For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? ~ Romans 9: 17-21

What does this portion of scripture mean? Does it mean that God arbitrarily decides who will follow truth and who will rebel, and therefore, he makes some people good and some people evil?

If we desire to rightly interpret Paul’s words regarding the Potter and the clay, we need to allow scripture to interpret it for us. To gain a better understanding, we ought to consider the explanation that God gave Jeremiah. 

The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying, Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause thee to hear my words. Then I went down to the potter’s house, and, behold, he wrought a work on the wheels. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it. Then the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 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. At what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, and to pull down, and to destroy it; If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them. And at what instant I shall speak concerning a nation, and concerning a kingdom, to build and to plant it; If it do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice, then I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them. ~ Jeremiah 18:1-10

The Potter was the one in control and when the vessel did not turn out as the Potter desired, he used it in another way, by reshaping it for his purpose. According to God’s words to Jeremiah, this is how God as the Potter had dealt with Israel. In Jeremiah 7:29, God refers to Judah as the generation of his wrath even though they were originally chosen by God to be a holy people.

And Moses went up unto God, and the Lord called unto him out of the mountain, saying, Thus shalt thou say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel; Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto myself. Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. And Moses came and called for the elders of the people, and laid before their faces all these words which the Lord commanded him. ~ Exodus 19:3-7

Take notice that God’s words to Israel through Moses came with a choice. They were to choose to obey his voice and keep his covenant. Even though the descendants of Jacob were called to be holy as we see in the Exodus text, they had become a generation of wrath. Yet God endured their rebellion with much long suffering, calling them to repentance over a long period of time.

Paul appeals to God’s dealings with Pharoah to explain the hardening of Israel. God knew that Pharaoh would not allow the children of Israel to leave Egypt because Pharaoh wanted to rule over them and oppress them. Thus God made Pharaoh into a sparring partner by which he would demonstrate his great power and bring about a great deliverance for the children of Israel. 

God did not harden Pharaoh by arbitrarily making Pharaoh into an evil person. Rather, God challenged Pharaoh and backed him into a corner to bring out what was in him. Rather than humbling himself, Pharaoh rebelled, and this is how God hardened his heart. God’s deliverance of Israel in spite of Pharaoh’s resistance brought God glory and honor, not only among the Israelites, but also among the nations.

God did not create Pharaoh as an evil person, but since Pharaoh was evil, God put pressure on him, knowing he wouldn’t bow before God, and God used Pharaoh rebellion to demonstrate his great power as the only true God that no human ruler can rival.

In Romans 9 Pharaoh serves as an example to explain how God hardened the nation of Israel because of their unbelief, while at the same time reserving unto himself, as his own children, a remnant within Israel who did believe and were vessels of his mercy.

In Romans 9-11, Israel is the central theme. Paul begins his thesis regarding Israel’s role in the salvation of the world by saying, I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. ~ Romans 9:2-3

He ends with jubilant praise to God for his great wisdom,  O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. ~ Romans 11:33-36

God’s dealings with Israel is a microcosm of his dealings with the whole world. As the potter, God wants to shape all of us for his good pleasure, but when we, as the clay become marred in his hands, as Israel was through their rebellion and unrepentant ways, we become vessels of his wrath. But God is merciful, and through repentance and faith we can be restored to the Potter’s original intent. Even as God uses Israel to warn the nations of his judgments, he uses the nations to teach Israel of his mercy.