My Refiner

I love how the Bible paints word pictures for us. It takes concepts that are hard for the human mind to process and relates them to things we understand. This is a pattern you see used all through the Bible. One of my favorites is God sitting as the refiner of silver.

​And he shall sit [as] a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the LORD an offering in righteousness. - Malachi 3:3 KJV

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The word silver occurs 320 times in the King James Version Bible. Silver is a unique metal that throughout history has been valued for its ability to be worked with and to resist corrosion. Also, its beautiful shine reflects almost all visible light. God wants us to be like silver, unique in our ability to be molded by Him. Not broken down by adverse environmental effects of the world and able to reflect His glorious light.

14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. - Titus 2:14 KJV

Silver processing is arduous. Primarily silver comes from ore that was mined for lead, copper or zinc. Only a quarter of the silver produced comes from ore actually mined for silver.  Silver is the leftovers, not the intended product.  It is mined through open-pit or underground methods. The ore is then crushed and ground. The powder is then put through flotation separation, where it is submerged in water. Depending on if the ore is primarily copper, lead or zinc, it will go through a roasting or a smelting process in a furnace.  All of this just to get the silver in a state in which it can be worked with.

I love the comparison of the church to silver. Only a small part of us are born into families that intentionally raise their children in Christ. For the majority, the desire for Christ is buried in the cares of life. But God is ready and willing to intentionally mine for what others would consider discardable. He sees value in what the world would throw away. 

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Once revelation and a desire to live for God has been brought to the surface of our lives, we have to go through a crushing or breaking process. Repentance isn't comfortable. It can be painful to realize we have sin, then to break away from it. When King David was confronted with his sin of adultery, he wrote a poignant psalm of repentance. 

​2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. 3 For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin [is] ever before me. 4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done [this] evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, [and] be clear when thou judgest. ... 17 The sacrifices of God [are] a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. - Psalm 51:2-4, 17 KJV

After the crushing of repentance there needs to be separation from that sin. It is unique that silver goes through flotation separation. It is submerged in water to separate the silver the outside contaminates. In the same manner, we are baptized to separate us from our sins. 

21 The like figure whereunto [even] baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: - 1 Peter 3:21 KJV

Next comes the burning. John the Baptist told his disciples that the one who was coming after him would baptize them with the Holy Ghost and fire. It is beautiful how the Holy Ghost is likened to fire in scripture. It is the last piece to free us from the sin of this world. God does all this just to get us to a state where we can be worked with.

4 Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer. - Proverbs 25:4 KJV

Now God has to make us into something that can be used in His kingdom. The working of silver is just as difficult as the refining. There is more fire. There is shaping. There is polishing. There is washing. Sometimes it feels like we are going through a fire. Sometimes it feels like we are being pounded by life. Sometimes it feels like everything rubs us the wrong way. Through all of this, God sits as a refiner and purifier of silver. God doesn’t just start the process of refining and purifying us. He sits as the refiner. 

2 When thou passest through the waters, I [will be] with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. - Isaiah 43:2 KJV

He knew if He could crush us. He knew if He could wash us. He knew if He could set us on fire. Then He would find something He could work with. We would be moldable to His image. We would not corrode in the environment we would have to live in. We would reflect His light to the world around us. We would be a conduit for His power in this world.

9 And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It [is] my people: and they shall say, The LORD [is] my God. - Zechariah 13:9 KJV

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