedience that He might show mercy on all"7. Thus, we see the potter Himself determining, according to His will, what vessel He will make for what purpose, and yet if He decides to change the design He can do so without obtaining our permission. "For He says to Moses, 'I will have mercy on whomever I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whomever I will have compassion.'8 "So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of Elohim who shows mercy. Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens, that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had prepared beforehand for glory."9
What vessels did He prepare beforehand for His glory?
It is almost unbelievable that the Most High Elohim would create something corruptible, defilable, weak and without glory. That He would even chose a people, Israel, who could not be faithful, who learned from the heathens about idolatry. Being married to Yahoveh at Sinai, they played the harlot, and in turn, demonstrated to the heathens how to commit spiritual adultery. Why would Elohim form such impure vessels if through them He was to deminstrate His mercy and glory?
"But now, thus says YHVH, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. Everyone who is called by My name, Whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him."10 "Thus says YHVH who made you and formed you from the womb, who will help you: `Fear not, O Jacob My servant; and you, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen."11 Thus says YHVH, your Redeemer, and He who formed you from the womb: "I am YHVH, who makes all things, Who stretches out the heavens all alone, Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself."12
Luke (records and) sheds a ray of light on the identity of these people, who are called for "His name sake"out in the nations, when he describes the restoration of the fallen booth of David: "Simon has declared how Elohim at the first visited the Gentiles (nations) to take out of them a people for His name. With this the words of the prophets agree, just as it is written: `After this I will return and will rebuild the tabernacle of David, which has fallen down; I will rebuild its ruins, and I will set it up; so that the rest of mankind may seek YHVH even all the nations who are called by My name, says YHVH who does all these things. Known to Elohim from eternity are all His works."13 He knows the nations that He brought forth from the loins of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This is His work, for His name sake and for His glory. Just think: you and I, who are of that unrighteous stock of Israel's race, have been redeemed through the blood of the Messiah and are recreated or reformed so that we can contain His righteousness, His Holiness, and the glory of His life! "Remember this, 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! I have blotted out, like a thick cloud, your transgressions, and like a cloud, your sins. Return to Me, for I have redeemed you."14
How wonderfully comforting it is to know who we are, where we came from, and what His Word assures us of regarding our future. In the near future we will have a need for this revelation-understanding, as we, the redeemed of YHVH, will be joined into one stick, or like a bow and an arrow, become a mighty weapon in His hand.
The potter is well aware which vessels are for His glory, for He says to Jacob “His chosen” and to Israel “His servant”: “You, Israel, are My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham My friend. You whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest regions…`You are My servant, I have chosen you and have not cast you away. Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your Elohim. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."15 "Behold! My servant whom I uphold, My chosen one in whom My soul delights! I have put My Spirit in him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. I am YHVH that is My name; And My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images. Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them."16 "Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west; I will say to the north, `Give them up!' And to the south, `Do not keep them back!' Bring My sons from afar, and My daughters from the ends of the earth. Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed you, yes, I have made you."17
"When Jacob sees his children, the work of My hands…"18 and when Jacob's children see that they have been, and still are, the works of His hand, they will praise Him just as it its written: "All Your works shall praise You, O Lord, and Your saints shall bless You."19. "O Lord Elohim, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what Elohim is there in heaven or on earth who can do anything like Your works and Your mighty deeds?"20
When everything is said and done we will "sing the song of Moses, the servant of Elohim, and the song of the Lamb, saying: "Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord, Elohim Almighty! Just and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!"21
Ephraim
Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell (shevet achim) together in unity…in this Elohim commands the blessing life eternal."22
1(Isa. 64:8). 2(Jer. 18:4,6); 3(Rom. 9:21); 4(Gal. 3:29); 5(Rom.4:16); 6(Heb. 2:16); 7(Rom. 11:32); 8 (Ex. 33:19); 9 (Rom. 9:15-16;18,23); 10(Isa.43:1,7); 11(Isa. 44:2); 12(Isaiah 44:24); 13(Acts 15:14-18); 14 (Isa. 44:21-22); 15(Isa. 41:8-10); 16(Isa. 42:1, 8-9); 17(Isa.43:5-7); 18(Isa. 29:23); 19(Psa 145:10); 20(Deut. 3:24); 21(Rev. 15:3); 22(Psa. 133).
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