“Lord, you are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them.” Acts 4:24

When I was a young lad we often went to the beach during the summer for the whole day. We loved the water and spent as much time as possible swimming and trying to surf the small waves. The only time we were out of the water was when we were too cold or had just had lunch.

The time out of the water dragged but we occupied ourselves building sand castles. This was the opportunity for mischief. After a number of squabbles, arguments and tears an agreement was reached and we were all required to adhere to it.

If I wanted to destroy a sand castle it would have to be my own. We were not to destroy what a sibling or anyone else had created. I could only destroy what I had created myself. To our family that seemed reasonable and right in regard to sandcastles.

The same logic applies concerning the Creation of God and is what the Bible reveals. Our God and Creator is Holy, a God of love and righteousness. Since He created all that is, He owns it. Since He created all that is for His own pleasure, surely He has the legal and moral right to destroy it if it doesn’t meet His pleasure and fulfil His purpose? Does the clay tell the potter what vessel he is to make of it? Does the potter have the right to break his clay and remake a vessel if it doesn’t suit his purpose?

Before we begin to judge God and His doings in the world we had better make sure we know who the “Potter” is and who is the “clay.”

There are many accounts in Scripture of God destroying people and nations because they had set their hearts against Him and worshipped idols. Remember an idol is anything that takes the place of God. It isn’t necessarily a wooden or stone object. “This is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).