Topical Bible: Man: Called: The Potsherd of the Earth

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In the Scriptures, the term "potsherd" is used metaphorically to describe the frailty and humble status of man in relation to God. The imagery of a potsherd—a broken piece of pottery—emphasizes the transient and fragile nature of human life, as well as the Creator's sovereignty over His creation.

Biblical References:

1. Isaiah 45:9 : "Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker—one clay pot among many. Does the clay ask the potter, ‘What are you making?’ Does your work say, ‘He has no hands’?" This verse highlights the absurdity of man, a mere potsherd, questioning or contending with God, the divine Potter. It underscores the position of man as a created being, subject to the will and purpose of the Creator.

2. Job 2:8 : "And Job took a piece of broken pottery to scrape himself as he sat among the ashes." Here, the potsherd is a literal object used by Job in his suffering, symbolizing his brokenness and the depth of his affliction. It serves as a poignant reminder of human vulnerability and the reality of suffering in a fallen world.

3. Psalm 22:15 : "My strength is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; You lay me in the dust of death." In this messianic psalm, the psalmist uses the imagery of a dried potsherd to convey extreme weakness and desolation, foreshadowing the suffering of Christ. It reflects the human condition of mortality and the ultimate dependence on God for salvation and restoration.

Theological Implications:

The metaphor of man as a potsherd serves to remind believers of their humble position before God. It calls for a posture of humility, recognizing that humans are created beings, fashioned by the hands of the Almighty. This understanding fosters a sense of reverence and submission to God's will, acknowledging His authority and wisdom in all things.

Furthermore, the imagery of the potsherd points to the redemptive work of Christ. Just as broken pottery can be repurposed or restored, so too can human lives be redeemed and made whole through the saving grace of Jesus Christ. The acknowledgment of human frailty and sinfulness is the first step toward embracing the transformative power of the Gospel.

In summary, the designation of man as "the potsherd of the earth" serves as a powerful reminder of human limitations and the need for divine grace. It calls believers to trust in the sovereignty of God, who, as the Master Potter, shapes and molds His creation according to His perfect will.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 45:9
Woe to him that strives with his Maker! Let the potsherd strive with the potsherds of the earth. Shall the clay say to him that fashions it, What make you? or your work, He has no hands?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

God's Controversy with Man. Rev. Charles Prest.
... The potsherd of the earth may strive with the potsherd, but woe to the man that
strives with his Maker. The God whom you are called upon to meet is the "God ...
/.../king/the wesleyan methodist pulpit in malvern/gods controversy with man rev.htm

Against those who Think that what is Just is not Good.
... In another way the useful is called good, not on ... "How then," say they, "if the Lord
loves man, and is ... For teaching a fool is gluing a potsherd; and sharpening ...
/.../clement/the instructor paedagogus/chapter viii against those who think.htm

The Eternity and Unchangeableness of God.
... than in all others; but a "natural man" cannot behold ... for it is "spiritually discerned."
"Let the potsherd," saith he ... Let some of them be called good, and some ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/lecture viii the eternity and.htm

The Sorrowful Man's Question
... sole property that remained to him was a potsherd, with which ... I have seen a man suddenly
taken from the very ... You have seen others, who have been called of God ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 46 1900/the sorrowful mans question.htm

Regeneration
... This is called fanatical doctrine, mayhap; that we can not help ... God has said it
himself""Except a man be born ... No potsherd, no; contend with thy fellow potsherd ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/regeneration.htm

A Jealous God
... I have builded!" thou shalt be smitten to the earth. ... Shall the potsherd exalt itself
above the man that ... and vanity, thou puny mortal called man, humble thyself ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 9 1863/a jealous god.htm

Enduring to the End
... consider that it ought to be called an emigrant ... perseverance, and that without it,
no man has proved ... dunghill, scraping your sores with a potsherd?"curse God ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 10 1864/enduring to the end.htm

Greek Plagiarism from the Hebrews.
... it is to be understood that the Greeks were called thieves by ... the Hellenic books
are to be perused by the man who is ... [3170] A game in which a potsherd with a ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter xiv greek plagiarism from the.htm

The First Sermon in the Tabernacle
... always doubt and fear; except thou abidest on the dunghill and dost scrape thyself
with a potsherd, thou art no ... He was the man who was called the Leviathan ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 7 1861/the first sermon in the.htm

The Shameful Sufferer
... Christ was mocked as man, we can conceive him as yielding ... They mocked him, and, at
last, he called for drink ... the tongue is dried up like a potsherd, it cleaveth ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/the shameful sufferer.htm