A Tenant in the House of Clay

A student was asked to write an essay on an object. He wrote, “I am spherical in shape, with a concave hollow and a flat handle. I am made of silver, steel or plastic in the western world and of wood in Africa. I am welcomed in the mouth of the people that matter as well as the mouth of the downtrodden people. I have no problem in diving into hot soup or tea/coffee to stir it. I am the measuring instrument for seasoning foods. My service is always required whenever people want to eat. I am the favorite of the tender loving mothers in measuring liquid medicine for their children. I can shape ice cream into scoops. The successful restaurants cannot operate without me. . . . He ended it by asking, ‘Who am I?’” The student left his readers to decode what the object was.

Jesus Christ asked the disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?” The disciples replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But what about you?” he asked, “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” The student who wrote the essay knew the object he described. Our Lord Jesus Christ knew whom He was before He asked the powerful question that became an eye opener for all the children of God. But hardly can man recognize who he really is.

INSIGNIFICANCE OF MAN

What is man? This is a simple question that may lead to a perplexing response. Some did not know the answer to this question. Some have a scanty idea of whom they really are. On the other hand, some come up with the theory of evolution to explain who they are. In our attempt to answer this question we will seek the wisdom of God. The Bible described the insignificance of man as a, “tenant in the house of clay whose foundation is in the dust.” Job 4:19 Bildad the Shuhite the friend of Job further equated man to a “worm” in his analysis of how unimportant we are compared to God. “How much less man, that is a worm? And the son of man which is a worm” Job 25:6 In the wealth of wisdom and in demonstration of humility and appreciation of the excellency of God, David also expressed the insignificance of man and yet man is highly magnified before God. Psalm 8:3-6Psalm 8:3-6
3. When I consider your heavens the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
4. What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?
5. You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings, and crown him with glory and honor.
6.You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet.; Isaiah 40:21-25Isaiah 40:21-25
21. Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
22. He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
24. No sooner are they planted, no sooner are they sown, no sooner do they take rook in the ground, than he blows on them and they wither, and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.
25. “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One.

Man was formed (created) in the image of God out of the dust of the ground and God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. And man became a living soul. Genesis 1:27, 2:7. There are two important phrases that we must pay attention to in this statement: “in the image of God,” and “the breath of life.” Image here does not represent the arrangement of man’s skeletal structure, shape, facial appearance or size. It does not represent our complexion or any other image according to the thought and feelings of man. The image of God connotes Godly tendencies and blessed attributes of Almighty God. Man was created in an immortal body and incorruptible image of the Heavenly Father to be an appointed ambassador of God on earth.

There is one important understanding about creation of man that was not revealed in the book of Genesis. We are made to understand in John 4:24 that “God is a spirit . . .” God made man in the combination of spirit and dust. This is why when man dies, the “dust,” that is, the physical body of man returns to the earth, and the “spirit,” the spiritual part of man returns to God. “and the dust returns to the ground it came from and the spirit returns to God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:7.The dust comprises of the genetic codes, according to DNA analysis, that becomes the frame and structure of our body but the tenant in the structure of our body is the spirit of God. It was confirmed in Job 32:8 that “there is a spirit in man, . . .” God inspired a piece of Himself in man to give man understanding.

The understanding of the breath of life takes us to the vision of dry bones in Ezekiel 37:9-10.Ezekiel 37:9-10
9. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’”
10. So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet – a vast army. In the Gospel of John 3:8, we learn that the winds blow directionally. We hear the sound of the wind but we don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. The breath of life is the wind from the four winds. We do not know where it comes from.It is the sustaining power of God that is flowing in our system throughout our entire life. It is a miracle of living. The breath of life is never in short supply. It stabilizes and refreshes us. It keeps man living for the glory of God as long as he lives on earth.

GOD HONORED MAN

God did not create man on earth only to and leave him to find his own feet. Among all the creatures it was only man that God reviewed its existence. God did not want man to be roaming about on earth like all other beasts and fowls He created. He did not create man to be migrating as the season changes like birds. He did not put man in the field to graze the grass. God specifically provided an abode for man. Genesis 2:15-16Genesis 2:15-16
15. The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.
16. And the Lord commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden. He provided a place of comfort and made available all that man would need to nurture and sustain himself in the Garden of Eden.

Man was the only creature that God established a relationship with. At the cool of the day God came to the Garden to fellowship with them. The Bible says, “the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the cool of the day . . .” Genesis 3:8

God blessed man put him in dominion of everything He had created in fulfillment of the purpose of his creation. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number, fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Genesis 1:28 The purpose of creating man was determined before man was created. “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” Genesis 1:26 God fulfilled the purpose when He brought the beasts and fowls which He formed from the ground to Adam so that he might give them names. Genesis 2:19-20Genesis 2:19-20
19. Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name.
20. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field. This was the beginning of the faithfulness of God in honoring His words towards man.

Everything about the creation seemed perfect. Something important was conspicuously missing in the life of Adam at creation. Adam could not figure it out. But God understood the situation. There was no doubt that he was lonely, and God noted his ordeal. “And the Lord said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” Genesis 2:18 The thoughtfulness of God and His faithfulness in fulfilling this need in the life of Adam demonstrated how much God appreciates unity.

God gave Adam a commandment, “. . . of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17 Some described this commandment as the limitation that God placed on man at creation. Beloved, I tell you that this is the secret of peace and orderliness that exist in Heaven. “Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” For a relationship to be mutual and cordial, there must be rules and regulations guiding the relationship. In a country, it is called a constitution. In a company it is called article of association. Between God and man it was a commandment. It was the line that Adam and Eve should not cross. God demonstrated faithfulness in the relationship He had with man. Adam occupied himself with the responsibilities of dominionship. He was daily tending the garden. So also was Eve in her helpmeet responsibilities. All was well with man in the Garden of Eden. Then, Satan the intruder entered into the life of man.

INGRATITUDE OF MAN

In the story of the fox and rooster, the fox was so afraid of rooster because he thought that the massive red flesh on the head of the rooster was a burning flame. One day, in order to decipher what this flesh was made of, fox was afar off. He called to the rooster and said, “Do you know why I am keeping distance from you?” “I don’t know,” replied rooster. “I really love you a lot,” fox continued, I would like to be your friend but I am so much afraid of the flame on your head.” Rooster laughed hysterically and replied the fox gullibly, “It is not a flame; it is part of my flesh. My blood made it red like flame. You can come and touch it.” Fox replied, “Really?” “Yes!” said Rooster. “That is very kind of you, Rooster.” Fox came near rooster he felt no heat.“Could this be true,” he thought. He touch the flesh on the head of rooster it was very soft and succulent. That day, rooster became breakfast of fox.

It is a fact that man did not solicit information from Satan, but he opened the door of his heart to the intruder. Satan did not understand the relationship between God and man. Obviously, he was jealous of the relationship. He was looking for a penetration. He did not want to be seen as a stranger in the garden. He disguised himself and presented himself to Eve in form of a serpent. To this end, let us ask, Who is Satan? Satan was once upon a time famous among the host of heaven before he lost his position among the angels of God when wickedness was found in him. Satan was cast out of heaven because of pride. Isaiah 14:12-14. Satan is also known as Lucifer. Lucifer is a deceiver. Jesus Christ described him as a “thief that come only to steal and kill and destroy . . .” John 10:10 Christ was referring to the crime that Satan committed against humanity in the Garden of Eden.

Satan in form of serpent initiated the conversation. “Did God really say, ‘you must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” Eve said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat from the tree that in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’” “You will not surely die, the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband. Genesis 3:1-6.

Among the creations of God only man failed the test of obedience. The sun has never failed to rule the day nor the moon and star failed to rule the night. God described the penalty of falling into sin as death but Satan, the tempter, described it as vitamins that will make man be like God. Man took the vitamins recommended by Satan and faced death as the judgment of his sin. Satan started the evil suggestion, but the woman fell for it. For the first time in the history of mankind, Eve reversed the line of authority by taking directives from the serpent. The nature of sin is in its outlook. For the first time since her days in the Garden of Eden, the woman saw that the tree was good for food, she also saw it as pleasant to the eyes and it was a tree that can make one wise, and she took the fruit of the tree and ate it.

Among the invaluable properties of man at creation were:

• Righteousness

• Anointing of the presence of the Lord.

• A covenant relationship with God.

• Power over death – ability to live eternally.

• An Ambassadorial position of God on Earth.

• Joy and peace.

• A beautiful garden Eden with all means of sustenance. 

In other words, Satan was telling man to trade in his righteousness for the ability to be like God. At this point, beloved ones, there are things you have that you don’t realize their importance. Your enemies are interested in these precious properties. They are ready to do anything to take it away from you. I bet you will not know how important they are until you lose them. Adam and Eve did not know the value of the precious blessing that God gave them until they lost everything

Satan said, “Knock, knock.” Eve asked, “Who was there.” Satan said, "It's me." Eve just opened the door to Satan without knowing who Satan really was. She opened her door to sorrow. She opened her door to death. She invited manipulation into the most secret part of her heart. Man allowed intruder to mess up his relationship with God. He let out the spirit of God in his heart and allowed the spirit of doubt and distrust to take over in his heart. Man let go of righteousness but little did he know that he lost all the divine blessing of God. When the allegiance of man lain with God man did not fall into sin. Before the tempter entered into the Garden of Eden, there was no sin recorded against man, but when man entered into an alliance with Satan, when man looked up to Satan for directives, then sin entered our incorruptible lives. Whenever we have an alliance with Satan we fall into sin. By sinning, you have apportioned an undeserved victory unto Satan instead of God in your life. This act is a slap in the face of Almighty God. It is like when one sells himself or herself so cheaply to a certified enemy, Satan, when we know fully well that we are worth far more than that in the hand of God our Creator.

WHAT HAPPENED AFTER?

As usual at the cool of the day, God came to the Garden of Eden to fellowship with man. He called out for man. “Adam!” “Adam, Where are you?” Adam responded, “We heard you voice, Lord but we are afraid because we are naked.”

We can learn two important things from the statement of Adam: True to his statement, sin always reveals the nakedness and vulnerability of man. Secondly, when man was righteous, he had a close-knit relationship with God. No sooner had man fell into sin that he started keeping distance from his creator.

According to the principle of the covenant of God, judgment followed sin. The judgment of this sin was death. The judgment was swift and decisive. That very day, man died spiritually. It was like this: It took man one step to cross from righteousness to sinfulness the same way it took God only one step to exercise the judgment of the sinfulness of man according to the covenant. Man did not realize it until the effect of the judgment began to manifest. Man was sent packing out of the Garden of Eden. Man that had been living in the abundant providence of God would now have to till the ground, plant, and wait till harvest time before he could eat. That is why your employer does not pay your salary up-front. That is the reason for the ordeal of farmers laboring all day long in the field. That is why the sower watches the direction of the wind before sowing. The life of man became chaotic. The land became cursed. It is no longer yielding in its full force. The day man violated the law of God, his relationship with God became severed.

After the fall of man Satan deserted him. Afterall, the thief never stands by after he has robbed the owners of his properties. Man had nobody to fellowship with, no advocator to plead his case before God. Man did not have an idea on how to reach God in repentance and reconcile with his Creator.

God beheld the situation of man and saw his life upside down, completely different from His purposes of creating man. It is like the way the farmers behold a bat that hangs upside down with its hind-legs on the tree. Man could not save himself. The Creator, the righteous Judge and the same merciful God reconsidered the deplorable situation of man and began the processes of repossession that is otherwise known in our time as the process of salvation. God helped man to repossess what he had lost to Satan. From the generation of Noah God has been delivering those who are obedient to His commandment. He separated the shaft from the wheat; and preserved the wheat and subjected the shaft to be blown off into oblivion.

The project of repossessing led to the calling out of Abraham from his kindred in the land of Ur of Chaldes and faithfully, he followed the fingers of God to the land of Canaan.  Genesis 12:1-3Genesis 12:1-3
1.The Lord said to Abram, “Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.
2.“I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
3.I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” The nation of Israel came into existence from the generation of Abraham. Uncountable prophets of God ministered the wisdom of God to people so that men might change from their wicked ways. The righteous family of Lot was preserved in the utter destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. After the sacrifice of the lamb of Passover, the first born of Israelites, the people of God were preserved in the land of Goshen but the first born of Egyptians were all perished in the last plague. After this plague, the people were delivered from their taskmasters in Egypt. The ultimate process of salvation took place on the Cross of Calvary where Jesus Christ, the Son of God was crucified for our sins. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

THEN WHAT IS MAN?

At this point you wont find it difficult to answer this puzzle. Man is nothing but dust. Man is an ungrateful and sinful individual that cannot exist on his own. No matter the kindness that man may exhibit, that sinful tendency is still apparent in our life. No wonder God described the righteousness of man “as filthy rag.” You will agree with me that no matter what distance man is maintaining from God he cannot survive on his own. He is wholly dependent upon his Creator for virtually everything. If man plants and God does not bring forth the rain, the seed will not germinate. If the plant blooms and the Creator does not bless it, it will not bear fruit. Inventions come by in the life of man when God imparts His wisdom on us. There is no discovery when God does not lead the way. There is no blessing without the blessed hand of God in it. We are living each day according to the instance of God. He put us to sleep every night and wakes us up every morning. We cannot journey on in the Christian life journey alone without His continuous holding our hands while walking with us. Man cannot find peace until we learn how to live within the plan of peace of God. When man failed to recognize God's existence, He remained merciful and faithful. The Lord is our strength; we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. The Lord is our Redeemer, He purchased us with His precious blood.

Reflect on this:
The book of Psalm 111:10 states, “the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.” Knowing who you are is the yardstick of measuring the fear of God in man. At a certain point in the life of man, the enemy will come with one purpose in mind: to steal, to kill and to destroy - to steal your anointing, to kill the wisdom of God in you and to destroy the plan of God concerning your life - so that the purpose of God for creating you will be permanently altered and tainted with sin.  If you know whom you are and what God had made you to be, you will appreciate God's kindness.  You will put Him in position of pre-eminence in your life and stick to His directives only. You will be able to see your sinfulness in the mirror of His mercy and you will be able to understand how much He loves you.  You will be able to appreciate the grace of salvation and you will fit perfectly into His plan of redemption.  Above all, you will be able to understand what the fear of God represents. 

In the light of the word of God seek to know yourself today.  This will lead you to appreciate God's plans concerning your life.