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The Refiner!
From Timeless Grace Gems
William Nicholson, 1862
"He will be like a refiner's fire! He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver!" Malachi 3:2-3From Timeless Grace Gems
William Nicholson, 1862
In the context, Malachi predicts the coming of the Messiah, which, to the pious Jews, was an object of great desire. But, at that time, the majority of the Jews were wicked, or formalists and hypocrites. To them the prophet intimates that Messiah's appearance would involve a test or trial which very few would be able to stand. "But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears?" verse 2. Who shall stand the test of his doctrines, the trying dispensation which shall attend the setting-up of his kingdom? No hypocrite can endure his doctrines, or stand before his tribunal.
The bestowal of his grace, the allotments of his providence — are designed to promote purity, and to this the carnal mind is opposed. Persecutions, for Christ's sake, test men.
1. A Refiner must be distinguished by ability and skill suitable to his calling.
Jesus Christ possesses pre-eminent qualifications for refining and purifying a people unto himself. His knowledge, wisdom, skill, and searching penetration — are infinite. He understands the nature of the materials he has to purify — what degrees of refining heat they require to render them pure. He has himself been subjected to the refining process. He knows how to feel for others. Hence, his sympathy is unbounded. All that he did and suffered, is designed to refine. "He gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good." Titus 2:14
2. Gold or silver, previous to the refining process, is full of dross. In its natural condition it is mixed with earth and other matter, which must be separated.
Christ delivers his people from this present evil world. He calls them from its condemnation, its practices, its defilement, and from the love of it — to the service of God. Their hearts are full of corruption, full of evil — but he refines them. He purges away their dross, and says of them, "This people have I formed for myself; they shall show forth my praise."
That there is dross in the soul, see Job 25:4; Matthew 15:19.
As gold and silver sometimes become tarnished, by neglect and carelessness — so God's people become unwatchful, partly lose their zeal, and neglect the means of grace; they accumulate dross, and it is necessary to submit them to the furnace to quicken and refine them.
3. A Refiner has his Furnace, to the heat of which he subjects the precious metals, for the great purpose of purification.
So Christ has his Furnace, his "fiery trial, which is to try them." 1 Peter 4:12. To purge his people from the dross of sin, as seen sometimes . . .
by their worldly conformity,
by their declining love,
by their lethargy in his cause,
by inefficacy in spiritual warfare
— he puts them into the furnace of affliction, to wean their hearts from earth, to teach them its vanity, and cause them to seek a more enduring substance. "The refining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tries the hearts." Proverbs 17:3. "Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have chosen you in the furnace of affliction!" Isaiah 48:10. "This third I will bring into the fire; I will refine them like silver and test them like gold!" Zechariah 13:9
Various afflictions, sometimes very severe and inscrutable, and nearly overwhelming, constitute the fire of that furnace in which the people of God are tried.
4. A Refiner melts the gold and silver, and makes it very soft, and thus renders it fit for his purpose.
Christ melts and softens his people by the furnace of affliction, and by his Spirit. The heart was hard, refractory, and unwilling before. Now it is soft, yielding, and obedient. "See, I will refine and test them, for what else can I do because of the sin of my people?" Jeremiah 9:7. Or what way else can I adopt to make them pliable? "God makes my heart soft." Job 23:16.
5. A Refiner, to expedite and to perfect his work, sometimes heats the furnace more intensely.
Christ, if he sees that the heat of ordinary afflictions and trials will not purify and refine the soul of a believer — adds greater afflictions, puts them into a very hot fire, greater trials, according to his own wisdom. "All kinds of trials." See 1 Peter 1:6, 7; 4:12.
6. When the metal has been sufficiently subjected to the heat, all the dross appears on the surface, which the refiner carefully removes.
The furnace of affliction brings to the mind of the believer, a deep sense of his imperfections and sins, etc. He is deeply humbled, he confesses to God through Christ. His sins are taken away. He is delivered in a good degree from pride, worldly-mindedness, etc. He rises from his bed of sickness, endued with renewed affections, more holy desires, and resolves to devote himself to the glory of Christ.