Neville Goddard on Isaiah 64:8

Executive Summary

Neville Goddard interprets Isaiah 64:8 as a parable revealing the identity of God and the nature of creation. He teaches that the 'Potter' mentioned in the verse is not an external deity but is, in fact, our own human imagination. Consequently, the 'Lord our Father' is our imagination, and we are the 'clay' being perpetually shaped by its inner activity. This conception identifies creation as a work of imagination, making us all the work of our own hand.

Key Concepts

• The Potter described in scripture is human imagination.
• The 'Lord our Father' is equated with the Potter, and therefore is our imagination.
• We are the 'clay' that is being shaped by the Potter.
• We are all the work of our own imagination's hand.
• The 'potter's house' is within us, as we are the temple of God.

Detailed Explanation

Neville Goddard's interpretation of Isaiah 64:8 centers on a direct identification: the Potter is imagination. He explains that the verse, "O Lord, thou art our father, we are the clay, and thou art our potter; we are all the work of thy hand," explicitly equates the Lord our Father with the potter, and us with the clay. This understanding shifts the creative force from an external God to an internal power inherent in every individual.

This conception of the Lord as our own imagination is presented as a key that unlocks the mystery of creation. The reason many do not accept this truth, Neville suggests, is an unwillingness to assume such a powerful identity. The creative process is not something that happens to us from the outside, but rather from within. Because we are the 'temple of God,' the 'potter's house' is within our own consciousness. We do not need to go anywhere in the external world to find this creative power; it is already present within us as our imagination, constantly shaping the clay of our being.

Important Quotes

The word translated Potter means imagination.

— The Law And The Promise

O Lord, thou art our father, we are the clay, and thou art our potter; we are all the work of thy hand.

— The Law And The Promise

This conception of creation as a work of imagination, and the Lord our Father as our imagination, will take us further into the mystery of creation than any other guide.

— The Law And The Promise

Here he equates the Lord our Father with the potter, and it is stated quite clearly that we are the clay.

— The Potters House

Related Concepts

This interpretation is fundamentally connected to Neville's teachings on Imagination as the central creative power in man, identical to God. It is the very foundation of the Law of Assumption, as the source material notes that people's disbelief stems from being 'unwilling to assume' this identity of being the potter. By equating the 'Lord our Father' with imagination, it directly links to the concept of I AM, the name of God, as being one's own consciousness or awareness.

Common Misunderstandings

A common misunderstanding is to view the Potter in Isaiah 64:8 as an external God who shapes humanity from afar. Neville corrects this by internalizing the entire process. The Potter is not an outside force but is your own imagination. The source material emphasizes that people fail to grasp this because they are unwilling to assume that they themselves possess this divine creative power.

Practical Applications

The practical application of this teaching is to recognize that you are the sole creator of your experience. Since you are the clay being shaped by your own imagination (the Potter), you can change your life by changing your imaginal activity. An awakened imagination can refashion circumstances, even those that seem useless or broken, into a desired form. This creative work is done from within; you do not need to seek power or permission from any external source, as the 'potter's house' is your own consciousness.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the Potter in Isaiah 64:8 according to Neville?

Neville teaches that the Potter is your own human imagination. He equates this Potter with the 'Lord our Father' mentioned in the same verse.

What does it mean that we are the 'clay'?

Being the 'clay' means that our lives, bodies, and circumstances are the material being constantly shaped and formed by our imagination, the Potter.

Where is the 'potter's house' located?

According to the source material, the 'potter's house' is within you. Because you are the 'temple of God,' the creative power that shapes you resides in your own consciousness.