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Why Did God Make Man with Clay?

 

 

We mentioned in our previous post "Four Types of Earthly Kingdoms" that, king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon saw a statue in his dream. In this dream, the feet of the image was made up of iron and clay, while the body was made up of gold, silver, bronze and iron.

 

In the Book of Genesis, we have also learnt that God made Man out of clay. If a body can be made up of five different elements as seen in king Nebuchadnezzar's dream, why did God choose clay and not any other metal to create Mankind? Perhaps we can get some insights from the properties of clay.

 

 

Properties of Clay

 

Unlike metal which has to be shaped with strong instruments in a heated furnace, clay can be easily manipulated, shaped and re-shaped just by using hands. However, once the shape has been fixed by the potter and put through fire, the chemical composition of the clay is permanently changed and can never be re-used ever again. Therefore, if a clay vessel becomes unusable, it can only be thrown away and destroyed.

 

 

Qualities of Mankind

 

Mankind also has these same qualities as clay. A man’s characters can easily be influenced by his environment, but once a person has received Jesus and is sealed by the fire of the Holy Spirit, he can never be renewed again if they ever fall away.

 

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame. ~ Hebrews 6:4-6

 

 

Clay Supports Life and Produces Fruits

 

Another quality of clay is that unlike metals, it contains moisture and supports the growth of trees which bear fruits. Likewise, Mankind receives the rain of blessings from our Heavenly Father to produce fruits of the Holy Spirit, which is Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control.

 

For anyone who has received this abundance of blessings and mercy from God and yet chooses to bring forth thorns and briers instead of fruits, he can only be rejected and separated permanently from God’s grace.

 

For the earth which drinks in the rain that often comes upon it, and bears herbs useful for those by whom it is cultivated, receives blessing from God; but if it bears thorns and briers, it is rejected and near to being cursed, whose end is to be burned. ~ Hebrews 7-8

 

 

For Whom Much is Given, Much will be Required

 

God is gracious, but we must also remember that:

 

From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, even more will be demanded. ~ Luke 12:48