God Is the Potter!

“Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf.”

Job 36:2

“Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.”

Job 22:21

Preparatory Reading: Genesis 45:1-15; Daniel 4:24-37; Romans 9:6-24; Isaiah 10:5-15; 46:1-11; Matthew 20:1-16.

Introduction:

Job 36:1-18 is as good as any place to get started by introduction to exalting our very sovereign God.
God and Satan knew who was ultimately in charge – God’s hand over Satan’s hand (Job 2:3,5-6).
Job started off well (Job 1:20-22), but needed Elihu to remind him again about God (Job 33:12-13).
Passages like Deut 32:26-43; Job 40:1-14; Isaiah 40:18-26; 43:8-13; 45:5-13; Jer 2:9-13; 10:10-16; Dan 4:34-37; Nah 1:1-15; Rom 9:15-24 are glorious, which should give great delight for meditation.
If you want to meditate on a Psalm about His sovereignty … then consider Psalm 33, 115, or 135.
You were saved to know God, and knowing God should cause great glory (John 17:3; Jer 9:23-24).
You were created for God and His pleasure, so you should participate by praise (Pr 16:4; Ps 147:1).
What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever. Amen!
These two sermons are but a short review of a large subject due to recent apologetic defense of Him.
Our time is short, purpose limited, so we will ignore most difficulties and sovereignty in salvation.
We want to glory in those passages of scripture exalting Him as God and ridiculing His enemies.
Do you love this God and hate His enemies? If you fail either, you have a problem (Ps 139:21-22).
The Dominion of God was eight years ago.
Knowing God – Sovereignty was three years ago.

God is the Potter

The dominating control a potter has over clay is a fitting description of God and man.
God used this or similar illustrations to describe His sovereign power over men (Is 29:16; 45:9; 64:8; Jer 18:6; Rom 9:21; Job 10:8-9; Isaiah 10:15; Ps 119:73).
Fools barking against God’s existence or His domination of man are lunatick rebels.
Do you believe/love this metaphor? Then let Him have His way with you with praise!

God is Sovereign

This term, not from the Bible, has little to do with omnipotence, though including it.
God can make or do anything, but what He chooses to make or do is His sovereignty.
We mean God’s absolute right to do with His creatures as He sees fit in His own eyes.
To skeptics, “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?” (Matt 20:15).

God Mocks Gods

The God of the Bible is not politically correct – He mocks and ridicules other gods.
Consider these examples of God making fun of other gods (Deut 32:31; Jer 2:9-13; 10:16; Ps 115:1-8; 135:15-18; Is 40:18-26; 43:8-13; 44:9-20).
Consider fulfilled prophecies .

God Shames Men

He does not respect the dignity of man, as men speak of it, which is hard to identify.
He confounded the speech of men at Babel to force them to spread abroad on earth.
Jehovah gave the Philistines emerods for exalting Dagon (I Sa 5:6,9,12; Ps 78:65-66).
He sent Philistia hemorrhoids.
Prophecy is fulfilled by today’s explosion of sodomy and transgender (Rom 1:18-32).

God Mocks Men

Everyone knows Elijah mocked Ahab and Jezebel’s Baal and prophets at Mt. Carmel.
But God also mocks men that worship false gods and that think they can question or assist Him (Ps 115:1-8; 135:15-18; Is 41:21-24; 44:9-20; Rom 11:33-36.

God Rejects Questions

Paul showed some questions out of place; they were replies against God (Ro 9:19-21).
He does not give account of any of His ways (Da 4:35; Job 33:12-13; Isaiah 45:9-10).
Above questions is a great attribute (Job 9:12; Mat 10:15; Rom 11:33-36; I Cor 2:16).

God Is Fulfilled

God is not disappointed many are lost; He saves all He chose (John 6:39; 10:27; 17:2).
The universe moves according to His plan for it from eternity (Acts 15:18; Eph 3:11.

God Assigns Men

The doctrine of imputation is not taught much more, but it is God’s accounting choice.
He made Adam representative for the entire race … thus babies die (Romans 5:12-19).
He also made Christ representative for all the elect … thus all shall live Rom 5:12-21).

God’s Will Reigns

God does everything according to His will, not man’s (Job 23:13; Dan 4:35; Ep 1:11).
For more God’s will, man’s will, free will.

God Rules Hearts

He may harden hearts and hold hardened persons guilty and responsible (Ro 9:17-21)!
He may open hearts and make them attentive to preaching of His gospel (Acts 16:14)!

God confuses Men

He confounded men intentional and thoroughly at Babel to end their building project.
He deceived those with idols and sent bad commandments (Ezek 14:6-11; 20:25-26).
He sent strong delusion to damn those rejected the love of the truth (II Thess 2:9-12).
We fully documented it.

God Is Limited

But not by you or any other man or any group of men, devils, and angels, good or bad!
God is limited only by His own infinitely perfect nature and His plan for the universe!
He cannot be tempted by sin, and He does not tempt others with sin (James 1:13-16).

God and Talk

Do not think or speak about what you will do, without God’s will in it (Jas 4:13-16).
Never be angry at God, no matter what, for you are not right in being so (Job 1:20-22).
Do not say, “God is not fair,” when He is more than fair, even to sinners (Acts 14:17).
Do not say, “God would not do this or that,” when He sends evil and good (Job 2:10).
Instead of talking of your “rights,” you are responsible to Him; He has rights to you.
Stop asking inside or outside, “Why?” because God is the answer to both (Eccl 7:14).

An Improved Worldview

A nation’s rulers get there one way – God put them in office (Rom 13:1-7; Dan 2:21)!
Nations advance and decline by the will of the King of nations (Jer 10:7; Ps 22:28).
Do not think for a moment that they get away with anything (Eccl 5:8; Psalm 12:5).
Man’s purpose – To glorify God and to enjoy Him forever – is served by this doctrine.

God and Free Will

If you ask, God has a free will to do anything He wants to do that is holy, right, wise.
If you really need to know, God’s will is not free, for He cannot even consider sin.
Men assume and demand a free will, but they fail to realize what happened in Eden.
Compare God’s winning efforts … do we reject love from those we have influenced?

God Judges Men

Sometimes it is all men as with Adam’s curse, Noah’s Flood, and the coming inferno.
Sometimes it is individual men like Saul, Solomon, Sennacherib, Herod, Ananias, etc.
Every man will give an individual accounting after death (Heb 9:27; Eccl 12:13-14).

God Expects Details

Ask Cain, Moses, Nadab, Abihu, Achan, David, Uzzah, Uzziah if God exalts details.
While the authority figures you know may give partial credit for failure, God does not.

Conclusion:

There are benefits to knowing, embracing, and remembering His absolute sovereign rule over all.
If anything less than this sermon is preached, the pastor/church is compromising God’s sovereignty.
The benefits? Praise, thanksgiving, contentment, submission, dependence, worldview, truth, fear, security, courage, confidence, ridicule, prophecy, humility, and so much more for loving this topic.