Clay in the Potter's Hand

O. T. #2317  "Clay in the Potter's Hand"

Nov. 8, 2022 

Zechariah 11-Part 5

LET IT GLOW

Is your life broken physically, mentally, morally, or spiritually like clay? Let the Great Potter, Jesus, mold and shape our heart and circumstances so we become a vessel of praise and glory for our Savior to use. Read on to learn more about clay.

The price of a good, sound slave was considered 60 pieces of silver back then. Zechariah asked for his wages, but only received 30 pieces of silver. What sharp sarcasm! How insulting this cheap amount was! So he took it and cast the silver pieces at the potter's house. The potter had field where he threw the scraps, unwanted pieces from the potter's wheel when he was making a vase or pot. Perhaps the clay was not the right texture to be molded, thus it was discarded as useless. If a clay jar is flawed, the potter has the right to remake it. He has the freedom to make what he chooses from his clay.

Does this sound familiar?  In Jeremiah 18, the prophet was sent down to the potter's house to watch the potter form clay into a useable vessel. If it was marred, the potter could remake it. 

O house of Israel, cannot I do with you as this potter? saith the LORD. Behold, as the clay is in the potter's hand, so are ye in mine hand, O house of Israel. (Jeremiah 18:6)

Now put your name in place of Israel to make the scripture personal. Just as God had the right to pronounce doom or blessing on Israel, so He has the right to do to you and me. He is the potter and we are the clay. God wants to mold us and shape us into a vessel of honor for His glory.  

LET IT GROW

This prophecy was fulfilled when the true good shepherd came-Jesus. Judas Iscariot agreed to betray Jesus to the chief priests for 30 pieces of silver. (Matthew 26:14-16) When Judas felt remorse after this, he returned the money and hanged himself. (Matt. 27:1-5) the chief priests took the returned money and bought the potter's field with it to bury strangers there. (Matt. 27:6-7) This prophecy of Zechariah and Jeremiah was for a purpose-to foretell what would happen to Jesus' betrayer.

Since we are clay for God to put on the potter's wheel, He attempts to fashion us into the vessel He has in mind. We must yield to Him. The clay that won't yield to Him is thrown out into the potter's field. He can't use it. 

LET IT GO

What is in our life that we need to let go of so we can become a vessel of honor for Jesus to use? 

Do we need to let Him soften our hard heart toward others?

What will the Potter have to do so we are a vessel that praises Him?