Isaiah 45:9-10

The Lord Gives a Warning

45:9 One who argues with his creator is in grave danger,

one who is like a mere shard among the other shards on the ground!

The clay should not say to the potter,

“What in the world are you doing?

Your work lacks skill!”

45:10 Danger awaits one who says to his father,

“What in the world are you fathering?”

and to his mother,

“What in the world are you bringing forth?”

Jeremiah 18:1-10

An Object Lesson from the Making of Pottery

18:1 The Lord said to Jeremiah: 18:2 “Go down at once to the potter’s house. I will speak to you further there.” 18:3 So I went down to the potter’s house and found him working at his wheel. 18:4 Now and then there would be something wrong with the pot he was molding from the clay with his hands. So he would rework the clay into another kind of pot as he saw fit.

18:5 Then the Lord said to me, 18:6 “I, the Lord, say: ‘O nation of Israel, can I not deal with you as this potter deals with the clay? In my hands, you, O nation of Israel, are just like the clay in this potter’s hand.’ 18:7 There are times, Jeremiah, when I threaten to uproot, tear down, and destroy a nation or kingdom. 18:8 But if that nation I threatened stops doing wrong, I will cancel the destruction I intended to do to it. 18:9 And there are times when I promise to build up and establish a nation or kingdom. 18:10 But if that nation does what displeases me and does not obey me, then I will cancel the good I promised to do to it.

Romans 9:19

9:19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who has ever resisted his will?”

Romans 9:21

9:21 Has the potter no right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special use and another for ordinary use?